How to Carry a Shovel on a Mountain Bike (for Trail Work)
A few ways to easily attach a shovel to your bike (without scratching frame when transporting to a trail.
by
Doug Kennard
Updated June 28, 2018
Shovel Strapped to Full Suspension mountain bike using the top tube and bike seat rail. Just make sure the shovel is strapped down tight, as you don't want the shovel to slip forward into your front spokes.
Alternative, way to carry a full-size Shovel on Hard Tail mountain bike (if top tube is high enough for shovel to clear back tire).
Ski Straps holding Shovel in place on bike seat rail.
Two Ways to Carry a Full Size Shovel on a Mountain Bike for Trail Work
If you've ever tried to carry a full-size shovel in your hand while riding a mountain bike it can be rather difficult and dangerous. Steering and braking with a large shovel in your hand as it flops around can be really awkward, especially while riding over rough terrain. Furthermore, carrying a shovel on your back or tucked between a backpack can also be pretty cumbersome and dangerous, as the shovel can catch on low hanging tree branches or bushes.
So with that in mind, here are two ways you can carry a full-size shovel fairly safely while riding a mountain bike out on the trails when going out to do trail work and digging jumps.
Things You'll Need:
How to attach shovel to MTB
- Wrap the 2" Piping Foam Insulation around the shaft of the shovel. (In my case, I used some left over 3/4" piping foam that didn't completely wrap around the handle shaft, so it wasn't ideal, but will still work to protect your frame from damage).
- Now use the Voile Ski Straps to attach the shovel to your mountain bike frames top tube and bike seat rails. NOTE: If your bike is a full suspension mountain bike, you'll probably need to attach one end of the shovel to your bike seat rails; otherwise the shovel blade or shaft will hit the back tire when compressed. If it's a hard tail bike, you may be able to get away with strapping the shovel onto the top tube of the bike with the shovel blade over the front tire.
- Just make sure the straps are tight enough to hold the shovel in place so they don't come undone. Or else you may find the shaft of the shovel going through the front or back wheel and throwing you OTB (Over The Bars).
- That's it...
If you have a better way to carry a full size shovel while riding, let me know in the comments below.
Keep in mind, Trail Boss USA does make some packable trail tools (they break down into 4 pieces) that allow to you carry digging tools in a backpack, but they cost $100-200+.