The BANDito Sling will make your hike-a-bike sections much easier, more comfortable and give you more control. Also use it as a tow rope, tree-branch bike holder, bikepacking clothes-line and more.
**** Use Discount Code 'Bandito3Buck' to knock $3 off your order to offset the shipping costs! ***
How to Use The BANDito Sling
When you want to hike-a-bike, strap one loop under your seat post and around the nose of your seat (the loop where the bag attaches) then place another loop over the end of your handlebars, crouch down and lift up with the strap over your shoulder. Your bike will lift off the ground and handlebar will turn to the left and the front wheel will be out of the way for walking. You may have to reach down and spin your pedal back a bit so it doesn't hit your leg when walking. When done, reverse the process and go ride!
Usage Video - We created this video in 2017 before Trans Iowa V13. This is the Daisy Chain we used to use, but the way it is used is the same. We hope to create an updated video soon.
What is the need for this?
Gravel - We love long gravel rides/races and often the Race Coordinators will add in Level-B road sections into the race course and way too often Mother Nature has a tendency to make a muddy mess of the Level B roads. Sometimes you can ride through the mud and sometimes the mud is so sticky your tires will stop turning and your bike can double its weight in a matter of seconds. Our Wisdom says - get off the bike, carry it until the road or ditch is rideable again. You'll thank us later.
Mountain Bike - Some mountain bike rides/races that have some hike-a-bike sections where you need both hands to pull yourself up over rocks, trees and other sketchy terrain.
Fat Bike - Snow too deep to ride in? Too deep to push your bike? BANDito Sling to the rescue - sling it and GO!
BANDito Sling Benefits
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Save your shoulder! Ever try and carry your a bike on a muddy level-B road? It's not fun and can leave your shoulder and arms over-fatigued.
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Use Your hands! - Sling your bike over your shoulder and you can use your hands to grab food, change cue cards, drink, hold onto branches, climb a steep ditch on all fours.
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Multi-Loop - What does this give ya? LOTS of height options. If you are hiking over rocks and unstable terrain, you may want to carry your bike higher off the ground, so you use a loop closer to the center.
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Long or Short Torso? Use the loops to adjust your bike height based off your height and the terrain you are navigating.
Other Uses for the BANDito Sling
We love the simplicity of making your bike easier to carry, but we also love multi-purposing items for more than one use.
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In-A-Pinch Bike "repair stand" - Need to adjust your derailleur?, lube your chain? Find a tree branch and use the sling to suspend your bike while you work on it.
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Tow Rope - Have an mechanical that cannot be fixed and have a buddy with? Hold one end on your pedal or handlebar and strap the other on the buddy-seat and roll. It's not the safest, but can work if needed.
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BikePacking or Camping? Use the sling as a clothes-line, a firewood carrier, hang your bags or panniers from a tree, use it as backrest support to lean up against your bike. Dip and Fill your Nalgene bottle into a stream without getting all wet and muddy
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Windy or no kick-stand? Use it to tie your bike to a tree, fence or whatever, or even store it overnight suspended in the air from a tree branch to keep the critters off.
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Cheap Lock - Need to run into a sketchy convenience store and your don't have a lock? Loop the sling through your wheels and frame and tie a knot. It makes stealing your bike more difficult
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Hammock Strap? Carry a D-ring and you've got one less hammock strap to carry.
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Can it do more? I'm sure we'll come up with more uses as we use it more.
Stuffing the BANDito Sling Bag
There isn't much to it - just grab the BIKEIOWA label with one hand and pull the strap out of the bag to release the strap from the bag with the other hand. To stuff the strap back into the bag, you want to stuff the big loop (opposite of the bag) last and leave that end sticking out of the bag, so you can easily grab the next time. The bag is a tight fit and that is by design to save space.
Usually if we use it once during a race, we're gonna probably need it again, so we'll store it un-stuffed in our jersey pocket, or another bag so its easy to get to as it takes two hands and a little time to re-stuff it.
BANDito Sling vs. a Daisy Chain
A climber's daisy chain works just fine too. We used one for years, then we made it better. We made it smaller - why? It's takes up less space to pack, and it doesn't need to carry your body weight like a daisy chain. We made it lighter by placing the loops only where you need them for a hike-a-bike
SPECS
Strap Width: 3/4"
Strap Length: 46"
Bag Size: 4" tall x 2.75" wide (add 1" height when stuffed with sling)
Small Loops: 5 loops @ 3" each
Big Loops: 2 loops @ 5" each at each end
Strap Color: Black
Bag Color: Black
Bag Micro-cord Color: Black & White
Micro-cord length: 10 inches
Micro-cord Specs: 100lb tensile strength
Toggle Color: Black
Total Weight: 1.5 ounces ?!?
HOW TO CARE FOR
The strapping, thread, rip-stop bag fabric, micro-cord and toggle should last a long time, but fabric can tear, rip and fade over time. Care for the same way you care for the rest of your bikepacking/bags accessories. Wash if it gets dirty. Don't dry it.
BANDito Sling Logo
The logo is modeled after our friend Tyler Johnson who was using a sling right before a level B road. This photo was the inspiration for the abstract logo that we are using.
MADE IN THE USA. MADE IN IOWA. Every BANDito Sling is cut, sewn and assembled in Central Iowa, by the same folks that bring you BIKEIOWA.com and Pogie Lites. they are made in small batches.
