What do you take on a ride??

jonesy5

New to this cycling thing and have started to increase the length of my rides, the longest so far has been 2 hrs. What do you need to take on a ride, where you are some distance from home. (pump- what kind? food, water, money, phone, repair kit, waterproof, small tool kit????) and how and where do you carry them. At present I'm alternating between carrying just my phone in a very very small saddle bag to ring my better half if needed and carrying a few of the above in a rucksack.
I'm off to Decathlon tomorrow, so any advice would be really helpful

skinson

I'm like you, usually do a couple of 50 milers a week so no great shakes. I just take 1 spare tube, mini pump a couple of plastic tyre levers, and a 1/2 litre bottle of water. Oh! and my mobile and that's it. Because I know my bike is in tip top condition before I set off no need for any tools.
Dave

Chrissz

Phone, CC, £20, spare inner tube, levers, puncture repair tool, basic multi-tool, mini-pump, gel sachets. That's usually my lot

lae

Like skinson said, but I carry a Leatherman and a couple of allen keys too (because I know my bike isn't in tip top condition!)

Takis61

Saddle bag - tyre levers, tube, multitool.
Pockets - 2 spare tubes (easy to pinch flat when changing tubes, so need more than 1 in my experience) - banana, cereal bar, gel for emergencies/bomk, phone & maybe 2 quid - and an emergency card with details & numbers on it.
Bottles - 2, one with Isotonic, one with water.

andrewlwood

my tiny saddle stuffer always has a multitool, inner tube, tyre levers, and a CO2 canister with teeny tiny adapter. On the bike a bottle or two of water (frozen) with a hint of lime cordial. Phone, wallet keys in pockets or in the bag. I might swap out the multitool for a few allen keys - wouldn't know how to use a chain splitter even if I needed it.

My rear light never comes off - my front light I only fit if I know I'm going to need it.

pedalrog

I carry the minimum experience allows me to: 2 tubes - let's face it if you puncture once the probability of puncturing again is the same and with only one tube, you could be stuffed!. 2 steel tyre levers, chain tool, spoke key, 5mm Allen key. Phone. Bottle. Personal card (in case I'm found lying at the side of the road.).
Additional stuff dependant on the weather: gilet, cagoole, arm warmers.
Wallet if I'm likely to stop.

IShaggy

- 2 tubes (nothing worse than breaking a valve or pinch flat-ing your spare after getting a puncture 30 miles from home).
- Tyre levers.
- CO2 and inflator (my best friend when cold and raining).
- Mini-pump
- Mini-tool with chain tool.
- Chain quick-link.
- Mobile
- Credit Card
- Money
- Picnic Hamper on a trailer

Tubes and pump in the back-pockets. Everything else in a saddle-bag.

skinson

Hmm! Looking at what some of you take you'd be better off with some panniers!!!
Where is the logic of, " let's face it if you puncture once the probability of puncturing again is the same and with only one tube, you could be stuffed!" Because, by your logic the probability of puncturing more than twice is still the same? so why not take 3-4-5......tubes. If you can't fit a tube in a tyre without pinching it then I suggest a little practice!!
Dave

IShaggy

skinson wrote:

If you can't fit a tube in a tyre without pinching it then I suggest a little practice!!

Well obviously I'm inept - if only I was as skilled as you. As for practice - try 9 punctures this year, and in addition the loss of 4 spares due to 2 (yes, count them) pinch-flats, 1 broken valve when pumping with a mini-pump, and one valve launching itself off into oblivion when inflating with CO2. Believe me - when it's freezing cold and it's raining then 2 tubes means that her indoors gets her lie-in on a Sunday morning.

de_sisti

Dave,

I think he was trying to say that a rider can puncture more than once in a ride. It happened
to a bloke (Liam from Brighton) who latched on and joined our group a few weeks ago.
He punctured and told the rest of the group to carry on without him. He trapped part of his
(only) replacement tube between the tyre bead and rim causing another puncture. Just imagine if
we had carried on as he had suggested. As he was working hundreds of miles away from home that week,
I think his only option would have been to enlist the help of the owner of the house where he was
renting a room. We helped him out and he was ok for the rest of the ride.

I have punctured 3 times in a ride before. This was on the "Worcester to Source" 200km audax
about 3 years ago. I think it pays to carry more than one spare tube.

Woodchip

1 tube
Patches
Pump
Multitool
Mobile Phone
Cash
Drink

That's it for me (but I'm only doing 20 mile rides at the mo.

bompington

The first time I did the Etape Cal (last year), a 130km ride, I decided to go for it & had just one water bottle, 3 bananas and some tablet (=scottish fudge). By the end of the race I was cramping a bit but otherwise fine. The tyres I was running (spesh roubaix armadillo elite) had actually gone over 1000 miles already without a puncture, so I decided to trust them.
This year, for no particular reason, I decided to take 2 bottles (with electrolyte stuff), 4 bananas, & 3 packets of energy thingies. Oh, and a pump, patches and spare tubes.

3 tacks, a lot of cramp and a definite near-bonking feeling later I made it across the line; maybe it was the extra weight of the kit that made it such hard work?

tri-sexual

a pretty girl, picnic basket and nice bottle of wine

skinson

Maander.

I realise what he was saying, (think he took umbridge to my practice comment?) But I still say why stop at 2? If you get a puncture the chances of getting another are exactly the same as when you set off! So you could just as well get 2-3 or more. With the exception of a very small minority, most people could phone a friend, wife, boss, G/F, if you got more than one! I myself have been on rides where I have punctured so have had to walk/bus home. It's not the end of the world and very few people will be hundreds of miles from home when they get one.
Dave

IShaggy

tri-sexual wrote:

a pretty girl, picnic basket and nice bottle of wine

I like your style, but take care with that wine or you'll find yourself cycling one of these

tri-sexual

wow, what a cool bike
can i get one in carbon fibre?

freehub

2 750ml water bottles
7 Mars Bars
Saddle bag
2 inner tubes
3 tyre levers
1 multi took
mobile phone + headhones
gloves
arm warmers
leg warmers
HRM
Garmin.

Frank the tank

Gels, food, drink varies on length of planned ride.
2 tubes
2 tyre levers
multi-tool
mobile phone
£5
Salbutamol inhaler

Bhima

Team Car with 3 spare bikes, mechanic and podium girls.

freehub

Here is almost everything I'm taking tomoz bar the bottles and headphones not included.

jonesy5

Cheers for all of the advice .
This forum really is a font of knowledge for us beginners from hills to clip ons
I shall shop wisely for a suitable saddle bag, mini pump & spare tubes, Etc.

jonesy

speedo

small saddle bag containing:
spare tube
2 tyre levers
allen keys
telephone numbers of local taxis in case of major breakdown - beats walking home
cash for a coffee and cake
emergency details - who you are / address etc
Puncture outfit

Back pockets of cycling jersey:
waterproof
snicker bar
tissues to wipe away the sweat / blow you nose

On the bike:
Water bottles
Minin pump

Kitchen sink to heavy to carry!!

Frank the tank

freehub wrote:

Here is almost everything I'm taking tomoz bar the bottles and headphones not included.

Firkin' 'ell where are you cycling to, China.

nolf

freehub wrote:

Here is almost everything I'm taking tomoz bar the bottles and headphones not included.

Personally for me that looks like 100+ miles worth of food n' stuff.
Altho I always enjoy a good cafe stop after around 60 miles. Saves you from carrying stuff and pver summer- why not!

Grazy81

jonesy5 wrote:

I shall shop wisely for a suitable saddle bag, mini pump & spare tubes, Etc.

jonesy

I decided to take a trip to halfords today to get a chain cleaning kit and was impressed by there bike hut saddle bag it had more internal space than the topeak of similar size so that ended up being bought along with the topeak multi tool set which contains all the tools mentioned above in a very compact case that if required to clips onto your seat post.

So far i am impressed with my shopping trip and will give them a proper test ride tomorrow :twisted:

Takis61

Oy Freehub, is that little green packet there next to the Smart gels a condom ?
What sort of ride you doing ? :roll:

Aggieboy

Freehub- Seriously, how do you manage with Mars bars in this hot weather? Do you drink them? :shock:

Takis61

Oy skinson - ref. the puncture comment - it just makes sense to have at least 2.
I have one in the saddle bag - then Decathlon sell them in packs of 2, so I just put a pack in the back pocket, er. so 1+2 = 3.
I did a sportive in May loaded like this, didn't puncture myself, but the guy I was riding with actually punctured back & front simultaneously - then buggered up the one tube he was carrying spare, so needed both of mine.
Then punctured again & took my 3rd - all in 60 miles.
And I do know how to change a tube, maybe you should check the Forum again, it says beginners.

Rockhopper

My top tip would be to make sure that the spare tubes you carry actually fit your bike - i recently found out that the valve on my spares was not long enough :-(

I notice that hardly anyone carries a puncture repair kit. Any reason for that? I cary two tubes plus my kit with ten patches in, multi tool with chain tool, plastic tyre levers, CO2 pump plus mini pump and some money or my switch card. No phone,i seriously have no one i could ring in an emergency!

skyd0g

Rockhopper wrote:

My top tip would be to make sure that the spare tubes you carry actually fit your bike - i recently found out that the valve on my spares was not long enough :-(

I notice that hardly anyone carries a puncture repair kit. Any reason for that? I cary two tubes plus my kit with ten patches in, multi tool with chain tool, plastic tyre levers, CO2 pump plus mini pump and some money or my switch card. No phone,i seriously have no one i could ring in an emergency!

There's Taxi's you can call in a worse case scenario.