What tools, bits and bobs should I be carrying?

iain_j

In theory...

Got a shard of glass through my front tyre (a Marathon Plus nonetheless!) and try as I could, I couldn't remove it completely from the tyre, so I scraped off what I could then covered up the remains with a tyre patch, to stop any remaining jagged edges from puncturing the tube again. Did this with the intent of having a proper go at it once I got home.

Three years later, it's still there, haven't p**ctured since

JonS123

tiki tourer wrote:

Am I crazy or have I just been lucky?

I carry nothing at all by way of tools for my regular daily 6 mile commute. In 3-4 years of commuting almost every day I have had one puncture and one occasion when a wheel nut worked loose. Both times I simply pushed my bike to the nearest bike shop and was on my way shortly.

For longer rides I would take a puncture repair kit, pump and a multi-tool, but I've never used any of that. How often are you guys actually experiencing punctures or other problems? I'm genuinely surprised by the amount of stuff that people are carrying.

I do the same, just make sure I have the cash for a taxi if needed, luckally on my route im never more than 1 mile from home/work/another office for who I work for/a mate. Guess if you have that luxary on your route its worth it for a plan b.

Typically the one day I do get a visit from the PF (well it was a snake bite but I still call it a visit) was when I had to be home on time as me and the other half were going to look at a church to get married in.

gbsahne001

5milestogo wrote:

Zipties, anyone else carry zip ties? I used them to tie spokes together but thats it so far? What have you used them for?

used tonight for securing the mudguard to the eyelet, as the bolt worked loose and came out; looked for it on the road but no chance

desmosedici

I carry the following in one of the panniers.

2 tubes
1 tyre
Chain tool & spare links
Pump
Multi tool
Allen keys
Patch kit
Small medical kit
Pedal spanner
6" shifter
Pliers
Spare gear and brake cables
Spare AA & AAA batteries for the lights
Spare light
Small tin box containing random nuts, bolts, washers
Zip ties in various sizes
Duct and electrical tape
Bog roll (soft, strong, and very long)

prj45

desmosedici wrote:

I carry the following in one of the panniers.

2 tubes
1 tyre
Chain tool & spare links
Pump
Multi tool
Allen keys
Patch kit
Small medical kit
Pedal spanner
6" shifter
Pliers
Spare gear and brake cables
Spare AA & AAA batteries for the lights
Spare light
Small tin box containing random nuts, bolts, washers
Zip ties in various sizes
Duct and electrical tape
Bog roll (soft, strong, and very long)

A classic example of why you should never put panniers on a pedal cycle (unless you're doing a round the world trip perhaps).

lost_in_thought

prj45 wrote:

desmosedici wrote:

I carry the following in one of the panniers.

2 tubes
1 tyre
Chain tool & spare links
Pump
Multi tool
Allen keys
Patch kit
Small medical kit
Pedal spanner
6" shifter
Pliers
Spare gear and brake cables
Spare AA & AAA batteries for the lights
Spare light
Small tin box containing random nuts, bolts, washers
Zip ties in various sizes
Duct and electrical tape
Bog roll (soft, strong, and very long)

A classic example of why you should never put panniers on a pedal cycle (unless you're doing a round the world trip perhaps).

Agreed. How far is the commute in question?

rhann

prj45 wrote:

desmosedici wrote:

I carry the following in one of the panniers.

2 tubes
1 tyre
Chain tool & spare links
Pump
Multi tool
Allen keys
Patch kit
Small medical kit
Pedal spanner
6" shifter
Pliers
Spare gear and brake cables
Spare AA & AAA batteries for the lights
Spare light
Small tin box containing random nuts, bolts, washers
Zip ties in various sizes
Duct and electrical tape
Bog roll (soft, strong, and very long)

A classic example of why you should never put panniers on a pedal cycle (unless you're doing a round the world trip perhaps).

I also carry tons of cr*p, but it doesnt really slow me down, its also nice to know where it is at home as people always move things.

wgwarburton

tiki tourer wrote:

... I simply pushed my bike to the nearest bike shop and was on my way shortly....
For longer rides I would take a puncture repair kit, pump and a multi-tool, but I've never used any of that. ... I'm genuinely surprised by the amount of stuff that people are carrying.

My commuting is generally a long way from a bike shop and I prefer to avoid having to call for help.
I carry a spanner/tyre lever combination tool I made myself, a pump/tube/patch-kit and some zip-ties.
I also carry a Swiss Army knife all the time. That's not bike specific but I'd need to carry other bike tools if I didn't have it with me.

Cheers,
W.

PS If I'm on a longer ride (commute or other), I might add an adjustable spanner and an extra tube or if I've been fettling, then I might add extra tools, in case something's not quite right, or works loose (I currently have a couple of allen keys and a chain tool in my bag for this reason).

dresbo

Rolf F wrote:

Greg66 wrote:

One side (the drive side, I think) is threaded so that the pedalling motion will naturally unscrew the pedal from the crank. Unless the pedal is properly tightened.

Should be opposite threaded so they do tighten up as you pedal. If you've been tightening them up in the same direction, I'd hate to see your screw threads

You may want to double check that. The right pedal undoes anti-clockwise, which means that as the crank turns clockwise, the pedal unscrews itself. The reverse is true on the left. Try it - loosen a pedal and turn the crank (without allowing the pedal axle to rotate) The pedal will eventually come off. Why it's like this is anyone's guess. I always thought it was the other way too until I tried it one day.

I even had an argument about it while out on a ride with someone, which culminated it taking the pedal off in the middle of a field just to prove it.

I'm ready to be corrected of course....

rolf_f

Bike shops are usually shut when I'm riding......

Anyway, I'd never be without a trolley jack on my rides. You never know when you might need one.......

rhann

I carry, multi tool, pump, tube, punture repair kit (with glue) self adhesive patches, fa kit, bungee cord.

il_principe

dresbo wrote:

Rolf F wrote:

Greg66 wrote:

One side (the drive side, I think) is threaded so that the pedalling motion will naturally unscrew the pedal from the crank. Unless the pedal is properly tightened.

Should be opposite threaded so they do tighten up as you pedal. If you've been tightening them up in the same direction, I'd hate to see your screw threads

You may want to double check that. The right pedal undoes anti-clockwise, which means that as the crank turns clockwise, the pedal unscrews itself. The reverse is true on the left. Try it - loosen a pedal and turn the crank (without allowing the pedal axle to rotate) The pedal will eventually come off. Why it's like this is anyone's guess. I always thought it was the other way too until I tried it one day.

I even had an argument about it while out on a ride with someone, which culminated it taking the pedal off in the middle of a field just to prove it.

I'm ready to be corrected of course....

The term you are looking for here is Precession - Wiki:

Precession is the name given to the process of one part rotating with respect to another due to fretting between the two. It is described as "precession, in which a round object rolling in a circular ring in one direction will itself turn in the opposite direction." "In machinery, fretting is the micro-motion of tightly fitting parts that superficially appear immobile with respect to each other."

"For a pedal, a rotating load arises from downward pedaling force on a spindle rotating with its crank making the predominantly downward force effectively rotate about the pedal spindle. What may be less evident is that even tightly fitting parts have relative clearance due to their elasticity, metals not being rigid materials as is evident from steel springs. Under load, micro deformations, enough to cause motion, occur in such joints. This can be seen from wear marks where pedal spindles seat on crank faces."

Precession - Sheldon

The right pedal has a normal thread, but the left pedal has a left (reverse) thread.

The reason for this is not obvious: The force from bearing friction would, in fact, tend to unscrew pedals threaded in this manner. The fact is, however, that it is not the bearing friction that makes pedals unscrew themselves, but a phenomenon called "precession".

You can demonstrate this to yourself by performing a simple experiment. Hold a pencil loosely in one fist, and move the end of it in a circle. You will see that the pencil, as it rubs against the inside of your fist, rotates in the opposite direction.

Ignorant people outside the bike industry sometimes make the astonishing discovery that the way it has been done for 100 years is "wrong." "Look at these fools, they go to the trouble of using a left thread on one pedal, then the bozos go and put the left thread on the wrong side! Shows that bicycle designers have no idea what they are doing..."

Another popular theory of armchair engineers is that the threads are done this way so that, if the pedal bearing locks up, the pedal will unscrew itself instead of breaking the rider's ankle.

The left threaded left pedal was not the result of armchair theorizing, it was a solution to a real problem: people's left pedals kept unscrewing! I have read that this was invented by the Wright brothers, but I am not sure of this.

Note! The precession effect doesn't substitute for screwing your pedals in good and tight. It is very important to do so. The threads (like virtually all threads on a bicycle) should be lubricated with grease, or at least with oil.

greg66_tri_v2.0

Il Principe wrote:

lots of stuff that made my head hurt

So, was I right after all?

bails87

I thought most pedals had an allen key hole in the spindle anyway, so no need for a hefty pedal spanner.

Also, why all the adjustable spanners? I don't think there's a single thing on my bike that would need a spanner. It's all hex and torx bolts.

lost_in_thought

Greg66 wrote:

Il Principe wrote:

lots of stuff that made my head hurt

+1 :?

il_principe

bails87 wrote:

I thought most pedals had an allen key hole in the spindle anyway, so no need for a hefty pedal spanner.

Also, why all the adjustable spanners? I don't think there's a single thing on my bike that would need a spanner. It's all hex and torx bolts.

A few of us ride SS/Fixed - so we need a spanner for removing wheels in case of p*unctures.

jonginge

Greg66 wrote:

Il Principe wrote:

lots of stuff that made my head hurt

So, was I right after all?

No. Just differently wrong.

Perhaps.

dresbo

Il Principe wrote:

dresbo wrote:

Rolf F wrote:

Greg66 wrote:

One side (the drive side, I think) is threaded so that the pedalling motion will naturally unscrew the pedal from the crank. Unless the pedal is properly tightened.

Should be opposite threaded so they do tighten up as you pedal. If you've been tightening them up in the same direction, I'd hate to see your screw threads

You may want to double check that. The right pedal undoes anti-clockwise, which means that as the crank turns clockwise, the pedal unscrews itself. The reverse is true on the left. Try it - loosen a pedal and turn the crank (without allowing the pedal axle to rotate) The pedal will eventually come off. Why it's like this is anyone's guess. I always thought it was the other way too until I tried it one day.

I even had an argument about it while out on a ride with someone, which culminated it taking the pedal off in the middle of a field just to prove it.

I'm ready to be corrected of course....

The term you are looking for here is Precession - Wiki:

Precession is the name given to the process of one part rotating with respect to another due to fretting between the two. It is described as "precession, in which a round object rolling in a circular ring in one direction will itself turn in the opposite direction." "In machinery, fretting is the micro-motion of tightly fitting parts that superficially appear immobile with respect to each other."

"For a pedal, a rotating load arises from downward pedaling force on a spindle rotating with its crank making the predominantly downward force effectively rotate about the pedal spindle. What may be less evident is that even tightly fitting parts have relative clearance due to their elasticity, metals not being rigid materials as is evident from steel springs. Under load, micro deformations, enough to cause motion, occur in such joints. This can be seen from wear marks where pedal spindles seat on crank faces."

Precession - Sheldon

The right pedal has a normal thread, but the left pedal has a left (reverse) thread.

The reason for this is not obvious: The force from bearing friction would, in fact, tend to unscrew pedals threaded in this manner. The fact is, however, that it is not the bearing friction that makes pedals unscrew themselves, but a phenomenon called "precession".

You can demonstrate this to yourself by performing a simple experiment. Hold a pencil loosely in one fist, and move the end of it in a circle. You will see that the pencil, as it rubs against the inside of your fist, rotates in the opposite direction.

Ignorant people outside the bike industry sometimes make the astonishing discovery that the way it has been done for 100 years is "wrong." "Look at these fools, they go to the trouble of using a left thread on one pedal, then the bozos go and put the left thread on the wrong side! Shows that bicycle designers have no idea what they are doing..."

Another popular theory of armchair engineers is that the threads are done this way so that, if the pedal bearing locks up, the pedal will unscrew itself instead of breaking the rider's ankle.

The left threaded left pedal was not the result of armchair theorizing, it was a solution to a real problem: people's left pedals kept unscrewing! I have read that this was invented by the Wright brothers, but I am not sure of this.

Note! The precession effect doesn't substitute for screwing your pedals in good and tight. It is very important to do so. The threads (like virtually all threads on a bicycle) should be lubricated with grease, or at least with oil.

Brilliant! I knew there had to be a reason, but never knew what it was. Sheldon (and Il Principe) to the rescue once again. Thank you for enlightening me. Seems we were both wrong and both right.

wgwarburton

Il Principe wrote:

bails87 wrote:

... why all the adjustable spanners? I don't think there's a single thing on my bike that would need a spanner. It's all hex and torx bolts.

A few of us ride SS/Fixed - so we need a spanner for removing wheels in case of p*unctures.

I have a gizmo for that. The adjustable is for everything else: mudguard bolts, toeclip nuts, seat clamp nuts, brake blocks, calipers, pedals...
There are a few irritating hex bolts (stem, chainrings) that need an allen key but mostly my bikes are held together with normal nuts & bolts...

Cheers,
W.

vorsprung

You are only going 7 miles and it sounds like it is urban, so there are buses, taxis and bike shops if anything goes wrong

I do 15 miles of Devon and I carry

multitool - with allen keys, knife, chain splitter
mini pliers - with wire cutter
small pack of m5 bolts/nuts/etc
puncture repair kit
2 spare tubes
tyre boot - this is to deal with holes in the casing of the tyre. It is just an old bit of tyre
2 steel tyre levers
adjustable spanner ( back wheel is held on with track nuts )
8mm/10mm spanner ( i have mudguards )

I always carry the same tools/spares if I'm going to the shop or across Wales. I just leave them in the bag, saves thinking

tiny_pens

Old job 7 miles each way in town - carried just tyre levers and patches. Figured I would walk / borrow a pump off another commuter if needed and left a multi tool and pump in my desk drawer (my last couple of punctures have been slow so that I haven't noticed the flat until I go to ride home at the end of the day).

New job 14 miles each way through the countryside - punture repair kit, pump and multitool.

Wouldn't recommend the gas canisters. Had to collect someone and bring them into work once as it was their first time using the canisters and they had multiple punctures on the same trip. That and the fact that you need to pump up your tyres again when you get home if you use a canister because its CO2 and it leaks out through the tyre membrane a lot quicker than air does so your tyres go flat quicker.

iain_j

Adjustable spanner does the pedals (can't get enough leverage on my multi-tool allen key) and the locknuts on the hubs. Serves well as a hammer in times of frustration too :P

Aidy

Il Principe wrote:

bails87 wrote:

I thought most pedals had an allen key hole in the spindle anyway, so no need for a hefty pedal spanner.

Also, why all the adjustable spanners? I don't think there's a single thing on my bike that would need a spanner. It's all hex and torx bolts.

A few of us ride SS/Fixed - so we need a spanner for removing wheels in case of p*unctures.

So people ride fixies for the "simplicity" and have to carry more tools?

il_principe

tiny_pens wrote:

Wouldn't recommend the gas canisters. Had to collect someone and bring them into work once as it was their first time using the canisters and they had multiple punctures on the same trip. That and the fact that you need to pump up your tyres again when you get home if you use a canister because its CO2 and it leaks out through the tyre membrane a lot quicker than air does so your tyres go flat quicker.

Well clearly you should carry a minipump as well! At least I do. Also pumping your tire up at home doesn't take long - I'd rather 10 seconds with the trackpump at home that 10 mins of trying to get a tyre up to pressure with a pump by the side of the road! Canisters will get a 700x23 up to 100psi or so in 3 seconds flat...

il_principe

Aidy wrote:

So people ride fixies for the "simplicity" and have to carry more tools?

Ah well the weight you save running fixed/ss means you can afford to lob a spanner in the bag!

But yeah, good shout. Rear tyre p*nctures are a pita.

wgwarburton

Aidy wrote:

...
So people ride fixies for the "simplicity" and have to carry more tools?

Nope- one gizmo with a tyre lever at one end & a 15mm ring spanner at the other.

I havn't weighed it, but I bet it's lighter & simpler than a multi-tool... :-)

Cheers,
W.

greg66_tri_v2.0

tiny_pens wrote:

Wouldn't recommend the gas canisters. Had to collect someone and bring them into work once as it was their first time using the canisters and they had multiple punctures on the same trip. That and the fact that you need to pump up your tyres again when you get home if you use a canister because its CO2 and it leaks out through the tyre membrane a lot quicker than air does so your tyres go flat quicker.

That sounds like the someone's problem was more to do with not removing the offending sharp object from their tyre after they'd changed the inner tube.

Or they're hopelessly unlucky. In which case you should shun then. Unlucky people spread bad luck. Like a virus.

FACT!

Aidy

Greg66 wrote:

Or they're hopelessly unlucky. In which case you should shun then. Unlucky people spread bad luck. Like a virus.

FACT!

It was on Red Dwarf, it must be true.

... and are you saying we should shun ITB?

will3

Does noone else carry a marmalade sandwich - y'know in case of emergencies?

iain_j

You should also carry a towel