Biking Essentials

dormer88

Im taking the plunge into the road biking world tomorrow by buying a Triban 3.

What id like to know is what do most day to day bikers take in their jerseys for their trips out on the road apart from fluid and food?

sungod

pump, spare tube, repair kit, multitool, tyre lever, kmc chain link, disposable gloves, fits middle pocket with a bit of room to spare

dormer88

Many thanks

navrig

sungod wrote:

pump, spare tube, repair kit, multitool, tyre lever, kmc chain link, disposable gloves, fits middle pocket with a bit of room to spare

All of the above in a saddle bag and phone, money, bank card and spare clothing in the pockets.

I don't fancy coming off the bike with all that hardware in pockets on my lower back!

southdownswolf

I always take a phone, with my wifes number stored as "ICE" in case of an accident.

simon_masterson

Navrig wrote:

sungod wrote:

pump, spare tube, repair kit, multitool, tyre lever, kmc chain link, disposable gloves, fits middle pocket with a bit of room to spare

All of the above in a saddle bag and phone, money, bank card and spare clothing in the pockets.

I don't fancy coming off the bike with all that hardware in pockets on my lower back!

This.

I'll add what hasn't been mentioned - that the multitool needs to have a chain tool on it, as not all do - but beyond that, that's much what I take around with me. I use a framefit as my bike is too old for braze-ons and has decals on the seat tube, and I have a couple of old multispanners and a separate chain tool, but it all works. I also think that carrying spare light batteries is a good idea, unless of course you have a dynohub.

If you have space left in whatever you're carrying this lot in, it's also worth adding a brake cable and something to make a tyre boot (plastic sheeting is common). Hopefully you won't be needing either, but it's better to be able to limp home if you really do shred your tyre. Spare mudguard bolts are also extremely useful if you have mudguards/rack/both.

Also, 'biking' is for unsophisticated inferiors, like MTB enthusiasts. We call it 'cycling'.

essjaydee

Navrig wrote:

sungod wrote:

pump, spare tube, repair kit, multitool, tyre lever, kmc chain link, disposable gloves, fits middle pocket with a bit of room to spare

All of the above in a saddle bag and phone, money, bank card and spare clothing in the pockets.

I don't fancy coming off the bike with all that hardware in pockets on my lower back!

+1

I do carry a small lightweight 'rain' jacket (Altura pocket rocket), and 2 tubes, 1 in saddle bag and 1 in pocket, and still have enough room for banana and energy bar if going for longer rides. Don't bother with spare brake cable, as you'ld be bloody unlucky to break both on a ride, and one brake is enough to get you home. I don't bother with spare batteries, but have 2 small rear lights fitted on saddle bag, and change the batteries every month except during summer. Tyre boot I don't bother with. Figure if your unlucky enough to wreck a tyre your going to need a lift home anyway (other half, mates or taxi). Don't bother with spare bolts, nuts etc either but have carry some insulation tape squashed into saddle bag along with half dozen small ty-wraps.
Worth ensuring you have some local taxi firm numbers in your phone also, but these weigh nothing and don't take up any physical space

rollemynot

In my medium Topeak saddle bag I have 2 tubes,tyre levers, multitool, chain link, zip ties, ICE details and a £10 note.
Leaves my pockets for the good stuff like home baking, fig rolls and my mobile.

simon_masterson

essjaydee wrote:

Navrig wrote:

sungod wrote:

pump, spare tube, repair kit, multitool, tyre lever, kmc chain link, disposable gloves, fits middle pocket with a bit of room to spare

All of the above in a saddle bag and phone, money, bank card and spare clothing in the pockets.

I don't fancy coming off the bike with all that hardware in pockets on my lower back!

+1

I do carry a small lightweight 'rain' jacket (Altura pocket rocket), and 2 tubes, 1 in saddle bag and 1 in pocket, and still have enough room for banana and energy bar if going for longer rides. Don't bother with spare brake cable, as you'ld be bloody unlucky to break both on a ride, and one brake is enough to get you home. I don't bother with spare batteries, but have 2 small rear lights fitted on saddle bag, and change the batteries every month except during summer. Tyre boot I don't bother with. Figure if your unlucky enough to wreck a tyre your going to need a lift home anyway (other half, mates or taxi). Don't bother with spare bolts, nuts etc either but have carry some insulation tape squashed into saddle bag along with half dozen small ty-wraps.
Worth ensuring you have some local taxi firm numbers in your phone also, but these weigh nothing and don't take up any physical space

Why would wrecking a tyre necessitate a lift home? A tyre boot may well get you home just like one brake out of two will, unless you are really unlucky. Equally, variations in road quality and tyre size (etc etc) would make some people question your motivation for carrying two tubes, considering it overkill. This is subjective stuff, after all. Like I said, it's a question of what you're carrying this in; if you have the space available, it's worth bothering with the couple of extra bits. Some seatpost wedges are quite large even; let alone any bigger luggage you might be carrying.

mkviken

this might be very novice question but what do riders keep in the red pockets of their jersey?

i bought a few jerseys today as well as lined windstopper type cycling tops - some have open pockets some zipped

what do you use these for?

does stuff not fall out of zip-less pockets on your back?


thanks

simon_masterson

'Red' pockets? :P

If the jersey is properly made, then no, but you do still need to be a bit sensible about what you put in them.

My two jerseys illustrate this perfectly. One is a cheap Altura, the other is a more expensive Polaris. The Altura has loose pockets, and the cut is such that if you put bottles in them they swing around and knock into my side. The Polaris is cut such that bottles sit nicely, and the pockets are elasticated at the top to hold things in and secure.

Unzipped pockets are great for bottles, maps, food, mini pumps, tools, puncture repair kits, waterproof, gilet, etc. All of these should be fine, but elasticated pockets help with security. It's the best way of carrying things that you want to access while riding.

As for zipped pockets, it's a question both of security and waterproofing. You CAN cycle around with a phone in an unzipped pocket - I did this with the aforementioned Altura jersey many a time when it was my only jersey and I was just getting into cycling - but putting it in a zipped pocket gives peace of mind. It's probably a bit more waterproof too, but it's worth putting it in a sandwich bag whatever you do.

The one time that something has fallen out of my jersey pocket was when I was late for work and I put a letter to post in my Altura jersey pocket. Surprise surprise, it wasn't there when I got to work. Happily somebody found it and posted it for me.

mkviken

should have been 'rear' pockets. was damn iPhone typing!


cheers i may try riding with the mini pump in my back pocket instead and see if it annoys me or not.

multi tool, tube and puncture kit fit in my under saddle bag

ShutUpLegs

mkviken wrote:

cheers i may try riding with the mini pump in my back pocket instead and see if it annoys me or not.

You won't notice it, the only thing I notice in my rear pockets is when I stuff my water bottles into my jersey when climbing long steep hills.

mkviken

well I've tried this topeak mini pump a fair few times on my mountain bike, used to take it off road on my endure motorbike and at home changing bicycle tube...

i can't get this thing to work at all - i think its faulty.

how much pumping does this thing take to inflate a tyre?!

it sounds and feels like air is pumping out of the body rather than through the outlet into the stem.


looks like I'm going to bin it and get a new one but doubt i will get the same make again. no way would this thing put 90psi in a tube. its hopeless.