What do you take with you when you ride?

Udder

I'm a mountain biker who's recently bought his first roadie.

As a mountain biker, I'd typically take a camelback with me on rides which is better stocked than halfords so Im covered in the case of a technical disaster. However, since taking to the road, Ive observed that my fellow roadies don't seem to be carrying bulging Camelback Mules. Where you you lot hide your spare tubes, pumps etc? Don't you get punctures?

BowtomePhil

I notice a lot of the good riders have it all tucked away in a small bag under their saddle.

Me I cheat, I have a pump and a zefal puncture foam in the back of my jersey. I have used the zefal foam, works a treat.

declan1

I take whatever I need for a particular ride. I hardly ever take spare tubes/puncture repair kits, as I can just phone for a pick-up if I get a puncture. If I'm going for a longer ride I will. I take a multi-tool, overshoes, food, and most importantly, more food.

Grill

Spare tube, pump (or CO2), tyre levers, multitool, patch kit (learned the hard way) phone, and gels/bars if doing more than 50 miles. All of it fits into my jersey pockets with plenty of room to spare. I also have a conti tube bag that fits almost everything and is pretty much invisible that I'll use if I feel the need to be aero.

B.M.R.

I've got a mid-sized bag that fits under my saddle, and in it I put : Spare inner tube, puncture repair kit, a multitool, mini pump, and a pair of latex gloves in a paper pouch (so if I have to do any messy roadside repairs I won't get oil all over my hands and then onto my handbar tape). There's still room there for other things like extra energy bars or gels. If you get a saddle bag, try and see if all the things you want to put in it will fit before you buy if possible. I only just can get my pump in the bag i bought, any smaller and it would have been too long.
Also check that the bag won't interfere with your pedalling - I'm quite small framed so have to watch for the inner part of my thigh rubbing against the bag if it's too wide.

Of course, the other tried and tested method is to get a proper cycle jersey with rear pockets, you can stuff quite a lot in them! I prefer a saddlebag with some other bits thrown in my jersey (phone, mini wallet, and keys), but each to their own.

El Zomba

I went throught he same thing when I made the switch to the road. I found it quite pleasant to pare down my usual kit (anyways a bit of a 'kitchen sink' man when it came to MTB) to stuff that I actually needed. As for what I carry these days, usually a mini-pump and spare tube in one jersey pocket, a caddy sack with patches, tyre levers, a multitool, phone, I.D and cash in another, and whatever I've brought to eat in the third pocket (except for a banana, that always goes down the front of the bibs).

Superbalicious

In my jersey pockets I usually keep a spare inner tube food and my phone*. I prefer not to keep anything in my pockets which my become a flying missile should I come off..! I have a small bag behind my seat in which I keep a regular and glue less puncture repair kit, multitool, micro pump and spoke key. I used to keep my ID in there but now I wear one of these... http://www.roadid.com/p/the-Wrist-ID-Sport.

*I'd recommend keeping your phone and house key in your bag to save them getting lost should you come off. I need a bigger bag for mine!

Mr Will

This is my kit for a normal ride:


Pump goes on the frame, everything else goes in jersey pockets. For longer rides or bad weather I'll add a spare tube and a chain tool but that's it. What else do you really need?

upperoilcan

1 Mini Pump,1 Spare tube, set of tyre lever's in an old sock,Front door key,Iphone and headphones,Sunglasses cloth and small change that usually amounts to around 3-4 Quid.

All of which go into my jersey pockets as i just cannot bring myself to put a saddle bag on my bike.

ugo.santalucia

If you ride in the mountains, don't forget a copy of the Daily Mail... I found one at the cafe on top of the Tourmalet and it literally saved my life in the freezing cold descent...
The Daily Mail, who would have said...

bottom_bracket

diabetic so have to take insulin pen, blood tester and sweets in jersey along with phone, garage door remote. Very small bag under saddle with levers, multitool, tube, CO2 and a fiver.

andyparker

Similar to others - small bag under the saddle with tyre levers, Co2, inner tube, multitool

danowat

As little as possible.

metronome

ugo.santalucia wrote:

If you ride in the mountains, don't forget a copy of the Daily Mail... I found one at the cafe on top of the Tourmalet and it literally saved my life in the freezing cold descent...
The Daily Mail, who would have said...

Haha I'd sooner freeze than stuff a DailyMail down my jersey

wellbeloved747

Spare tube
Patrt of tube in case of a sidewall tear
Co2 inflator and 2 co2 cartridges
2 tyre leavers
Small lezyne multi tool
Glue less patches
Lights if I may be back late
iPhone
Money

Alfie's in a specialized saddle bag and it's expandable so I can add a gel or two if I'm going over 50 miles

rolf_f

Mr Will wrote:

What else do you really need?

This is always worth thinking about. On Sunday I went out for a club run. In my seat bag I had tyre levers, an inner tube and a multitool. In my pockets I had another inner tube, a cap (forecast sun), a windproof (I live in Yorkshire), arm warmers (see previous), the phone, a pump and two eccles cakes. In a storage bottle I a couple of energy gels and bars and some cash.

Of the above, I used some of the cash at the cake stop. And I had the arm warmers on first thing.

paulhino

Usually nothing but my phone and house keys.

Mr Will

Rolf F wrote:

Mr Will wrote:

What else do you really need?

This is always worth thinking about. On Sunday I went out for a club run. In my seat bag I had tyre levers, an inner tube and a multitool. In my pockets I had another inner tube, a cap (forecast sun), a windproof (I live in Yorkshire), arm warmers (see previous), the phone, a pump and two eccles cakes. In a storage bottle I a couple of energy gels and bars and some cash.

Of the above, I used some of the cash at the cake stop. And I had the arm warmers on first thing.

Doesn't sound like a bad load-out. I'd be tempted to replace one of the tubes with some patches and scrap some of the food but you are not over doing it.

Mark Elvin

1 spare tube
2 CO2 canisters & head
1 tyre lever
self adhesive patches
Water bottles
Card & cash for tea/cakes/beer (delete as appropriate)
Small multi tool

slowbike

Mark Elvin wrote:

1 spare tube
2 CO2 canisters & head
1 tyre lever
self adhesive patches
Water bottles
Card & cash for tea/cakes/beer (delete as appropriate)

Wot - no phone to call the support car in?

ic.

Grill wrote:

Spare tube, pump (or CO2), tyre levers, multitool, patch kit (learned the hard way) phone, and gels/bars if doing more than 50 miles. All of it fits into my jersey pockets with plenty of room to spare.quote]

Exactly as the above, never needed any of it

dragonontheedge

I am a bit if a tart when it comes to my bike and hate lights, pumps, saddle bags and shite like that hanging from it so I always go out with a nice comfy rucksack.

The rucksack contains

Pump
Topeak Alien multitool
pack of scabs
2 inner tubes
plasters (in case of a flesh / scenery interface scenario)
Pack of tissues (in case of some other scenario)
Boost bar
Tyre levers
Chain link

And if I cant repair the bike then I have my bank card so I can buy my way out of any situation. Oh, and my mobile.

It sounds a lot but its very light and I am used to using the ruck sack for my daily commute so its almost force of habit now.

Lycra-Byka

I just dont understand people who don't take at least a pump and repair kit. That's minimum.

What's the problem with a mid sized saddlebag kept on the bike with most of the stuff mentioned on this thread? It spoils the look of the bike? (it also looks better without a sweaty, gurning mamil straddling it)

If that really is the case at least keep it all in storage bottle.

slowbike

Lycra-Byka wrote:

I just dont understand people who don't take at least a pump and repair kit. That's minimum.

I came across a chap running up an incline with his ride the other evening ...

problem? flat front ... no pump, spares or repairs - he was running to the train station to get the 5 miles home ...

pumped up his tyre and checked for quick deflation - didn't happen so pumped up a bit more and sent him on his way ...
it may look rubbish - but the pump bracket with the bottleholder and and spares/repairs/tools in a small saddlebag are the easiest way for me - it's just all there, to hand - never forgotten ...

seanorawe

spare tube
Pump on bike frame
Multi Tool
Condoms (you never know)

dubcat

In a new roadie who has moved over from mtb too. I am carrying everything in my jersey and have back pck or saddle bag. The feeling of freedom is great.

I put the following in my jersey pockets.

- mulitool
- spare tube
- tube patches
- tyre levers x3
- mini pump
- phone and cash in sandwich bag
- house keys
- oat bar snack

I am going to try and get my gilet in there too. Would be good to know if I am missing any essential items.

Lycra-Byka

Slowbike wrote:

Lycra-Byka wrote:

I just dont understand people who don't take at least a pump and repair kit. That's minimum.

I came across a chap running up an incline with his ride the other evening ...

problem? flat front ... no pump, spares or repairs - he was running to the train station to get the 5 miles home ...

pumped up his tyre and checked for quick deflation - didn't happen so pumped up a bit more and sent him on his way ...
it may look rubbish - but the pump bracket with the bottleholder and and spares/repairs/tools in a small saddlebag are the easiest way for me - it's just all there, to hand - never forgotten ...

The sad thing is this is probably not a lesson learnt for this guy. If you don't have the common sense to prepare for such a common problem, you won't have sense to learn from it.

Probability and convienience plays a factor in this. In the past 2000 miles or so ive had a chain snap once but many punctures and although I carry the necessary tools to repair punctures (and spare tubes!) I have found it too inconvenient to carry a chain tool and links ect..
I hope that makes some logical sense.


Btw am I the only one who carries a spoke tensioning key?

Also little tip. Things like tyre levers and other small bits can be kept in a strong food bag inside the bike frame below the seat post. Kept in place with a drawstring for extraction.

slowbike

Lycra-Byka wrote:

Slowbike wrote:

Lycra-Byka wrote:

I just dont understand people who don't take at least a pump and repair kit. That's minimum.

I came across a chap running up an incline with his ride the other evening ...

problem? flat front ... no pump, spares or repairs - he was running to the train station to get the 5 miles home ...

pumped up his tyre and checked for quick deflation - didn't happen so pumped up a bit more and sent him on his way ...
it may look rubbish - but the pump bracket with the bottleholder and and spares/repairs/tools in a small saddlebag are the easiest way for me - it's just all there, to hand - never forgotten ...

The sad thing is this is probably not a lesson learnt for this guy. If you don't have the common sense to prepare for such a common problem, you won't have sense to learn from it.

Probability and convienience plays a factor in this. In the past 2000 miles or so ive had a chain snap once but many punctures and although I carry the necessary tools to repair punctures (and spare tubes!) I have found it too inconvenient to carry a chain tool and links ect..
I hope that makes some logical sense.


Btw am I the only one who carries a spoke tensioning key?

Also little tip. Things like tyre levers and other small bits can be kept in a strong food bag inside the bike frame below the seat post. Kept in place with a drawstring for extraction.

I did ask him if he had anything - apparently he was borrowing his Dads bike ... who had only just got it ..
Hopefully he'll learn - I did stress the importance of at least some basic puncture repair ..

Just bought a replacement tool - including chain tool and spoke key - complete with tyre levers - all in one "small" tool ... certainly less space than what it's replaced - better quality too which is why I bought it.

Lycra-Byka

Slowbike wrote:

Just bought a replacement tool - including chain tool and spoke key - complete with tyre levers - all in one "small" tool ... certainly less space than what it's replaced - better quality too which is why I bought it.

Technology nowadays ...

Might have to invest in one of those.

dubcat

Link please

Lucky Douglas

Lycra-Byka wrote:

Slowbike wrote:

Just bought a replacement tool - including chain tool and spoke key - complete with tyre levers - all in one "small" tool ... certainly less space than what it's replaced - better quality too which is why I bought it.

Technology nowadays ...

Might have to invest in one of those.

Yes, give us clue