What's In Your Bag

-Chris-

I've seen similar things being done on other forums, I don't think I've seen it here.

Do you carry a bag? Is it a backpack, a saddlebag, a pannier or other?
Is it for commuting, simple tools or savage spins?
What do you keep inside? What are the essential things to carry in your opinion?

This is my bag. It's a Camelbak HAWG. I think it's a great bag, I've had it for ages and it goes from tied-up small to quite spacious depending on how tight you pull the straps. Very versatile.
The only thing I don't like about it is the lack of ventilation where it meets your back, but I can't see myself paying the bucks to replace it until it starts to come apart at the stitches...




And this is what I carry. I don't like packing and repacking the bag, I just want to throw it on my back and go. That's why I have road & MTB tubes in it.



Contents:
Waterproof jacket
Decent gloves
One of those emergency blanket things (I don't know why I carry this, but it's so small and light I've never felt the need to remove it)
Kryptonite cable lock - for quick stops
Kryptonite NY Fuhgeddaboudit - for longer stops
Topeak mini pump
Shock pump
Road & MTB tubes
Lights - 2 x Electron Nano 9 front lights, 1 x Smart Polaris rear light
2 x multi tools (not sure why )
Knife, lube, spare gear cable, tyre levers

Ta da!! :D


As much as anything, I'm looking for inspiration if there's something I'm not carrying or if I'm overdoing it...


So, what's in your bag?

feck sake lads

brilliant thread chris i dont know how to post pic's but i'm mostly on my touring bike these days ,i have a carradice rackbag for most of the time brilliant piece of kit so what do i usually carry.;)
rain jacket /pants.
loads of tools, you never know,
2 tubes,
1 spare tire
cable lock.
compass,
afterbite for stings
small mirror very useful (;)
camera
lip stuff
lot's of snacks
couple bananas
flask of tea or coffee (day rides around 60 miler);)
money 20 euro.
phone
i think that's about it no idea what all that weigh's but it's all small gear so no bother .

CheGuedara

In MTB/road bike saddle bags

1x Spare tube
1x Puncture repair kit
1-2x CO2 canister
2x Tyre lever
1x Spare splitting link (highly recommended)

CO2 pump/inflator either on frame (mtb) or in jersey pocket along with phone, C.I. licence, multitool, a few yoyos should a pit stop be necessary and arm warmers in case it gets cold/after it gets warm

silverharp

I got one of these recently , nice for carrying an extra ltr of water and some food. otherwise basic set of small tools, spare tube, mobile and some money.

tomasrojo

I notice you have the same minor problem with the Fahgettaboudit as I have: the plastic face plate over the lock-hole cracks at one side. This seems to be a design flaw, albeit a very minor one. I didn't fix mine with tape, but screwed an M3 bolt through a small square of rubber, so the rubber holds the face plate down.


In my pannier:

Toolkit

---

Brompton mini-pump (came free with the Brompton but I use it with my regular bike)
Two tyre levers
Spare tube
Puncture repair kit
Homemade tyre boot (rectangle of old toothpaste tube)
Some cable ties
Electrical tape
Leatherman minitool
Multitool (has an ok chain breaker and some ability to fill in for screwdrivers and allen keys)
Spare Hyperglide chain links
Allen key to remove QR wheels
Small file
Latex gloves

Lights

---

Cateye EL 530
Two 1/2W Smart red lights
Sam Browne on which to hang one Smart light
Two wrist lights of my own devising


Raingear

---

Montane Featherlite rain smock
Altura rain trousers
Outdoor Research rain hat
Overshoes

Locks

---

Kryptoflex on the outside of the bag
Two locks, but these are carried on the frame of the bike, not in the bag

Everyday stuff

---

Whatever I need for the day in hand

-Chris-

Excellent, the system works!

I'll be adding the following to my bag asap:
Money
Splitting link
Tyre boot
Cable ties


@tomasrojo - yeah, that problem is annoying with the Fugettaboudit, I don't mind the lock not being pretty, so I dunno if I'll put in a proper fix beyond the tape. Heavy mofo though, I might put a bike rack on my bike and hang it off that.

abcdggs

Have a look here

IM0

the **** people carry.

tiny saddlebag, think size of a neatly folded road tube:
spare tube (road)
tyre levers 2
thats all that fits and I WANT to fit in it

injersey pocket:
repair kit

-Chris-

Pump?

IM0

goes where the 2nd bottle cage is, for really hot rides I might use my co2 and a cartridge instead

wersal gummage

rather than repeat the same things as everone else carries - just agree with tomasrojo re the latex gloves. learned the hard was (thankfully on the dirty commuter bike and not the road bike with the white assos gloves and white bar tape!) Have a pair shoved in a mini seat bag on both bikes.

edit - as a matter of interest chris - are you fairly handy at carrying out bike repairs ??? just asking cos you have a few tools in the bag. i dont bother carrying any tools anymore because if anything major goes wrong i probably wont be able to fix it anyway (just carry a small allen key).

DirkVoodoo

I just use my old jansport rucksack, inside I have:



- 1 Fenix TK11
- 1 Smart Polaris F&R Light set
- 2 Smart 1/2W LEDs
- Track nut tool
- Lezyne mini pump
- Lezyne CO2 pump
- Spare tube
- Tyre Levers

tomasrojo

me@ucd wrote: »

the **** people carry.

I do carry quite a lot of stuff, but it's pretty compact when packed up.

In my defence, I have used every single item on that list on the road. Some very much more than others, obviously, but I used to commute Lucan->Ballsbridge everyday, and it was around then I started preparing for a larger range of eventualities.

-Chris-

wersal gummage wrote: »

edit - as a matter of interest chris - are you fairly handy at carrying out bike repairs ??? just asking cos you have a few tools in the bag. i dont bother carrying any tools anymore because if anything major goes wrong i probably wont be able to fix it anyway (just carry a small allen key).

I'm not too confident with truing wheels, but the rest is fine for me.

Pull your bike apart Wersal, it's not complicated. Trial and error is the best way to learn :D

IM0

tomasrojo wrote: »

I do carry quite a lot of stuff, but it's pretty compact when packed up.

In my defence, I have used every single item on that list on the road. Some very much more than others, obviously, but I used to commute Lucan->Ballsbridge everyday, and it was around then I started preparing for a larger range of eventualities.

I would say most in this thread carry more than when Im touring...in another country, and not knowing anyone living there...or speaking the same language...and travelling in remote areas and not knowing if there is a bikeshop within 100k at any time. in that case I would carry in the panniers:

Allen keys for all parts of bike needed
Pedal spanner
spare brake pads
spare tube..or 2
pliers
cable ties
small chain tool
lube
rag
pump
puncture repair kit
small tube of grease

:pac:

kumate_champ07

no mention of a spoke key/wrench, I presume its in some peoples multitools?

dont use it much if it all anymore(better wheel builds!) but handy if you brake a spoke and need to adjust the adjacent spokes to get the rim tru again

a schrader-presta valve adaptor is handy for stopping off at petrol stations for air and is tiny

cdaly_

Does nobody else carry first-aid stuff? I ended up using it after the crash last week.

Summer bag is a fairly big saddle bag with:

1. CO2 canisters x 2
2. CO2 inflator
3. tube
4. Speed lever
5. repair kit
6. Multitool
7. gilet
8. first aid kit:
   • Swabs
   • gauze
   • bandage roll x2
   • sterile water capsule x2
   • bandage tape
   • gloves

Winter bag is a 10l rack bag with the above plus second tube, glasses, rain jacket, glove liners, Light, spare batteries and whatever junk I've forgotten to take out.

Lock usually lives at work rather than being carried around though I sometimes carry a cable lock in the winter bag..

Signal_ rabbit

I have the following, nothing strange or startling i'm afraid, in fact after reading through it again I've realised how boring it is:
Spare tube,
Puncture patches,
Two Co2 cannisters,
Tyre lever,
Tyre boot,
Multi tool, c/w chain tool,
Sram quick link,
Shimano spoke key,
A couple of 6mm set screws,
A couple of zip ties,
An emergency fiver,
A sachet of waterless hand cleaner.

All fits in a very small saddle bag, the pump is mounted on the bike and the real breakdown tool (mobile phone to ring the wife) is in the jersey pocket!