What do you carry with you?

ozzy jr

When you go for a 50km+ cycle what do you bring with you? I passed a fella yesterday and his jersey pockets were bulging with stuff.

Cookie_Monster

Saddle bag with the usual and two water bottles

but in my jersey: phone and cash and keys in a ziplock bag and that's it.
sometimes a hat if cold.

Rofo

Tube, tyre levers, allen keys, basic pump fixed onto bottle cage, phone, inhaler, granola bars, housekeys - definitely 3 pockets worth of crap!

Beasty

It's June already - doesn't time fly ....;)

mfdc

In coat/jersey: phone, keys, wallet, pump, inhaler, bars/gels. In saddlebag: 2x tubes, tyre levers, chain breaker, multitool, 2x quick links, tyre boots (needed one so far, was a lifesaver).

If it's a warm day I might have a gilet and armwarmers stuffed into the back of the jersey too, which pushes the boundaries for what can fit in there

Rovi

I'm shy of carrying hard stuff in the jersey pockets. If/when I fall off, I don't want to be adding hard impact points to my lower back.
Hat, gloves, jacket, food and the like go in the pockets, and all the other stuff goes in a saddle bag or on the frame.

I hide a house key outside the house, as I figure I'm unlikely to need it out on the road.

ozzy jr

Beasty wrote: »

It's June already - doesn't time fly ....;)

Only new to this forum so apologies for the repeat!

Beasty

ozzy jr wrote: »

Only new to this forum so apologies for the repeat!

Don't worry about it - I'm only teasing ..... really!

It's always worth doing a search if you are new to the forum though, just in case....

Rofo

Rovi wrote: »

I'm shy of carrying hard stuff in the jersey pockets. If/when I fall off, I don't want to be adding hard impact points to my lower back.

Yikes - I hadn't considered that. Guess I'll be investing in a saddle bag :rolleyes:

hinault

In my jersey pocket, I bring my mobile phone and keys to my house.
That's it!

My pump is fitted to the bike frame and I have a small saddle bag containing repair kit, allen keys, tyre levers, two tubes.
Also I have to bottle cages on the bike frame and I carry two full water bottles.

PS : I stuff €10 down me sock!

corkchef

blowdryer in case it rains. nintendo for the rest stop. a nine iron to swing at dogs.:)

actually: tubes,bike multi-tool,levers,gelee in the saddlebag, two bottles of drink in the cages, and one gel or food bar for every hour over two that i ride.

daymobrew

I put most of my stuff in a bum bag. Not attractive but works.

My small saddle bag has tyre levers, tools and a spare tube. Spare tyre is tied under it.
My home made flapjacks are in a tube top box; 2 water bottles and pump are on the frame.
The bum bag has arm/leg warmers, phone, cash, keys and maps.
Gilet is worn.

I am looking into a rear carrier that attaches to the seatpost to allow for a larger (but still small) bag.

smacl

daymobrew wrote: »

I put most of my stuff in a bum bag. Not attractive but works.

Have you considered the alternative

check_six

Don't worry Ozzy Jr, I was the last person to attempt firing up one of these threads without due care! Beasty's gaze is not too baleful (I think)!

For my recent attempt at the Tour of Louth, based on feedback, I brought a single spare tube (some advised two), a fistful (5-6) of self-adhering patches (don't have to wait ten minutes for separate adhesive to set), a chain-breaker, a mini-tool (hex keys+crosshead, got in the aldi saddlebag recently, it's light and just good enough quality to keep you going, not much good for any heavy duty stuff though) and, a few cable-ties. All this lot was shoved into a small-medium sized bontrager saddle bag.
My jersey pockets took my phone, laser card wrapped in a €20, keys, banana, nutrigrain, 4-5 funsize mars bars, some sachets of sugar and salt to add to my water after a refill. I also brought the map of the course which melted somewhat when the weather got a bit damp towards the end.
Two bottles and a pump were on the bike frame.
I also put a track pump and some proper tools in the boot of the car in case anything needed tweaking before I set off (they did).

ozzy jr

Thanks for the replies.

Picking up my new bike (Specialized Allez Sport) over the next couple of days, so plan on going further afield instead of around Dublin. I've been doing 50km or so a day on a heavy old mountain bike.

So I reckon I'll buy a small light pump, a spare tube, self sticking patches, levers to get tyre off, a couple of bars and my water bottles. Add a bit of paper money and my phone and I should be able to make it back without having to ring someone for a lift!

check_six

Oh yes, tyre levers. Forgot to include them in the list, you're definitely going to need those if you get a puncture. I brought three decent quality ones.
I've had levers before that were quite brittle and snapped mid-repair. Not good!

daymobrew

check_six wrote: »

I also brought the map of the course which melted somewhat when the weather got a bit damp towards the end.

I put my maps in a small ziploc bag.

Inquitus

Bike Stuff in Saddle Bag: Multitool, Spare Tube, CO2 Inflation device, Spare CO2 Cartridge, Cash, Phone, Tyre Levers, Puncture repair kit.

Engine Stuff: 1/2 Waterbottles with Hi5 Zero and more tabs, Homemade Furlongs Famish Busters, Powerbars as Appropriate.

ozzy jr

Inquitus wrote: »

CO2 Inflation device, Spare CO2 Cartridge

What exactly are these? Are they a better option than a pump? Are they reliable?

Inquitus

ozzy jr wrote: »

What exactly are these? Are they a better option than a pump? Are they reliable?

http://www.evanscycles.com/categories/bicycle-accessories/pumps/co2-pumps-cartridges

Completely reliable and inflate to higher psi than pumps generally, and obviously save time and effort.

aquanaut

Im gonna change to co2 soon. Only read the other day about someone using their second water bottle to hold all of their repair kit and tools - interesting. My kit is much the same as everyone else. I always keep my right jersey pocket for jelly babies and fig rolls

Pherekydes

Nothing, bar my car keys. No pump, no tube, no puncture repair kit, no mobile.

And this morning I got my first flat (on this set of tyres) 6k from home. Later I was telling the wife and she says, "why didn't you ring me? I'd have come and got ya." Yeah, well...

I ran back to the car. :rolleyes: Now I'm wrecked. Oh well, you live and learn...

Roadrat

aquanaut wrote: »

Im gonna change to co2 soon. Only read the other day about someone using their second water bottle to hold all of their repair kit and tools - interesting. My kit is much the same as everyone else. I always keep my right jersey pocket for jelly babies and fig rolls

Two Co2 cans,tube,levers,phone,food and drink.

CianRyan

I usually have my keys, some money and my phone.
I want to buy some Co2 canisters and when I get my road bike I'll have water with me. Current bike doesn't have mounts for water or a pump.

Need to get more kit!

Inquitus wrote: »

Homemade Furlongs Famish Busters, Powerbars as Appropriate.

Thought these looked good and I'm bored so I'm making them.
Just about to put them in the over, hope they work out alright.

dermur

aquanaut wrote: »

Im gonna change to co2 soon. Only read the other day about someone using their second water bottle to hold all of their repair kit and tools - interesting. My kit is much the same as everyone else. I always keep my right jersey pocket for jelly babies and fig rolls

You can get dedicated water bottle kits too...



http://bloombikeshop.com/articles/bike-repair-kit-in-a-water-bottle.php

Maybe that'll be a good topic for another thread..."What's the most useful thing you crammed into a water bottle"!

I'll get the ball rolling by being able to stuff a raincoat in a (admitedly 610ml) water bottle.

blorg

CO2 is a valuable time-saving device to be carried in addition to, not as a replacement, for a pump. When a CO2 cartridge is done, it is done, and it certainly possible to faff up an inflation, or re-puncture, or discover you haven't patched the tube right, etc. You can certainly carry a lighter (=crappier) pump though on the basis that you probably won't have to use it.

Note self-adhesive patches are a great quick get-you-home fix but you will have to replace the tube once there; they are NOT a permanent fix like traditional patches. I have got as long as a month out of one and as short as 24 hours. To be honest these days I just use traditional ones (you only have to wait ~4 minutes) and save myself the hassle of having to fix the thing a second time.

Joeyde

Tube, Co2, money, phone and levers.

Should probably throw a mult tool in there but I lost it and didnt replace it yet. Going to be doing some distances in Connemara this Summer so think I'm also going to invest in a Parktools patch and boot from reading this and some power links and cable ties.

Inquitus wrote: »

Bike Stuff in Saddle Bag: Multitool, Spare Tube, CO2 Inflation device, Spare CO2 Cartridge, Cash, Phone, Tyre Levers, Puncture repair kit.

Engine Stuff: 1/2 Waterbottles with Hi5 Zero and more tabs, Homemade Furlongs Famish Busters, Powerbars as Appropriate.

Cheers for that Inquitus, definately have to give them a go.

dermur

A dog is always useful...

cdaly_

CianRyan wrote: »

I usually have my keys, some money and my phone.
I want to buy some Co2 canisters and when I get my road bike I'll have water with me. Current bike doesn't have mounts for water or a pump.

If you're buying CO2, you might want to check out this thread.

blorg wrote: »

Note self-adhesive patches are a great quick get-you-home fix but you will have to replace the tube once there; they are NOT a permanent fix like traditional patches. I have got as long as a month out of one and as short as 24 hours. To be honest these days I just use traditional ones (you only have to wait ~4 minutes) and save myself the hassle of having to fix the thing a second time.

I went shopping for traditional patches recently and was told they were being phased out due to air pollution issues with the glue. Only self-adhesive patches to be had!

youtheman

I also carry a pair of surgical gloves so that my hands aren't covered in oil if I have to re-fit the chain or carry out a puncture repair. They compress down to nothing and don't weight anything, hence my logic for carrying them.

Having said that, was training with a group recently and one of the senior guys got a puncture. I offered him my gloves but he dismissed me like I was some type of wimp!. So at the end his cycling gloves and hands were coverd with oil, but I suppiose his dignity was intact.

studiorat

Tube, pump, repair kit, house key, phone/GPS/timer, parktool allen key thingy, snack, drink and about 20 years of emotional baggage.

blorg

cdaly_ wrote: »

I went shopping for traditional patches recently and was told they were being phased out due to air pollution issues with the glue. Only self-adhesive patches to be had!

That sounds like rubbish from someone who didn't have the traditional patches. Bike repair is far from the primary application of the stuff. Self-adhesive patches will not hold indefinitely under the high pressures you use with road bike tubes (they may with MTB/hybrid tubes, I don't know, have not used them there.)

tomasrojo

cdaly_ wrote: »

I went shopping for traditional patches recently and was told they were being phased out due to air pollution issues with the glue. Only self-adhesive patches to be had!

The only similar report I'd heard was this:
http://www.copenhagenize.com/2010/05/puncture-repairs-banned-in-denmark.html

Bike mechanics are now required to wear gloves and masks when repairing punctures using the vulcanized rubber glue for sticking patches on tubes. In addition, they're required to install a ventilation system in their bike shops.

Apologies to blorg for linking to you-know-where.

smacl

I've used the self adhesive patches on a MTB, and found them to be poor, similar to a slow puncture where tyre is flat again next morning or day after. No substitute for a proper patch. I carry them for emergencies, but would only use them if there was no alternative.

Lumen

daymobrew wrote: »

I put most of my stuff in a bum bag

smacl wrote: »

Have you considered the alternative

Self respect?

Seriously daymo, take a long hard look at yourself. Bum bag. Christ.

gmoorewest

I wear glasses and a couple of months ago I hearly dropped them when wiping rain off them, so since then have thrown two disposable contact in saddle bag to avoid a blurry ride home.

reilig

Anyone carry puncture repair in a can?

http://cgi.ebay.ie/Bicycle-Bike-Tyre-Repair-Puncture-Fix-Spray-Can-/200613848078?pt=UK_Spots_Leisure_Cycling_Tools_RepairKits&hash=item2eb584640e

I have used it a couple of times and it has always worked well for me. Very easy to put a patch on the tube when you get home too as it doesn't leave a lot of residue.

triggermortis

Roadbike - house key, money, phone, banana, fig rolls in pockets. On the bike, 1 or 2 water bottles, pump, bag containing tube, repair kit, multitool, tie wraps.

Mountain Bike - camel back, CO2 pump and extra refills, leatherman, tie wraps, power link, small first aid kit

feck sake lads

touring bike i carry 2 tubes
1 spare tire (tyre)
enough tools to fix almost anything on the bike.in one small tupperware box.;)
camera
food (snacks)
sometimes flask coffee.
rain gear.
all this is carried in my carradice rack bag..

on the road bikes i carry two tubes
multi tool
chainbraker
tire leavers..
there you go thats about it i think. better to be looking at it than looking for it