How and what do you carry when you go cycling

[WJC1981]

Hi everyone,

I have just bought my first "proper" bike and its a hybrid bike, I was just wondering what things you take with you on a bike ride and how you carry it?

 

[mjr]

It depends how far I'm going. If I don't want to walk home (say if I'm leaving the village), the minimum is probably a mini pump and either a sealant canister or levers+quick-patches. Then the rest of the handlebar bag fills up with things for me: hand gel, lip balm, sun block, phone, keys, snacks, card, some cash. A bottle of water gets put in the cage or basket or dangled from the handlebars, depending which bike it is.

The more confident I want to be of being able to fix problems (usually means the further from home I'm going), the longer the list grows. Pick from: real patches and glue, spare tube, chain tool and quick link, cable ties, square driver and sockets/bits, adjustable spanner, folding knife, extra water bottle, phone battery, lock, rainwear, plasters and gloves. Usually most of that is carried in a saddlebag if carried.

 

[ianrauk]

This is what took for a long ride today
Multitool
Spare inner tube
Tyre levers
Co2 pump and 2 canisters (1 stored in the pump )
Park Tools patches
Spare quick link
Spare cleat bolt
All the above are kept in a tool bag/bottle in one of the bottle holders on the bike.
Attached to the bike I also have a normal mini pump.
On my person I carry my phone, credit cards, keys and a cafe lock.

I have never needed to carry anything more then that.

 

[Brandane]

I'm a builder.....

 

[raleighnut]

It depends how far I'm going. If I don't want to walk home (say if I'm leaving the village), the minimum is probably a mini pump and either a sealant canister or levers+quick-patches. Then the rest of the handlebar bag fills up with things for me: hand gel, lip balm, sun block, phone, keys, snacks, card, some cash. A bottle of water gets put in the cage or basket or dangled from the handlebars, depending which bike it is.

The more confident I want to be of being able to fix problems (usually means the further from home I'm going), the longer the list grows. Pick from: real patches and glue, spare tube, chain tool and quick link, cable ties, square driver and sockets/bits, adjustable spanner, folding knife, extra water bottle, phone battery, lock, rainwear, plasters and gloves. Usually most of that is carried in a saddlebag if carried.

Similar to me,

BTW you forgot the obligatory Pork Pie or is that what the money is for.

 

[mjr]

Similar to me,

BTW you forgot the obligatory Pork Pie or is that what the money is for.

See "snacks"

 

[Dogtrousers]

In short ... Too much crap

2xspare inner tube
Tyre levers
Instant patches
Multitool (with built in chain tool)
Park tools tyre boot
Some spares (quick links, cleat bolt other odds and sods, nuts and bolts)
Small roll duck tape (wound round a pencil)
Cable ties
Power bank for recharging phone/GPS plus cable
Mini Leatherman style knife/pliers
Emergency lights (if it's at all likely that I'll be in the dark)
Food ... Sandwiches, peanuts, cake ...
Waterproof
Spare layers/arm warmer (if necessary)
Sun block
Lock
Pump (on bike)
Lights (on bike ... If necessary)
Phone
Wallet
Cash

Plus random pointless stuff that has taken up residence in my bag.

 

[mjr]

Plus random pointless stuff that has taken up residence in my bag.

Not "random pointless stuff". They're chochkes, the cyclist's equivalent of stones on the sandbox.

 

[ruffers]

In short ... Too much crap

2xspare inner tube
Tyre levers
Instant patches
Multitool (with built in chain tool)
Park tools tyre boot
Some spares (quick links, cleat bolt other odds and sods, nuts and bolts)
Small roll duck tape (wound round a pencil)
Cable ties
Power bank for recharging phone/GPS plus cable
Mini Leatherman style knife/pliers
Emergency lights (if it's at all likely that I'll be in the dark)
Food ... Sandwiches, peanuts, cake ...
Waterproof
Spare layers/arm warmer (if necessary)
Sun block
Lock
Pump (on bike)
Lights (on bike ... If necessary)
Phone
Wallet
Cash

Plus random pointless stuff that has taken up residence in my bag.

that seems a lot, is it a large bag?

I have two water bottles
Mini hand pump attached to bottle holder,
In my saddle bag is;
tyre levers x 2
Inner tubes x 2
Multi tool inc chain tool
Small amount of money

I normally carry my phone in my jersey pocket.

 

[Ian H]

In ascending order according to the length of the ride/time of year/weather forecast:-

• Multitool & spare tube or two. Puncture repair & 2 levers.
• Bottle or perhaps two. Emergency flapjack. Phone/money.
• Lock.
• Rain/windproof race-cape.
• Night clothing (leg-warmers etc.)
• Toothbrush & paste.
• Change of shorts/vest.
• Passport.

 

[vickster]

All sorts of crap often I use a trunk bag on a pannier rack (one bag has fold out panniers to use for shopping)

 

[Arjimlad]

In a small Topeak wedge bag I have : -

Crank Bros multitool with chain tool
One or two spare inner tubes
Lezyne patches
A yellow Decathlon tyre lever
A KMC quick link

On the frame behind the bottle holder sits a Lezyne pump which has been good for over 85 psi

 

[CanucksTraveller]

Any journey of over a couple of miles I'll have a seat pack, containing:
Puncture stuff, so a spare tube or two, tyre levers, CO2 inflator and a couple of canisters, one pack of Park glueless patches.
A Park multitool.
A few tie wraps.
Some latex gloves.

Riding 2 miles into town I won't bother changing the seat pack over if it's on one of the other bikes. I can walk / push that far if it ever came to it, which it never has.

 

[figbat]

For an everyday ride of 15-25 miles, mostly off-road, I take an inner tube, tyre levers and a pump plus a multi-tool. This goes in my Kriega Hydro 3 pack along with water in the bladder.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Basic is puncture repair, a pump, and a set of Allen keys for the bolts on bike. Most bolts (You might need to tighten / loosen during a ride) will be covered by 4,5mm Allen keys. So in theory just two Allen keys will deal with most likely “mechanicals“. Carry it in a bag that fits under saddle. Pumps come with bracket for fitting to bottle cage bolts in most cases.

A water bottle if going more than a couple of hours. Bottle cages on bike. Plus a couple of flapjacks carried in jersey pockets. Some form of ID and a contactless credit / debit card

I sometimes take a mobile phone but not always.