I can't do lightweight cycling

[CanucksTraveller]

Completely with you, and while I absolutely will ride my road bike with minimal kit on a guaranteed nice day, for every other occasion I'm that guy that goes out on a bike with a rack, a pannier with a waterproof and all the repair bits, and a bar bag for everything I want to hand. Once i ride my bikes that don't have a bar bag I realise just how lovely it is to have one in front of you.

 

[fatjel]

I invariably ride my spa audax as it has a pannier rack ,proper mudguards and 2bottle cages. I like having my tools , waterproofs and snacks with me.!

 

[Vantage]

My Wayfarer easily tops 20kg with the saddlebag and the crap that's in it.
The only time it bugs me is having to drag its heavy a55 up hills and up the steps to my front door.

 

[annedonnelly]

This is why I'm currently on the look-out for a rear rack for my Dawes. And why it's only being ridden close to home in the meantime.

 

[Reynard]

Hmm, if I'm only going out for a quick fizz on the road bike, then I don't take anything other than a bottle of water and the pump and bar bag that live on the bike. I don't feel comfy without taking basic tools and spares with me. Plus the bar bag keeps an emergency supply of Haribo and a £20 note, as well as giving me somewhere to put my keys and phone.

For longer rides, I'll generally take the hybrid, which has rack and guards fitted, as well as pump and bar bag as per above. But I have various luggage options; rack bag, one pannier, two panniers or the whole shebang, depending on what I'm doing and where I'm going.

As I rarely have access to motorized backup if things go pear shaped, I do prefer to be primed for all kinds of eventualities.

No idea where my MTB / winter bike project fits into this. It will get its own bar bag and pump, but not yet sure whether fitting a rack is feasible. Maybe one of those expandable saddlebag thing-me-bobs might be a better option...

 

[Juan Kog]

It's very comforting to read this thread , sometimes I feel I'm the only cyclist riding with a Carradice bag full of " stuff ". Everyone else seems ride round as if they have a team car following.

 

[nickyboy]

If I lived in a flat part of the country I'd probably carry more stuff. But I don't, so it's minimalist for me. Every road cyclist around here is the same except those I see on tour

Whilst a couple of kg of extra stuff won't be that big a deal, the psychological effect when you're riding up and down all day is bad news. Can't remember when I last saw a cyclist around here with panniers or a big saddlebag

 

[matticus]

If I lived in a flat part of the country I'd probably carry more stuff. But I don't, so it's minimalist for me. Every road cyclist around here is the same except those I see on tour

Whilst a couple of kg of extra stuff won't be that big a deal, the psychological effect when you're riding up and down all day is bad news. Can't remember when I last saw a cyclist around here with panniers or a big saddlebag

If I'd read this post before crossing Snake Pass in July, I'd have dropped you a line!

 

[tyred]

I wonder is it that I always feel the need to be self-sufficient and prepared for any eventuality. On several occasions I have stopped and offered help to other cyclists who looked like they were having problems and the answer has always been "it's okay, I@ve phoned my wife and she's coming with the car to pick me up."

I don't have a wife to phone so if I do have a problem I have to sort it myself.

 

[matticus]

What appalls me is the idea that these "wives" have nothing better to do on a nice sunny day!

I call that "The phonecall of shame".

 

[francovendee]

I have everything I think I'll need kept in a frame bag. The bike is already heavy but I have to consider all possible 'show stoppers'.
I've only once been unable to find a fix to get me home, lacerated tyre, but since then I carry a tyre boot.
If you have someone to ring for assistance or you're not far from home then going light would a reasonable choice.

 

[ColinJ]

If I lived in a flat part of the country I'd probably carry more stuff. But I don't, so it's minimalist for me. Every road cyclist around here is the same except those I see on tour

Whilst a couple of kg of extra stuff won't be that big a deal, the psychological effect when you're riding up and down all day is bad news. Can't remember when I last saw a cyclist around here with panniers or a big saddlebag

I met @nickyboy for the first time on a trip down to the Midlands on my bike. I was carrying a rucksack which not only contained a couple of changes of clothes, and bike tools & spares, but also my laptop and its charger. It didn't feel particularly heavy when I set off but it bloody well did by the time I had gone over a few big hills and met up with him. He very kindly insisted on me letting him carry it! We went up huge hills Holme Moss and Snake Pass together. Nickyboy would be heading back down the hill to Glossop so we stopped at the top for him to give me back the rucksack and said our farewells. By the time I had humped it down to Nottingham it felt like it weighed three times its actual weight!

 

[ColinJ]

What appalls me is the idea that these "wives" have nothing better to do on a nice sunny day!

I call that "The phonecall of shame".

Indeed!

I don't have a partner but even if I did, I would still carry tools and spares and be independent. The only reason that I would phone for a lift from her (or anybody else) would be an illness, injury or mechanical failure too severe for me to carry on riding, and even then I would aim to walk or get a taxi to the nearest hospital, bike shop or railway station.

And if such a partner were in need and rang me to ask for a lift I would tell her that she must really be in a bad way - had she forgotten that I don't drive!

 

[Nomadski]

What appalls me is the idea that these "wives" have nothing better to do on a nice sunny day!

I call that "The phonecall of shame".

My wife is incompatible with our, or any actually, car. She can't drive.

Also, if I rang her while being on a ride on a hot sunny day she probably wouldn't answer the phone!

The two times I have had to cancel mid ride with a problem my carried gear couldn't fix, I phoned a taxi.

 

[sheddy]

One needs a pannier if only to carry a few bits of (other people) litter home....