What to take out cycling

[swampyseifer]

Hey all,

I thought what would be good is to buy a smallish rucksack to keep things in that are neccessary/handy when out cycling. Being somewhat a cycling newb though, I thought I'd run my checklist past you all to see if I've forgotten something?

-inner tubes (two as a minimum I assume)
-puncture repair kit
-hand pump
-bike lock
-food & drink
-mobile phone
-money
-identification (not being grim, but good for if the worst happens...)

anything else I haven't thought of?

 

[tyred]

I would take a multitool or a few basic screw drivers/spanners/allen keys. You will know what fits the fixtures on your bike. A spoke wrench and a chain tool can be useful too.

 

[400bhp]

Hey all,


anything else I haven't thought of?

some on-bike carriers and some water bottles plus holders. Preferably a cycle top with rear pockets. That way (with the stuff you have mentioned) you won't need the rucksack.

 

[paulw1969]

Hi,
a few tyre levers come to mind.......if your taking two new tubes do you need the puncture outfit? I would keep this at home and fix at home.....that is why i used to take spare tubes. Will you get the neccessary tyre pressure with hand pump.....i dont know, something I need to look into myself.....maybe the CO2 route is the way to go.....i'll be looking into this myself over the next couple of weeks.

 

[mr_hippo]

Packet of baby wipes
Cable ties

 

[swampyseifer]

Good call Tyred...I forgot that!

some on-bike carriers and some water bottles plus holders. Preferably a cycle top with rear pockets. That way (with the stuff you have mentioned) you won't need the rucksack.

I was trying to avoid going in the direction of panniers, specific riding clothing and the like. I just wanted a nice simple backpack...so I can be sitting there and think "I'm gunna go out riding...". I dont have to change clothes or spend 5 mins strapping stuff to the bike and myself, I can just walk out the house down to the bike and be off!

 

[swampyseifer]

Excellent hippo and paul...

hmm...I hadnt considered taking tubes and a repair kit to be OTT...

 

[sdr gb]

I always take spare tubes and a repair kit out with me. I've never needed to use the repair kit yet in 6 years but I'd rather have it with me and not need it than need it and not have it with me. After all, you can't guarantee you'll only get 2 punctures.

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

The most obvious thing is being able to deal with a puncture: which means being able to get the tyre off (and on again), repair or replace the tube and reinflate it.

So as a minimum you will need a tyre lever, a repair kit and a pump. Depending on the tyres and your grip strength you might be able to dispense with the tyre lever altogether or need two: practice at home.

Whether you take tubes and how many, is a personal choice based on convenience, "carrying cost" and how far you are going. As it is usually easier to replace a tube rather than repair it at the roadside and you are using a rucksack, then the convenience factor easily outweighs the "carrying cost".

Regardless of how many tubes you take, I suggest you always have a repair kit: you just don't know how unlucky you might be! A tyre boot is also a good idea: one of these covers all the bases.

Make sure that your pump is capable of achieving the required pressure: mini-pumps will struggle to get to 100psi and beyond unless you choose carefully. In your rucksack, a full-sized pump shouldn't be a problem. CO2 is an option, but more expensive.

A quicklink, powerlink or similar (depending on what flavour of chain you use) is valuable out of all proportion to it's size

Beyond that, what you carry is a product of your experience and skill; your experience of what can and is likely to go wrong and your skill at being able to fix it: there is no point in carrying tools you don't know how to use.

A multi-tool is a convenient, all-in-one solution for a lot of people, but do check to make sure that the tools on it fit your bike and that nothing is missing: when you have a breakdown is not the time to discover that your tool has a bottle opener but not a 4mm hex key.

Don't forget the power of the bodge: zip ties (two each in a range of sizes) and some tape can get you home in the event of a major failure.

 

[numbnuts]

On my day rides I take all this as most of my rides are away from towns and also I live on my own so no one to pick me up if I broke down.

1 P*ncture repair kit
1 allan keys
1 set of tyre levers + 2 spare
3 inner tubes
Folding tyre
Tyre patches
1 small head torch in winter
marigold gloves
Small length of chain (3 inches)
1 small chain tool
Cassette tool and chain whip
Spare spokes
Kevlar spoke
hypercracker
Spare nuts, bolts, powerlinks
Wire cutters
Pliers
2 small screw drivers
Small sockets to fit screw driver handle
First aid kit with triangular bandage paracetamol, co-codamol, gaviscon tablets
Batteries for rear light and computer and bulbs
Small tyre pump (not mini)
1 Co2 pump
Zip ties
spare keys for house, bike locks
Phone
Pen and paper
10 sheets of kitchen roll
Very small bottle of hand cleaner
Insulation tape
£5 in small change
Small roll of gaffer tape
Brake and gear cables
Spare bite valve for camalbac
Small roll string
Spare gloves

 

[HLaB]

Swampy do you really need the lock ? I used to cart one round but realized I was never stopping long enough to warrant its use.
These days I usually carry:
Pump,
spare tube,
(Untill recently I carried a p'ture repair kit but every time I come to use the glue its solid so I'll just carry an extra spare tube on long rides),
A multi tool (with tyre levers & chain tool),
a quick link,
Jacket/Gilet depending on the weather,
a quick link,
phone,
and if its a longer ride I'll sometimes carry a small cafe lock.
and lights as necessary.
On the town bike, I still have the Dlock and Kyrpytonite cable and I'll usually carry laytex gloves for any emergency repairs and will carry more lights.

 

[adscrim]

In the past, I've had the misfortune of need my two spare tubes and a repair kit (in fact I used my two spares plus one from a ride fellow rider and a patch)- I use sticky patches and have never had any problems. One of the tubes on my commuter has had a sticky patch on it for the last two years.

 

[paulw1969]

Excellent hippo and paul...

hmm...I hadnt considered taking tubes and a repair kit to be OTT...

Hi,
not OTT, i suppose its down to the mileage you are doing on any one trip versus chance of getting more than two punctures (if carrying two tubes). If the more experienced cyclists on here recommend a puncture repair kit i would suggest you listen to them, i'm just a newbie, and at the end of the day they dont weigh much or take up any extra space, its just something i never used to do, that is take both....
Guess it depend how much of a lucky person you are......now me i think i shall get TWO puncture outfits going on what people have said cos it would be my luck i'd need them

 

[fimm]

When people say put your repair kit in a bag on the bike, they don't mean a big pannier, but a little bag under the saddle like this http://www.wiggle.co.uk/saddle-bags/ - sort by price and you'll see some of the little ones. I have an inner tube, multi tool, chain tool, chain link, tyre levers and a piece of string in mine, and the pump attaches to the frame. Fit and forget (but don't forget to replace the punctured tyre when you've shoved it in your saddle bag rather than leaving it around the place....)

 

[daSmirnov]

Under 2 or 3 miles, i.e. cycling to town and back:

1x phone, just cuz I carry it with me.

Up to 20 miles:

1x spare tube
1x CO2 cartridge
1x phone - use this to record journey on Endomondo, got a Garmin but have to use both ofc just in case one fails. ;-)
1x multi-tool
3x tyre levers
1x repair kit, not so much for me but if I run into a cyclist who's in trouble

All of that sits in my smallish topeak saddle bag quite happily.

Over 20 miles:

2x spare tubes
3x CO2 cartridges
1x phone - as above
1x multi-tool
3x tyre levers
1x repair kit, as above
1x water bottle, filled with something or other
1x assorted moneys

Super-long distance summer time stuff:

Most lights are stripped, with all their external batteries strapped to my frame to make room for 2x water bottles.