Whats in Your Rucksack?

[Gary Cummins]

After finally buying my bike (waiting for delivery) I have started to get some spares & accessories needed for the commute to and from work.

So far I have:

* I have got a good set of lights (as I finish work as late as 4am)
* Set of waterproofs
* Pump
* Puncture repair kit

Now I was thinking I need a few inner-tubes. I have no idea what to get, I have read that anything will do except the light/extra light ones. Can anyone recommend a cheap but good ones to go for? (700c)

Also, the bike I will be getting will probably have bog standard racing tyres, which will be the first thing I will upgrade (then the wheels later on). Any recommendation for some decent 700c tyres?


So what's in your rucksack?

Peter, if you have just bought a bike do yourself a favour and get a rack and pannniers too. Luggage is best carried on the bike, not on your back.

Happy to discuss more off list.

Gary

 

[HLaB]

Whats in your rucksack? Nothing I use a Pannier.

As a minimum its spare tube, p repair kit, pump, keys & multi tool. Other things that can find their way in regularly are: waterproofs, latex gloves, phone & wallet. And depending on my plans, time of year etc Lights are often in there too.

 

[Jezston]

So, what's the benefit of latex gloves, then? Just not heard of such things being used before.

 

[upsidedown]

So, what's the benefit of latex gloves, then? Just not heard of such things being used before.

That you don't have to attend meetings looking like you've just finished a shift at Kwik-Fit.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

Pannier contains:

Pump
Small tool kit with multitool, chain tool, spoke key, glueless patches, tyre levers
1 x inner tube

Waterproofs if it looks like I might need them or if I am not going straight home from work

In summer, 1 x smart rear light and 1 x cheapie front light for emergencies

Wallet
Mobile Phone
Keys
Spare batteries for lights & cam

D-Lock

Work clothes rolled in a drawstring bag that can be worn as a rucksack should I need to full the panniers with any shopping etc.

 

[palinurus]

In my courier bag is:

Multitool
15 mm spanner (for rear wheel- fixed)
2x tubes
3 x tyre levers (only need two, but there's three in my bag, I don't know why)
CO2 inflator
Minipump
Bottle opener
Apple with maggot hole in it
Lightweight rain jacket
Cycling cap
Anti-commando pants
Pen
Tesco blinkies for emergencies
Letter reminding me to renew pet insurance.

 

[Jezston]

That you don't have to attend meetings looking like you've just finished a shift at Kwik-Fit.

Ahhh. Duh.

 

[Arch]

In my pannier at the moment, pump, lights, a couple of zipties, a repair kit (but cleverly, no tyre levers! D'oh! Must sort that!), and a carrier bag.

Also normally a lunchbox, but the bread had gone mouldy, so I bought lunch from the bakers today.

On my recycling job days, there are often also: on the way home, a bag of washing up liquid bottles with dregs in, and on the way in, the previous day's selection, minus the dregs, which have been decanted into my master freebie bottle. I really should stop, I'm decanting it faster than I'm using it and full bottles are taking over my kitchen.

I actually carry a spare pannier just for those bottles...

 

[Ben M]

With regards to your question about tubes and tyres.

Tubes are much of a muchness, just make sure that they are the correct size. You can get slime tubes which are supposed to re-seal when pierced by a puncture, but I'm not too sure about them.

As for tyres, I've just bought a pair of bontrager race lite hardcase tyres as they came highly recommended and are a very good price on allterraincycles.co.uk I bought them as an alternative to the standard recommendation which is schwalbe marathon plus, which are supposed to be pretty bulletproof, if not a little slow.

I've got continental ultra gatorskins on my road bike and have found them good, a nice balance between speed and puncture resistance.

 

[HLaB]

Tubes are much of a muchness, just make sure that they are the correct size.

I'd agree with you up to a point but I avoid Spesh tubes; I've had a few fail on me, where the stem meets the tube, and apparently this is a fairly common problem.

 

[DrSquirrel]

I only carry a rucksack in on Mon, and out on Fri

Rucksack
- Work clothes (I tend to leave my shoes in over the weekend).
- Waterproof trousers + trouser bands (yea they stay there, I mostly wear shorts in the rain).
- Plastic bags
- Washkit (comb, flannel etc)
- Full finger gloves
- Woolly Hat
- Overshoes

Saddle bag
- Puncture kit (glueless)
- Tyre (sometimes)
- Multitool
- Water proof top
- 2x AAA for rear light + "button light" backup
- £5

Tri/Stem Bag
- Front light battery
- Mobile phone / memory stick
- Work keys


And mini pump on frame, to be replaced with Co2 just for work runs. Smallest amount of water in the bottle.


I've also started to carry in food on the Monday for lunch the rest of the week as I finish at 13:30 (start at 08:30) and im not going for my lunch and then returning for the sake of an hour - because I don't eat breakfast I sometimes lack energy from not eating since the night before. Mini microwave pizzas aren't bad really

If you're planning to carry inner-tubes, then leave the puncture repair kit out of the rucksack. You can replace tubes on the spot, then repair the punctured tube at your leisure at home.

1 tube = 1 repair
p.repair kit = 5-10 repairs

I'd carry glue-less patches in even with a tyre, take up next to no space with a lot of uses - use the whole tyre first of course.

 

[tmcd35]

Rucksack -

• Far, far too heavy Laptop
• shoes
• undies
• socks
• trousers
• shirt
• belt
• underarm spray
• t towel

Armband -

• iPhone, with music playing

Frame bag -

• Keys
• Wallet

Saddle bag -

• Cable Lock

Rack bag -

• Puncture repair kit
• Tyre leavers
• Multitool
• couple of inner tubes
• Sometimes the waterproof jacket is along for the ride

Bar bag -

• Usually empty on the commute, may have cycle gloves in there

On the frame -

• 1 water bottle
• Pump (with dry repair kit in handle)

 

[martynjc1977]

Saddle pack contains, tire levers, repair kit, multitool, innertube, latex gloves, on the frame is my water bottle and pump, in my rucksack is my wallet, keys, change of clothing and me lunch. Lock and shower stuff is at work.

 

[laertes]

Schwalbe Marathon tyres have increased my appetite for punture risk. Plus, I am so inept that I probably could not fix a punture in less than three days at the side of the road, so my contingency plan is to walk to the nearest railway station rather than get the toolbox out. Therefore in my rucksack I usually have: Glasses, wallet, phone, clean pants and socks, spare shirt and socks if rain forecast, banana, apple. Sometimes I have a laptop and some documents, but no more than once a week.

Keys and security pass in shorts pockets. Rest of my clothes are at work, water bottle on the frame, lock at work.

 

[Glow worm]

Schwalbe Marathon tyres have increased my appetite for punture risk. Plus, I am so inept that I probably could not fix a punture in less than three days at the side of the road,

I used to feel that way but sadly practice has made perfect over the years!

I carry
Spare lights
Spare inner tube
Repair kit
Pump
Pannier waterproof covers
Wet wipes
Swiss Army Knife
Lock
wallet
phone if I remember it
small radio if the cricket/ football's on!
If I'm on a long ride I take lucozade, water, bananas and choclate. And some chain oil- tastes great.