On the road I’m on tubeless. I have a 500ml bottle filled with the following:
2x spare tubes
2x CO2 cannister
2x tyre levers
Multi-tool with chainsplitter
2x quicklinks
Tyre plugs
£40 in cash
Rear mech hanger
I’ll also carry a small pump in my jersey pocket.
It’s not inconceivable (and has happened before) that I’ll get more than one flat on a ride. If that happens I should be OK.
What pump is everyone carrying?
Mine is from a small UK maker… Wild Sky Gear | eBay Stores
Size mini I guess?
I’ve used the Topeak Race Rocket and Lester Pressure Drive in the past. I stopped carrying them when I got comfortable using CO2. Now I’m not really sure where either one is unfortunately so I guess I might be in the market for a new one. They both were alright when I’ve had to used them.
CT has a decent write up comparison on mini pumps:
The best mini pumps for road, gravel and mountain bike – 45 tested! - CyclingTips
I also think the kit changes slightly when you ride alone versus a group. You want to play the odds to some extent to have redundancy. For example, two tubes might not be necessary in a group because if you get two punctures odds are someone else will have a tube that you can pay back. Same for CO2. Alone, you need to be a little more conservative.
Had a look at my ebay history I’ve got this one for the tools, it’s their thinnest cuben fibre and super light but fragile. Bouncing around in a bag with tools inside will damage it, it’s slowly being covered in their cuben fibre tape…
I’ve also got a thicker but smaller one for carrying cards as a lightweight wallet.
There are a bunch of options, maybe measure your tools first and see what will work…
I used to carry one of these Lezyne Pressure Drive Pump - Medium | Sigma Sports and it worked well the few times I used it (including on tubeless tyres) , until I lost it on a VO2 session. I replaced it with this PRO BIKE TOOL Mini Bike Pump - Fits Presta and Schrader - High Pressure Psi - Reliable, Compact & Light - Bicycle Tyre Pump for Road, Mountain and BMX Bikes : Amazon.co.uk: Sports & Outdoors of a similar size (a fraction smaller) and build quality I haven’t actually used it since I bought it in March though.
I wear same kit for both flats and climbs.
Think I actually carry more kit in a group, to make up for others not bringing anything at all!
Also these days there are so many different tyre sizes amd rim depths, nobody else might have a tube that fits.
If its a really remote ride, I bring 2 tubes (one for each wheel) and patches (in case the tube punctures).
I like the smallest Lezyne high pressure ones because they are small, light and have a hose. I find without a hose I occasionally rip the valve off the tube with my ham-fistedness.
Before I list the tools and such, something worth carrying in your spares kit that most people do not is Benadryl. A couple tablets can be a life saver in case of a bug bite or other allergic reaction allowing a rider to get from a remote spot to either proper care or a good extraction spot.
I carry a fairly extensive repair kit when mountain biking in remote areas. Doesn’t weigh that much and would rather carry a few more ounces and finish a ride than walk out.
Tube (1) (strapped to bike or in SWAT box depending on bike)
Tire levers (2)
Lezyne pump
Chain break tool (Pedros)
Dyna-Plug kit
Quick Patches
Wolf Tooth Pliers with Spare chain links
Spare rear derailleur hanger
Multitool (swat on bottle cage)
Zip ties
The entire kit, excepting the pump, fits in a small tool roll which came with an old CamelBak pack. It fits nicely in the snap on pocket of my current USWE small pack. Photo with clif bar for size. The pump goes inside with the water bladder.
On the road bike, it’s a couple tubes, chain tool, master links, multi tool, tire levers. All in a small saddle bag along with a small pump attached to the down tube bottle cage.
Over the years I’ve added a small pair of tweezers for pulling tire wires out and a medium size valve extender to the kit I carry on group rides. Both have come in handy quite a few times. In our neck of the woods, a large percentage or our flats come from those tiny wires from belted auto tires that can be very tough to extract with anything other than tweezers.
Excellent advice on the Benadryl @DarthShivious
I haven’t been stung in years and a little jerk of a bee stung me as I was walking into my house last month. My arm swelled up like a balloon. I don’t go into anaphylactic shock due to bee stings, but I do have an adverse reaction for like a week.
I was on Benadryl daily for a few days. I now have a few stuck in my bike bag.
