What do you carry in your bike bags other than the obvious (wallet, keys, phone, and a puncture repair kits and a multi tool)? What equipment do you put on your bike other than standards (bottle cages, a computer, and lights)?
What do you think other people should carry or use that most don’t?
I have a lightweight lock in case if I want to go eat at a restaurant or cafe
a compact bike carry bag in case I need to take a train home (bikes have to be in bags to board trains in Japan)
a small air pump (mostly use CO2, but a pump is good for putting a little air in the tube before you install it)
a towel (in case I want to jump in a river or something and need to dry my feet off)
cleat covers
an emergency gel in case I bonk in the middle of nowhere
a rain jacket (which is mostly for warmth…)
sometimes leg warmers and shoe covers
Anything else I should be carrying? I figure basic first aid kit with a self-applicable tourniquet would actually be prudent to carry, given the nature of cycling…
I also recently bought a wireless portable phone charger in case I want to go for a ride and my phone isn’t charged, so I can charge it in my pocket without any wires. It could also be used to charge dying lights and computers.
On a related subject, what should you carry on super duper epic adventure rides?
In my pockets i’ll have a phone, some gels, and a pouch containing dynaplugs, multi-tool and CO2.
No saddlebags.
2 bottle cages. I’ll take 2 bidons if i’m planning to be out for longer than 2 hours.
On the bike i seem to have a ridiculous amount of technology:
Cycliq12 front facing camera
Garmin Varia Radar
Wahoo Bolt
Vector3 Pedals
Di2
You have two tires, so I would strongly recommend carrying two innertubes (wrapped in saran wrap to help prevent holes from being worn in them due to friction over time).
The amount of food and clothing varies depending on weather and ride length/type but this is what is typical for a spring/summer/fall ride.
I have a silca seat wrap that has:
Tire Levers
Tube
Some cash for food/water
Multitool
I have a small pump mounted to my seat tube. I think its a specialized brand. It’s barely noticeable and I forget it’s there on rides.
I usually carry 2 bottles. 1 with water, 1 with SIS carb mix.
In my pockets I’ll have:
Gels
Nature’s Bakery Fig bars
Maybe a banana
Phone
Vest and/or Arm Warmers depending on the season
Then for longer rides (>50mi or so) I have a handlebar bag that carries more food/gels and I’ll stop at a gas station or somewhere for a refill of water/gatorade.
Tools / tubes in a small seat bag. I don’t trust CO2, got stranded once due to a faulty canister. Always ride with a micro pump. Lezyne makes a high-quality, slim pump that mounts to a bottle cage. You wouldn’t even notice it if you weren’t looking too closely. Personally, i don’t like having too much weight in my jersey pockets because it pulls the zipper into my neck. The seat bag is inelegant, but i was never elegant to begin with.
in a small zip-up pouch (tucked into my center back jersey pocket) i carry a small multitool, a powerlock link, and either a small pump or c02 cartridge. if riding with tubes, then a tube and tire levers. nothing on the bike.
phone in my right rear pocket and nutrition if necessary in my rear left pocket.
one bottle cage and one bottle unless going over 3-4 hours or it’s extra warm out.
Pretty much exactly my setup, but I almost always go 2 bottles and if needed a 3rd in the jersey. If so I cram my phone and food in the same pocket. Ziplock with all the necessities. No seat bag on bike.
