What do you carry with you and how?

garnett

garnett

garnett

Soldato
Joined
25 Mar 2008
Posts
9,186
After 2 blowout flats in 1 ride on Sunday, and needing to borrow a mini pump, I'm reviewing my toolkit, and I'm interested to know what other people take with them.

My current list is:
  • 2 co2 canisters and a regulator
  • 2 tubes
  • Some tube patches
  • A cheap multi purpose spanner "card" with a bit holder
  • Various bits
  • Spare contact lenses
  • Nitrile gloves
  • Tyre levers
  • Mini pump
  • Chain breaker
I'm probably going to buy a Sticky Pod to put it all in because I'm fed up of trying to cramp everything into a different pouch I have that's too small.

What do others take and in what?
 
I carry a lot compared to folk I ride with. Some guys have a tube and Co2 out in a skinsuit.

  • Tube
  • Tyre levers
  • Pump
  • Patches
  • Lezyne multitool with built in chain tool
  • 11 speed link
  • Proper chain tool on occasion
  • Nitrile gloves added recently

All in a sandwich bag wrapped tight in my middle pocket.

Phone/card/cash/key goes in a small plastic bag in my right pocket. Used to use the packaging from Castelli arm warmers but ruined it.
 
Rubbish luck, what did you hit?! How frequently do you tend to puncture? Even running tubes on 25mm quality tyres (Contis/Mitch) I found I was never puncturing more than a couple of times a year. Going to wider rims, wider tyres and lower pressure really pushed it to maybe once every 12 months. Now I'm tubeless I've not 'punctured' (since November) so my last puncture was approx 15+ months ago using tubes. But I've regularly changed tubes on the other halfs bike & little ones Chariot probably every 4-6 months. Generally whenever the hedgerows are cut. Or friends when group riding.

As for your setup, I'd question why you're carrying 2 tubes AND patches. If you're carrying patches then I'd say you only need to carry 1 tube. Especially if you're carrying all of this every ride in your jersey pocket. It'll be uncomfortable! Why not use a saddle bag? Why do you need a spanner card with bits? A quality multi-tool should contain all the bits you need, some even have chain tools. I'm carrying this one, although the chain tool is damn tricky to use so I'm carrying a foldable Park Tools one also as I have room. That park tool packs up well but isn't worth the money (got mine for £5), if you have the space the ~£10 park one is good (have that in my garage and use it every chain change).

With the co2 side of things, considering you're carrying 2 tubes AND patches you're prepared to change/repair 3 flats (or more), yet only carrying enough co2 for 2 inflation's. A combo pump/co2 might be a good idea, but maybe only carry it when going further and carrying 2 tubes, if you decide to only carry 1 the rest of the time? Amongst your bits, as you're carrying a chain breaker I'm going to assume you're carrying a few links of chain and 2+ quicklink/masterlinks?

I'm carrying similar to you, including 2 tubes, even though I'm running tubeless and hardly ever puncture (jinxed it now). I could safely carry 1 tube, but old habits and old saddlebag space/layout tricks die hard. I have a frame box with 1 tube, co2 and gloves. Frame mounted combo/co2. My mini saddlebag has everything else. Additional things I'm carrying: a small adjustable spanner (for one of my thru axles), collapsable pair of grips/pliers (which also have cutters) and a valve core remover. Latter two are to remove tubeless valves so I can fit tubes. Although the pliers come in handy time and again (as they also have a blade).

When I change saddlebag, switching to one of the smaller 'wallet' types, I'll ditch carrying 1 tube and some of my tools will go in my frame box.

Saddlebag recommendations: I previously had a Topeak aero wedge (medium), great 'no frills' cheap bag for carrying 2 tubes with lots of room for everything. Current is an old Ortleib mini, great to quickly remove & refit, although after many years the plastic saddle clip has worn so it can rattle a little over rough roads.

Oh and nitrate gloves. Love them and I get through a bunch, so I buy a brand called 'click 2000' boxes with 100 gloves in them through work, for a couple of quid. Like these.
 
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Pedro’s Tulio multitool (just the tool, not the skewer)
Tubeless worms and tool
Inner tube if the above fails
Tyre levers
Co2 inflator and two cartridges
Chain link

Fits in a teeny tiny Decathlon saddle bag.
 
Mini pump (currently an ~18 year old plastic thing from Toys 'r' US IIRC, keep thinking of buying a Topeak or Lezyne)
Weldtite puncture repair kit with lever
4mm hex key (inside Weldtite box)
5mm hex key
Sometimes a spare tube, sometimes I don't bother (touch wood, I've had a visit maybe 5 times up in the South Downs over the last two years)
Mobile (for Lezyne "live tracking" and sometimes turn-by-turn navigation via Ally v2 app that links to my Super GPS; Google maps; plus calls/texts)
Food ( ideally Jelly Babies, sometimes Jelly Beans, from time to time a peanut butter/jam/marmite sandwich on longer rides)
Edit: Forgot British Cycling card and usually a £5 wrapped to it by elastic band

Above usually all in jersey back pockets, rarely I might put what I can in an old leaking bottle, because I'm "risking" just taking one bottle of water on a short ride.

Usually two 750ml Camelbak Podium bottles of fridge-cooled water, if it's really warm I might substitute one of them for an old 1250ml squash bottle, during last summer's silly heatwave I usually went out with both Podiums and the squash bottle after buying and fitting one of https://www.halfords.com/cycling/bike-accessories/bike-bottles-cages/topeak-bottle-cage-mount (£3.59 currently) to the seat post to hold one of the Podiums in a spare cage.

I probably should make a lot more use of the Refill app that shows you the locations of pubs/cafes etc. that will happily let you refill bottles with tap water for free https://refill.org.uk/get-the-refill-app/ , but besides The Bat 'n' Ball pub between Clanfield and Hambledon, there aren't that many options where I usually ride and I can go through water very quickly if it's hot and I go chasing PBs up the cat4 climbs.

I keep looking at saddle bags, just like those mini pumps, but in the end never get around to pulling the trigger... Because to date what I have works for me. I know one day I'll regret not having a few chain links, a spare set of KMC quick-links etc.
 
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On my short after work rides, usually around 30-40 miles

Phone
Keys
Bit of cash (£10)
500ml bottle
1 or 2 gels

Longer weekend rides, (50m+) I would also take,

1x tube
Pair of tyre levers
Mini pump
Multi tool

If on the rare occasion I have an issue, the wife is on the other end of the phone to rescue me. :D
 
Failing to prepare... Is preparing to fail.

I ride with enough ex forces guys to keep having that mentioned - yet often times I'm the one with a tool they need and don't have, haha! :D

Great links Steve, really like the topeak extra bottle mount and will probably pick one up. As for the refill, that's a great app and something I wasn't aware of. Equally have only had a problem around here once where a shop assistant said no and had to buy bottled water. Other places, mainly pubs, will be slightly annoyed if they're busy, but have never been refused. If they seem to be busy/annoyed I'll try to make sure I also buy a chocolate bar/bag of crisps too. At least that way they feel I've purchased something from them so it's less of a 'favour'. Equally my experiences are fairly limited as I've probably only asked for a refill a dozen times in 5-6 years. I'm generally carrying 1 or 2 800ml bottles. See point #1! ;)

Good point about carrying other things... As all my tools/spares is generally handled by saddlebag/frame bag then my jersey pockets are 'free' for everything else. I'll generally use the same pocket strategy regardless of season and distance/time. Right pocket is house keys with food on top. Benefit is knowing my keys are there, feeling/hearing them occasionally as I'm grabbing food. Middle pocket generally smartphone in landscape, then a facebuff/cap/headband to pad it away from my back. Thinking here is if I come off my smartphone in the middle of my back is less likely to have an impact than a side pocket. It's also nice and tight so doesn't move around and is nowhere near anything like keys/change/zips to scratch screen or things I'm accessing while on the move. Screen facing away from my body for the same reason if it breaks. Left pocket is generally clothing. Depending on season I'll carry various stuff. An early morning club ride even this time of year I'll start in full fingered gloves and switch to short fingered, also a face buff I'll usually ditch. Usually carrying a packable rain jacket in the shoulder seasons, but not this time of year as I'll generally be wearing a weather/windproof Gabba type gilet with arm warmers which will suffice for showers. I'll generally carry £10/£20 note in my phones case (money for emergency taxi home/post ride cake & coffee) between it and the phone. Any coins in change just gets dumped in my food pocket. :cool:

Also to note - rubbish. Being a country lad I have a huge bugbear about rubbish/littering. To such an extent I'll have a go at other riders who litter. If stationary I've even been known to pick up others rubbish who've refused to pick up after they've thrown it. I see it as disrespectful and ignorant of the landscape and society. That is more important to me than some random group rider who thinks I'm a little bit 'odd'. I'll generally try to carry all mine with me - stuffing empty wrappers under a shorts leg/arm warmer edges until I finish or stop somewhere there's a bin. Only things I'll 'lose' along the way are decomposable stuff like banana skins/apple cores. Even them I'll aim them into overgrown hedgerows and not peoples gardens/on the road. Only minor exception would be edges of a packet/top of gel wrapper if opening while on the move. Will intend to keep in my teeth to pocket but can't always... :o
 
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Roady said:
Rubbish luck, what did you hit?!
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First was at about 2mph, while we deliberated over which way to go - I'm usually pretty lucky re punctures, and look where I'm riding, but we were on a gritty road that was more of a track and something sliced a 1cm cut right through the tyre sidewall - we think it was some freshly knapped flint we found. The second was a snakebite when I was at the back and didn't see a manhole where the road facing up to its edge had utterly deteriorated leaving a very deep hole.
Roady said:
How frequently do you tend to puncture?Even running tubes on 25mm quality tyres (Contis/Mitch) I found I was never puncturing more than a couple of times a year. Going to wider rims, wider tyres and lower pressure really pushed it to maybe once every 12 months. Now I'm tubeless I've not 'punctured' (since November) so my last puncture was approx 15+ months ago using tubes. But I've regularly changed tubes on the other halfs bike & little ones Chariot probably every 4-6 months. Generally whenever the hedgerows are cut. Or friends when group riding.
Click to expand...
Very rarely - before Sunday not for a couple of years.

Roady said:
As for your setup, I'd question why you're carrying 2 tubes AND patches. If you're carrying patches then I'd say you only need to carry 1 tube.
Click to expand...

2 Tubes and patches is because on Sunday I rode home with no tubes left and would have needed patches if I punctured again.

Roady said:
Especially if you're carrying all of this every ride in your jersey pocket. It'll be uncomfortable! Why not use a saddle bag?
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I can't bring myself to break Rules 29 & 31! It must all go in the jersey pockets!
Roady said:
Why do you need a spanner card with bits? A quality multi-tool should contain all the bits you need, some even have chain tools. I'm carrying this one, although the chain tool is damn tricky to use so I'm carrying a foldable Park Tools one also as I have room. That park tool packs up well but isn't worth the money (got mine for £5), if you have the space the ~£10 park one is good (have that in my garage and use it every chain change).
Click to expand...
Spanner card is useful - bottle opener more than anything - but that and a selection of bits is lighter and more versatile than the range on a multitool. I'm reevaluating this though - possibly going for the Topeak Nano Torqbar.
Roady said:
With the co2 side of things, considering you're carrying 2 tubes AND patches you're prepared to change/repair 3 flats (or more), yet only carrying enough co2 for 2 inflation's. A combo pump/co2 might be a good idea, but maybe only carry it when going further and carrying 2 tubes, if you decide to only carry 1 the rest of the time? Amongst your bits, as you're carrying a chain breaker I'm going to assume you're carrying a few links of chain and 2+ quicklink/masterlinks?
Click to expand...
Chain links - yes. Quicklinks - no. Will add these.
Roady said:
I'm carrying similar to you, including 2 tubes, even though I'm running tubeless and hardly ever puncture (jinxed it now). I could safely carry 1 tube, but old habits and old saddlebag space/layout tricks die hard. I have a frame box with 1 tube, co2 and gloves. Frame mounted combo/co2. My mini saddlebag has everything else. Additional things I'm carrying: a small adjustable spanner (for one of my thru axles), collapsable pair of grips/pliers (which also have cutters) and a valve core remover. Latter two are to remove tubeless valves so I can fit tubes. Although the pliers come in handy time and again (as they also have a blade).

When I change saddlebag, switching to one of the smaller 'wallet' types, I'll ditch carrying 1 tube and some of my tools will go in my frame box.

Saddlebag recommendations: I previously had a Topeak aero wedge (medium), great 'no frills' cheap bag for carrying 2 tubes with lots of room for everything. Current is an old Ortleib mini, great to quickly remove & refit, although after many years the plastic saddle clip has worn so it can rattle a little over rough roads.
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European Posterior Man-Satchels aren't allowed.
 
two punctures in the past two years, but i do considered myself very lucky. im more of a rather safe than sorry type:

two main places i stored tools/spares: tool bottle and jersey pokcets.

tool bottle on seat tube(Dedaelementi soft case):
-mini pump
-spare gel
-mini multi-tool inc chain/pin tool and tyres levers
-wolftooth chain Quick Link breaker + 2 set of KMC quicklinks
-CO2 cartidge head but no cartidge.
-zip ties x3 + small bit of electrical tape (about 30cm)
-valve core remover (only that tiny plastic ones from DT swiss (less than 1gram)
-inner tube patches
-half pack of tissues and one dose of immobilium!
-one dose of cold relief tablets
-a very basic lightweight wire lock

Jersey pocket:
-inner tube (may be two if i go on longer rides)
-phone + 20quid + credit card hidden between case and phone
-keys to car or home
-gel(s) + snack bar depending on ride duration
-may be a spare head/tail light in winter

downtube bottle cage will hold either standard 550ml for most rides or 750ml for longer rides

for extended rides (6+ hours), then i use handlebar bag and behind-saddle bottle cage. the tool bottle will go there and all snacks and cloths will go to handlebar bag. seat tube bottle cage will be fitted with second bottle for pure water.(first bottle will be mixed with whatever supplement i need at the time)
 
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Don't go as far as some of you, but carry the following:

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-tool-storage-bottle/
containing:
Co2 Inflator/Mini Pump - https://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-hybrid-co2-mini-pump-race/
2x Co2 cartridges - https://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-co2-tyre-inflator-cartridge-1/
Spare Conti inner tube - https://www.wiggle.co.uk/continental-quality-road-inner-tube/?sku=5360211840
3x Park Tools Tyre Levers - https://www.wiggle.co.uk/park-tool-tyre-lever-set-tl-12/ (or very similar)
Park Tools glueless puncture repair kit - https://www.wiggle.co.uk/park-tool-puncture-repair-kit-super-patch/
Small Cable ties (need these every now and then for my cycle computer mount, and speed/cadence sensor + always useful to MacGyver your way out an issue)
 
Roady said:
Also to note - rubbish. Being a country lad I have a huge bugbear about rubbish/littering. To such an extent I'll have a go at other riders who litter. If stationary I've even been known to pick up others rubbish who've refused to pick up after they've thrown it. I see it as disrespectful and ignorant of the landscape and society.
Click to expand...

Could not agree more with this and do not hesitate to give riders (or people in general tbf) a bollocking for littering. The amount of rubbish out in the countryside is disgraceful. Cyclists only contribute a small amount of it but there is absolutely no excuse for anyone to litter. :( It saddens me when you go to other places and they are so much cleaner because people actually take pride and responsibility for their areas.
 
i do feel disgusted when cyclists so willingly leave spent CO2 cartridges around, not only it doesnt degrade over time, it's simply a hazard to other road users.
 
XE11 said:
i do feel disgusted when cyclists so willingly leave spent CO2 cartridges around, not only it doesnt degrade over time, it's simply a hazard to other road users.
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I often see huge piles of these out on the mtb which is likely just kids getting high on Nitrous Oxide.



I carry a lot in my Camelbak;

-pain killers
-antihistamine tablets
-mini pump
-spare gel
-spare energy bars
-jelly babies
-banana
-apple
-mini multi-tool
-tyre levers
-zip ties
-tubeless worms
-tubeless repair kit
-chain link
-tube patches
-spare tube
-valve core remover
-tube patches
-swiss army knife


-water
-keys
-wallet
-mobile
 
XE11 said:
i do feel disgusted when cyclists so willingly leave spent CO2 cartridges around, not only it doesnt degrade over time, it's simply a hazard to other road users.
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Yes, I would imagine this is the kids, not the cyclists.

Beerbaron said:
I carry a lot in my Camelbak;

Big list
Click to expand...

I don't think I took that much with me last time I went on holiday! :)
 
AndyCr15 said:
I don't think I took that much with me last time I went on holiday! :)
Click to expand...

I missed off various small tubes of chain lube :D
Should probably have a spare derailleur hanger as well.

I generally do a 40-50 mile cross country ride at the weekend so like to be prepared.

I slashed a hole in my tyre a few weeks back so had to break out the tubes.
 
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