[freetime101]

What spares / tools do you all take with you on a ride? 

How do you carry it? Saddle bag? Pocket caddy? Loose in a jersey pocket? Other?

Does it vary by ride? 

I carry 2 x CO2 cartridges, a mulitool with built in chain breaker and CO2 inflator, 3 x tyre levers (my wheel/tyre combo is a PITA to remove/refit), 1 x quick link, 1 x spare tube and a couple of glueless patches in a Leyzene Road Caddy saddle bag. Now that I’m tubeless I also carry a tubelsss repair kit in my pocket as it won’t fit in the caddy. 

It bothers me that I don’t have a normal pump so I’m shopping for the “best” one… but that got me thinking about what I should be carrying and how – I figure the best way to determine this is experience, so I’m asking for yours 

I figure some of you will have been cycling since before I was born, and some of you will have started yesterday, so I wonder if we’ll get a wide range of answers…

Topic

[hawkinspeter]

Pilot Pete wrote:

You realise the clam is not designed to be waterproof? If you need something to stay dry put it in a dry bag. It also was designed as minimalist, so never suitable for a pump, however small!

I thought it might be waterproof enough, but some of my previous tools (I can’t resist buying well designed multi-tools) got a bit rusty. My new Wolf-tooth 8-bit pack pliers are too long for the aeroclam so I thought I’d go for a dry-bag instead as the aeroclam doesn’t quite fit my needs (not meant as a criticism of it though).

I’ve also got a cheap super-reflective waist-bag (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Reflective-Around-The-Waist-Pouch-Bag/133638698588?hash=item1f1d7cb65c:g:ycAAAOSwfFBgAdOs) that I use to carry a first-aid kit and sometimes a rain jacket. I don’t always bother wearing it though – I only bothered getting it after I came off my MTB going around Ashton Court and grazed my knee a bit.

[Pilot Pete]

On really long rides (130

On really long rides (130 mile +) I’ll take a couple of paracetamol and ibuprofen, sometimes get an exercise induced headache on such rides….

[Pilot Pete]

if I get a bit of road rash I

if I get a bit of road rash I can carry on. Anything more serious and I let the ambulance crew use their kit!

[Pilot Pete]

flipping eck! Should just

flipping eck! Should just take a support vehicle!

[Pilot Pete]

You realise the clam is not

You realise the clam is not designed to be waterproof? If you need something to stay dry put it in a dry bag. It also was designed as minimalist, so never suitable for a pump, however small!

[mdavidford]

First thing I always check I

First thing I always check I’ve packed is Piriton.

[wtjs]

But I’m surprised no one has

But I’m surprised no one has mentioned first aid?

Matter of opinion of course, but if you can fit it in a portable first aid kit, you don’t need it anyway. I didn’t take one on the Pennine Way, but I did have a tiny sewing kit so the needle does for pricking blisters along with a small amount of emulsifying ointment for chafing- you might need those on a bike tour.

[Steve K]

Multi-tool with chain breaker
Multi-tool with chain breaker. Quick link. Two tyre levers, CO2 inflator, 3 X CO2 cartridges, 2 x tubes.

[ChrisInRedhill]

Tools-wise I’m not much

Tools-wise I’m not much different to everyone else (one or two inner tubes, depending on ride length, two tyre levers, multi tool with chain breaker, pump, chain link, don’t bother with CO2 because the pump is good).

But I’m surprised no one has mentioned first aid? I carry a small pack of compeed, plasters, bandage, a pair of latex gloves and a couple of alcohol wipes. The only thing I’ve actually had to use was plasters and Compeed but it’s all small, light and I figure worth having just in case.

[Recoveryride]

Normal ride: inner tube, 2 x

Normal ride: inner tube, 2 x levers, co2 cartridge with adapter, phone, 4&5mm allen keys.

Long ride: as above, plus extra tube, extra CO2 cartridge, & swiss army knife.

Off road: tubeless plug kit, inner tube, 2 x levers, tyre boot, Lezyne mini pump, swiss army knife, phone.

 

[Lifer]

After losing one on a ride I

After losing one on a ride I now threadlock my spd bolts, 

[Welsh boy]

An inner tube, some self

An inner tube, some self adhesive patches, 2 tyre levers, a small mini pump and a CO2 inflater with 2 cartridges all in a tool bottle in the spare bottle cage on my down tube.  I have cycled for 47 years and had two broken chains so cant see the need to carry multi tools (a marketing department cash cow) just slip a loose 4mm, 5mm and 6mm allen key in your tool kit if you think that you may need to adjust something when you are out for a ride.

[cidermart]

SPD SL. As I said it happened
SPD SL. As I said it happened to friends and it’s the “Justin Scenario’. Overly cautious? Probably. Borderline headcase? Long past the border sadly, far too much lead and occasional mercury in plumbing.

[hawkinspeter]

With my SPDs, they seem to
With my SPDs, they seem to last as long as the shoes so I don’t mind if the bolts seize as long as I don’t want to tweak their position.

[Hirsute]

I had the same at work but
I had the same at work but managed to get the shoe out. Ended up using a Dremel tool to get the other bolt free.
Not sure how I got home though !

[Author]

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