Audax Packing List

[mattc]

Blimey I'd need to attach the Tesco trolley for all this stuff!  But one essential I've had to use is small pair tweezers for small thorns / glass embedded in tyre.

Amateur: safety pins are lighter/smaller and more versatile. And they come with an inbuilt attachment mechanism.

[Somnolent]

Nobody mentioned the NBT2 yet?
http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b0s72p595
Horrendous price, but saved my LEL when cassette lockring came loose, and saved another rider's BCM600 when major wheel surgery needed at King's YH

[Fab Foodie]

Blimey I'd need to attach the Tesco trolley for all this stuff!  But one essential I've had to use is small pair tweezers for small thorns / glass embedded in tyre.

Oh how I wish I had some on Sunday's flinty p*ncturefest ....

[Kim]

Nobody mentioned the NBT2 yet?
http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b0s72p595
Horrendous price, but saved my LEL when cassette lockring came loose, and saved another rider's BCM600 when major wheel surgery needed at King's YH

I have a lockring tool and a small adjustable spanner, at least in the full overnight ride / touring kit.  NBT2 is neat, but won't help with the brake rotor on your SON Delux.

The adjustable spanner has probably been my most used roadside tool.  Usually because nobody else on the ride has one.

(In comparison, my pump is probably my least used roadside tool.  But I wouldn't leave it at home to save weight.)

[Bianchi Boy]

I always carry one of these http://www.3654bikes.co.uk/kinesis-racelight-4s-rear-mech-hanger.html used twice in 12 years. Both times after a fall and saved the day. Weighs 5g and fitted with a 5mm hex wrench.

BB

[The French Tandem]

If anyone's interested you can view it in trello here: https://trello.com/b/blJo482D/audax-packing-list

I'm probably a bit dumb, but all I can see on your website is a nice picture of a cyclist riding on a mountain road, but no list of any sort. Maybe my computer needs some sort of update.

[LEE]

The OP list seems like a lot of stuff, with many duplicates (and I tend to carry too much).

Generally, on top of essentials like Wallet, Phone and "normal" cycle clothing....

1 - 2 tubes & puncture repair kit (which includes a multitool a couple of "Magic" chain links and some Duck tape wrapped around a pencil.
(No need for a tyre boot if you have Duck Tape imo).
2 - Pump
3 - Waterproof jacket (possibly a very flimsy one if the BBC promise no rain for next few weeks)
4 - Spare AAs for my Garmin Etrex (& Garmin Etrex)
5 - Some bonk rations (usually some buttered Malt loaf).
6 - High 5 Zero tabs.

The weather forecast plays a big role in deciding on clothing naturally. 
A Buff, a thin Gilet, arm warmers and leg/knee warmers give maximum flexibility for the volume of an Orange.
I'll carry an extra base layer for an overnight ride.

The chances of me considering RainLegs for an Audax (or any reason) are zero.
I've ridden 600km Audaxes in the most atrocious conditions and never once wished I had more layers on my legs (Everywhere else yes, but not my legs).

That's it really.  Unless it's a remote & long Audax, (BCM600 overnight) where you could be quite a way from help, you are never that far from food/drink.
I'll generally swig some Milkshake at a Garage and buy a sandwich, depending on the time of day.  I tend to think as far as the next control but it's quite rare to depend on reaching the next control to get some food/drink. 
If I have the equivalent of a sandwich in the Carradice then I'm OK. Sometimes just knowing you have that sandwich is enough to get you to the next control.

The worst mechanical I've had recently was a rear gear cable snapping on my ride back from PBP.  That left me with a choice of 2 chainrings (a luxury since I generally ride Single-Speed).

The OP list has:

- Energy Gels
- Energy powder
- Bananas
- Jelly Babies

I assume they don't carry all of these as they are the same thing...Bonk Rations.

[SR Steve]

Nobody mentioned the NBT2 yet?
http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b0s72p595
Horrendous price, but saved my LEL when cassette lockring came loose, and saved another rider's BCM600 when major wheel surgery needed at King's YH

Main problem with the NBT2 is that it removes my excuse for not carrying any spare spokes! Looks like a good idea for remote touring, but I wouldn't bother for an audax.

I have 36 spokes in the rear wheel and 32 in the front though with strong rims, so can keep going if I lose a few spokes and I carry a proper spoke key.

I also carry a Crank Brothers multi-tool that includes a good chain link tool; and a small penknife that folds out to make small pliers and has scissors and a bottle opener for after the ride. I have a handy little open ended spanner that is 10mm at one end and 8mm at the other and a small screwdriver that is useful for adjusting gears and digging glass out of tyres etc.

I carry a couple of spare mudguard bolts which has helped my riding mates out a few times and fixed my car. About 20 years ago my old Ford Cortina Crusader broke down on the way to a 300 as the thread stripped on the bolt holding a battery terminal on. As I fitted one of my mudguard bolts instead, I noticed that the air filter was rocking and found that the carburetor was coming apart with one bolt missing. Luckily it was the same thread as my mudguard bolts. Good job I didn't need any for my bike on that 300.

[jhob]

The OP list seems like a lot of stuff, with many duplicates (and I tend to carry too much).

What do you consider 'duplicates'?

With the list I'm trying to strike a balance between being self-supporting and able to get myself out of most common incidents or situations that might arrive, whilst carrying minimal kit.

The OP list has:

- Energy Gels
- Energy powder
- Bananas
- Jelly Babies

I assume they don't carry all of these as they are the same thing...Bonk Rations.

Actually they all have quite a specific purpose for me:

 * Energy Gel is bonk rations or if I need a quick pick-me-up particularly in the later stages of a ride.

 * Jelly babies & energy drink I have while riding so that I have a constant supply of energy and hopefully avoid the bonk.  If push came to shove I could lose the energy drink but I find that having a drinkable energy source means that I'm more likely to use it as I don't always feel like eating.  I am always thoroughly sick of jelly babies by the end of a ride though.

 * Banana is for the potassium content to stave off cramp which I am prone to.  At controls I will often have a jacket potato for the potassium in that too.

[T42]

Before riding, pack your bags, weigh everything, and then start chucking stuff out.

[The Seldom Killer]

Actually they all have quite a specific purpose for me:

 * Energy Gel is bonk rations or if I need a quick pick-me-up particularly in the later stages of a ride.

 * Jelly babies & energy drink I have while riding so that I have a constant supply of energy and hopefully avoid the bonk.  If push came to shove I could lose the energy drink but I find that having a drinkable energy source means that I'm more likely to use it as I don't always feel like eating.  I am always thoroughly sick of jelly babies by the end of a ride though.

 * Banana is for the potassium content to stave off cramp which I am prone to.  At controls I will often have a jacket potato for the potassium in that too.

OK, so Jelly babies and Energy gel do pretty much the same thing. It's just about how you're using them. If you get sick of jelly babies then I'd suggest introducing other things for some variety. The energy drink and the banana are also kind of doing the same thing. Energy drinks usually contain the electrolytes and some of the calcium needed to prevent cramp. Energy drinks tend to be easier to digest so as a mid-ride remedy the bananas are a poor choice just for that. Potassium deficiency has become a bit of a panacea for the cause of cramps but it's a bit of a red herring. Hydration is equally important as electrolytes and calcium so sometimes energy drinks as a water substitute can lead to cramp because their water balance isn't great. Everyone is different so obviously you have to go with what works for you.

However, if I were writing that portion of the list I would go with hydration tablets (as opposed to energy drinks), nibbles (in the form of energy bars, dried fruit and nuts, cheese sandwiches or even crackers), possibly a gel although in the end I've never used one on a ride. I do find that I don't do well if I keep stuffing refined sugar down my neck all day and having mostly weaned myself off the stuff I do a lot better on long rides. YMMV. 

[Kim]

Before riding, pack your bags, weigh everything, and then start chucking stuff out.

Except I'd do that and conclude "it's only a few kilos, I won't even notice it".

So, let's look at this the other way:  People have listed a great many items that are potentially useful on a bike ride.  Which ones would you leave at home, and why?

I'll kick off with sports potions, preferring to use Real Food.
Spares for the wrong bike are another popular option.

[Cudzoziemiec]

You might not notice a few kilos, but others would. After all, your bike weighs twice as much as what many people audax on to begin with! And some of those people will be intending to finish an audax in a "good" time. Others will be content to finish a minute before the last control closes or even an hour later.

Another way to look at it might be like packing for a holiday: sort everything out, then remove half the items and take twice as much money. You'll still wish you had that specialised item at some point and take things you never use.

[Kim]

You might not notice a few kilos, but others would.

Yes, light people are much more bothered by weight.  People with friends or family on speed-dial who can swoop in with motorised assistance, or who can walk several miles don't need to be able to bodge their bike back into some semblance of working order.  I've covered that already.

The question is, assuming you *do* want to save weight, do you leave behind your spare gear cable, or your emergency cleat bolt?  Your rainlegs or your chain tool?  Your bananananana or your waterproof jacket?  Your second bottle of water, or the emergency bogroll?  I'm interested in the reasoning.

How much is based on prior experience of things going wrong?  Fettling skills?  Paranoia?  A "must not think of failure" attitude?  The knowledge that you'll be riding with a known kitchen sink enthusiast?

Another way to look at it might be like packing for a holiday: sort everything out, then remove half the items and take twice as much money. You'll still wish you had that specialised item at some point and take things you never use.

I'm not sure how applicable that is to audax.  Or cycle touring for that matter.  I suppose you can weight things according to scarcity:  So food is - obscure dietary requirements permitting - relatively easy to come by and readily substituted with money.  Screwdrivers, spanners, duct tape, bolts and so on are a little harder, but you'd likely be able to buy, beg, borrow or steal them in most towns.  Bike-specific stuff is the tricky one, as you're pretty much limited to bike shops, and even they can't be relied on if you're on opposite ends of the road:mountain spectrum, for example.

By that logic, you'd buy food on the way, leave the spanner behind, and keep the lockring tool.  Makes sense to me, even if it flies in the face of the 'most likely to be used' principle I tend to follow.

[hellymedic]

My packing list got refined after every excursion.
List the things that were wanted but absent, the things that weren't used and the 'charms'.

Charms are things like visitation equipment and wet weather gear.

[Kim]

My packing list got refined after every excursion.
List the things that were wanted but absent, the things that weren't used and the 'charms'.

That's my general approach.  I've arrived at what I carry by a combination of the obvious and what's been used or was lacking.  I carry more small spares and fewer sturdy locks than I used to, for example.

I've also optimised my clothing over the years.  Mostly through acquiring better, more cycling-specific kit.  But also by appreciating when "it isn't going to get cold enough for X" or "Y is just going to get soaked", which comes with experience.

Charms are things like visitation equipment and wet weather gear.

Indeed.  I always carry a waterproof jacket, even though I hardly ever feel inclined to wear one (they're just too hot to cycle in).  It's mostly for encouraging dry weather, and for warding off hypothermia should things go wrong and I can't keep moving.

[caerau]

Peacocks and Kites 300  2014
Tregaron Dragon 2014
The Dean 2015
Brevet Cymru 2015
Bryan Chapman Memorial 2015
PBP 2015


Or did you mean something else?

[L CC]

OK, winter 200.
No spare clothes- I'm not going to get wetter, drier, or colder, as long as I keep moving. If it all goes horribly wrong I'll get cold. I think I'll survive. I actually bought new socks from a garage on boxing day.
2 tubes, pump & tyre levers. I can make boots, (I know that loyalty card will come in handy at some point) I'm not going to piss about repairing a puncture so as soon as the second tube is used I'm heading for a station.
No food- there's shops and I'm fairly well fat adapted. I won't need to eat till 50km anyway. I might buy a spare chocolate bar when I stop. (Actually I went for a 3 pack of Lee's Scottish Tablet as you can't get it down here- although I bet they have it in Corby).
No other spares. Disk brakes mean a spoke going my brakes will still work. I'm hardcore (my routes are flat) enough to single speed if need be. I couldn't change a cable at the roadside anyway as they're internally routed.
Multitool, though only for tightening seatposts, it never occurred to me to see if it had a torx to move the brake pads in. I'll know better next time.
I bought lube as I was riding through floods and the chain sounded, erm, like a hungover Smith.
Spare batteries. I really want a dyno front wheel on this bike. Funds are not permitting yet.
Mini torch. For finding and swapping the goddam batteries.
Two bottles of fizzy water. One will still be full when I finish. The other might be topped up with orange juice or lemonade or relentless or water, depending how I feel en-route.
Anker for the phone & gps.
Purse with spare micro USB cable, cash & cards & vitamin I.

Like this:


That's it. Anything else is just ballast, and I already have enough arse.

[Ningishzidda]

OK, winter 200.
No spare clothes- I'm not going to get wetter, drier, or colder, as long as I keep moving. If it all goes horribly wrong I'll get cold. I think I'll survive. I actually bought new socks from a garage on boxing day.
2 tubes, pump & tyre levers. I can make boots, (I know that loyalty card will come in handy at some point) I'm not going to piss about repairing a puncture so as soon as the second tube is used I'm heading for a station.
No food- there's shops and I'm fairly well fat adapted. I won't need to eat till 50km anyway. I might buy a spare chocolate bar when I stop. (Actually I went for a 3 pack of Lee's Scottish Tablet as you can't get it down here- although I bet they have it in Corby).
No other spares. Disk brakes mean a spoke going my brakes will still work. I'm hardcore (my routes are flat) enough to single speed if need be. I couldn't change a cable at the roadside anyway as they're internally routed.
Multitool, though only for tightening seatposts, it never occurred to me to see if it had a torx to move the brake pads in. I'll know better next time.
I bought lube as I was riding through floods and the chain sounded, erm, like a hungover Smith.
Spare batteries. I really want a dyno front wheel on this bike. Funds are not permitting yet.
Mini torch. For finding and swapping the goddam batteries.
Two bottles of fizzy water. One will still be full when I finish. The other might be topped up with orange juice or lemonade or relentless or water, depending how I feel en-route.
Anker for the phone & gps.
Purse with spare micro USB cable, cash & cards & vitamin I.

Like this:


That's it. Anything else is just ballast, and I already have enough arse.

When Duffy released her album Rock Ferry, I thought it was sea shanties about the boat to Padstow.

[Kim]

OK, winter 200.
No spare clothes- I'm not going to get wetter, drier, or colder, as long as I keep moving. If it all goes horribly wrong I'll get cold. I think I'll survive.

Thinking about it, I carry fewer spare clothes in winter (pretty much just the waterproofs, maybe thinner gloves if it's likely to warm up) than I do at other times, though obviously I'm wearing twice as much.  Never really saw the point in carrying dry clothes with the intent of swapping them for wet ones (rather than adding more layers), as they're hardly going to stay that way.  Unless it's a Manchester-based FNRttC^[1], in which case an Ortlieb full of spare clothing acts as an important talisman for the weather gods, a source of potentially lucrative 3am trading goods, and substantially improves the snooze quality on the train home.

I do have an emergency space blanket should it really go pear-shaped - throwback to the days when I did a lot of mileage on towpaths.  I need to get better at remembering I'm carrying it when I arrive at the scene of someone else's medical emergency, thobut.   


I don't think I've ever carried lube on anything, though I did beg some off Wowbagger after a couple of days of traditional Welsh touring weather had seized my brake cables (important lesson, that), and I've done short, muddy off-road rides that have left the chain in a state that would drive me bonkers if I were going any further.


_{[1] Unlike a solo audax, ballast only matters if you're the slowest on the ride.}

[L CC]

When Duffy released her album Rock Ferry, I thought it was sea shanties about the boat to Padstow.

You're not the first to think that shot's taken in C***wall.

There's more than one Rock.

[Si S]

After riding A Brevet on St Lucy's Eve and having to weave through the cars stranded in the Afon Lliw, lube is certainly going on my list. Fortunately the ipod went just loud enough to drown out the torture I was subjecting the drivetrain to.   

[Kim]

Incidentally, newbie cyclist question:

What's the etiquette on commenting on another cyclist's use of lube?  I can think of several occasions when I've found myself in the company of an older gentleman with sufficient presbycusis that they appear blissfully unaware of the tortured squeals emanating from their drivetrain.  Obviously it would be the height of rudeness to suggest that their standard of maintenance is in any way lacking, but sneakily dribbling oil onto the offending item when they nip to the loo would also be Not On.  In principle the solution would be to drop them, but trying to out-climb a gnarly 70 year old is like picking a commuter race with someone on a Brompton, and is no good if you're riding as part of an organised group.

That said, a discussion of my disc brake rubbing with nikki last year, combined with my own voodoo audiology, suggests that this problem is on the way to resolving itself naturally.

[jhob]

Incidentally, newbie cyclist question:

What's the etiquette on commenting on another cyclist's use of lube?

I think I would just say that the weather must washed the oil off and would they like a squirt of yours to stop the crunching.

Had someone offered me oil on the two occasions I've suffered from lack of lube I would have bitten their hands off!  On one of those occasions I was looking out for anyone in their garden to see if they had a squirt of WD40 I could nick.

I've suffered lack of lube twice - once when it was so wet all the lube got washed off and another time when I had forgotten to apply lube pre-ride.

[Kim]

I think I would just say that the weather must washed the oil off and would they like a squirt of yours to stop the crunching.

That's probably less convincing on a glorious summer day, but yes...