Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => The Knowledge => Further and Faster => Topic started by: Andy W on 18 March, 2021, 06:25:16 am
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Do others consider the amount of gear they carry whilst out on a local ride? ATM I don't have a fast bike as such, a steel audax and a steel tourer. Even on the audax bike I have a rack, racktop bag, containing 2 inner tubes, puncture repair kit, topeak alien multi-tool, head torch, foil blanket for an emergency (15 years old), 2 lightweight retractable cable locks, latex gloves for oily repairs. Co2 inflator and spare cylinder, goretex top, wet wipes, a Zeal HPX full size pump velcro strapped to my top tube, loose change and a pair of steel tyre levers that jangle. This is my typical audax setup. Realistically, for thr short local 40 mile rides a seat pack would do. I CBA to declutter as I generally carry the above on an audax ride. What do other carry on local rides?
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Get rid of the rack and co2 tube*. I see skinny roadies whizzing past me with a bag under their
saddles the size of a postage stamp** (some without one) and their pockets bulging with stuff.
* No need for this if you have a Zefal hpx.
** Slight exaggeration, but you know what I mean.
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Back in 2020 when you were allowed to ride in groups of six. A CTC club member came off their bike after a collision with a van. A foil blanket / bag was useful whilst waiting for an ambulance. I carry puncture repair, foil bag, some snacks, basic phone on local rides. A full size zfx pump is only about 100g, so neither here nor there. If I’m planning on stopping, for instance meeting up with one other, I take an insulated gilet as well. I’ve been taking a hot chocolate now and again as well.
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Haven't actually ridden a bike for a long time but when I did, the standard stuff I'd carry on a ride was:
- 2 x inner tubes
- multi-tool
- CO2 inflator and 2 cartridges
- mini pump (tiny, as emergency backup - fits in saddlebag)
- puncture repair patches
- tyre levers (Pedros - plastic)
- 1 lightweight retractable cable lock
- spare chain link
- latex gloves
So not that different to yours, but it all (just) fits in a small Topeak Aero Wedge - I'd carry my waterproof top in a pocket, along with anything else I'd expect to use (rather than hope not to use!), e.g. snacks, wipes/sanitiser, phone. Nothing jangles, because there's no wasted space! ;) I find that if I have a big bag, I'm inclined to fill it.
Agree that if you have a Zefal HPX you don't need CO2 as well. When I'm carrying my "good" pump (Topeak Road Morph), normally on longer rides/multi-day stuff, I don't bother with that. CO2 is handy on group rides to minimise faff time, though.
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My list just has the one inner tube and no CO2 as I’m using tubleless, and the spares kit includes some gaffer tape, zip ties and other bits and bobs. But basically it’s similar - deal with routine mechanicals or bumps. I’m not riding to set speed records, and in any case I’m probably a bigger source of weight, drag and strange noises than my seat pack.
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My water bottles that I never drink weigh more than my tool kit.
2 tubes, tubeless repair shizzle, emergency patches, multi tool, tyre levers. Magic link (but no chain tool).
Wipes, antibac, soap flakes.
Phone. Waterproof if the forecast warrants it. Card.
ETA:pump. I didn't think of it as there's one attached to every bike.
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One tube, one CO2, a small pouch containing levers, multitool (inc chain tool), CO2 head, emergency patches; and between zero and one pumps. Usually stuffed into jersey pockets unless I need space for caek.
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Talking of CO2 cartridges. I often see loads of what look like CO2 cartridges spilt by the side of the road.
Are they actually shed from cyclists who haven't zipped their saddlebags up tightly enough or are they actually laughing gas or something from the local yoof?
There's normally one or two but yesterday I saw dozens all in one place, which suggests they're not from a single cyclist.
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Normal-sized wedge pack containing:
2 x spare tube,
plastic tyre levers;
couple of sections of old inner tube for tyre boots;
Co2 inflator and 2 cylinders;
Multi-tool with chain splitter;
couple of quick links;
Spare rear mech hanger because it weighs nothing and it might as well live here as in the garage.
Mini-pump lives on the bike.
Waterproof in jersey pocket, if I think I might need it.
Phone / £20 note / bank card in a zip-lock freezer bag in jersey pocket.
That's all I will have on a typical 200 and summer 300 also.
Only go to a bigger pack if I'm going to need to adjust my layering due to riding in the dark hours, or carry food for long stretches in the middle of nowhere.
So on the lighter weight side on Audax etc.
What I really don't get it the Roadie Chic which says no pack on the bike - spoils the clean lines.
But the rider looks like a badly-stuffed teddy bear, with pumps and bananas and everything else hanging out of their lumpy bulging jersey pockets. Not a great look.
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Talking of CO2 cartridges. I often see loads of what look like CO2 cartridges spilt by the side of the road.
Are they actually shed from cyclists who haven't zipped their saddlebags up tightly enough or are they actually laughing gas or something from the local yoof?
There's normally one or two but yesterday I saw dozens all in one place, which suggests they're not from a single cyclist.
Nitrous oxide from youths holding clandestine cake-decorating competitions in laybys.
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=nitrous+oxide+litter&t=osx&iar=images&iax=images&ia=images
(usually unthreaded end, shiny silver body, slightly smaller than typical cyclist CO2 canisters)
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Talking of CO2 cartridges. I often see loads of what look like CO2 cartridges spilt by the side of the road.
Are they actually shed from cyclists who haven't zipped their saddlebags up tightly enough or are they actually laughing gas or something from the local yoof?
There's normally one or two but yesterday I saw dozens all in one place, which suggests they're not from a single cyclist.
If you look at them closely, you'll see they are not bike CO2 cartridges.
They are typically smaller, and not threaded.
Likely nitrous oxide, as used in whipped cream do-hickies.
So your second guess is closer to the mark, I think.
ETA: Wot he said ^^^
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I tend to carry pretty much everything mentioned above (less the nitrous oxide canisters ;D), but also a spare cleat bolt, some cable ties and rubber bands (which weigh nothing, and tend to come in quite handy for various things). The effort to remove them all from my bag for shorter rides isn't worth it for the pretty modest weight gains.
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I see skinny roadies whizzing past me with a bag under their
saddles the size of a postage stamp** (some without one) and their pockets bulging with stuff.
They rely on that modern universal fit every circumstance tool. The mobile phone to call to be picked up. It's no good them carrying tools because they don't know what to do since the bike is serviced every year. Me, I am an old git who still prefers to be self sufficient, just as if on tour. I reject even a multitool in favour of loose tools of just the sizes I need. Yes I use steel tyre levers bought 50 years ago, and no they do not rattle because they are tied together with my individual allen keys. Even with 2 inner tubes this kit fits in one side pocket of a Nelson saddlebag or larger.
For those of us that use bikes with different transmissions, put an appropriately sized quicklink inside the handlebar plug of each machine.
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I think I carry a lot more than most and like the OP I don't bother decluttering for a short ride. I've given up trying to go lightweight, I'm just more comfortable carrying this stuff than trying to weigh up what I'll need on any given ride (it's stressful enough trying to get the clothing right)
- 3 inner tubes
- Spare tyre
- Topeak frame pump or Lezyne + CO2 in the saddle bag (depending on bike)
- 15mm spanner (if on fixed)
- Foil blanket
- A few bits of food (Snickers or something similar)
- chain links
- multi tool + chain tool + cable ties
- Lightweight retractable lock
- Clothing will vary but usually a jacket and spare gloves (if wet) and a layer or two if on anything over a 300
- Spare front light
I hate having stuff in my pockets apart from the phone, money and keys so it all goes in a Barley, Pendle or Nelson
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For a local ride:
2*tubes
Gas regulator and 2*cylinders
Tyre boot
Tyre levers
Patch kit
Multitool
All that fits in a wedge pack, and I don't have to think about what to pack, it's my standard kit. Spare clothing goes in my pocket, as does a tiny mini pump if I have any huge reason to be worried about punctures. Nothing rattles because it has no space to rattle.
Don't think about whether you can imagine a certain scenario happening, think about how likely it is to happen, and whether packing for it is a proportionate response.
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In principle I carry the same minimum on all rides as who know when the chain will break etc.
One addition I have carried for last couple of years is a mini-Leatherman. Not sure if necessary and mainly used for catering duties such as cake cutting and bottle opening (as Lightning Phil will testify to). But it has been useful on a couple of club rides for the less kitted out riders. One turned up with newly fitted raceblades with the straps catching in the spokes. I should have trimmed them, he said. - Scissors? Ta-da I replied...
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Fairly similar to every one else but without a tyre/boot, mostly in an HB bag and with a couple of tubes, levers & multitool wrapped in a peerless white cloth (har) in a poky wee bag under the saddle. I only put a saddlebag on these days if I'm doing a decent distance or bringing home a loaf or such.
What do I add that others might not? Bog roll, a whistle, a supermarket bag, a pair of folding scissors like these (https://www.amazon.com/Folding-Scissors-Portable-Stainless-Telescopic/dp/B07STZPX2L/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=folding+scissors&qid=1616068416&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyN0sxQk0xQTlSVTlHJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNjA1NDkyMTBOQ1paNkFCWjdNUiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNjg3MDMxMzJTUUdGMzFUTkpYSCZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=), a mini-Opinel, a couple of AA cells for the GPS and AAAs for the battery rearlight. My pump is a Road Morph 'cos my right shoulder is dodgy. Used to carry a CO2 inflator but the cartridges are a rip-off.
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On my fast bike I have puncture kit, Allen key tool and chain tool and two inner tubes with a frame mounted pump
On the tourer I have the same but normally a small adjustable and a 10mm spanner as more likely to be out with some of the rest of our fleet with that bike
Often have a selection of different inner tubes for the same reason. Normally have some additional/options of clothing as well but then sometimes have that on the fast bike
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Unless I'm literally just riding to the shops, I tend to carry most of my full touring toolkit (but fewer spares), because the weight difference is negligible and I can't be arsed faffing about. It's all good training, and a catastrophic failure is just as likely on a 40km ride from home as it is on an epic tour.
Clothing and food/water will vary according to how far and what weather.
(I'm currently carrying a spare drive-side idler for the Streetmachine around, because I molished a new one from marine fuel hose back in September and wasn't how sure it would last, or whether it would fail gracefully. At some point I'll probably take that out.)
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One addition I have carried for last couple of years is a mini-Leatherman. Not sure if necessary and mainly used for catering duties such as cake cutting and bottle opening (as Lightning Phil will testify to). But it has been useful on a couple of club rides for the less kitted out riders. One turned up with newly fitted raceblades with the straps catching in the spokes. I should have trimmed them, he said. - Scissors? Ta-da I replied...
Similarly I carry a Swiss Army Knife, a fairly big one. A club mate had locked his bike with a thin wire cafe lock, and did not have the key. 5 minutes with the file edge blade and his bike was released. Scissors are useful as you say for trimming other people's cable ties. Over the years, when asked why I carry so much (not much in reality) I reply "it is to get YOU home". Back 50 years ago I would carry a set of metric spanners, but now allen keys are more common meaning less bulk and weight.
As Kim says, my day to day tool kit is the same as I take on a 4 week tour. I cannot think of anything I could sensibly trim out - ok, maybe that 6 ounces of Swiss Army Knife..
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Multi tool. 60ml sealant,core remover,Pump,co2,cleat bolt.,Zip tie.,Quick link,2 tyre levers, 1x tube (used once every 12000km on average), face mask.
Fits in large toppeak wedge with space for 2x iced finger,pasty, packet of crisps(deflated).
As ride progresses I make space for discarded clothing by eating.
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Ooh - forgot that I carry a tyre boot (Park) as well!
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Yeah, there's a SAK in my kit that's occasionally been useful, but not really for bike stuff apart from trimming cable ties and digging flints out of tyres. I think it last came out to help a farmer with a difficult knot.
I've been carrying a 6" adjustable spanner around for years because, counter-intuitively given the fasteners on modern bikes, it's my most frequently used tool.
I have a little baggie of nuts, bolts, chain links, etc that I've almost never needed, but stuff that small and potentially ride-saving would be rude not to carry.
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The thing about local rides is that fettling / making good can wait until you get home, so you only need to worry about things that will render the bike unrideable, which realistically is punctures or a snapped chain, and they can be dealt with with jersey pocket stuffs.
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The thing about local rides is that fettling / making good can wait until you get home, so you only need to worry about things that will render the bike unrideable, which realistically is punctures or a snapped chain, and they can be dealt with with jersey pocket stuffs.
Apart from the stuff that needs repeated tweaking to get right under real world conditions, which is best done during a ride. And anything sufficiently minor that you forget about it completely as soon as you get home.
But yeah, it's mostly tyres, chains and gear cables[1] that are likely to need fixing at the roadside. And Stuff That Gets Bent, though unless you're in the habit of crashing, that tends to be a result of train travel and frequent lockings-up, rather than day rides.
[1] I *could* ride home in single-speed mode, or I could spend 10 minutes sorting out the cable and have a working knee when I arrive.
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a fist sized saddle bag, that carries prk and a couple of allen keys. a small pump attached near a water bottle.
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In Covid, a little more than I might otherwise to avoid having to interact with anyone, but in general
2x spare tubes, repair kit, tyre levers and small pump - all in a bidon sized thingy ( pump pokes out of hole cut in top slightly.
Old but usable light folding tyre (Veloflex is ideal), under saddle ( that’s the Covid extra)
Small but beautiful multi tool and spare chain quick links, and money notes in purse. BC licence as ID. Mask in case I need to go into anywhere in an emergency.
Small, light “ burner” phone - number known only to family.
I’ve lost too much out of pockets over the years to carry a card or an expensive ( and very heavy) posh phone
Always a very light and small when rolled up rain cape.
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Looking at the OP's list, a few easy ways to reduce weight without sacrificing functionality would be:
plastic tyre levers instead of steel (Park and Pedro's both good IME)
CO2 not needed with HPX (alternatively, HPX not needed with CO2, but a pump never needs a new cannister)
one tube instead of two (can always deviate into town to get another if you do use the first)
one cable lock instead of two
can leave headtorch at home if confident of being home before sunset
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More than enough space for a day ride, as long as I don't have to remove too much clothing during the day.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51048390643_fe8282de0d.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2kLYm3g)IMG_20210222_140437183_HDR~2 (https://flic.kr/p/2kLYm3g) by Ian Hennessey (https://www.flickr.com/photos/8302062@N04/), on Flickr
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For shorter rides I use a small saddle bag with an inner tube, self adhesive patches, multi tool, cable ties, AA batteries (Garmin), pliers, short segment of chain (usually the excess from when i last changed), a spoke string thing and a pen, oh yeah, and a face mask and hand gel (new additions from 2020!). I've been meaning to add a cleat bolt as someone mentioned earlier (you would think I would learn from the consequences of a lost bolt from an SPD!). A small pump lives on my bike (that needs upgrade). Phone, card and a tenner are normally in my pocket along with a couple of cereal bars and some fruit. Longer rides generally mean changing to a larger saddle bag to include more food, some warmer clothes, hand gel and a jacket of some kind and possibly spare batteries for the front light, powerbank and associated cables for phone and rear lights and head torch if I'm going to be riding overnight.
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I carry my stuff in a Carradice Zipped Roll. Food and rain jacket are carried in my rear pockets.
If I'm on a 200 I will use a Carradice Bagman (Quick Release) and a Carradice Barley (to accommodate extra stuff).
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For a minimum, I'd say:
pump
inner tube
tyre levers
puncture kit which includes tyre boot, scalpel blade (to pick out glass etc from the tyre and general cutting)
That covers punctures and a badly cut tyre. Punctures are much more common than any other problem you would get on a ride.
Wheel problems are next (eg, broken spokes, buckled rim) IMO, so add:
spoke key
Then a few tools for components, in my case:
4mm allen key
5mm allen key
6mm allen key and 8mm socket combo tool
10mm spanner
which got me home twice after a broken spoke and a buckled rim, both times needing a mudguard and rim brake removal, I didn't have a spoke key at the time. And would cover minor crashes and you need to straighten your saddle,bars, brake levers etc.
So this is what I carry on my 10 mile commute (I only do utility cycling):
pump (Zefal HPX)
inner tube
tyre levers
puncture kit
4mm allen key
5mm allen key
6mm allen key and 8mm socket combo tool
10mm spanner
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Do others consider the amount of gear they carry whilst out on a local ride? ATM I don't have a fast bike as such, a steel audax and a steel tourer. Even on the audax bike I have a rack, racktop bag, containing 2 inner tubes, puncture repair kit, topeak alien multi-tool, head torch, foil blanket for an emergency (15 years old), 2 lightweight retractable cable locks, latex gloves for oily repairs. Co2 inflator and spare cylinder, goretex top, wet wipes, a Zeal HPX full size pump velcro strapped to my top tube, loose change and a pair of steel tyre levers that jangle. This is my typical audax setup. Realistically, for thr short local 40 mile rides a seat pack would do. I CBA to declutter as I generally carry the above on an audax ride. What do other carry on local rides?
Well... um... I have a lot of stuff on my bike...
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EqLgqT0WMAIye9V?format=jpg&name=small)
This is a local 100k ride on boxing day. The only difference between that load out and the 13km recovery ride yesterday, is I had my warm fluffy jacket with me in the picture. I carry much the same stuff on all my rides. The only difference is if I add bivvi gear.
Top tube bag has full toolkit, for everything apart from a bottom bracket. Frame bag is electronics, and toiletries. Handle bars is food and drink. Tailfin is clothes... I want to add a pair of bottle cages to the tailfin (see pave proof bottle cage thread), but am waiting for pay day. When I do include bivvi kit, the sleeping bag goes in a dry bag under the aero bars, everything else is in the tailfin.
Do I need to carry all this junk on every ride? no. But it's a lot of faff to take it on and off, and if I take it off for the training rides, then it'll be more of a shock when I start a race or audax. It also means I've been able to help out other cyclists when I've come across them at the side of the road. A pair of roadies who had a flat were struggling with their mini pump. When I pulled out the road morph from the saddle bag (since moved to the frame bag), the look on their face was amazing.
J
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Do I need to carry all this junk on every ride? no. But it's a lot of faff to take it on and off, and if I take it off for the training rides, then it'll be more of a shock when I start a race or audax.
This makes good sense to me. Even if the weight isn't negligable, if it's going to be there for an important ride, it might as well be there for the unimportant ones.
Obviously if you're not just leaving luggage attached to the bike when not in use, YMMV.
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When I pulled out the road morph from the saddle bag (since moved to the frame bag), the look on their face was amazing.
.....especially when you volunteered to pump up their tyres. O:-)
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There used to be a Bristol CTC regular (now returned to the Antipodes) who on all club rides used to carry a track pump in a pannier.
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Do I need to carry all this junk on every ride? no. But it's a lot of faff to take it on and off, and if I take it off for the training rides, then it'll be more of a shock when I start a race or audax.
This makes good sense to me. Even if the weight isn't negligable, if it's going to be there for an important ride, it might as well be there for the unimportant ones.
Obviously if you're not just leaving luggage attached to the bike when not in use, YMMV.
And if you'll be carrying it on important rides it makes sense to train with it on for the rest of the time.
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For anyone who wants to carry more stuff ;D or like me wanted to redistribute the same stuff, then these things are an option:
https://www.76projects.com/shop/thepiggy
I got one of those so that I could fit a smaller seat wedge pack. I stick the stuff that I (virtually) never need - inner tubes, multitool, etc - into the Piggy, leaving the seat bag free for the stuff that I'm more likely to want access to. Shifts some weight lower on the bike too if that's your thing. Pump is a Lezyne Road Drive attached to the seat tube bottle cage.
I'm able to carry quite a bit of stuff with this set up if I need to, but it looks quite discrete so feels (is) faster. ;) ::-)
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There used to be a Bristol CTC regular (now returned to the Antipodes) who on all club rides used to carry a track pump in a pannier.
I dimly recall gerald on a Yuba Mundo on a FNRttC with a track pump lashed to the rear rack. Or am I imagining that ?
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There used to be a Bristol CTC regular (now returned to the Antipodes) who on all club rides used to carry a track pump in a pannier.
Just why??
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For anyone who wants to carry more stuff ;D or like me wanted to redistribute the same stuff, then these things are an option:
https://www.76projects.com/shop/thepiggy
I got one of those so that I could fit a smaller seat wedge pack. I stick the stuff that I (virtually) never need - inner tubes, multitool, etc - into the Piggy, leaving the seat bag free for the stuff that I'm more likely to want access to. Shifts some weight lower on the bike too if that's your thing. Pump is a Lezyne Road Drive attached to the seat tube bottle cage.
I'm able to carry quite a bit of stuff with this set up if I need to, but it looks quite discrete so feels (is) faster. ;) ::-)
There's a similar setup available from Wolf Tooth components. Have a look at their BRAD range. Very versatile.
J
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There used to be a Bristol CTC regular (now returned to the Antipodes) who on all club rides used to carry a track pump in a pannier.
Just why??
She left a few years ago now, so I might be reinterpreting events in my mind, but she said it was just useful. There was so often someone who needed a pump and I guess she'd be carrying the pannier anyway. After all, a track pump is much easier to use than a frame-fitting pump, let alone a mini-pump.
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There used to be a Bristol CTC regular (now returned to the Antipodes) who on all club rides used to carry a track pump in a pannier.
Just why??
She left a few years ago now, so I might be reinterpreting events in my mind, but she said it was just useful. There was so often someone who needed a pump and I guess she'd be carrying the pannier anyway. After all, a track pump is much easier to use than a frame-fitting pump, let alone a mini-pump.
Carry the best, and largest pump you can justify. I don't understand how people think those mini pumps are worth carrying.
The pump in my bag is one of these:
https://www.topeak.com/global/en/products/216-Mini-Pumps/244-turbo-morph--g
(I incorrectly thought it was a road morph g in previous post).
It's orders of magnitude better than most portable pumps I've tried. When you're tired, it's late, and in a rush, being able to inflate a flat tyre back to pressure without needing 200 pumps of a mini pump is worth the extra weight.
J
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Talking of CO2 cartridges. I often see loads of what look like CO2 cartridges spilt by the side of the road.
Are they actually shed from cyclists who haven't zipped their saddlebags up tightly enough or are they actually laughing gas or something from the local yoof?
There's normally one or two but yesterday I saw dozens all in one place, which suggests they're not from a single cyclist.
NO2 cartridges, as spotted here:- https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=53164.msg2470948#msg2470948 (https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=53164.msg2470948#msg2470948)
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I have carried a track pump on rides before and still do from time to time. My cycles are so heavy to start with that it makes little difference and I don't have to kneel to use it :)
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There used to be a Bristol CTC regular (now returned to the Antipodes) who on all club rides used to carry a track pump in a pannier.
Just why??
She left a few years ago now, so I might be reinterpreting events in my mind, but she said it was just useful. There was so often someone who needed a pump and I guess she'd be carrying the pannier anyway. After all, a track pump is much easier to use than a frame-fitting pump, let alone a mini-pump.
Carry the best, and largest pump you can justify. I don't understand how people think those mini pumps are worth carrying.
The pump in my bag is one of these:
https://www.topeak.com/global/en/products/216-Mini-Pumps/244-turbo-morph--g
(I incorrectly thought it was a road morph g in previous post).
It's orders of magnitude better than most portable pumps I've tried. When you're tired, it's late, and in a rush, being able to inflate a flat tyre back to pressure without needing 200 pumps of a mini pump is worth the extra weight.
J
Well okay, that's one view. But the size of pump you can justify is going to depend on things like how frequently you get punctures, how bad the results of a puncture might be for you, and how much weight and bulk you're prepared to carry. So it's perfectly valid for the largest pump you can justify to be a mini-pump; just enough to get you home but not enough to slow you down with bulk and weight.
An alternative view would be to take the smallest pump you can get away with. The smallest that will get you home in an envisageable emergency. And it might be that the smallest would be a track pump (unlikely, but for instance you might only have a track pump).
FWIW I wouldn't consider the Topeak Morph a particularly large pump.
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I'm curious about all your risk assessments. There seems to be a lot of looking at consequences and not much looking at liklihood.
For me, if the wheel collapses, I'm going home. I'm not fucking about at the roadside rebuilding a wheel.
Obviously now I've blithely stated this I've been reminded of LW&B having to replace spokes on the tandem, me bending a broken spoke around another to finish BoB and Mr Smith fitting emergency kevlar things.
None of these were local rides though, we were doing multi day rides hundreds of miles from home.
I've managed to break 2 gear hangers in the last 8 months on local rides. I walked home. I'm not about to start carrying one in my commute pack, despite them 'weighing nothing'. I'd always much rather carry less.
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I'd agree with that. Last summer, I had a pedal spindle snap in half as I moved off from the traffic lights. It must have been my mighty thighs of Hoy, obviously. Fortunately on that occasion I was only a mile or so from home. If I'd been 100 miles away I'd have been, I suppose, flagging down a passing motorist and pleading for a lift to the nearest bike shop or train station. Has this persuaded me to carry a spare set of pedals with me? No, it's persuaded me to buy decent pedals.
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Carrying less gear might not make you go faster or further but there's another F: funner. A bike that's not weighed down is funner to ride, and not just up hill.
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I'm curious about all your risk assessments. There seems to be a lot of looking at consequences and not much looking at liklihood.
For me, if the wheel collapses, I'm going home. I'm not fucking about at the roadside rebuilding a wheel.
Not having a car or someone to drive it a phone call away, going home either means trying to summon a taxi that'll take the bike, finding somewhere within pushing distance (which may not be very far, if I've brought the wrong bike and the wrong knee) to secure the bike and coming back for it, or fucking about at the roadside rebuilding a wheel[1].
Hence I carry a comprehensive toolkit and expect to do a bit of fettling with the recumbents or mountain bike, but if the Brompton punctures I'd just throw a bit of CO2 at the problem and re-route along the nearest bus/train route with a view to folding and jumping on public transport if the tyre doesn't hold. Hacking about town on the hybrid is somewhere in the middle: I'm carrying a decent lock, and unlikely to be more than a few miles from home. I'd probably fix a puncture or broken chain, but anything more complicated can wait.
(For urban riding, the main inconvenience is in having another thing to remove from the bike when you lock it, rather than the weight/volume. Pumps that fit in the pocket of a bag win over those that attach to the frame, on that basis.)
Also, being prepared for mechanicals means I can divert emotional energy towards the much more likely reason for having to abort a ride: Body problems[2].
[1] To date my only catastrophic wheel failure was within 200m of home, and I just carried the bike on my shoulder and grabbed another one.
[2] In which we can probably include "borderline hypothermia waiting for someone to fix a mechanical on group rides", which is enough reason for me to carry the afore-mentioned adjustable spanner and a decent pump.
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I’m of the opinion that a properly fettled* bike (or even an unfettled one in reasonable condition) should make it around a 50-100 km local loop without any fuss. Even a puncture is a strong indication you’re using the wrong tyres. Hence I barely take anything.
If you’re having problems more often than that then you really need to look at the state and choice of your equipment rather than your toolbag. And perhaps stop walking under ladders.
It helps that there’s nowhere within that range of my house that’s more than a few miles from a train station although I’ve only ever had to do that once (crashed on entirely foreseeable ice and snapped the hanger).
(* and I’m no maintenance fetishest. I barely oil chains)
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An old friend used to carry an enormous amount of tools & spares on his bike. He always used panniers rather than a saddle-bag. It's true that he did break bikes. Cranks went regularly, and he must have broken every tube of a frame (including the head-tube!).
One day he decided to rationalise his equipment, and threw quite a lot out (axles that only fitted the bike before last, duplicate spare cranks, etc.).
A year or so later he told me that he hadn't broken a rear axle since then.
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Not having a car or someone to drive it a phone call away,
I can confirm that if you're the person two phonecalls* away from Kim, then things have got Quite Serious.
*or texts
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I use a Nelson Longflap, and take advantage of the capacity to carry whatever I feel I might want, and also leave stuff in that I might have put in previously but haven't got round to removing.
Typically, something like...
HPx, 3xtubes, tyre boots, steel levers, 2 multitools, some chain oil, pair of brake pads, quicklinks, waterproof jacket, waterproof shorts, waterproof cap, sun cap, legwarmers, gloves, spare bike lights, headtorch, 4xAA for the GPS, 2 or 3 muesli bars, plus whatever else might have found its way in.
Last time I weighed it, the answer was 4 kg.
Talking of CO2 cartridges. I often see loads of what look like CO2 cartridges spilt by the side of the road.
Are they actually shed from cyclists who haven't zipped their saddlebags up tightly enough or are they actually laughing gas or something from the local yoof?
There's normally one or two but yesterday I saw dozens all in one place, which suggests they're not from a single cyclist.
NO2 cartridges, as spotted here:- https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=53164.msg2470948#msg2470948 (https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=53164.msg2470948#msg2470948)
N2O
Any user who tried using NO2 instead would end up dead
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The reason I carry co2 inflator as well a pump is because on a particular long ride my pump wouldn't seal on the valve. Ride over, thumbed a lift to a railway station. 18 months ago fellow cyclist punctured, new tube fitted and inflated with co2 in seconds. I was impressed, so ordered a co2 inflator as insurance to my framefit Zefal full size pump.
One of my cycling mates carries a phone and thats it. He runs tubeless tyres and relies on a) good luck, b) his girlfriend at the other end of the phone and c) us other cyclists. He doesn't cycle more than 40 miles so has a different mindset to most audaxers or sensible cyclists.
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Anecdotally when I helped at the 220km (ish) control on the London Orbital 300km event one year. The riders arrival at the control did seem to be directly related the weight (and aeroness) of their bike and amount of luggage. A definite trend was seen. But that might just be related to the type of bike and luggage riders gravitate to, based on their speed on the road.
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The reason I carry co2 inflator as well a pump is because on a particular long ride my pump wouldn't seal on the valve. Ride over, thumbed a lift to a railway station. 18 months ago fellow cyclist punctured, new tube fitted and inflated with co2 in seconds. I was impressed, so ordered a co2 inflator as insurance to my framefit Zefal full size pump.
One of my cycling mates carries a phone and thats it. He runs tubeless tyres and relies on a) good luck, b) his girlfriend at the other end of the phone and c) us other cyclists. He doesn't cycle more than 40 miles so has a different mindset to most audaxers or sensible cyclists.
Charge him £5 each time he asks to borrow a pump or basic tool.
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The reason I carry co2 inflator as well a pump is because on a particular long ride my pump wouldn't seal on the valve. Ride over, thumbed a lift to a railway station. 18 months ago fellow cyclist punctured, new tube fitted and inflated with co2 in seconds. I was impressed, so ordered a co2 inflator as insurance to my framefit Zefal full size pump.
One of my cycling mates carries a phone and thats it. He runs tubeless tyres and relies on a) good luck, b) his girlfriend at the other end of the phone and c) us other cyclists. He doesn't cycle more than 40 miles so has a different mindset to most audaxers or sensible cyclists.
Charge him £5 each time he asks to borrow a pump or basic tool.
:-D . And under no circumstances pump up their tyre when they ask how to use the pump.
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I use one of those water bottle type tool holders for my 'take with me on every ride' toolkit. Topeak multi-tool, Presta to Schrader adapter (so I can use a garage air pump if one is nearby) zip-ties, allen keys, spoke key, puncture repair kit, brake/gear cables and tyre levers all fit in quite easily. I have a small under seat saddle bag on each of my bikes which holds a spare tube. I swap my Mountain Morph pump between bikes.
In addition to the bottle type tool holder, on my tandem I carry some tandem specific tools are which left permanently in the rack bag.
I used to care about weight, now I just like the assurance that I have the tools to fix most of the common issues at the side of the road if I have to.
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I'm curious about all your risk assessments. There seems to be a lot of looking at consequences and not much looking at liklihood.
For me, if the wheel collapses, I'm going home. I'm not fucking about at the roadside rebuilding a wheel.
Obviously now I've blithely stated this I've been reminded of LW&B having to replace spokes on the tandem, me bending a broken spoke around another to finish BoB and Mr Smith fitting emergency kevlar things.
None of these were local rides though, we were doing multi day rides hundreds of miles from home.
I've managed to break 2 gear hangers in the last 8 months on local rides. I walked home. I'm not about to start carrying one in my commute pack, despite them 'weighing nothing'. I'd always much rather carry less.
A lot of it depends also on what resources you can call upon. I live alone, I don't have a partner or family to call upon to come collect me if my bike breaks. My rides are often in lands where I don't speak the language, considerable distance from any help. My record is 400km without any bike shops. When that happens, you have to be self reliant.
I also ride through the winter, if the bike breaks when it's 0°C, I need to be able to fix it, and fix it fast. Hypothermia is a genuine real risk at that point. And then there's the night rides. What do you do at 3am on the Friesian coast if something breaks?
I've rebuilt my brakes by the side of the road in Noord-Brabant. I've changed brake pads at 8pm on Christmas day, under a tree in Germany.
My bike toolkit is spec'd around this sort of use case. And there's no point taking it off the bike when I go for a local ride.
J
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My bike toolkit is spec'd around this sort of use case. And there's no point taking it off the bike when I go for a local ride.
J
Couldn't you have two toolkits, one for middle-of-nowhere rides and one for shorter, more everyday use? There might be point if, for instance, you wanted then to lift your bike over a gate, into a train or up some steps, cram in a bit more shopping on the way home, or just enjoy the handling of a lighter bike.
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Couldn't you have two toolkits, one for middle-of-nowhere rides and one for shorter, more everyday use? There might be point if, for instance, you wanted then to lift your bike over a gate, into a train or up some steps, cram in a bit more shopping on the way home, or just enjoy the handling of a lighter bike.
That's way too much faff, risks having the wrong toolkit on a long ride, and anyway, I carry the bike up the stairs every time I come in...
J
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For years I did long day rides in France with minimal tools. Also loaded tours with only slightly more. Never had a real problem and French bike shops can be very thin on the ground. Nothing much seemed to break.
The reason I carry co2 inflator as well a pump is because on a particular long ride my pump wouldn't seal on the valve. Ride over, thumbed a lift to a railway station. 18 months ago fellow cyclist punctured, new tube fitted and inflated with co2 in seconds. I was impressed, so ordered a co2 inflator as insurance to my framefit Zefal full size pump.
One of my cycling mates carries a phone and thats it. He runs tubeless tyres and relies on a) good luck, b) his girlfriend at the other end of the phone and c) us other cyclists. He doesn't cycle more than 40 miles so has a different mindset to most audaxers or sensible cyclists.
Charge him £5 each time he asks to borrow a pump or basic tool.
:-D . And under no circumstances pump up their tyre when they ask how to use the pump.
On a sportive I made the big mistake of stopping to fix someone's broken chain with my topeak alien. It was rusty, on a dog of a bike, in the middle of the unpopulated Dales with rain blowing in a near gale of freezing wind. In the true spirit of a proper sportive rider I should have left him there. Years later his bleached skeletal remains would have been found, a warning to all who neglect oiling their chains.
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Couldn't you have two toolkits, one for middle-of-nowhere rides and one for shorter, more everyday use? There might be point if, for instance, you wanted then to lift your bike over a gate, into a train or up some steps, cram in a bit more shopping on the way home, or just enjoy the handling of a lighter bike.
That's way too much faff, risks having the wrong toolkit on a long ride, and anyway, I carry the bike up the stairs every time I come in...
J
Your faffage may (does) vary but to me it's no faff having two toolkits in suitable stuffsacs, just swap the big one for the little one as appropriate. And carrying the bike up the stairs every time I came home (been there, done that, once with two broken ribs) would certainly encourage me to minimize weight and bulk.
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For years I did long day rides in France with minimal tools. Also loaded tours with only slightly more. Never had a real problem and French bike shops can be very thin on the ground. Nothing much seemed to break.
The reason I carry co2 inflator as well a pump is because on a particular long ride my pump wouldn't seal on the valve. Ride over, thumbed a lift to a railway station. 18 months ago fellow cyclist punctured, new tube fitted and inflated with co2 in seconds. I was impressed, so ordered a co2 inflator as insurance to my framefit Zefal full size pump.
One of my cycling mates carries a phone and thats it. He runs tubeless tyres and relies on a) good luck, b) his girlfriend at the other end of the phone and c) us other cyclists. He doesn't cycle more than 40 miles so has a different mindset to most audaxers or sensible cyclists.
Charge him £5 each time he asks to borrow a pump or basic tool.
:-D . And under no circumstances pump up their tyre when they ask how to use the pump.
On a sportive I made the big mistake of stopping to fix someone's broken chain with my topeak alien. It was rusty, on a dog of a bike, in the middle of the unpopulated Dales with rain blowing in a near gale of freezing wind. In the true spirit of a proper sportive rider I should have left him there. Years later his bleached skeletal remains would have been found, a warning to all who neglect oiling their chains.
If you look at the photos on this ride, you'll see a RATN winner oiling his chain with olive oil he bought in a supermarket midway through a 400+km ride...
https://www.strava.com/activities/4987406203
J
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I'm curious about all your risk assessments. There seems to be a lot of looking at consequences and not much looking at liklihood.
For me, if the wheel collapses, I'm going home. I'm not fucking about at the roadside rebuilding a wheel.
Obviously now I've blithely stated this I've been reminded of LW&B having to replace spokes on the tandem, me bending a broken spoke around another to finish BoB and Mr Smith fitting emergency kevlar things.
None of these were local rides though, we were doing multi day rides hundreds of miles from home.
I've managed to break 2 gear hangers in the last 8 months on local rides. I walked home. I'm not about to start carrying one in my commute pack, despite them 'weighing nothing'. I'd always much rather carry less.
A lot of it depends also on what resources you can call upon. I live alone, I don't have a partner or family to call upon to come collect me if my bike breaks. My rides are often in lands where I don't speak the language, considerable distance from any help. My record is 400km without any bike shops. When that happens, you have to be self reliant.
I also ride through the winter, if the bike breaks when it's 0°C, I need to be able to fix it, and fix it fast. Hypothermia is a genuine real risk at that point. And then there's the night rides. What do you do at 3am on the Friesian coast if something breaks?
I've rebuilt my brakes by the side of the road in Noord-Brabant. I've changed brake pads at 8pm on Christmas day, under a tree in Germany.
My bike toolkit is spec'd around this sort of use case. And there's no point taking it off the bike when I go for a local ride.
J
My use case is very similar yet somehow I seem to manage without your level of kit? :-\
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My use case is very similar yet somehow I seem to manage without your level of kit? :-\
Congratulations, you're not as paranoid as me.
J
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I've rebuilt my brakes by the side of the road in Noord-Brabant.
Goodness me! Whatever for?
I've changed brake pads at 8pm on Christmas day, under a tree in Germany.
Why? What happened to them?
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I've rebuilt my brakes by the side of the road in Noord-Brabant.
Goodness me! Whatever for?
That was 1600km into RatN, rear braking performance was dropping off, so I took the caliper apart, cleaned it, and rebuilt it. Breaking performance improved. Which was good, as I was heading into Limburg.
I've changed brake pads at 8pm on Christmas day, under a tree in Germany.
Why? What happened to them?
I think they had got contaminated. They weren't giving me enough stopping power on the descents. I had spare pads with me, so swapped to be sure. I was doing back to back 200k days, and about to go through the foothills of the Harz mountains.
J
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There was a weekend way back when where several riders combined the Highs and Looes and Kit Hill Super Grimpeur. 300km mostly in heavy rain with frequent steep hills and the usual Devon and Cornwall muck on the roads. I finished on wafer thin brake pads (them having been in good nick at the start), slightly better than one rider who ended up walking the last two descents.
I lent my spare folder on a ride to someone and they repaid me on a following event (entirely unconnected) with a spare inner tube when I'd run out due to a packing error. I was quite happy to have carried the spare folder.
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Those were the days! I had to replace my "new" blocks with another set, during the second day.
(So wasn't carrying too many brakeblocks.)
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I was quite happy to have carried the spare folder.
I’m going to assume “folder” means spare folding bike and I’d appreciate if you didn’t correct me.
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I was quite happy to have carried the spare folder.
I’m going to assume “folder” means spare folding bike and I’d appreciate if you didn’t correct me.
it's where the route sheets are kept
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Those were the days! I had to replace my "new" blocks with another set, during the second day.
(So wasn't carrying too many brakeblocks.)
I’d be really impressed if a route was so hard you had to replace the wheels by the second day, due to worn out rims 😀
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I had one audax (only a 100 an' all) where I was on pads that had done maybe a 100km commuting beforehand and coming down out of #village I last saw the speedo hit 25mph and rising with both levers hard against the bars. At that point I stopped checking my speed and was assessing hedge vs car in the event anyone pulled out on me. Luckily I had priority and noone did.
Once I hit the flat and stopped (and my heartrate slowed a tiny bit) I was assesing my options re walking (of course I was at the furthest point of the loop but not too far from a train station) but on a closer look and wiping all the skog away I saw there was a decent amount of pad left and a bit of cable adjustment later I had working brakes.
Anyway I now mostly use disc brakes which suffer a lot less in the skog and whilst I don't tend to carry pads commuting or on shorter "long" rides they are light and small so probably would if I ever get round to a long long ride again.
I do carry too much stuff in general when commuting but eh, I'd rather have the stuff and not need it than t'other way round.
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I've just changed up my ride luggage. I'm not touring/camping any more, so I've ditched the rack and panniers, and the bar bag.
In a seat pack, I carry:
Topeak Alien
A no-name mutli-tool/tyre lever combo that I bought many years ago and fills a few gaps in the Alien.
Inner tube
Puncture kit
Assorted tyre levers
Cable ties
Small end of a roll of insulating tape
And a Lezyne HP Drive on the bottle cage mount.
I did get cold the other day though when I stopped at a friend's house for an outdoors natter, and I've got a new bike coming soon so needed something for that.
Decided to get 2 Ortlieb bags - one small seat pack for the bits above, then one of their bigger ones (that falls into the rare spot of being bigger than a wedge, but not full-on bikepacking huge) that could take that stuff, and a waterproof/long sleeve top as well for the maybe-rainy days or when I know there'll be a long stop. Both bags use the same clip, so I have the choice of either bag on either bike.
How long is sir going out for?
An hour or two?
https://photos.app.goo.gl/jXfxhHH9LvvecU8c9 (https://photos.app.goo.gl/jXfxhHH9LvvecU8c9)
Or all day?
https://photos.app.goo.gl/aBMQ3aq1yWFwEV1F9 (https://photos.app.goo.gl/aBMQ3aq1yWFwEV1F9)
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Decided to get 2 Ortlieb bags - one small seat pack for the bits above, then one of their bigger ones (that falls into the rare spot of being bigger than a wedge, but not full-on bikepacking huge) that could take that stuff, and a waterproof/long sleeve top as well for the maybe-rainy days or when I know there'll be a long stop.
I have the larger one for long day rides when weather is very changeable and need to put jacket/leggings/shorts somewhere. Also handy for proper food too. Though you need to point back of bike uphill when opening it, because otherwise everything tends to fall out. It's doesn't point upwards like a bikepacking seat bag.
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I take a small repair kit and multitool for rides beyond the M25, or if I'm leading a group. However I haven't had a puncture or other mechanical for at least 4 years on the road so I'm very out of practice. In truth I would probably head for a train or leave the bike behind a hedge and recover it by car.
On the commute I gave up carrying it because I pass at least 3 LBS and again nothing ever went wrong. I think @grams is right that proportional maintenance is the way forward!
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I was quite happy to have carried the spare folder.
I’m going to assume “folder” means spare folding bike and I’d appreciate if you didn’t correct me.
it's where the route sheets are kept
I was thinking folding tyre. But I'm not correcting anyone!
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Do others consider the amount of gear they carry whilst out on a local ride? ATM I don't have a fast bike as such, a steel audax and a steel tourer. Even on the audax bike I have a rack, racktop bag, containing 2 inner tubes, puncture repair kit, topeak alien multi-tool, head torch, foil blanket for an emergency (15 years old), 2 lightweight retractable cable locks, latex gloves for oily repairs. Co2 inflator and spare cylinder, goretex top, wet wipes, a Zeal HPX full size pump velcro strapped to my top tube, loose change and a pair of steel tyre levers that jangle. This is my typical audax setup. Realistically, for thr short local 40 mile rides a seat pack would do. I CBA to declutter as I generally carry the above on an audax ride. What do other carry on local rides?
Couple of inner tubes, tyre levers and 2 allen keys (4 and 5 mm), a small tyre patch and my phone, that's it.
I used to carry a chain splitter, but I've never used it in 15 years, so I stopped, as it did seem pointless. Everything goes in my rear pockets, no saddle bag.
I am not quite sure why you carry a foil blanket and a head torch... ::-)
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Do others consider the amount of gear they carry whilst out on a local ride? ATM I don't have a fast bike as such, a steel audax and a steel tourer. Even on the audax bike I have a rack, racktop bag, containing 2 inner tubes, puncture repair kit, topeak alien multi-tool, head torch, foil blanket for an emergency (15 years old), 2 lightweight retractable cable locks, latex gloves for oily repairs. Co2 inflator and spare cylinder, goretex top, wet wipes, a Zeal HPX full size pump velcro strapped to my top tube, loose change and a pair of steel tyre levers that jangle. This is my typical audax setup. Realistically, for thr short local 40 mile rides a seat pack would do. I CBA to declutter as I generally carry the above on an audax ride. What do other carry on local rides?
Couple of inner tubes, tyre levers and 2 allen keys (4 and 5 mm), a small tyre patch and my phone, that's it.
I used to carry a chain splitter, but I've never used it in 15 years, so I stopped, as it did seem pointless. Everything goes in my rear pockets, no saddle bag.
I am not quite sure why you carry a foil blanket and a head torch... ::-)
I hope you have “dial-a-pump” preprogrammed on the phone.
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Do others consider the amount of gear they carry whilst out on a local ride? ATM I don't have a fast bike as such, a steel audax and a steel tourer. Even on the audax bike I have a rack, racktop bag, containing 2 inner tubes, puncture repair kit, topeak alien multi-tool, head torch, foil blanket for an emergency (15 years old), 2 lightweight retractable cable locks, latex gloves for oily repairs. Co2 inflator and spare cylinder, goretex top, wet wipes, a Zeal HPX full size pump velcro strapped to my top tube, loose change and a pair of steel tyre levers that jangle. This is my typical audax setup. Realistically, for thr short local 40 mile rides a seat pack would do. I CBA to declutter as I generally carry the above on an audax ride. What do other carry on local rides?
Couple of inner tubes, tyre levers and 2 allen keys (4 and 5 mm), a small tyre patch and my phone, that's it.
I used to carry a chain splitter, but I've never used it in 15 years, so I stopped, as it did seem pointless. Everything goes in my rear pockets, no saddle bag.
I am not quite sure why you carry a foil blanket and a head torch... ::-)
I hope you have “dial-a-pump” preprogrammed on the phone.
Ah yes, mini pump, forgot about it
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I carry the had torch as I ride in the dark in winter and trying to fix a puncture using bike light is more difficult. Re the foil blanket, I thought it’d be a good bit of kit and weighs as much as a crisp. Could empty my rack bag, spring after all. Last time I did I found a folded up£10 note.
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I carry the had torch as I ride in the dark in winter and trying to fix a puncture using bike light is more difficult. Re the foil blanket, I thought it’d be a good bit of kit and weighs as much as a crisp. Could empty my rack bag, spring after all. Last time I did I found a folded up£10 note.
If you don't want to drop stuff, then it's a bit pointless to ask. I simply highlighted the two items that seem out of place on a 40 mile ride.
Obviously if your 40 miles are at night in winter, then you need to be prepared, but it's not winter now
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I carry a foil blanket. On a couple of occasions it's made a big difference to someone while they waited for the ambulance to arrive.