Being prepared

[gman0482]

Hey everyone,
2 days ago I rode my usual 27.4 miler. Around 12 miles, I see a guy on the side of the road taking off his front wheel. I asked him if everything's ok, and he said it will be as soon as he changes the tube because he got a flat. We talked for 5 min and I went on. Then I thought, what if this happens to me
Is that a standard prep to have on me?

Thank you,
-Greg

 

[cyberlegend1994]

Absolutely. I carry at least one spare tube and a pair of tire levers in my seat bag. I also carry a Park Tools hex key set in case I need to adjust anything 'on the fly'.

 

[longfemur]

Strictly speaking, you should carry a spare tube in your seat pack, because it's neither convenient nor reliable to start patching a tube on the side of the road. Use the spare tube, and patch the old one at home. You get better results with the patch job that way anyway.

 

[kdelong]

Hey everyone,
2 days ago I rode my usual 27.4 miler. Around 12 miles, I see a guy on the side of the road taking off his front wheel. I asked him if everything's ok, and he said it will be as soon as he changes the tube because he got a flat. We talked for 5 min and I went on. Then I thought, what if this happens to me
Is that a standard prep to have on me?

Thank you,
-Greg

Toppeak makes a good seat bag that has most of the tools that you might need on the road, a folding selection of hex keys including cross and slotted screwdrivers, a chain tool, two tire levers, tube patches, and a spoke wrench. What it does not include but may be needed are an extra inner tube(for the bike you are riding if you use this one bag on different bikes), a tire inflation device (minipump or CO2 inflator), and the special chain link pins if you are using a Shimano chain. I also carry a spare CO2 cartridge with my inflator just in case. I don't carry a minipump because I run fairly high pressure tires and don't want to spend half an hour trying to reach the minimum pressure printed on the tire sidewall.

 

[dougadam]

I carry duck tape for a quick fix.

 

[Dietmar]

I carry duck tape for a quick fix.

"Duck tape"? What's that for? Or is that the stuff that you lure ducks on, they get stuck, and you can kill 'em and eat 'em?

 

[roadhouse]

Absolutely. I carry at least one spare tube and a pair of tire levers in my seat bag. I also carry a Park Tools hex key set in case I need to adjust anything 'on the fly'.

most definately and i'll add that it's pretty handy to have a genuine innovations co2 cartridge set as well in case you don't have a bike mounted pump. make sure you get the one with the correct adapters for your tubes though, either standard or presta.

greatest instant fix a flat ever invented. and the cartridges are only like a buck each.
now this won't get you back to 100 psi but it'll get you back rolling.

 

[gman0482]

Thanks everyone. I got a small underseat pouch, but all I can fit inside are my car keys, my wallet, and my cell. But now that I got all my cycling clothing, I put cell in my back pocket. But still not enough room. Got to get a better pouch.

-Greg

 

[cyberlegend1994]

The seat bag I bought is expandable by unzipping a zipper, so it holds two spare tubes, the tire levers and the hex key set.

My wallet and cell go in my jersey pockets, that way the celly is in easy reach if I need it to gather evidence against one of those vehicular lame-brains that others have been ranting about over the last few weeks....

 

[slowbutnotdead]

I never put the cell in the jersey pocket. moisture from the sweat can get into the cell causing problems with the phone. put it in the bag. I normally ride with a handle bar bag or trunk bag or seat bag depending on which bike I use. I tend to forget to change bags to the bike that I want to ride so I have a bag on each bike. I have a mini tool and co2 inflator extra co2 cartridges, patch kit wallet, tire irons, food and cell phone . If I am riding the wheels with tubular tires I carry a spare tire.

 

[gman0482]

I can see my seat bag getting a little bigger, but I dont think I would put any other ones on, like a handle bar one. The less the better. My cell is good in my jersey, a couple of times I have to check if it's still there after I hit a nice bump, but it's secure.

 

[nonfeel]

Absolutely

 

[roadhouse]

My cell is good in my jersey, .

you're gonna find out the hard way that it's in your cell phone's (or any electronic device such as an i-pod) that a ziploc bag is the best bet. as already stated, you will sweat which means moisture, duh, and that will ruin anything and everything that it can and the first to go will be your paper map of your route if you have one and then your electronics.

i found that out the hard way as i have already destroyed, with my own sweat, my i-pod as i used to keep it in my rear pockets as well and yesterday as i was riding and taking pics on my camera phone, i didn't put it back in the bag and a few miles later the outside of it was soaked completely. luckily i caught it in time.

moral of the story, get some ziplog bags, you won't regret it.

 

[gman0482]

Good point, great idea, and I could probably (maybe) keep the ziplog open for easy & fast access.

 

[frenchyge]

....easy & fast access.

Or better yet, make a rule to never ruin a good ride by taking a phone call.

 

[gman0482]

Absolutely right ! Now I'll even keep that ziplog zipped up ! Because the cell will be shut off and only there for a 911.

 

[kdelong]

Absolutely right ! Now I'll even keep that ziplog zipped up ! Because the cell will be shut off and only there for a 911.

Then you might as well put it in the seat bag. My seat bag has an elastic band specifically for holding a cell phone so that it doesn't get bounced around too much. It also has a nice little catch for holding my key chain so that it doesn't fall out when I open the zipper.

 

[64Paramount]

Absolutely. I carry at least one spare tube and a pair of tire levers in my seat bag. I also carry a Park Tools hex key set in case I need to adjust anything 'on the fly'.

Same here, although my multi tool thinga-ma-jig is made by Cannondale. I bet it's like yours though, it's about the size of a swiss army knife and has fold out hex wrenches, screwdrivers, etc.

most definately and i'll add that it's pretty handy to have a genuine innovations co2 cartridge set as well in case you don't have a bike mounted pump. make sure you get the one with the correct adapters for your tubes though, either standard or presta.

greatest instant fix a flat ever invented. and the cartridges are only like a buck each.
now this won't get you back to 100 psi but it'll get you back rolling.

Yup, I carry the CO2 cartridge set too. That's a great way to fill a tire fast and get you back home.

In addition to what Cyber and Roady mentioned, I always carry a couple of folded paper towels. If you have to get your hands greasy while changing a back tire, you can at least wipe most of it off your hands so you don't get it all over your handle bars.

I use a Trek quick cleat 80 cu inch wedge pack on my bikes, and it looks small, but it'll hold all of the above plus cell phone, id, money, pack of chewing gum, etc.

If you need storage for rain gear, cold weather clothes, etc you'd need a bigger pack....or you can try to roll it up tight and stash it in the back pockets of your jersey.

 

[gman0482]

Yea the cell is definitely staying OFF from now on, but I still need more room for a tube and some co2. As of now I have to force in my : ID-$-clip, car keys, and cell (barely fits). But I can't leave cell in the car in case of something (knock on wood).

 

[kdelong]

Yea the cell is definitely staying OFF from now on, but I still need more room for a tube and some co2. As of now I have to force in my : ID-$-clip, car keys, and cell (barely fits). But I can't leave cell in the car in case of something (knock on wood).

Yeah, never leave the cell behind, although a lot of places that I ride has no coverage. Just get a bigger bag, preferably one that expands if you find that you need even more room for some reason. Seat bags aren't that expensive and most riders take pride in being able to perform minor mid-ride repairs.