How do you carry your spare tube and tools on a long club ride?



Well I just got my saddle bag, and I think it's pretty damn nifty. I commute solo, so I don't have to worry with what the person behind me thinks about it lol. And it does a fine job of holding a tube, multi-tool, chain lube, patch kit, tire levers and spare batteries. And I mounted my pump holder on the tabs that hang off the bottom of the saddle, so the snobs prolly think I look like the Beverly-damn-Hillbillies mounted up on an outdated steel ten speed, but I don't care one bit.
 
Now that you have the saddle and all the fillings you should take the time to become familiar with their use. Practice removing your wheels and tires and reassembling them. Use your pump to inflate them while practicing so you become familiar with its function. Save you old chain and break it apart using the chain tool on your multi tool. The time to learn is now and not when you are stranded.

Also if you did keep your old chain and it had a master connector link stash that link in your saddle bag it may come in handy if you ever do have a chain break.
 
Originally Posted by throckmorton .

I'm wondering where people stash their spare tube, air delivery device (CO2 cartridge or pump) and other items (multitool, tire lever, etc) when going on long club rides. I'm getting tired of carrying this stuff in my cycling jersey but that's what everybody seems to do in my club. Is a small bag under your seat so tacky?

Saddle bag for spare tubes, puncture repair kit, tools.
I attach the air pump to my bike frame.

Jerseys are for wearing and carrying some food/img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif
 
Thanks Dave, that's a good tip about the chain. I'd never even thought about having to deal with a broken chain. Better to hear it from you now than to end up sittin on the side of the road holding a busted chain and thinking "WTF do I do now?" lol.
 
For a club ride, we all share the load so you may be carrying only a tube and a couple of CO2 cartridges or you might only be carrying a multitool. Everyone on our clubrides use 700c tires, usually 21 to 25 cm and there is only a slight chance that we are going to need more than 3 tubes for 6 people. Usually 2 guys bring along patch kits just in case there are 4 or more flats. I always carry a combination CO2 inflator/mini-pump in a holder that is mounted beside my water bottle cage and I keep 3 cartridges in my seat bag. Other riders also carry spare cartridges and one of our other regular riders carries an inflator. A couple of guys carry various mini-pumps. I think everyone has a seat bag for these items. On these rides, the only thing that I keep in my jersey pockets is food, ID, cell phone, and $10.00. My keys go in the seat bag.
 
Motobecane11 said:
Thanks Dave, that's a good tip about the chain. I'd never even thought about having to deal with a broken chain. Better to hear it from you now than to end up sittin on the side of the road holding a busted chain and thinking "WTF do I do now?" lol.
If you keep your chains clean and well lubricated and you replace them when recommended then you shouldn't break a chain in the first place. The same logic applies to the rest of your bike. Keep it well maintained and it won't let you down in the first place.
 
Originally Posted by cheetahmk7 .

Quote: Originally Posted by Motobecane11 .

Thanks Dave, that's a good tip about the chain. I'd never even thought about having to deal with a broken chain. Better to hear it from you now than to end up sittin on the side of the road holding a busted chain and thinking "WTF do I do now?" lol.
If you keep your chains clean and well lubricated and you replace them when recommended then you shouldn't break a chain in the first place.
The same logic applies to the rest of your bike. Keep it well maintained and it won't let you down in the first place.

Unfortunately taking care of your bike won't necessarily prevent unexpected **** from happening. It will greatly reduce the chance of something like that happening, but doesn't guarantee that.
 
This brings me to my next question... Other than having it break while climbing a hill, how does one gauge when it's time for a new chain?
 
Two ways of measurement can be used to measure chain wear. The first being using a 12' steel machinist scale (ruler). Measure over the length of 10 links using the center distance of the link pins. If you measure 10 1/8" or 10.125" your chain is worn and needs replacement. The other method is getting a chain checker tool and use it following the supplied instructions. This is the method that I use. Chain checkers usually are graduated .7 and .1 with .1 being the replacement point. Once my chains reach .7 I purchase my replacement so I have it on hand and replace it as soon as .1 is reached.
 
Originally Posted by davereo .

Two ways of measurement can be used to measure chain wear. The first being using a 12' steel machinist scale (ruler). Measure over the length of 10 links using the center distance of the link pins. If you measure 10 1/8" or 10.125" your chain is worn and needs replacement. The other method is getting a chain checker tool and use it following the supplied instructions. This is the method that I use. Chain checkers usually are graduated .7 and .1 with .1 being the replacement point. Once my chains reach .7 I purchase my replacement so I have it on hand and replace it as soon as .1 is reached.
Davereo is mostly correct. If you measure a chain over 12 complete links, the distance should be no greater than 12 1/8", not 10 1/8". Please note that just changing the chain when it's worn might not be enough. You should also check the teeth on the cassette cogs and the chain rings. The chain ring teeth will wear much more slowly than the chain or the cog teeth. Some people have success using chain checkers, but it's important to keep in mind that some new chains will fail on some chain chain checkers because of the way that checkers measure wear.
 
Originally Posted by alienator .


Davereo is mostly correct. If you measure a chain over 12 complete links, the distance should be no greater than 12 1/8", not 10 1/8". Please note that just changing the chain when it's worn might not be enough. You should also check the teeth on the cassette cogs and the chain rings. The chain ring teeth will wear much more slowly than the chain or the cog teeth. Some people have success using chain checkers, but it's important to keep in mind that some new chains will fail on some chain chain checkers because of the way that checkers measure wear.
Call me a wuss or fussy, but in 38 years I've never broken a chain on a ride. Likewise, among my friends only one has broken a chainn, and he was trying to climb Mt. Washington on a tandem with his wife.

This thread has caused me to observe what riders are carrying. I assure you, around Boulder all the cool kids (the guys who pass me) have under-the-saddle bags, and some are even larger than mine.
 
Aardvard Radnik told me to drill a hole into the metal plate that is on the side of my head to carry my spare tools. And that is what exactly what I did!
 
Originally Posted by alienator .


Unfortunately taking care of your bike won't necessarily prevent unexpected **** from happening. It will greatly reduce the chance of something like that happening, but doesn't guarantee that.

That is certainly true.

Despite doing the majority of my riding in isolated areas, I stopped carrying a multi-tool around 5 years back as I only ever seemed to use it on other peoples bikes. I have had three unexpected **** situations happen since then. The first was breaking a spoke just before the start of a criterium, the second was breaking half my bike in a big crash at the Cootamundra Haycarters and the third was breaking my frame about a month ago. In all these situations a multi-tool would have been useless and there was plenty of support around. I'm not naive enough to think that I will never have a breakdown, but I always carry a mobile phone with me so I'm not overly worried if a breakdown were to occur.
 
Originally Posted by alienator .


Davereo is mostly correct. If you measure a chain over 12 complete links, the distance should be no greater than 12 1/8", not 10 1/8". Please note that just changing the chain when it's worn might not be enough. You should also check the teeth on the cassette cogs and the chain rings. The chain ring teeth will wear much more slowly than the chain or the cog teeth. Some people have success using chain checkers, but it's important to keep in mind that some new chains will fail on some chain chain checkers because of the way that checkers measure wear.
Thanks. Mostly is better than almost./img/vbsmilies/smilies/duck.gif
 
Originally Posted by oldbobcat .


Call me a wuss or fussy, but in 38 years I've never broken a chain on a ride. Likewise, among my friends only one has broken a chainn, and he was trying to climb Mt. Washington on a tandem with his wife.

This thread has caused me to observe what riders are carrying. I assure you, around Boulder all the cool kids (the guys who pass me) have under-the-saddle bags, and some are even larger than mine.
Around here in winter, a few of the hotshots put on rear racks. Really handy for carrying the extra clothing needed for warm up, or to be ready for a cold rain. Plus, they keep the spray from the rear tire off the back of the jersey. Another plus is that "cool kid" riders who don't know them think they are touring-types who couldn't possibly ride fast with an extra lb or two on their bikes.....
 
My pump is attached to a bracket to the side of a water bottle cage so it's not in the bag. I use a expandable wedge bag that fits not only a spare tube, mini tool, tire tools, and patches, but also a spare tire fits in.
 
You can break a brand new chain if you get chainsuck and trap it between little ring and chainstay. We used to use the plastic pennants advertising ice cream and roll tubs etc in them, fasten under the saddle with an old toestrap as someone else mentioned. Now I carry CO2 inflator, two levers, two tubes and multi tool in a small saddle pack - excellent. Minipump on bottle cage bolts
 
A chain breaking is a rare event. If it does happen and you have a mini tool with a chain tool you can either carry a spare link and repair the chain, or remove the damaged links and rejoin the chain minus a link or two and still be able to use all of your gears except for the first and last one.

Chainsuck could probably cause more problems then a broken chain if your riding a carbon fiber bike.
 
I don't do long club rides. I do long solo rides.

I fill one jersey pocket with tools and spare parts. It seems to be enough. (Flat tire 3 miles from home. Big tear in the tire. Destroyed that tube and a second one trying to get back home.) As long as my flat rate is below 65 miles/flat I can do 125 mlies without any concern. (On some routes my flat rate has been 25 miles. Tough carrying enough spares on that route for repeats.)

The other pockets are for my cell phone and stuff. The cell phone or $20 will get me home from most places.

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I almost broke a chain one day. Being chased by 3 dogs. Pulled a plate off of one pin. Took it easy and got home. Tough going up the last hill babying the chain.
 

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