Roadside repair kit



old-n-slow

Member
Sep 15, 2011
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What should I carry as a roadside repair kit for my road bike?

spare tube
tire levers
CO2
multi tool - which one?

Anything else?
 
ID, cash, glueless patches, tube, two C02 cartridges, inflator, levers, spare connector link and a nashbar woody multi tool.

Surgical gloves, come in handy keeping your hands clean so your dont soil your bar tape after.

I use an old drivers license for my ID. I wrap electrical tape around it in such a way that it wont cover the information and I have some tape on hand.

Carry your cell phone in your rear pocket always. You can use it reach help. Also an EMT can contact your family members in a hurry if need be.
 
I carry a multi-tool, a tube, a patch kit (have had glueless patches fail), 2 levers, and a CO2 inflator with 2-3 cans(depending on the length of the ride) of CO2. I've also got my cellphone w/ emergency contacts designated, and I also wear a RoadID bracelet which not only gives access to my medical information but also gives emergency contacts.
 
My kit varies depending on the distance I ride from home and the company I keep during the ride. Below are a few of the highlights.

In addition to at least one spare tube, I carry a small patch kit.

I carry both CO2 and a frame pump.

Since I pop spokes periodically I hide a few on or within the frame (seat tube). Most times I also carry a cassette tool to aid in spoke replacement.

I carry some type of tire boot material. I recently have been using cloth athletic tape with much success, It has rescued a few tires using a few layers on the inside of the tire over the cut. It has plenty of other uses as well.

I throw in a few zip ties of various sizes.

Depending on space, a emergency poncho or thermal jacket is cheap and can be a plus when you have to deal with a repair in rain.

I make sure that my multi tool will:
- tighten the spoke nipples on my wheels
- fit the critical bolts and screws on my bike
- has a chain tool
- has tire levers

Small bottle of chain lube
 
Surgical gloves? Really? Expecting to give mouth to mouth to a passing badger and then sew on it's gammy leg?

Two tubes, old school patch kit, 2" section of old tire (minus bead), tyre levers, multi tool with allen keys, 8mm and 10mm 'cut down' allen keys, chain tool and shimano pin, laminated card with all required details (drivers license no, medical ID, contact info etc etc)...

The winter bike gets a full size frame fitting pump under the top tube, the summer "crank 'n fail" gets a mini pump in the bag. I only average 1 puncture a year so I don't really care too much and that one is normally in the winter.

Since I have new pedals, there's 15mm spanner in the bag too... That'll be out of there soon.

...and the iBone. Just incase I need to secretly get online to read news about men in spandex or call the wife afterwards.

Maydog - if you pop spokes periodically, take that as a sign that something isn't right. You need to talk to a different wheelbuilder.
 
Originally Posted by swampy1970 .

Surgical gloves? Really? Expecting to give mouth to mouth to a passing badger and then sew on it's gammy leg?

Maydog - if you pop spokes periodically, take that as a sign that something isn't right. You need to talk to a different wheelbuilder.
That you can wipe grease off your hands on black bike shorts is one of three reasons the gods invented black bike shorts. The second reason is that in the infrared the "black" shorts appear very bright which is disorienting for any opponents that see in the infrared. The third reason, of course, is that black is the dead sexiest color.

I also agree that if you're frequently breaking spokes, you need to find a better wheel builder or stop buying boutique wheels. Either the wheels are tensioned correctly, the tensions are out of balance, your riding with too few spokes, or the wheels are just not built with sturdy enough equipment. Frequent spoke breaking is not a normal state, unless you own one of the first two or three generations of Bontrager Race X Lite rear wheels, and even on those wheels, the spokes didn't break. The DS rear hub flange just fell apart. You have to give Bontrager.....er, Keith (Mr. Light, Cheap, Durable, or None of the Above)....credit though: despite all the smart engineering reasons for not going with paired spokes, he chose to go with the most economically logical one: they look cool.

The one time I've had multiple spoke failures--two in three weeks--was when very tiny fractures developed around DS spoke holes in the rim. The first repair, detension, and retension missed the tiny cracks. The second time in, the cracks were found (very tiny), and I switched to a different, slightly beefier rim.

Two things really bother me:
  1. Seeing a bike rider who never has any grease on himself or herself......especially herself since a girl with a bit of grease on her really flips my switches.
  2. Motorcycle racers who never have grease on them or don't reek of brake cleaner. I wore grease when I raced, and I was recently heartened when I saw a close-up of Andrea Dovizioso, a MotoGP racer, on the starting grid, in his helmet, with a touch of grease on his nose.

There are five kinds of people that should never be trusted:
  1. Someone who doesn't have a grease covered bottle of Gojo sitting behind or beside their kitchen sink
  2. Someone that has never stained living room carpet with chain grease
  3. Someone that has never torn down a motorcycle engine on their kitchen table
  4. Someone that's never baked in their oven a set of engine cases
  5. Someone that claims they've never looked at and enjoyed lesbian pornography
 
I carry a spare tire (I run tubulars), CO2, some cash, Road ID and a cell phone. I feel this is more than I will need and can solve any problem with it and it all fits nicely in my jersey pocket.
 
Originally Posted by swampy1970 .

Surgical gloves? Really? Expecting to give mouth to mouth to a passing badger and then sew on it's gammy leg?

Two tubes, old school patch kit, 2" section of old tire (minus bead), tyre levers, multi tool with allen keys, 8mm and 10mm 'cut down' allen keys, chain tool and shimano pin, laminated card with all required details (drivers license no, medical ID, contact info etc etc)...

The winter bike gets a full size frame fitting pump under the top tube, the summer "crank 'n fail" gets a mini pump in the bag. I only average 1 puncture a year so I don't really care too much and that one is normally in the winter.

Since I have new pedals, there's 15mm spanner in the bag too... That'll be out of there soon.

...and the iBone. Just incase I need to secretly get online to read news about men in spandex or call the wife afterwards.

Maydog - if you pop spokes periodically, take that as a sign that something isn't right. You need to talk to a different wheelbuilder.

Really.
 
Backpack (snowboarding bag) contains:

MP3 player, phone, 2 litre water bladder, fleece, bike tool, spare tube, spare links, pump, pen knife, small first aid box, torch and sandwiches.

Honestly if I had to pick the most important 3.... music, water and sarnies.

Side note - all the advice above was good apart from one bit maybe, i would never suggest putting your phone in your back pocket. If you fall off, break your leg and need to phone for help, chances are you landed **** first onto your phone and its in no condition to be ringing anyone.
 
Originally Posted by alexcoist .

Backpack (snowboarding bag) contains:

MP3 player, phone, 2 litre water bladder, fleece, bike tool, spare tube, spare links, pump, pen knife, small first aid box, torch and sandwiches.

Honestly if I had to pick the most important 3.... music, water and sarnies.

Side note - all the advice above was good apart from one bit maybe, i would never suggest putting your phone in your back pocket. If you fall off, break your leg and need to phone for help, chances are you landed **** first onto your phone and its in no condition to be ringing anyone.
Been riding for years with my cell phone in my back pocket. The back of my jersey. It has never fallen out once and was still there when I had a serious crash 2 years ago.
 
yeah i was thinking in MTB terms, where if your not landing on your **** occasionally theres something not quite right. However I do realise now this was originally started as a road bike thread so maybe it wont have as much effect, but then again, who's to say because you have avoided it for years it cant happen?

And pockets on the back of your jersey?!?!? I never quite understood the road biking fad ;)
 
I guess you guys must have poor quality bicycles.

When I was young I had 2 tool boxes in my car trunk. Now I only have a jack. My current cars are more reliable than my past cars.

---

I carry 3 tubes and a pump. I can change tires without tools - my tires are only a little tight.

I had 2 flats last time out. But I have not used a tool on my bike rides for so long. I have only used a tool on my bicycle at home once since spring - greased the bottom bracket.
 
Originally Posted by alexcoist .

yeah i was thinking in MTB terms, where if your not landing on your **** occasionally theres something not quite right. However I do realise now this was originally started as a road bike thread so maybe it wont have as much effect, but then again, who's to say because you have avoided it for years it cant happen?

And pockets on the back of your jersey?!?!? I never quite understood the road biking fad ;)

First time for everything. I'll give you that.
 
Originally Posted by An old Guy .

I guess you guys must have poor quality bicycles.

When I was young I had 2 tool boxes in my car trunk. Now I only have a jack. My current cars are more reliable than my past cars.

---

I carry 3 tubes and a pump. I can change tires without tools - my tires are only a little tight.

I had 2 flats last time out. But I have not used a tool on my bike rides for so long. I have only used a tool on my bicycle at home once since spring - greased the bottom bracket.

It's called "reasonable precaution". I don't particular care to get stuck in the middle of the desert, out of cell phone reach, with a problem that can't be fixed with CO2 and a tube. Given that a mini tool weighs very little and takes up very little space, there's virtually no penalty to taking one along. As a bonus, it's there if I come across another cyclist who might need help that also can't be fixed with a tube and CO2. What a concept.

Best yet, that mini tool can free me, if necessary, from even having to use the cell phone. Bonus. Ride without you want, but don't be a *** about what you think the condition of other people's bikes is quality of said bikes is. In all likelihood, the quality and state of your bike is likely little if any better than anyone else here.
 
I put wheels on a Park work stand and tow it along. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif I do carry a multi-tool (Topeak Hexus II) and it has come in really useful to fix things on other people's bikes a few times. I saved two strangers from walking this summer. I also have a small Leatherman tool and the pliers have been handy too.

Since I commute in the winter on a fairly deserted trail that is dark in the evening, I carry some extra stuff in case I have problems. Besides my main Niterider light, I have a cheap headlight that can be used in if the other one dies or as a flashlight if I need to do repairs.
 
I'm a relative newbie, but here is what is in my underseat bag:

- spare tube
- small patch kit
- Park tire levers
- CO2 inflator with two cartridges
- a couple of 8" zip ties
- small amount of cash

Got to get a multitool. I always ride with my cell phone either in a pocket or in the bag.
 
I don't think anyone has mentioned a repair kit for your body. If you need a repair kit for your bike then there's a good chance you need one for your legs as well. I was on a ride one time cruising about 40kmph down a hill when my I caught a bump that sent me flying off the bike. Luckily one of the guys was carrying a Crash Pack from Brave Soldier, or else I might have bled out! I never leave home without one now, you can bandage up pretty much any type of road rash until you can get home to proper take care of it, plus its got a waterproof mylar bag that you can put your cell phone in so it doesnt get wetted out with sweat.
 
Once you decide which tools and supplies you are going to carry in your saddle bag it is time to become familiar with using them. The roadside is no place to practice using a chain tool or learning how to repair a flat.

Practice removing your wheels. Taking the tire off the rim. Pulling the tube out and reinstalling. Learn how to use your inflator if not you may end up wasting a canister or two on the side of the road. Learn how to properly apply the patches you are going to be using.
 

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