Spares while training



ambal

Well-Known Member
Oct 15, 2010
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Out training today I pulled up to a set of lights next to this guy who had a massive saddle bag on his bike. I should have asked him what the hell was in it, but I didn't. He didn't look fit or as though he was doing an epic ride that would require him to carry half his workshop.

I figured most people would get by on a tube, levers, co2 and a mobile phone in the back pocket. Or am I just the equivalent of a minimalist hippy?

What do you carry?
 
An inner tube, 2-3 CO2 cartridges w/ an Air Chuck inflator mounted, 2 levers, a tire boot, and a multi tool.
 
"Out training today I pulled up to a set of lights next to this guy who had a massive saddle bag on his bike."

That was me. No problem...you should have asked.

Two 1911's
Four spare 8-round magazines
1 Claymore
2 frag grenades


"Or am I just the equivalent of a minimalist hippy?"

To answer accurately, we must first know if you bathe regularly. Do you like patchouli? Have you ever ridden a metric century after doing six lines of coke?

I know guys that ride with one pannier full of **** all the time and I know guys that refuse to strap on a tire sock and stuff the sew-up in a cut down water bottle. Personally, the guy I liked to ride with the best always had 4 cold beers in a soft side Igloo cooler strapped to his rack. The dude abides.
 


A mini pump just in case something goes awry with the CO2 cartridge, or we get more than 2 flats.

A spare tire just in case the hole's too big for the patch (and if that's the case a folded bill tucked in the tire can remedy the tire, hopefully). The patches are the self adhesive type as apparently they can be used on latex. I can't say for sure because since I started riding on latex I haven't flatted. If they don't work I got the spare.

An energy gel because a credit card or a $20 wont do diddly when bonking in the middle of nowhere.

The rest is SE.

Ironically the saddle bag goes in the jersey, not under the saddle.

The dude abides.
 
Originally Posted by alienator .

An inner tube, 2-3 CO2 cartridges w/ an Air Chuck inflator mounted, 2 levers, a tire boot, and a multi tool.
About the same for me with the addition of a second tube carried in the center jersey pocket, which I have more than often given it to a stranded cyclist (stranger or in the group) that did not have a spare tube. Plus a phone and $21 dollars with the $1 bill that can act as a tire boot if needed.

Not counting gels and Cliff bars for a self-sustained century if the mood hits.
 
"Ironically the saddle bag goes in the jersey, not under the saddle."

Same pump that's in my jersey pocket. 3000 strokes to 75 PSI! Same inflator head, same cartridge, same patch kit, but my 2 levers and multi tool are Park.

The pump and cell phone I don't mind in the pocket. Maybe a couple gels too. The rest goes in the bag under the seat!

Wouldn't happen to have a cold beer in that jersey, would ya? (remember the movie...Eiger Sanction with Clint? The one in which Clint lugs the beer up the climb in his backpack?)

The dude abides.
 
Originally Posted by CAMPYBOB .

"Ironically the saddle bag goes in the jersey, not under the saddle."

Same pump that's in my jersey pocket. 3000 strokes to 75 PSI! Same inflator head, same cartridge, same patch kit, but my 2 levers and multi tool are Park.

The pump and cell phone I don't mind in the pocket. Maybe a couple gels too. The rest goes in the bag under the seat!

Wouldn't happen to have a cold beer in that jersey, would ya? (remember the movie...Eiger Sanction with Clint? The one in which Clint lugs the beer up the climb in his backpack?)

The dude abides.
Yup, 3000 strokes sounds about right... the unspoken benefit of the new wider rims that ultimately require slightly lower psi.

The saddle bag goes in the jersey because when under the saddle unfortunately chafes the athletic thighs. Plus the jerseys got all those pockets, wouldn't want 'em going to waste.

It's been a couple decades since seeing the Eiger Sanction but after witnessing a friend loose pretty much all his front teeth on a midnight mountain bike ride in college, beer only happens after the ride. The upside was being so drunk I don't believe he really knew what happened till the morning after. The downside... without insurance it was a couple years before he got his Colgate smile back.
 
ambal said:
I figured most people would get by on a tube, levers, co2 and a mobile phone in the back pocket. Or am I just the equivalent of a minimalist hippy? What do you carry?
in the 80's you just carried a spare tubular or two (depending on the length of the ride) and the house keys, and a pump, no helmet, no eyewear, no multi-tool, no cell phone, no levers
 
Originally Posted by vspa .


in the 80's you just carried a spare tubular or two (depending on the length of the ride) and the house keys, and a pump,
no helmet, no eyewear, no multi-tool, no cell phone, no levers
So true. And only one water bottle because that Silca frame-fit pump hogged the seat tube.
 
"in the 80's you just carried a spare tubular or two (depending on the length of the ride) and the house keys, and a pump,
no helmet, no eyewear, no multi-tool, no cell phone, no levers"

I must have been ahead of the curve!

In 1974 my Paramout was equipped with no less than a Cinelli quick-release tire bike holder (Bikeology single sew-up with two small side zip pockets). It was the much less techy solution to today's twist-lock back mounts but much more classy than the plebeian toe strap!

I also ALWAYS carried a spoke wrench. Do you guys have any idea how often those crappy French 3-Star chrome-plated spokes popped?!?! Rivoli / Cyclo...back in the day. Chain tool sometimes. Tiny derailleur screwdriver only if you knew you couldn't find discarded beer pop tops (remember those?) to use on the simple, slotted screw heads of the day.

Indeed, the Impero rode only in the vertical position with a Campy umbrella clip in the pre-molded pump handle days. One clamp-on steel cage per customer, please!

Presta-to-Schraeder adaptor was always threaded to the toe clip screw. Always.

As far as no helmet in the 1980's...I will admit to having attended several UHWA (Ugly Helmet Wearers Anonymous) meetings for the sin of adopting THIS!

https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQq6BU-XXMna1Ht4hODf3yAEcBOFbEVVX83IZC5Q72G3ciO2kqQTg

That's right, not as cool as Belov's skullcap, but I was sprinter-aero-chic before snap-on helmet covers and the Gyro 'hot head' became awesome!

Edit: Oh...and who could forget wrapping a roll of Jansport instant sew-up rim tape in foil so that when it melted in your tire bag the glue would still kinda sorta still be on the tape!
 
Originally Posted by CAMPYBOB .

In 1974 my Paramout was equipped with no less than a Cinelli quick-release tire bike holder (Bikeology single sew-up with two small side zip pockets). It was the much less techy solution to today's twist-lock back mounts but much more classy than the plebeian toe strap!
I also ALWAYS carried a spoke wrench.
C'mon, nothing said I'm a serious bike rider better than a tubby fastened with a toe strap. And back in those days all I pretty much knew how to do was ride the damn thing and adjust upper and lower limit screws, attempting anything involving a spoke wrench was likely to get me in serious trouble. Plus we had all those spokes, so many spokes.

But seriously, popping a spoke is something I've managed to avoid in 30 years on the bike. If it happens today, I figure I can rig something with the cellphone and the credit card.
 
C'mon, nothing said I'm a serious bike rider better than a tubby fastened with a toe strap."

Only if the tire was stuffed in a genuine tube sock with stripes that matched the bike. That was officially cool.

"Plus we had all those spokes, so many spokes."

36.
4 Cross
High flange.

I used to carry three spare Robergal Trois Etoiles (allow me to murder the French spelling!) tapped together and stuffed inside my Silca...ends padded to prevent rattle noises, of course.

Hilarity ensued when I would forget about the spokes (hey, what happened in the '70's stays in the 70's!) and actually try to use the Silca as a pump. That first back stroke pretty much destroyed the pump rod guide/body threads...more tape, please!

Weird, Rene Herse use Robergal stainless spokes. I guess Schwinn Paramounts used the chrome to match the added bling of those fancy Nervex chromed lugs?