Toolkit & essentials



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The 13th Man

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Having recently returned to cycling, I have all the essential riding kit (lights, helmet etc) but
other than locks, I have nothing else.

I know I need to get myself a puncture repair kit, and a mini-toolkit. Anyone suggest a good one and
from where I could buy it? I don't have a pump either! Unlike my last bike (a 12speed Peugeot road
bike) my Marin doesn't have a pump fitted. What else should I buy?
 
Here's what I carry ...

puncture kit multi-tool thinggie spare batteries for lights spare bulbs for lights pen/pencil small
notepad mobile phone small pack of tissues
ID/CTC membership card small amount of cash for phone call if in area where no mobile signal Wear ID
tag round neck

I've never had to use any of the above, but must have been a boy scout in a previous existance, as
I'm sure the day I go out without a puncture kit will be the day I actually do puncture ;-)

Enjoy your cycling - regular reports on the newsgroup please!

Cheers, helen s

p.s. you *don't* want to include b*bshorts in your kit - trust me :)

~~~~~~~~~~
Flush out that intestinal parasite and/or the waste product before sending a reply!

Any speeliong mistake$ aR the resiult of my cats sitting on the keyboaRRRDdd
~~~~~~~~~~
 
>Here's what I carry ...

Forgot to mention, I carry a pump with me too. And liquid rehydration!

Cheers, helen s

~~~~~~~~~~
Flush out that intestinal parasite and/or the waste product before sending a reply!

Any speeliong mistake$ aR the resiult of my cats sitting on the keyboaRRRDdd
~~~~~~~~~~
 
"wafflycathcsdirtycatlitter" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Here's what I carry ...
>
> puncture kit multi-tool thinggie spare batteries for lights spare bulbs for lights pen/pencil
> small notepad mobile phone small pack of tissues
> ID/CTC membership card small amount of cash for phone call if in area where no mobile signal Wear
> ID tag round neck
>
> I've never had to use any of the above, but must have been a boy scout in
a
> previous existance, as I'm sure the day I go out without a puncture kit
will be
> the day I actually do puncture ;-)
>
> Enjoy your cycling - regular reports on the newsgroup please!
>
> Cheers, helen s
>
> p.s. you *don't* want to include b*bshorts in your kit - trust me :)
>
>
>
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~
> Flush out that intestinal parasite and/or the waste product before sending
a
> reply!
>
> Any speeliong mistake$ aR the resiult of my cats sitting on the
keyboaRRRDdd
> ~~~~~~~~~~

If I need to carry spare clothes (there's been a big temperature drop after it gets dark recently!)
it's easy to bung puncture kit, couple of allen keys, back up LED light etc. in the bumbag along
with it. If I don't however, it's nice to go out with just a mini pump gaffer taped to the frame on
the basis that ever since I was a kid the only problems I've had on a ride are minor punctures which
I can continue with by pumping up every so often.

How common does anyone else find serious punctures that can't just be pumped back up or broken
chains or anything else more serious?

Andy
 
wafflycathcsdirtycatlitter <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> p.s. you *don't* want to include b*bshorts in your kit - trust me :)
>

Unless you pack some Patriot anti-paving slab missiles with them.

Tony

--
http://www.raven-family.com

"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable man persists in trying to
adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man." -- George
Bernard Shaw
 
The 13th Man wrote:
> I know I need to get myself a puncture repair kit, and a mini-toolkit. Anyone suggest a good one
> and from where I could buy it?

Puncture kit: Any basic puncture kit from a bike shop (or Dyason's*) will do for the glue and
patches; and you'll probably need two or three tyre levers. Carry a spare inner tube as well. You
may find it more convenient to change the tube in the event of a puncture, or a tube may get
ruined one day.

Toolkit: Could get a "multitools" with several tools combined swiss army knife-style. I can't
personally recommend one of these because I carry individual tools instead: a set of allen keys,
small screwdriver, and any small spanners if required.

> I don't have a pump either!

Zefal HPX is excellent. It fits either down the seat tube or under the crossbar. Ask at a good
bike shop.

> What else should I buy?

Could go on forever adding items, but the above will do to start.

ps. Don't forget bottle cage(s) and bottles!

* http://www.mwdyason.ltd.uk/
- I recommend the puncture kit, allen key set, and nylon tyre levers (glass fibre reinforced).

~PB
 
Andy wrote:

> How common does anyone else find serious punctures that can't just be pumped back up or broken
> chains or anything else more serious?

Not very often but I don't want to be stranded with an unrideable bike miles from home when it
does happen.

~PB
 
"The 13th Man" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Having recently returned to cycling, I have all the essential riding kit (lights, helmet etc) but
> other than locks, I have nothing else.
>
> I know I need to get myself a puncture repair kit, and a mini-toolkit. Anyone suggest a good one
> and from where I could buy it? I don't have a pump either! Unlike my last bike (a 12speed Peugeot
> road bike) my Marin doesn't have a pump fitted. What else should I buy?

Not essential but I always carry a Walkman and a camera. This afternoon I'll be cycling to work at
1330 in shorts and T shirt, but in my bag will be a pair of gloves, sweatshirt, tights and Gore-Tex
jacket for the ride home at 2200.

On my bike are two sets of front and rear lamps (all leds), a water bottle, lock and pump. In the
bag is a spare inner tube and repair kit, plus the tools the others have included and a chain tool.

I keep a couple of muesli bars in my bag as well, as the commute is 24 miles a day and on very windy
days I've felt my energy levels going down on the way home.
--
Simon Mason Anlaby East Yorkshire. 53°44'N 0°26'W http://www.simonmason.karoo.net .
 
On Fri, 28 Mar 2003 23:28:01 GMT, The 13th Man <[email protected]> blathered:

>I know I need to get myself a puncture repair kit, and a mini-toolkit. Anyone suggest a good one
>and from where I could buy it?

For UK riding - http://www.btinternet.com/~peteajones/temp/toolkit.jpg

Contained in waterproof canoe rolltop bag, stashed wherever you find best.

What you don't need -

a) mobile phone - depend on yourself, not others.

b) multi-tool - overpriced, heavy, made of cheese-metal, do nothing very well. Rationalise the allen
bolts holding your bike together, buy appropriate good quality allen keys and a Park chaintool.

Pete
----
http://www.btinternet.com/~peteajones/
 
On Sat, 29 Mar 2003 09:25:40 -0000, "Andy" <[email protected]> blathered:

>How common does anyone else find serious punctures that can't just be pumped back up or broken
>chains or anything else more serious?

I've snapped a couple of chains - don't bother with spare links, just a chain breaker and a
power-link.

Sheared off a rack mount - http://www.btinternet.com/~peteajones/bikes/rackmount.jpg ...fixed with a
jubilee clip & gaffer tape for the subsequent 650 km of that trip.

Roughly trued wheels get you home, so a spoke key is a must.

I've ripped out tyre sidewalls on a couple of occasions, fixed temporarily by making tyre boots out
of gaffer tape or, once, an old crisp packet. Puncture patches aren't much cop on a rip inches long
in your tube, so one spare is a must.

More serious problems like burst rims and broken frames have resulted in the long walk home. It
depends where, how long, and how hard you ride.

Pete
----
http://www.btinternet.com/~peteajones/
 
"Andy" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
snip
> How common does anyone else find serious punctures that can't just be
pumped
> back up or broken chains or anything else more serious?
>
> Andy
>
2 broken chains in about 10 years. Several up-pumpupable punctures. I always carry spare tube,
puncture repair kit, pump, tyre levers, allen keys, chairbreaker, 10mm spanner. Big rides I take
clothes, lock (for pub), space blanket, food & drink, map, compass. I also work on the thoery that
it may be somebody else who needs help. Cheers Graham
 
Pete Jones <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>... in waterproof canoe rolltop bag, stashed
wherever you find
> best.
>
> What you don't need -
>
> a) mobile phone - depend on yourself, not others.
>

I agree, I don't even possess one. *However*, recently when on my way home from work at 1400, my
rear tyre split. I sorted it out by walking to a bike shop nearly 3 miles away and buying a new
tyre. A mobile would have warned my family that I was going to be two and a half hours late.
Instead the police were nearly called out. Simon Mason
 
"Andy" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...

> How common does anyone else find serious punctures that can't just be
pumped
> back up or broken chains or anything else more serious?

It was about 15 years ago when I last had a puncture, so I have given up carrying pump & spare inner
tube quite a while ago.

This was in the days before mobiles and I remember knocking on the door of a farmhouse to ask if I
could call for someone to come and collect me.

I guess now I would just call up a taxi on my mobile if I got a puncture and it was too far to
walk home.
 
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