What basic gear is a 'must have' for cyclists?

I tried Scabs about 10 or so years ago and they failed miserably back then; about 6 months ago I tried Lezyne Smart patches and they too failed miserably; years ago I tried Specialized Fat Boy glueless patches and they worked as good as the Parks but they stopped selling them after about 4 or so years of marketing them. I haven't tried the new Topeak Rescue glueless patches, I've heard they're really good, so the next time I get patches I'll order those and give them a whirl.

 

Lights for night riding if you're into that

 

I love riding at night. Actually feel safer. The course goes east to west and back. I see so many cyclists heading into the sunset without lights and wearing dark colors making it impossible to see them in the shadows of sunset. Scary!

But riding at night, there is no way I can't be seen unless it's a careless driver that can happen in the day as well. But I think the red strobe and ankle bands create movement that is an eye catcher.

One thing I noticed in my last pic from Wed, was the little saddlebag I bought on ebay for $6. It has a reflective strip and though the bag is pretty small (don't need many supplies riding local midweek rides) the strip showed like crazy in the pic.

If we're talking about nights, I use 2 headlights, 1 on the bars and 1 on the helmet (love the eye tracking availability), 2 red blinkies, 1 on the rear helmet and 1 on the seat post. 2 tri color ankle bands on my legs and the seat pack reflective strip.

My saddle also has an unnoticeable to the eye during the day, reflective strip on the back.

 

Hi! The two essentials for cyclist is actually the bike itself and the helmet.
You can also include these on your gear checklist before you go:
Water for hydration
Snacks for energy
first aid
eye protection
bike lock
watch
map
and some Core bike repair items.
I hope this helps.

 

For me, gloves are a must-have in winter/fall. I live in the Netherlands where it can get pretty cold, and if you have a cycling trip of over an hour you will literally have no feeling left in your hands.

 

My updated list from Mike`s suggestion
Small backpack (to bring this stuff)
Water for hydration
Snacks for energy
first aid
eye protection
bike lock
watch
map
and some Core bike repair items.
gloves
bicycle pump attached to the bike
Colored/reflective clothing