Seat Bag Contents

[snapdragen]

OK Ladies,

What is the bare bones minimum you carry in your seat bag? I'm thinking of replacing the Alien XS I have with something smaller - like maybe just a hex wrench or two. I never use anything on the Alien but the hex when I'm out on the road. Otherwise, it's a spare tube, patches, speed lever, extra car door unlocker (OK - I locked myself out of the Suby one time too many :p )

[Veronica]

http://www.tandemhearts.com/bike/ramb/ramb-w-fenders.jpg

I fill this bag. :D

Well, only when I'm going to work. But I will often just leave it on for my night rides. It's easier to stuff a jacket, glasses case and long fingered gloves into it. So I'm prepared when the sun goes down.

When I take the Baggins Bag off, I replace it with a smaller Banana Bag. I tend to overpack for most things. I usually have at least one snack in my bag, a multi tool kit, a mini leatherman, CO2 cartridges and a tube or two, at least five dollars, plus my cell phone. I like to be ready for whatever may happen.

V.

[jobob]

Heh, I've taken overpacking to a whole new level.

In my rack trunk bag, I have: my Kryptonite cable lock (I know the day I leave it at home is the day I'm going to need it!); a spare tube; tire irons & patches; a set of hex wrenches; a ziplock bag with Jo's Pharmacopeia including "vitamin I" (you should have mentioned you needed some last Saturday, I had it), Sudafed, a couple of tampax, a couple of individually wrapped feminine hygeine towelettes, and eye drops; a banana; my Brooks saddle rain cover (which I put on this past Saturday), and, also this past Saturday I had stuffed in a rain jacket in case it started pouring while we were out. In the back outside pocket I have a little zippered bag with a $20 bill, a photcopy of my driver's license and health insurance card, and a card w. my home number and my husband's cell number; and in the other outside pocket, a pack of kleenex ...

... and ...

In the front handle bar bag I have my cell phone, my garage door opener (mini-version) w. the kryptonite key attached, car keys if I drove to the start, a few rubber bands, a small ziplock of fig newtons, a couple of Clif Shots, a special K bar (I've found I need to eat a lot while I'm riding or I sometimes get dizzy, so I make sure to bring lots of food with me), glove liners in case my hands get cold, my map holder when I'm not using it, and, I think that might be it.

I honestly don't know how you folks with those teeny-tiny under the saddle bags manage!

- Jo, the poster child for anal retentitude. :o

[MightyMitre]

Good grief!!!:eek: :p Jobo - ever thought how much faster you could go if you lightened the load. That's a very impressive assortment of goodies you've got and at least you'll always be prepared;)

This is like one of those 'What do you keep in your handbag.' questions. I like it !

I've got a very small pack that attaches under my saddle and contains a multi-tool which includes Allen ( hex ) keys, a spare inner tube, some of those instant puncture patches from Parker, 3 tyer leavers and a little devise for tightening up spokes. I've also got a mini pump which attaches to my bottle cage. That's it!

I don't have a mobile phone ( but ought to get one) and I used to keep £5 note and some coins in my pack too, but I now keep money in my pocket after me and my bike got seperated once and I didn't have any money.


PS No idea who Allen was or why we call our hex keys after him, but that's what we do here in the UK.

[jobob]

ever thought how much faster you could go if you lightened the load. Hee hee, I suppose ...
... but you've got to figure even if I did pack lighter, I'd still have a couple of bottles of water, Kevlar belted 28 mm tires, a lugged steel frame, and 150 pounds (on a good day) of me to lug around, so I'm not sure how much difference it would make overall. The way I see it, it's good exercise, it builds me up for the touring I want to do eventually, and it gives me an easy excuse for being a slowpoke. ;)
- Jo.

Plus, sad truth be told, I'm kind of afraid of going very fast - everyone in my group zips by me on the downhills, while I'm fethering my brakes to stay under 30. But I generally catch up to them on the next hill :D I'm getting more relaxed about tearing down those hills though, with all the weight I'm pushing I could just imagine the downhill momentum I could build up if I wanted to, whee ...

[Veronica]

I'm with you Jo. I often carry three water bottles, especially in the summer. A few pounds added for peace of mind is a good thing. Now twenty pounds off the bike, is a difference! The woman doing Cinderella with me weighs about 25 pounds less than Thom. That I could really feel!

Did the Romulus come with the braze ons for a third water bottle on the down tube?

V.

[jobob]

No, the Romulus has 700 C wheels so there's no room on the downtube for another water bottle, at least not on the 55 and 57 frames that Lee and I have. This is probably why Riv never came out with the smaller Romulus frames as they had originally intended, it might not have been cost-effective for them to switch to smaller wheels for the smaller frames. Then again, looks like the Romulus wasn't profitable for them from the get-go, a pity they won't be making them any more. I'm glad we got ours when we did!

Cool, you'll be riding the tandem at Cinderella, what fun!

Oh, and back to the topic at hand :o , you've all made me think some more about all the stuff I'm packing. And the reality is, I don't think I'd part with any of it. Most of it isn't all that heavy anyhow (although admittedly it adds up), and pretty much everything in there I've needed at one time or another, and was either very glad I had it or dearly wish I had it at the time. And it's really nice to have the rack bag to stuff my jacket in when it warms up during the day. I suppose you could consider my bike a station wagon compared to the Ferraris. ..

The only thing I could easily leave out is the very heaviest item, the Kryptonite cable lock. Nine rides out of 10 I don't use it at all, but that 1 ride in 10, when I'm not with a group it's really nice to be able to pull up to a coffee shop and lock it up and go in for a cup. No way I'd leave my bike unattended even for a couple of moments without at least some sort of lock on it. And naturally, when I do pull it out of my bag before a ride thinking I won't need it that day, I forget to put it back in and only realize it's missing on a subsequent ride when I am getting ready to lock up :rolleyes:

I always find it ironic that locks are so heavy, my lock probably weighs about as much as Melissa's new Trek ...!

[Irulan]

Originally posted by jobob
I honestly don't know how you folks with those teeny-tiny under the saddle bags manage!

-

easy... take a camelbak. I wouldn't go anyplace but down the street with camelbak.

My seat bag has tire iron, spare tube and a mini tool. The rest of my spare gear goes in a pack.


I think its' kind of strange how road riders dont' use them... so much easier for drinking than reaching for bottles all the time.

Irulan

[Veronica]

I ride a 55 and I can only fit a small water bottle on the down tube, but it's worth it. Summers out here are usually in the 90s - 100s. Dehydration makes me cranky. :cool:

V.

[jobob]

Good point, but I don't particularly like having a backpack on my back when I ride. To each her own.

[MightyMitre]

This has got me thinking about the stuff I take with me when I ride.

Normally, ie in my non-cycling life I always take so much stuff. You should see the bag I take to work bulging with lip balm, spare disposable contact lenses, tissues, woolly gloves, umbrella's... but when I go on the bike I hardly take anything.

Maybe I feel more free on my bike or more relaxed. As long as I've got a few coins for emergancies I seems to worry less about what might happen. Barring anything really serious happening, I think I view the prospect of any minor problems as a potential adventure. :)

[pedalfaster]

I guess I'm a minimalist. My basic road seatbag includes tube, patches, tire lever, and a Park multi-tool (the small flat one with really basic hex sizes and a flat screwdriver). I have CO2 and an inflator in there too, but I really only use CO2 when racing or on a fast group ride. I carry a baggie with my insurance card (doubles as ID) and a few dollars in my jersey, along with a small pump in my jersey pocket.

My mountain bike set-up is the same, but I also have a chaintool and a slightly beefier multi-tool. I also carry a whistle (from my backpacking days :) ) and a compass. If I am riding in unfamiliar terrain I'll include a map.

When I ride alone I carry my cell-phone.

I have a Camelbak, but I use it more for hiking than riding. I too hate the feel of a "backpack" when I am on the bike. If I did loooong all-day back-country mtb rides I'm sure I'd use it . Right now my mtb rides tend to be only 2-3 hours so it seems like overkill.

[Irulan]

funny I don't even notivce the camel bak and I dont' even think of it as a back pack. It's very small, and fits anatomically, not like a day pack or anything bulky. I really like haveing the water right there. You can carry so much more water too, if dehydration is an issue it's definately something to think about.

Irulan.

[jobob]

Well, seeing as the fact that pretty much every notion of what I like/dislike in biking has changed radically in a very short period of time, odds are good I'll be a camelback convert sooner or later :)

Lets see...

"Oh noo, I don't want to get a road bike, I'm perfectly happy with my clunkie old hybrid on short gravel paths" (Road bike purchased about 2 months ago, joined group to train for metric century 1.5 months ago)

"Oh noo, I don't need real bike shorts, I'm perfectly happy with padded liners under my tights & regular shorts" (Purchased first pair of Pearl Izumi shorts a few weeks ago and will never look back)

"Oh noo, I don't need clipless pedals, I'm perfectly happy with platform pedals and powergrips with my cleatless bike shoes" (Will most likely have Crank Bros Candy pedals on my bike in the next week or so)

- Jo (I knows what I likes ... until I find something better!)


Irulan, just curious, what type of camelback do you have? There seems to be several different models.

[Irulan]

Originally posted by jobob
Irulan, just curious, what type of camelback do you have? There seems to be several different models.

There are several...
My main one is an old Jandt model that takes either a 40 or 70 oz bladder no problem.

My son has an expandable blowfish that takes a 100 oz bladder, I borrow this for all day rides but I'd like to get my own.

I don't even notice them. I really like having the water (or drink, some folks mix sport drink in them) right there, not having to get bottles out and so on. I find I drink a whole lot more. On long summer rides I take bottles or a water filter as a back up.

Even on short rides, like some of the 8 mile local trails I ride, I always fill the bladder and take it. I feel naked without it, really.

AS to what I carry, the minimun would be: water, cliff bars, first aid kit that fits in a sandwich baggie, mini pump.

add any or all of the following: GPS, camera, layers, more food, maps,

on extended all day trips, even more food, water filter, appropriate layers, maybe more tools and parts. But the big gear gets spread out among the groups... one pump, one set of teels etc for the whole gang.

Irulan

[annie]

Camelbak while on the MTB 'cause I can't take my hands off the bars long enough to get out a water bottle! Or I'd crash, most likely.

Water bottles (2) while on the road. I find that I sweat soooooo much under the camelbak that I prefer not to wear it if I don't need it.

In the under-the-seat pak : tube, tools, money, insurance card, CO2 cartridges and inflator, lip balm and sunscreen (sm. size), red blinkie light. If I need more stuff than that, I wear a fanny pak. Annoying at first but you get used to it and it's so convenient - when you stop, you have stuff with you. Money, phone, female stuff, deodorant, camera. I can actually fit a lot more if I need to. Depends on the ride. If it's a race, everything is stripped to bare minumum for the least weight. If it's a fun ride, like RAGBRAI, then I carry lots of stuff, whatever might come in handy for the day. Otherwise, somewhere in between, never more than I have to.

[snapdragen]

Of course, leave it to the two Riv girls to carry their houses on their bikes! :D

One thing I have that I've not seen mentioned - I wear a dog tag with all my info on it. You can order them online, www.roadid.com. Be nice Jo and I'll let you see it Saturday. :p

Camelbaks - I'm strictly road, and love my pack! If I didn't have it I wouldn't drink enough. It's by Ultimate Direction. I have a 32, a 64, and a 100 ounce tank. I prefer the smaller tank, as long as I can get refills. Water can be heavy! What I like about the UD pack is it doesn't sit on your upper back, it sits a little lower which feels more comfy to me. Packs are probably like saddles and shorts, find what fits you best.

[Veronica]

Hey, I only carry my house when I'm going to work. :p AND it's still lighter than riding the tandem by myself. Want a good workout? Ride a 45 pound bike!

V.

[jobob]

Of course, leave it to the two Riv girls to carry their houses on their bikes! Aw, come on, I don't carry that much!
Here's a pic of me on my bike, you decide...
http://community.webshots.com/s/image6/4/34/35/115043435wefTan_fs.jpg

[snapdragen]

I'd never thought to carry a spare bike!!

[MightyMitre]

Hey snapdragon - cool link to the dog tag/i.d website. Just the other day I thought I could do with some id to wear when out riding and I hadn't quite got round to looking on the internet.

You've saved me a job.

Thanks!:cool:

[aka_kim]

I carry the "usual" stuff in my under-seat bag, and for the past few years have been using a "Bento Box" too. It's a small "bag" that fits just behind the stem and rests on the top tube, so you can easily open it while riding. I keep money, ID, Gu, Kleenex, lip balm, aspirin in there -- anything that I either may want while riding or that I don't want to fish around for.

Here's a link: http://www.all3sports.com/product/categoryID/18/Manufacturer/0/ProductID/220
(Um, I haven't used all3sports, this is the only place I could find a good picture).

[kpc]

Camelbacks: Aren't they germ breeding grounds? They look so wonderful when I'm out of water and thirsty, but how can you keep them clean? seems like rinsing would not kill bacteria unless you use bleach. Please straighten me out if there is some way to keep them fresh.

[Dogmama]

I agree about the camelback being comfortable. I never thought it would be. It adds weight - think of it as a training tool.

I also put a two-bottle holder on my seat post. The bottles sit behind me, don't get in the way, and I can actually change one by holding the empty with my teeth & grabbing the full one, putting it in the downtube holder. Now THAT's coordination! Next, I'll try it on my mtb <not!>

[Irulan]

Originally posted by kpc
Camelbacks: Aren't they germ breeding grounds? They look so wonderful when I'm out of water and thirsty, but how can you keep them clean? seems like rinsing would not kill bacteria unless you use bleach. Please straighten me out if there is some way to keep them fresh.

The only times I see trouble with camel back is a) when people put other than water in them and b) my kid likes to back wash into his personal

I run only water, drain it and dry it out every now and then, use a brush on the tube. If you let it sit for long periods of time in the sun it can get kind of skanky.

I guess I consider it a non-issue if you use common sense. I've been using the same baldder for 5+ years

Irulan

[snapdragen]

Another trick to clean the tanks/tubes is Effedent tablets. Yes, the denture cleaner.....:p


Originally posted by kpc
Camelbacks: Aren't they germ breeding grounds? They look so wonderful when I'm out of water and thirsty, but how can you keep them clean? seems like rinsing would not kill bacteria unless you use bleach. Please straighten me out if there is some way to keep them fresh.

[annie]

If you rinse out the camelbak EVERY time you use it, put something in the bladder to allow air in so it can dry, it's fine. Even if you put a sports drink in. I do that often and as long as I rinse it out with hot water, it stays clean and fresh. I have occasionally used a weak bleach solution and let it soak overnight, just as a precaution, but I've never had a problem. Still.......... I only use in while on the MTB. My water bottles get a lot skankier than the camelbak. I tend to forget to clean them. At least they're clear plastic......... I can see clearly when gunk starts to grow in them.

[Adventure Girl]

I always carry my camelback. Even when road riding. Roadies seem to prefer bottles, but I don't handle the bottles well, so I use my camelback. The tube is always there. I think I drink more using it.

Contents:
Pump
Tire irons
Patch kit
Park mulit-tool thing with a chain breaker
Spare chain pin
Zip ties
Small first aid kit
Cell phone
Gu or bars
ID and
Insurance card.

And I keep a spare tube wrapped in an shop rag. This helps keep the tube from getting punctured while in the pack, and also, I always have a rag handy if I need it.

[aka_kim]

Anyone carry moist towelettes? They're great to help cleanup after fixing a flat or other repairs.

And anyone stick one of those pre-printed address labels charities always send somewhere in your helmet? I read that emergency personnel will always look in your helmet...

[Irulan]

no towlettes, but I do have a pencil stub and a scarp of papepr, and I always have a baggie with"feminine supplies" as I am prone to erratic breakthrough bleeding.

Irulan

[newfsmith]

For me this is a constantly changing, seasonal pack and repack.
Currently I am just going from my winter load: tools, tubes, yak trax, extra balaclava, 2 pair dry socks, extra fleece top, leather chopper mitts with heavy wool mittens, spare liner gloves, ski googles, chemical hand and toe warmers, scissors to open their packages, food, and cellphone. I just took out the extra fleece, leather mitts, yak trax, goggles and heaviest pair of socks. That made room for my camera. I'll add the artificial tears soon (they won't be frozen) I find them very helpful on long windy rides, but they are useless in the winter. By summer, all the gloves will be gone. The free space gets used up by maps, camera, sunscreen, bug repellent, etc. The weight is replaced by the extra water I carry.

[fultzie]

I have a teeny tiny under the saddle bag from target that I stuff an extra tube, a multi tool (w/ allen), patch kit, and sometimes a luna bar into. i have a mini pump that mounts on my frame by the water bottle cage. i used to not carry anything, but most of the open roads around here are really deserted (ie: farmland) and the only people to call to rescue me don't have cars or bikes!

I used to make fun of my friend who carried a camelbak on our short little rides on the rails-to-trails around where i grew up, but i tried one at my first mountain race and am hooked! i wear it for road riding too (which is all i've been doing lately). irulan is right, i don't even notice it after the first mile, and it has a handy pocket that fits a cell, ID, and some $$. i still tend to carry a bottle, "just in case," and since i go through a lot of water (helps with the asthma).

one question: what's a balaclava? i thought you were talking about a pastry at first! ;) i'm trying to learn more about bike maintainance, but so far all i can do is lube a chain and change a tire :p

thanks!

[annie]

Check it out at this site on TE......... Balaclavas are great for cold temps! I use mine all winter when it's below freezing.

http://www.teamestrogen.com/search.asp

Those little greek pastries are good, too........

[Adventure Girl]

Just a little clarification... A "balaclava" is the little hood thing that covers your head and neck and leaves your face open. The little pastries are "baklava" and they are yummy!!:D

Auto racers wear balaclavas, too (theirs are fire-proof). I was with some auto racing folks one time and I called it a baklava. They thought it was soooo funny...:rolleyes: