Fun ~Tell us your most important items you keep in your panniers (if you carry them)

[HermitGirl]

1. pruners for those occasions when a certain cutting is too irresistable
2. food, preferably mozzerella and bruscetta sandwich.
3. knitting, for those high mountain vista spots !
4. drink,
5. dried fruit & almond stash.
6. camp stove, to make coffee or tea for those high mtn vista spots
7. water and coffee/tea making stuff
8. extra layers for warmth
9. small foam pad, for sitting and relaxing on those high mtn vista spots.
10. Oh yeah, basic flat repair stuff and tools.
11. cell phone (probably won't work on those high mtn areas anyway)
12. ipod, maybe

How about your panniers???

[skhill]

...and with all that useful stuff, how do you get up those mountains?

What I routinely carry: lock, plastic bag (for covering the saddle if it's going to get wet (I hate getting onto a wet saddle)), and assorted tools. And usually food of some sort.

Maybe if I start carrying around that half-finished second sock, it'll finally get done...

[danadear]

I love the camp stove idea! Sometimes I carry a thermos of coffee but the stove idea sounds interesting.

What I carry depends on where I am going. To work: clothes, lunch, purse items and netbook, tools in my seat bag.

Weekend rides I usually have a picnic lunch, maybe my hammock, trailer if shopping.

[malkin]

I always laugh when I find a stray pair of undies in there after an incompletely unloaded commute.

[Biciclista]

when I carry pruners, it's because of blackberry vines crawling across our bike lanes...
what do i carry? all the necessities, extra gloves, rainpants, wallet..

[staceysue]

I don't have paniers but now you're making me want to get some! Just yesterday I was wondering how I could carry a 2nd jacket. The weather changes so much.

If I had paniers, I'd definitely put some pruners in there. Maybe a camera.

[Tri Girl]

I always laugh when I find a stray pair of undies in there after an incompletely unloaded commute.

Ha! Isn't that the truth.


For work it's boring: change of clothes, lunch, etc.

For other times it's more interesting:
Nutella (you never know when you're going to have an emergency that calls for it), flat fixing stuff, camera (although that sits in my handlebar bag), multi-purpose tool (leatherman thing) and sunscreen.

Of course, I always carry a small change purse with a $5 bill and a credit card and my cell phone.

[shootingstar]

Hermitgirl, I carry that amount of food if am doing 100 kms. ride. --except for camp stove.

I ride daily with my pannier. Lights, bungee cords, headband, clear glasses (for night time) lock, money.. For riding around in the city under 65 kms., I don't carry any food since there's enough choice and places to stop to eat. Will carry water in spring-fall for rides longer than 30 kms. if temp. over 80 degree F.

Otherwise I don't carry water for shorter rides and if it's cool. (To me, Vancouver summers feel a touch cool over 75% of the time. Probably being an ex-Ontario resident, I still haven't totally adjusted.)

[andtckrtoo]

If I have my panniers on my bike it means they contain my laptop, food for the work day, and my clothes.

[Kano]

let's see, lock, small tire pump, hairbrush. strangely enough, breath mints. usually extra water. this season, I foresee carrying things like picnics, maybe kites, toy airplanes, and perhaps assorted other kid-friendly stuff. Then there will be the trailer, so the dog can come along on our excursions! It will be interesting to see how he adapts to this...

Hmm, maybe most of the stuff can ride in the trailer with him instead of the panniers?

Karen in Boise