What are your "must haves"?

[indigoiis]

phone
debit card
id card
key
lock (depends on bike or where I am going)
tube, C02, levers, multitool (in seat bag)

banana or granola bar, just in case. But not always.
water

helmet
gloves
cheap home depot tinted safety glasses

[Heifzilla]

So far, my must haves have been:

Helmet
Gloves
iPod (I listen to it in one ear, leaving the other open to hear)
Cellphone
Water
License & debit card
Portable hex wrenches thingermabob
Cyclocomputer
Windbreaker than I can stuff in my handbar bag
Keys (if I am driving to a trail first)
Bike lock (around my seatpost)
Cheap HD yellow safety glasses (indigoiis! Probably the same ones )

My RoadID just came in the mail today, so that will go with me, too. I also plan on getting an extra tube to keep in my bag, as well as the tire levers, a small pump, and a multitool (thanks to your suggestions).

[bmccasland]

Pretty much what everyone else said, other than instead of RoadID, I have MedicAlert. Which reminds me, I need to up-date my file with them...

[VeloVT]

Pockets:
-Cell phone
-wallet (if ride is over 15 miles)
-chapstick
-sometimes a small digital camera

Seat bag:
-gum
-one tube in a ziploc bag
-my cute teeny box of glueless patches
-two tire levers
-2 c02 cartridges and a teeny weeny c02 pump
-multitool
-alcohol wipes in case of scrapes (they don't take up any room really)
-1-3 individually wrapped "wet wipes" for cleaning up hands after changing flats

I will usually fit in a snack (luna bar, sportbeans) somewhere for rides over 30 miles.

[GLC1968]

I have the following in my wedge under my seat, so I never have to think about it:

spare tubes (I need two - two different sized tires)
a tire lever
tiny patch kit
tiny multi-tool
lip stuff
tiny golf pencil and a folded up piece of paper

I have a pump with a gauge mounted on the frame, so that's always with me. My road ID is attached to my shoes, so I always have that, too. My sunglasses, helmet and gloves stay with my bikes when I'm not riding, so they are always right there ready to go.

When I go to ride I grab ID, cash, cell phone, water & maybe food (depending on the length of the ride)...oh, and a cue-sheet or map of the route since we are still relatively new to the area and exploring.

[Becky]

Pretty much what everyone else said, other than instead of RoadID, I have MedicAlert. Which reminds me, I need to up-date my file with them...

Now if only MedicAlert would come out with some nice bands like the RoadIDs! Their sports bands just don't do it for me....

Think RoadID would engrave my MedicAlert info?

[jobob]

I carry a small flat zippable pouch that fits easily into the back pocket of my jersey.

In that, I have ID (at the moment its my previous drivers' license which just expired and is otherwise identical to my current drivers' license), a bit of cash and a credit card, and a card with my emergency contact info printed on it.

I also have a photocopy of my insurance card in there, which would have come in handy in my crash since I was pretty much out of it (except my husband was driving SAG on that ride and so he was there soon after and had my wallet with him in the car, and his insurance card info is the same as mine).

But still, it's good to have insurance info on you, just in case (along with info about allergies, medications etc. if need be - but I suppose that's what the MedicAlert is for).

jeeze, someday I'll stop obsessing about my crash, really ...

[Heifzilla]

Now if only MedicAlert would come out with some nice bands like the RoadIDs! Their sports bands just don't do it for me....

Think RoadID would engrave my MedicAlert info?

Depends on how much you need engraved. You have 5 or 6 lines to use and I'd think they'd engrave just about anything you wanted. I'd give them a call. I had all of my allergy info engraved on mine. I don't see why they couldn't put your MedicAlert info on there.

[Becky]

Depends on how much you need engraved. You have 5 or 6 lines to use and I'd think they'd engrave just about anything you wanted. I'd give them a call. I had all of my allergy info engraved on mine. I don't see why they couldn't put your MedicAlert info on there.

I was wondering about copyright or similar issues....b/c MedicAlert is a subscription service. I've heard at least one other organizations that won't engrave their info. Spacewise, I don't think it would be an issue.

[OakLeaf]

In my seat pack where I don't have to think about it:

*Multi-tool including chain tool. It's much more of a tool than I need for the short rides around the perimeter of town, but once I get out into the boonies, it's reassuring to have it "just in case."
*Spare tube
*CO2 inflater with two cartridges
*Tire levers
*Epi-Pen
*small lock
*patch kit

Mounted on my bike:

*Mini-pump
*Two bottles of water
*Garmin GPS. If I didn't have that, I'd carry a map. Sometimes I have a map too, anyway.

In my pocket:

*Phone
*Small jar of chamois cream
*Magnifying glass or reading glasses
*In a ziploc bag that stays together all the time, the following:

*Driver's license
*Insurance card
*Organ donor card
*Credit or debit card
*At least $20 cash
*Annual National Park pass
*Bicycling club membership card

Dang, sounds like a lot, doesn't it. It really doesn't seem like it (except for the multi-tool, which weighs a TON, but like I said, it's reassuring to have).

[madscot13]

tell me again, what is insurance?

[jobob]

tell me again, what is insurance?

Errrr, sorry.

[IvonaDestroi]

phone
debit card
id card
key
lock (depends on bike or where I am going)
tube, C02, levers, multitool (in seat bag)

banana or granola bar, just in case. But not always.
water

helmet
gloves
cheap home depot tinted safety glasses

What is with the banana thing? I heard it's some sort of cycling tradition...???

[ZenSojourner]

It's bike riding food. That and fig newtons.

Hmmm, in my seat bag I have:

2 spare tubes, 1 700c and 1 24"
patch kit
multi-tool
ball wrench
compact screwdriver
tire pressure gauge
spare stem
spare stem caps
tire levers
small pack of bandaids and antibiotic cream


In my camelbak-equivalent:
Driver's license
cell phone
bike lock
maps
glasses
money
debit card
keys
foodal items - dates, raisins, butterscotch, bananas, PB crackers
water IN the camelbak-equivalent reservoir
SPF 45 chapstick
If the ride is > 50 miles

• extra bottles of propel
• extra bike shorts
• rain gear
• extra gloves
• spare 24" tire (lashed to my rear rack)
• sample size sunscreen (for touch-up)

on the bike:
the seat bag
frame pump (Topeak Morph)
however many water bottles will fit under the frame pump (usually one large, one small) containing watered down gatorade or propel
Cyclometer (I forgot that one, LOL!)

On my person:
helmet
hair band (and I DON'T mean an 80's glam rock musical combo)
gloves
sunglasses ($10 from the hardware store, basically tinted safety glasses)
bike shoes (in the hopes that some day, I WILL clip in again)
The camelbak-equivalent of course
Slather up with sunscreen which usually lasts 'til the end of the ride

Things I'm going to add because I have them now and didn't use to:
digital camera
digital video camera if multi-day (slightly larger than the still camera)
spare cell phone battery, fully charged and in a heavy duty ziploc bag

Things I'm going to add after reading other people's lists:
Magnifying glass

[cylegoddess]

I have all the usual in bike seat bag;
2 tubes,
2 Co2
multi tool
three tire levers( its hard for me)
bandages( the roll kind. I kept stacking it, when using my new clips for a while)
fructose energy powder( allergic to those gluc shots)

two bottles of water( big)
I underslung pump
I( in pack) Co2 pump( need to get the small type for bike bag. Whats good?)
2 bananas( for commute - 15 miles per trip)
cycle comp( old only gives time)
phone
money
a teabag( herbal)

If using a pack;
lock
apple blackcurrant juice


I need id and medicare card, whoops! ( Thanks for reminders!)
I have excellent polarized glasses.Cost a fortune but always good for Aussie sun( too bright) and avoiding bugs in eye.

I found lately that its good to bring spare glasses and a contact case.as my eyes turn bright red after a while and it freaks people out at stops!