What are your "must haves"?

[ny biker]

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

This is a lot of stuff. You carry extra shorts and gloves on every ride over 50 miles?

I try to strike a balance between being prepared and keeping the overall weight of bike+rider to a minimum. I have enough trouble getting up hills without extra stuff weighing me down.

[ZenSojourner]

This is a lot of stuff. You carry extra shorts and gloves on every ride over 50 miles?

I do.

The extra weight on the bike is nothing compared to the extra weight on me.

It's really not that much stuff. Most of it is small, lightweight items. What's a driver's license weigh, for heaven's sake? Is the 0.25 ounces a hair band weighs going to keep me from climbing a hill?

On at least 2 occasions I've been VERY glad of the extra shorts. Since I rarely ride more than 60 miles in one day, that's a higher proportion of the time than you might at first think.

The extra gloves have come in handy several times, once because I crashed and tore hell out of the gloves I was wearing. The rest of the time, well, if I get caught in the rain, eventually those gloves get soaked and it's nice to have a dry pair on the off chance it stops raining before I stop riding.

What would you have me leave? The frame pump? Uh uh, even one use justifies that, and I've used it more often than that.

My cell phone? Nope, it's a safety device when I'm out riding.

The snacks? I only take about 4 oz total of snackish type food with me, not worth the leaving, compared to the risk of bonking. Ditto the fluids.

Maybe my bike shoes? That's the heaviest item on the list. Sure, I could go barefootin' . . . LOL!

If you're seriously going to be inconvenience by a pound or two of "extra" weight, I don't know, you might want to consider a training regimen.

You think that's a lot, you should see the extra weight when I go to the grocery and load 'er up!

[aicabsolut]

Seat bag:
2 tire levers
1 80mm valve tube
1 average length valve tube
1 valve extender
1 gel (in case of bonk)
2 CO2 cartridges
multitool
sometimes cell phone (if I need the space in my pockets)

Pockets:
mini pump (dual pump / CO2)
chapstick w/ SPF
wallet w/ keys attached. Containing usual stuff, but at minimum:
ID, CC, cash, insurance card
FOOD: packets of Clif bloks. Maybe Clif bar for really long rides.

Bike:
2 bottles, with electrolyte water and/or Clif drink
Garmin Edge 305

Helmet:
I write my insurance, emergency contact, and medical info on the ID stickers inside my helmet.


I should probably keep a dose of my migraine meds in my seat bag as well. They come in individual pouches. Even so, I worry about crushing it (fast dissolve tablets), and those buggers are expensive.

[Vireo]

I do.

The extra weight on the bike is nothing compared to the extra weight on me.

It's really not that much stuff. Most of it is small, lightweight items. What's a driver's license weigh, for heaven's sake? Is the 0.25 ounces a hair band weighs going to keep me from climbing a hill?

On at least 2 occasions I've been VERY glad of the extra shorts. Since I rarely ride more than 60 miles in one day, that's a higher proportion of the time than you might at first think.

The extra gloves have come in handy several times, once because I crashed and tore hell out of the gloves I was wearing. The rest of the time, well, if I get caught in the rain, eventually those gloves get soaked and it's nice to have a dry pair on the off chance it stops raining before I stop riding.

What would you have me leave? The frame pump? Uh uh, even one use justifies that, and I've used it more often than that.

My cell phone? Nope, it's a safety device when I'm out riding.

The snacks? I only take about 4 oz total of snackish type food with me, not worth the leaving, compared to the risk of bonking. Ditto the fluids.

Maybe my bike shoes? That's the heaviest item on the list. Sure, I could go barefootin' . . . LOL!

If you're seriously going to be inconvenience by a pound or two of "extra" weight, I don't know, you might want to consider a training regimen.

You think that's a lot, you should see the extra weight when I go to the grocery and load 'er up!

You know the OP was talking about "must haves" right?

[ZenSojourner]

You know the OP was talking about "must haves" right?

Well one person's "must have" might seem unnecessary to another. Since you can't be sure what you "must have" on each and every ride, my list of "must haves" includes things I can't tell for sure whether or not I'll need until AFTER the fact.

[Miranda]

Something I forgot to put in my original post I'll add here...

a plastic sandwich or snack size baggie.

I originally brought the baggie along to roll up the packaged contacts to help them from getting lost in my saddle bag, or accidently falling out if I stopped etc. (baggie is more noticeable). However...

I used that same baggie once when caught out in the rain. Luckily I didn't have far to ride home, but the baggie worked great for giving my cell phone enough water proof protection until I got in.

On a womanly note, if you have any sporadiac cycle issue, a compact size tampon is nice to have in the saddle bag. Though a female fellow rider might help you out there if needed. Unfortunately I am one of those that tried the Diva Cup and it didn't work for me (short of story).

Sure... bike shorts are normally black, like a lot of saddles, but if you are too soaked through things can well... 'travel'. Sorry, not a happy ride picture, but a fact of womanly life for some of us.

[ZenSojourner]

(snip)
I used that same baggie once when caught out in the rain. Luckily I didn't have far to ride home, but the baggie worked great for giving my cell phone enough water proof protection until I got in.

(snip)

On a womanly note, if you have any sporadiac cycle issue, a compact size tampon is nice to have in the saddle bag.

Two more good ideas. I guess I'm just going to have to load up another ounce or two, LOL!

If you keep the spare tampon IN the baggie, maybe I could count that as one item, LOL!

[VeloVT]

Something I forgot to put in my original post I'll add here...

a plastic sandwich or snack size baggie.

I originally brought the baggie along to roll up the packaged contacts to help them from getting lost in my saddle bag, or accidently falling out if I stopped etc. (baggie is more noticeable). However...

I used that same baggie once when caught out in the rain. Luckily I didn't have far to ride home, but the baggie worked great for giving my cell phone enough water proof protection until I got in.

Yeah, now that you mention it, I usually keep an empty sandwich sized ziplock in my seatbag too, on longer rides. It's a good place to gather miscellaneous trash -- energy bar wrappers, gum (yuck, but better than leaving it somewhere if there's no trash around), etc.

[Vireo]

Something I forgot to put in my original post I'll add here...

a plastic sandwich or snack size baggie.

I originally brought the baggie along to roll up the packaged contacts to help them from getting lost in my saddle bag, or accidently falling out if I stopped etc. (baggie is more noticeable). However...

I used that same baggie once when caught out in the rain. Luckily I didn't have far to ride home, but the baggie worked great for giving my cell phone enough water proof protection until I got in.

On a womanly note, if you have any sporadiac cycle issue, a compact size tampon is nice to have in the saddle bag. Though a female fellow rider might help you out there if needed. Unfortunately I am one of those that tried the Diva Cup and it didn't work for me (short of story).

Sure... bike shorts are normally black, like a lot of saddles, but if you are too soaked through things can well... 'travel'. Sorry, not a happy ride picture, but a fact of womanly life for some of us.

I ALWAYS pack my Blackberry Curve in a snack-size baggie for the most common thing I will encounter in SoCal -- sweat. On rainy days the snack size baggie it is a "must have". The sandwich baggie is loose enough to operate the keys but the snack size packs in my jersey pocket better.

[aicabsolut]

I ALWAYS pack my Blackberry Curve in a snack-size baggie for the most common thing I will encounter in SoCal -- sweat. On rainy days the snack size baggie it is a "must have". The sandwich baggie is loose enough to operate the keys but the snack size packs in my jersey pocket better.

+1

Even when my cell is in my seat bag, that thing is not 100% waterproof (particularly b/c of the zippers). If I get caught in the rain or something, the phone is soaked. If the phone is in my pocket, it's soaked in sweat. My cell phone always goes in a sealed sandwich bag.

[smurfalicious]

On a womanly note, if you have any sporadiac cycle issue, a compact size tampon is nice to have in the saddle bag.

Tee hee! <sarcasm> as a stick up my butt, elitist, spandex wearing, "you are not worthy to polish my carbon fiber with your ExOfficio panties" racer snob I've found that my IUD is a much better solution. Not only is it incredibly lightweight, but I don't have periods anymore. I find this to be insanely beneficial to my rigorous training schedule of "Hmmm, today looks like a good day for a ride," and my strenuous weight lifting program of long neck bottle lifts (6 reps thankyouverymuch!). </sarcasm>

Kitchen sink bringers might do well to avoid looking at this. I got this bag from the Topeak rep and I love it!

http://www.topeak.com/products/Bags/ProPackMicro

It holds a tube, my Park MT-1 "multi-tool," CO2 cartridge and levers. If I really beat on it I can get some chapstick in there. I suppose for anything above 50 miles I might switch to my slightly larger bag and take two tubes, two CO2 just in case.

Otherwise I throw my Jimi wallet in my back pocket with my phone, some grub in said pockets and call it good.

I can empathize with those who bring what seems to others as a lot of stuff. I was very much the same way for a long time and then inevitably I'd regularly forget something, or it would get taken out of the pack and a few rides would go by and I'd realize I didn't need it.

I took an outdoor living skills/survival class a while back and one of our outings was to simulate being lost on a day hike. We had to have our packs weighed beforehand, couldn't be over ten pounds. Essentially an extra layer or two and snacks was all we could bring. So we had to build and sleep in emergency shelters in November, at 3500 feet.

Perhaps that has an impact on my minimalist packing. Sure I could bring a boo boo kit, but is a bandaid going to really make my scraped up palms feel any better riding home? Probably not. Major flesh wounds will be addressed with whatever piece of apparel fits the bill, and in that case my phone will do lots more good.

And to this day whenever I travel I bring oh, about ten pairs more socks and underwear than I could possibly need. Why? Because once when I was young I had to spend a week at my dad's and forgot underwear. It was awful and despite only being 15-20 miles from my mom's I didn't dare say anything to my dad because uh, well I haven't talked to him in 8 years if that says anything. Inside out underwear, not too terribly uncomfortable though.

[Biciclista]

I have to let you guys know that if i am going to be on a ride that is going to last more than a few hours and therefore, with more than one temperature, I'm going to bring extra gloves too. Why why would i rough it? gloves don't weigh anything. I might bring 2 extra pairs! and you know what, when it gets hot out, my hands get icky and sweaty. how nice to change gloves.

And bandaids? most of the people I ride with carry little first aid kits. Maybe I'm going to be home in 30 minutes, but maybe i'm going to be out all day. And just maybe, I'm going to run into a 10 year old who just crashed his bike! he might like a bandaid.

If i am riding with faster friends, I will wear a camelbak in the summertime even for a 25 mile ride. Why? I can drink at my leisure and in comfort.

I have a buddy who carries practically everything and the kitchen sink. He and a friend were on a 200k ride where something broke in the crank. My friend had EVERYTHING they needed to fix it and they completed the ride.
I REALLY like riding with that guy.

I agree with some of the other posters on here. Each of us is entitled to having our VERY own list of what we feel we "MUST HAVE" on a ride. I see no need to critique other people's lists. what they carry on their bike is their prerogative.

[ny biker]

I do.

The extra weight on the bike is nothing compared to the extra weight on me.

It's really not that much stuff. Most of it is small, lightweight items. What's a driver's license weigh, for heaven's sake? Is the 0.25 ounces a hair band weighs going to keep me from climbing a hill?

On at least 2 occasions I've been VERY glad of the extra shorts. Since I rarely ride more than 60 miles in one day, that's a higher proportion of the time than you might at first think.

The extra gloves have come in handy several times, once because I crashed and tore hell out of the gloves I was wearing. The rest of the time, well, if I get caught in the rain, eventually those gloves get soaked and it's nice to have a dry pair on the off chance it stops raining before I stop riding.

What would you have me leave? The frame pump? Uh uh, even one use justifies that, and I've used it more often than that.

My cell phone? Nope, it's a safety device when I'm out riding.

The snacks? I only take about 4 oz total of snackish type food with me, not worth the leaving, compared to the risk of bonking. Ditto the fluids.

Maybe my bike shoes? That's the heaviest item on the list. Sure, I could go barefootin' . . . LOL!

If you're seriously going to be inconvenience by a pound or two of "extra" weight, I don't know, you might want to consider a training regimen.

You think that's a lot, you should see the extra weight when I go to the grocery and load 'er up!

Wow. What's with the hostility? Thanks but I have a training regimen already.

[Miranda]

I was thinking about this the other day trying to "ween" myself to a smaller lighter bag (though it's only an expandable seat wedge as is).

A lot in this thread I carry. I guess think about is there anything *very specific* to you that no one else would have (another ride pal etc.) to bail you out?

My asthma inhailer RX medicine and spacer is one.

My prescription contact lens are another. I have been quite a ways out and gotten a good gust of farm field dust or 'road somethin somethin' in my contact before.

When you can't see right... getting back home can be a problem. And btw, 'yes'... I do carry a cell phone (provided who you call for help is available to do so).

I could get RX inserts for my Rudy Project sunglasses... but not having my peripheral vision is bothersome in traffic to ME (I hate wearing even my regular glasses for that reason). So...

An extra pair of contacts go in the bag for sure!

Happy packing!

[ZenSojourner]

Wow. What's with the hostility? Thanks but I have a training regimen already.

Sorry, but that was not hostile. It's a shame you feel it was.

It was, however, responding in kind. I didn't notice any one else's list getting critiqued.

So, if you want to have a dialogue, what would you have me leave behind?

Not that I would leave anything behind because that IS my "must have" list, which I have expanded rather than shrinking after getting good ideas from other people.