What are your "must haves"?

[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?

[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!

[PamNY]

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.

Zen:

Often in this group, questions are asked for purpose of clarification, not argument. This is very helpful for beginners like me.

While I can't know the motivation of the person who asked you a question, I can tell you that I am avidly reading this thread. I plan to do longer rides this summer, and I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from more experienced people.

Just something to keep in mind as you compose your responses. I can't tell you how wonderful it is to have a "safe" place to ask very basic questions without fear of snarky responses or ridicule.

Pam

[VeloVT]

One other thing I thought of -- for rides over 40 miles or so in hot weather, I will often bring "individual serve" packets of Gu20. If you have a place to fill your bottles/buy water, they're quite handy and don't take up too much room.

[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.

[ZenSojourner]

Just something to keep in mind as you compose your responses. I can't tell you how wonderful it is to have a "safe" place to ask very basic questions without fear of snarky responses or ridicule.

Pam

Well thanks, but considering some of the snarky responses I've gotten in other threads this doesn't seem to be a forum wide concern.

That said, the particular statement you picked out was intended to make light of a situation where frankly I felt I had gotten a snarky response. In case you didn't notice, this is what I was responding to:

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.

I think expressing that kind of incredulity and telling somebody the stuff they've got on their "must have" list is unnecessary extra weight, that, in effect, I have NOT "struck a balance between being prepared and keeping weight down", is pretty snarky. It's my list after all.

Don't you think I ought to be able to assume this is a "safe" place to post also?

YMMV. I suspect we'll just have to agree to disagree.

[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]

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.

[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.

[redrhodie]

I don't know, that baggie sounds too heavy.

[Vireo]

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

At the risk of getting my head chopped off I would like to express my views on some of the things on your list. I wish for you to take it only as my perspective from riding a minimum of 12,000 miles a year in racing and training most of it in very remote areas.

Some things happen on a bike that are freak happenings and may NEVER happen again or at the very least are less likely to repeat. For example, one day I had 5 flats. In my 20 plus years of riding that had never happened to me before nor has it happened since (last summer)

My intent is not to reduce the weight of your gear although that will happen. Quite the contrary, I have a term for the over-packing of "must haves" I call it the Linus Blanket Syndrome. Leave it behind you really don't need all of it.


2 spare tubes, 1 700c and 1 24"
patch kit
multi-tool
ball wrench
compact screwdriver COMBINE ALL OF THESE INTO ONE MULITOOL
tire pressure gauge TRULY UNNECCESSARY
spare stem FOR YOUR H-BARS? OR VALVE STEM? LEAVE IT BEHIND
spare stem caps USELESS-- STEM CAPS DON'T DO ANYTHING I HAVE NEVER USED THEM
tire levers
small pack of bandaids and antibiotic cream DEBATEABLE BUT YOUR RIDES ARE SHORT ENOUGH YOU CAN WAIT TO GET HOME TO DO THAT. IF YOU ADOPT A SPORT DRINK YOU CAN USE THAT TO RINSE YOUR WOUND. SUGAR IS A NATURAL ANTISPECTIC.

In my camelbak-equivalent: YOUR RIDES ARE SHORT ENOUGH YOU DON'T REALLY NEED A CAMELBACK
Driver's license
cell phone
bike lock: ARE YOU COMMUTING OTHERWISE MY BIKE NEVER LEAVES MY SIGHT. I WALK IT INTO GROCERY STORES UP AND DOWN THE AISLES OR EAT AT BIKE FRIENDLY PLACES ONLY
maps CAN YOU SORT THIS OUT BEFORE YOUR RIDE?
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
[LIST][*]extra bottles of propel HARDLY ANY NUTRITIONAL VALUE FIND A SPORT DRINK

[*]extra bike shorts WHY? GOOD PAIR OF SHORTS HAVE ENOUGH DENSITY AND MEMORY FOR AT LEAST A CENTURY. ON MY CENTURY PLUS TRAINING RIDES I DON'T TAKE EXTRA SHORTS. EVEN AT THE FURNACE CREEK 508 (508 MILES NON STOP) I DON'T CHANGE MY SHORTS BUT ONCE-- MAYBE TWICE MAINLY TO GIVE VISIBILITY TO MY SPONSORS WITH DIFFERENT KITS.

[*]rain gear

[*]extra gloves ROUGH IT A LITTLE -- YOU ARE ON A BIKE

[*]spare 24" tire (lashed to my rear rack) ALL YOU NEED IS A TIRE BOOT NOT A COMPLETE TIRE

[*]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) MOST "STILL" DIGITAL CAMERAS SHOOT VIDEO GET A BIGGER MEM CARD YOU CAN SHOOT UP TO 2 HOURS OF VIDEO
spare cell phone battery, fully charged and in a heavy duty ziploc bag: IS THIS FOR MULTI-DAY TRIPS OR ALWAYS?

Things I'm going to add after reading other people's lists:
Magnifying glass: IF YOU WEAR GLASSES OR NEED THEM FOR READNG THEN BRING -- READING GLASSES.

Now please this is not a hostile post. I just think you are planning for every eventuality and I truly believe you just don't need so much stuff. Even on my unsupported brevets of 600km (375 milers) I don't take half of the stuff you are taking with you on your 50 milers.

Additionally, while I believe there should be a "safe" place to post your concerns there should also be the attitude of "If I post something that is just silly can you girls set me straight?"