What are your "must haves"?

[jobob]

All this talk of essentials on a ride has given me an idea for my website. I will compile some of the good ideas and make kits based on mileage.

Glad we were of assistance.

[OakLeaf]

If the phone is in my pocket, it's soaked in sweat. My cell phone always goes in a sealed sandwich bag.

+1. I keep it in the same baggie with my paperwork and cash. I got tired of the looks I'd get from store clerks when I'd have to wring out two limp dollar bills before handing them over for a bottle of Gatorade.

[maillotpois]

I've seen boom boxes strapped to bikes, and that makes me smile.

There was a guy on DMD last weekend who had a water bottle shaped boom box thingy that fit in his bottle cage. It was VERY cool; however, I did NOT like his choice of music.

My forum options include bold, italics, underline, font size, font color, etc., not to mention just using quote tags (that little icon that looks like a square cartoon bubble). Lots of ways to differentiate.

But we're not all as creative (and computer talented) as you are!

[aicabsolut]

For snow/extreme cold, try neoprene gloves instead of changing gloves. I got some this winter. They ROCK. It doesn't matter how sweaty or wet you get (and you will get sweatier hands than usual, but it's worth it to have them stay warm).

[SadieKate]

Point taken, I'll be more careful.

Besides, it's a great outlet for silliness.

[SadieKate]

But we're not all as . . . ( . . .computer talented) as you are!

That would be BikerZ. Not moi. I merely kowtow at her feet (as she spends my money).

[Grog]

I prefer other people to bring more stuff than less with them.

Why does it matter to me?

Because I'm the kind soul that ends up giving a spare tube (I usually carry two) or a CO2 cartridge to someone who's stuck on the side of the road and didn't have the good sense of bringing their own. I'm not talking about the guy that had gone through four tubes on a rainy day, but the people that bring NOTHING. Then they try to call someone on their cell phone and they're out of range or something.

I've also loaned water bottles and my spare gloves. Of course I could have let them freeze their fingers off and enjoy the toasty dry gloves myself, but mine were not that awful and it sort of would have ruined the ride if a fellow club member lost her fingers, no?

I've also been on the receiving end of a phone call for help and while I didn't mind (it was an unpredictable mechanical problem: who brings spare cranks and pedals on rides??!), if it would have been a simple flat tire it would have made me... cranky.

So I'm happy for people to bring the kitchen sink with them on bike rides. Who knows, if I have an urgent need to do dishes I can borrow it from them just like others have "borrowed" tubes from me!

[SadieKate]

So I'm happy for people to bring the kitchen sink with them on bike rides. Who knows, if I have an urgent need to do dishes I can borrow it from them just like others have "borrowed" tubes from me!

LeeBob frequently has old bagels and cream cheese handy.

[snapdragen]

Uh oh, moderator in the house, play nice.

I blame jobob for my seat bag. I used to use a cute little hawaiian print bag that just barely held my stuff. Now I've got a giant (to me) Banana Bag that contains

1 tube inside an old sock
multi tool
speed lever
spare car door opener (after locking my keys in the car before a ride)
copy of drivers licence, insurance and a credit card in my jimi wallet
snax -- fig newtons are a favorite
sunscreen stick or small spray bottle
cell phone
Purell wipes
spare camera battery (charged)
patch kit - although I don't know why, I hate patching tubes.
bandana -- instead of kleenex


On the bike, two water bottles, pump, computer

I also have a small bento box that holds my digital camera.

Map/cue sheet holder

Depending on where I'm riding, I might have a Krebs map

[PamNY]

I prefer other people to bring more stuff than less with them.
Why does it matter to me?
Because I'm the kind soul that ends up giving a spare tube (I usually carry two) or a CO2 cartridge to someone who's stuck on the side of the road and didn't have the good sense of bringing their own.

I was wondering if anyone would mention this. I haven't yet done group rides, but I've certainly done hiking and camping and the people who didn't bring a spare whoozit are a pain.

I marvel at lack of emergency preparedness in general. I loaned out ALL my flashlights and camping lanterns and extra batteries during the blackout. Not that I mind loaning; I was just shocked at how many people had no emergency lighting, no battery radio, etc.

Pam

[ZenSojourner]

Propel - because Gatorade and all of it's cousins make me throw up when I ride, and at least Propel has a few vitamins and electrolytes not present in plain water. I substitute Propel and dried fruits which I can tolerate for the Gatorade and energy bars that I cannot.

Magnifying glass - I am dam' near blind for near vision. Distance vision is fine. Sure, I take my reading glasses with me. But as my decrepitude continues to advance, I find I can't read things like fine print, map details, or I need an extra boost in low light or when I'm very tired. Packing a magnifying glass because you're going blind isn't silly. It's foresight.

Maps - Really now. Until such time as you can get GPS implanted directly into your head, maps are still useful

Tiny tube of sunscreen - skin cancer runs in my family, my dad's had it twice and a cousin died of it. OK with you if I touch up the nose and face where I've sweated or rubbed the sunscreen off on long rides? That's a good idea for everybody spending hours in the sun.

valve stem and caps - came with my inner tube repair kit and I see no reason to sort them out and toss them. The caps I've used on occasion when I've lost one in the grass or in a puddle, they keep dirt out of the valve stem, I find them useful. They weigh next to nothing and take up no extra space, packed inside the tube repair kit as they are.

rain gear (for long rides), ditto spare shorts - I choose not to risk being cold and wet if I can avoid it. On occasion, I've been so cold after having to ride in the rain that I have thrown up while experiencing extreme chills - in the summer. Rain gear helps me to stay warm and dry, or at least to warm up when I get caught in a downpour and have to take shelter. I'm hypothyroid, that tends to make me more sensitive to cold, but it doesn't make me silly.

Bike lock - If I'm going grocery shopping or need to stop at a gas station to pee, I don't think the store owner is required to accommodate me AND my bike. Leaving it outside is only being considerate, and leaving it locked up is only sensible. Besides, I don't want to have to drag it along with me when I have more important things to do, like pick up groceries. Or pee. It's just in MY way as well as being a problem to others.

Camelbak - clearly you prefer water bottles. I prefer a camelbak. So what?

Bandaids - seriously, you want to bust my chops over BANDAIDS?

I could go on but I'm not going to bother. This was about you knocking the newby down to size, you don't care what I pack or why.

You know there were any number of non-judgmental ways to ask why I carry this or that. Simply saying "I never thought of taking an extra pair of gloves along, how have you found that useful"? or "I have this thing called a "tire boot" and this is what it does and this is how to use it, that's what I use instead of carrying a spare tire, do you think that might work for you?"

But instead you chose to be just as confrontational as you possibly could over such trivial items as the extra valve caps and stem that come in my inner tube repair kit, a few bandaids, a tiny thing of sunscreen.

YOUR RIDES ARE SHORT ENOUGH YOU CAN WAIT TO GET HOME . . . YOUR RIDES ARE SHORT ENOUGH YOU DON'T REALLY NEED . . .

Something you might consider as well, your definition of a long ride and someone else's definition of the same thing are highly likely NOT to match. From your comment about sponsors' logos on your bike shorts it would seem you have at least semi-professional standing in the cycling world, if not pro.

So maybe you can do a 50 mile ride in a couple of hours or less, and that seems "short" to you, but I take a more leisurely pace. A 50 mile ride is INTENTIONALLY an all day thing for me. I like to take it easy and go tooling through the countryside at my leisure, making frequent stops to watch somebody's horses for awhile, or to enjoy the wildflowers or birdsong, or just to sit in the shade and munch a few dates and slug back a bit of Propel (substitute the sports drink of your choice for yourself).

When you ride like that, you're at a higher risk for sudden changes in the weather, like rain, or high winds, or even, on occasion, hail and thunderstorms (I've weathered more than one of those in somebody's outbuilding with the hail peppering the metal roof). Sometimes a property owner or their kids will come out and talk to me when I stop to take a break, ask me about my bike, just have a casual conversation. I've never had anybody run me off or be rude to me when I'm off on a rural jaunt (except for rare occasions when I'm WAY off the beaten track and I have a problem with dogs running loose, and ignoring the occasional moron in a motor vehicle who throws or spits something at you).

Everything doesn't have to be YOUR way. The way you ride isn't the only correct way. If I'm carrying different things with me than you do, that's not silly, it's simply a reflection of my different outlook and needs.

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?"

No. This presupposes an ability on your part to judge what is silly; not only the ability, but the RIGHT to do so. It also shows a condescending and dismissive attitude to what you think isn't important that has no basis in reality and is surely not rooted in compassion.

I have good reasons for packing the things that I pack. It works for me. If you find something of value there, welcome to it; if not, that's not a license to beat me over the head with your silliness bludgeon.

Different isn't silly. It's just different.

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

by Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Some of us just like to take our time, to look without judging or compartmentalizing, not to hurry. There's always time to hurry; it's making time to take your time that sometimes seems difficult, but life is so much poorer if you don't. If you want to shake your head over it, feel free. Just don't expect me to hurry up. Every now and then, promises can wait a bit, while I take all day for a 50 mile bike ride.

[jobob]

LeeBob frequently has old bagels and cream cheese handy.

Well gee you just never know when hunger strikes!

[salsabike]

All this talk of essentials on a ride has given me an idea for my website. I will compile some of the good ideas and make kits based on mileage.

Actually, that's a pretty cool idea. If you are willing, please let us know if you really do put that together and put it up on your site.

[jobob]

I blame jobob for my seat bag.

Glad to help. Bwah hah hah.

[crazycanuck]

+1! Vireo(Can well call you george?) do you just have info on roadie stuff or mtb stuff as well on your training site?

In terms of a roadie ride-I just carry a phone, change, id & keys in my little ground effect wallet thing. If i'm doing 50km+ I'll just have a baggie with my drink stuff & fill up at at the beach(the pee stop) plus a couple of clif blok packages.

Mtn biking-Ground Effect hydration pack with phone & id, sock with co2 cartidges w little pump top thing, multi tool & a gu or raisins or whatever else I choose.

Sk-thanks for the coolio seat like Madame Snap has.

Oh, Jobob-why not have leebob toast the old bagels?