Carrying stuff with you on long rides

[OakLeaf]

If I know I'm going to be a long way between water stops on a hot day, I'll wear my Platypus pack. I don't really like wearing it on the bike (nothing to do with fashion, everything to do with heat dissipation and weight distribution), but it beats dehydration.

It's a lot more comfortable if you loosen the shoulder straps so that most of the weight of the water rests on your hipbones, on the waist straps.


Nathan makes a couple of packs designed for mountain biking. I've never tried them, but as amazingly perfectly balanced as their running vests are, I'd tend to expect the bike packs to be just as good.

I'm a believer that- if it doesn't fit in your jersey pockets- you don't need it.

Unless you need an Epi-Pen like me, or other medical supplies like RubyTuesday...

Or unless you ride in rural areas, where not having a good multi-tool could mean a LONG period of being stranded... and not carrying water could mean dehydration, because there's just no way to carry three liters in your jersey pockets and cages...

I admit I don't need a full-fledged phone on a ride, and my phone takes way more weight and space in my pocket than I like, but anyone who rides in rural areas does need *a* phone. (Anyone who rides in *really* rural areas probably needs a SPOT device, which is freakin' enormous.) I thought about getting a cheap prepaid flip phone specifically for riding and running, but decided against it. And if you drive to the start of a ride, a car key is bulky, too.