Carrying stuff with you on long rides

[jobob]

As for sunscreen:

REI sells small-to-tiny plastic bottles in their camping department, I put my sunscreen in the 1 oz. cyclinder bottle, which is very easy to carry in a jersey pocket or a small saddlebag.


Story time ..

Back in the day, I also used to carry chamois butter in one of those bottles; I labeled the sunscreen bottle with an S and the chamois butter bottle with a C.

One day I was riding up Mt. Diablo and I was experiencing chafing issues so I made a quick pit stop. As I was emerging from the dark porta-potty, I glanced at the bottle. Yep, I used the bottle labeled S.

That's really putting it where the sun don't shine!

(oh, and it worked fine ... )

[spokewench]

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

I don't use a seat bag, they always rub on my shorts- no matter what..
tube and co2 go in a ziplock bag in my middle pocket, phone and house key in a side pocket and then gels, blocks,etc. in the other pocket. I will carry my debit card with me so I can stop at a convenience store if needed.

I will travel like this on the road bike sometimes, but no way on the mountain bike - I'm way too far out in the boonies for that most times.

[ehirsch83]

We are all different- that is what makes TE so great.

This just shows the different mentality of a racer/group rider verse a touring rider/ longer distance relaxed rider.

[jobob]

This just shows the different mentality of a racer/group rider verse a touring rider/ longer distance relaxed rider.

Oh, absolutely! I was looking back at some of your earlier posts and I realized you were approaching all this from a very different perspective than mine.

And heaven knows I'm a relaxed rider ... my motto is "every ride is a recovery ride"!

[soprano]

I'm always surprised that I don't see more people with handlebar bags. I have a touring-type handlebar bag with a map holder that will take everything I need for a long ride. Yes, it does affect slow-speed handling (must be careful not to overload!) but I get lost easily and I've never regretted having a real paper map and compass on hand; I dislike using a GPS because I never feel like I know where I am.

[Crankin]

I have a medium-ish seat bag. It's stuffed with 2 tubes, Co2 cartridges, anti-biotic cream, Shot Blocks, an extra Luna bar and a tube of Nuun. It expands and I can put my vest in there, or arm warmers, but those tend to go in jersey pockets.
I've saved a few people who crashed with my antibiotic cream. I carry it for when I lead rides.
Nothing else on my bike except 2 water bottle cages. At one time, when I had my Trek I had a front bag. Then, when I took it off, I noticed how much better my bike handled. Seriously, I have enough trouble cornering, I didn't need something to make it worse!
My "second" bike has a rack and pannier. But, that's the bike I don't use for long rides. I depend on DH to carry things like jackets or a big lunch, as he can fit a Carradice bag on his bike, but mine has essentially no seat tube. I've learned to dress the right way because of this.

[wackyjacky1]

I used to use a large Topeak seat bag that would hold my phone, wallet, keys, extra tube, gu gels or shot blocks, etc. It was great and held everything I might need.

Then I got my Kindle. Now my Kindle goes where I go, and it doesn't fit in the seat bag. (Sometimes I like to stop for a coffee and read for a bit when I'm out on my longer weekend rides.) Enter the Toba trunk bag. It holds everything, including my Kindle and u-lock.

Funny thing is, I generally don't carry a purse -- I just grab my wallet and phone, and I'm good to go. For some reason I carry way more cr@p when I'm on my bike.

[OakLeaf]

Chamois cream in a 1/2 oz screwtop jar, sunblock in half a contact lens case. Keeps 'em distinct.

[spokewench]

I agree that carrying two tubes can be overkill (depending on the situation), but I find I'm much less likely to flat *at all* if I'm carrying two tubes instead of one. Funny how that works.

One tube, one patch kit; If I get more than one flat, I'll just patch it, with hopefully fresh glue!

[spokewench]

We are all different- that is what makes TE so great.

This just shows the different mentality of a racer/group rider verse a touring rider/ longer distance relaxed rider.

By the way, I've been both, a racer and a long distance/mountain bike rider; so I kind of understand both mentalities, I'm like a hybrid bike!

[RubyTuesday]

As for sunscreen:

Story time ..

Back in the day, I also used to carry chamois butter in one of those bottles; I labeled the sunscreen bottle with an S and the chamois butter bottle with a C.

One day I was riding up Mt. Diablo and I was experiencing chafing issues so I made a quick pit stop. As I was emerging from the dark porta-potty, I glanced at the bottle. Yep, I used the bottle labeled S.

That's really putting it where the sun don't shine!

(oh, and it worked fine ... )

Where is the "like" button when you need one. Cute story!~

[skywalkerbeth]

Good morning!

Thanks for the tips. I do have a "flat kit" but the bag is almost full. I could probably stuff a breakfast bar inside though. I was wondering about the Camelbak on long rides. The thing is, of course, that once you buy it, it's a fair bit of money spent and you won't know how your back will feel until you use it once. A friend told me about another system that hooks directly onto the bike with a hose coming up from near the handlebars...

Is the rule of thumb "snack every 20 miles whether you need it or not"?

Who carries TP or handiwipes? I forgot to mention I carry handiwipes because the trail porta potties are disgusting. The last time I used one someone had apparently just had a major bout of diarrhea (fresh) and my gag reflex is going right now even thinking of it.

Yes, there is TP in the potties (so far) but I still feel icky when I exit...

[tulip]

Snacking: I drink a swig every 5 minutes or so. I take a bite of a powerbar every 15 minutes. It's become a habit, and I haven't come close to bonking since I started doing this. If you wait until you are thirsty or hungry, you've waited too long.

[jessmarimba]

For those of you who pocket the cell phones, do you also ziploc it? Mine gets so sweaty in my jersey pocket that I'm afraid I'm going to ruin it. So I've kind of stopped carrying it unless I'm realllly going out in the middle of nowhere (where it probably wouldn't work anyway).

The map function is helpful, but I have no one here I could call if I needed a ride, etc. and pretty much stay in populated areas where anyone could call 911. I guess I just don't see it as necessary for a ride, but my family would prefer I carry it.

[OakLeaf]

YES. After a close call this spring when a pin-sized hole worn in my ziploc bag let my phone get damp, I double-bag both it and my car key now, with a couple of desiccant packs that came in the box with electronic gizmos. Thankfully I was able to remove my phone's battery and dry it out and it's worked fine since [touch wood].

I've told this story here before, but it bears repeating. When I had my concussion, it was 1987. We were only about seven miles from a hospital and a mile from my friend's truck - not even close to "middle of nowhere." But with me lying there unconscious and no such thing as cell phones, there was no way for him to call for help. He sat with me, terrified I'm sure, for 25 minutes, until I regained enough consciousness that he felt it was the better option to leave me alone on the side of the road for a few minutes while he went for his truck. Having checked me over as best he could for spinal cord injuries, he helped me into his truck and drove me to the ER himself.

With a phone, the EMTs could've been there with a backboard long before I even regained consciousness. [With a phone, they WERE there within minutes this past December, when I didn't have a concussion, but was once again very lucky not to have broken my neck.] If I hadn't come to reasonably quickly 24 years ago, my friend would've been faced with the even more difficult choice of leaving me alone and unconscious by the side of the road, probably to drive three miles away to a pay phone to summon the EMS.

Carry it. And if you're often in cell shadow, either alone or with others in mountains (as opposed to my area, where we're often in cell shadow but it's not a terribly long walk to the top of the hill to find signal), carry a SPOT device.