Carrying stuff with you on long rides

[PscyclePath]

+100 for KnottedYet & Bicyclista... those guys rock it!

The bike I ride most all the time when I need to go somewhere, or off on club or training rides is a Surly touring bike with rear and front cargo racks. I usually have a Columbus rack trunk back there, but will either swap it out or augment it with panniers on a regular basis. All my goodies and comfort stuff go back there, as well as any Good Samaritan-type accessories. On both the LHT and my carbon road bikes, I carry a small Janndd handlebar bag that holds a spare tube, CO2 cartridges & inflator, flat-fixing tools, a tube of Nuun tablets, the battery & cable for my headlight, and maybe a few other small things that need to be squeezed in.

Racks, trunks and panniers are way under-rated... One of the reasons I ride my steel tourer so much more than my road or MT bike is that I've gotten spoiled by all the little comforts I can take with me on a rack-equipped bike. And it has a training benefit, having been pushing a 50-pound bike all spring and summer, when I load up for the HH 100 at the end of the month and go from the 50-pound Surly to the 18-pound (loaded) Orbea, I'm counting on that 30-pound handicap

[smilingcat]

Wow!!! Maybe I need to change my ways!

Always was and always will be a roadie

I carry my cell phone, patch kit, spare CO2 cartridge, CO2pump with cartridge, spare tube, tire "iron", about $5.00 in cash and Luna bar/banana on occasion. And it all fits in mt jersey pocket.

I guess I'm not as prepared as some here

[maillotpois]

It totally depends for me on how long the ride is and what it is (supported/non-supported, remote, etc.).

Every ride: saddle bag with tools, 2 tubes, CO2, phone, money. Food and extra clothes if needed in jersey pockets.

For most of my rides as long as a double century, supported or not, I really don't carry much more than that.

Brevets over 300k: the whole shebang. Handle bar bar or trunk bag. I now have a rack and trunk bag with small panniers, but before I used a handlebar bag. Almost all our brevets that long are in pretty remote areas and they're all unsupported. 3 - 4 tubes and a pump as well as CO2. For a 600k, I bring an extra pair of shorts and long rain pants and a jacket, even if its not raining, for warmth. Back up lights and bulbs.

It also depends on the company: I just did a 30 miler with my daughter (her longest ride in her new bike with clipless) and I brought my brevet bike with a trunk bag with extra clothes, food, etc. We didn't end up needing any of it, but it was good to have in case and I really didn't care about the weight.

[Biciclista]

thanks psyclepath.. You said what I didn't think of.. The little COMFORTs of being able to carry stuff.
I can carry a first aid kit without having to put it in my pocket. I don't know about anyone else here, but I've LOST stuff that i put into my pockets, they are behind me and sometimes stuff gets pulled out when i am getting other stuff.
On longer rides, I often carry extra gloves, hats, little things like that are truly for comfort; not really necessary; but they sure help!

[TxDoc]

I just stuff what I need in the jersey pockets. Most of the time it is food, phone/wallet, car/house key, sunscreen, and sealant with CO2. On really long rides I stuff an extra tubie in the pocket just in case. If I ride clinchers I bring a spare tube instead of the sealant.
When it's cold at the start and then it gets warmer, I roll up jacket and gloves and tuck them in one of the waterbottle cages, or if both cages are occupied I stuff those in the back pockets too.

A few years back I tried a seat bag for a while, but it did snag a couple of bibs, and I never really saw the benefit of using it, so I decided to take it out. Never missed the thing.

Mimi I loved your picture of the bike with the rack!

[Becky]

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).

I just bought a couple of these in the smaller sizes for our phones. I'll post a review once they arrive...

[Catrin]

Since I use a hydration pack, there is a pocket inside of a pocket where I store my phone. No fast access, but I don't have to worry about it getting wet - or dropped...

[Crankin]

I've been caught in 2 torrential downpours in the last month and my unzip- locked phone was fine. So was DH's I phone.
It's all personal preference, but I don't mind stuffing my jersey pockets or my seat bag, which is not huge, but bigger than the average roadie's. I would have a bigger bag if my bike could handle it, or at least a bigger one I could use for the occasions that warranted one. I have been slightly annoyed at some of the group rides I have done (this is a purely social group with good riders who always include a lunch stop) when we stopped someplace to get food and then actually had to carry it to a different location to eat, like a park. Well, there I was with a huge paper bag full of a sandwich and drink, it was 90 degrees out and we were on Cape Cod in summer traffic. I had to ask someone to carry for me and I felt terrible. If they had warned me, I would have worn my Camelbak.

[lauraelmore1033]

I like to use a freebie drawstring bag from the Cycle the Wave ride on long rides. I probably carry too much stuff, and I'm getting better about that, but the wide variations in temp/precip throughout the day make it a necessity in my book. It is light and comfortable I must say, so I can't see a reason not to wear it. The bag also makes me recognizable on various organized rides and such. Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. If I ever do something stupid/jerky on on one of those rides I'll have to look for a new bag...

[sfa]

I've got a small seat bag with an extra tube, patch kit, etc. For most rides I just have that and stick my i.d., phone, and a snack of some sort in my jersey pockets. But I also have a rack on my bike so for longer rides I attach a trunk bag to hold more food, a jacket, lock, or anything else I need. For commuting, I use a larger pannier to hold whatever I need for the day.

Sarah

[JuneHawk]

On my road bike, I have a medium sized saddle bag in which I carry a spare tube, CO2 canister, CO2 pump and tire leavers. In the pockets of my jersey I carry my phone, car keys if I drove to the start or my garage opener if I rode from home, a small ZipLock bag with a credit card, my drivers license and a copy of my insurance car, and snacks and/or gels.

On my tri bike, I carry everything in my jersey pockets. I have a behind the saddle hydration system so no bag there. I could get a bento box but I haven't for some reason. It doesn't bother me to carry stuff in my pockets.

[RubyTuesday]

I struggled with space in my seat pack for all of the small things I carry. I finally got a Bento Box on the top bar and that solved my problems. I carry because of Diabetes a Meter, strips and lancet device and some type of granola bar, sugar or candy for low blood sugar. I also carry a spare tube, patch kit, small dual chamber pump in my pocket, tire levers and C02. My cell phone and my diabetes supplies go in the Bento Box, my flat tire stuff goes under the seat and my small blackburn pump goes in my jersey pocket.

[skywalkerbeth]

What is this bento box many have mentioned? I've heard. It in the context of food...

[ny biker]

Well this is the one I'm using these days:

http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodLG_1493734.html

I like it because it has a rain cover and you can never have enough reflective stripes on your bike.

But many manufacturers make them now, with differences in style and size. Like this for example:

http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodFB_840200.html.

[skywalkerbeth]

Thanks! Can you get a cell phone and keys in there? Along with the food... I'm going to have to take my fanny pack off, I think. But when I ride longer rides, twill be tough to carry all I need.