What do you carry and how do you carry it?

[bcipam]

I'm a Camelback user so that solves alot of problems but I carry a spare tube, tire irons and a small Park tool kit in a small under seat bag. I carry my cell phone and keys in a BENTO BAG. If you are unfamiliar with them, google Bento Bag. It's a rectangular shaped bag that sits behind the head/steering tube on the top bar. The large size (which isn't that large) is perfect for phone and keys, or a small digital camera, or fig bars etc.

PS: I stopped carrying CO2 a long time ago - too much hassle . I always carry 2 spare tubes (taken out of the square cardboard boxes and placed in plastic bags with talcum powder), tire irons (just two) the small tool kit in the seat bag and a Road Morph pump by Topeak that I carry in the pump port of the Camelback. I almost always also have some GU or a Balance Bar, some medical supplies such as bandages, and alcohol pads, personal ID, some money - all "just in case." I use a smaller Camelback for the road and a larger one for mountain biking.

[bikerchick68]

I don't wear a Camelback... mainly because I get really, really hot if my back is covered with it... I tried it once but especially in the summer here when I would need it, it was just too hot for me. I suffer in the heat and live for any weather that's from 40-80 degrees!

That being said, I have 2 bottle cages, a RoadMorph pump attached to my frame, and a medium size seat bag. The seat bag has 2 tubes, 2 tire levers, a multi tool, a ziploc with photocopy of my license and health insurance card, and a patch kit. I stopped carrying CO2 after getting the road morph... and switching to GatorSkins! Got tired of flatting...

I bought the Pearl Izumi jacket that has zip off sleeves... so if I get hot, I'll zip the sleeves off first and shove 'em in my pocket... if I need to strip the jacket I ROLL it up tight and it goes in one jersey pocket... my other pocket has cell phone, cash, and ClifShots... that's pretty much everything I need for about any distance... I mostly ride organized centuries... have only ridden 3 that weren't organized... but those routes always have 7-11's where I can get some food as needed... OH! And for a solo century... I also carry TP in my back pocket... I have had one emergency situation where I peed behind a shrub and really, really wished I had TP!

[bcipam]

Bikerchick - it's funny you don't wear a Camelback because it gets hot. It's much cooler (usually) in San Diego than Orange County. I feel the Camelback keeps me cooler. I definitely sweat where the Camelback lies and the sweat keeps me cool (sounds icky but that's the whole purpose of sweat isn't it).

I also hate to ride in hot weather. I do much better with cold than hot weather. Anything over 80 is hot for me. I wear sleeveless when possible. I like Nema's jerseys made especially for Camelbacks. The part where the Camelback sits is mesh so cooler than regular jerseys.

I think it's all in what you get used to. I like having my water in the Camelback - just so much easier to reach and drink. When I used the cage and bottles, I found I drank water less. Also, I hate carrying too much stuff on the bike - it can all rattle driving me crazy. The bike just handles so much better with less stuff attached to it.

PS: On long rides I still carry a small water bottle in my cage - just for pee emergencies. No TP - just squirt water. Much better for the environment and cleaner too!

[DebW]

I go pretty light. My small seat pack has a spare tube, patch kit, and tire levers (clincher bike) or spare tire (sew-up bike), Park MT-1 multitool, and presta adapter. Frame pump on the seat tube, water bottle on the downtube. Wallet, cell phone, and bandana go in jersey pocket. If I need to carry spare clothes I'll wear a fanny pack.