What is the minimum I need to keep in my saddle bag?

[cinnamon_toast]

I always bring my cell phone - what else should I have in there? Spare tube or patch kit and tire irons? What is everyone else carrying around.

[indysteel]

My saddle bag contains a tube, patch kit, tire levers, a CO2 pump, 2-3 spare CO2 cannisters, money, and I.D. with my name, address, insurance information, parents' phone number, etc. I also put my keys and cell phone in there during a ride. Needless to say, my saddle bag isn't itty bitty.

[singletrackmind]

Tube, patch kit, tire levers, co2 pump, 6 co2 cartridges, Wrapper from powerbar or like for tire patching, Park multi-tool, chain repair tool, extra chain link, ID, mini plier for my disc pad retainers, a little money.

I think that's it.

Knowing how to use the stuff is important too. Can't count the number of times I've stopped to help some poor frustrated soul figure out a new pump or fix a flat. Not that I mind helping (sure don't) but sometimes they've been there quite awhile before I come by. Oh, and if you've got a tube kicking around in there you might want to protect it with something, sometimes they get holes rubbed into them while they're in a seat bag.

[coyote]

Add some off those non-latex gloves...changing a tube can get dirty.

[short cut sally]

Bike #1's saddle bag could fit a kitchen sink into if I tried hard enough. That holds money, snacks, CO2 inflator, cartridges, tubes, levers, a mini-tool, cell phone, keys, and room to add all my clothing that i'm ready to remove after it warms up. Bike #2's saddle bag is small. It holds money, mini-tool, CO2 inflator and cartridge, tube, levers. The essentials. It is water proof, unfortunitly, I don't have enough room to put my cell phone in there if I was to get wet, unless I rearrange and put stuff in my jersey pocket and everything else goes in my jersey pockets also.

[Zen]

Two tubes, tire levers, multipurpose tools,money, I.D, copies of insurance cards and emergency contact,cell phone and I can't go anywhere without my camera...old photographers never retire.

You could probably do without the camera but you never know what kind of interesting road kill you'll see.

[bmccasland]

bag #1, under the saddle contains: tool kit, spare tube, CO2, tire patch kit (bike / tire repair stuff)
bag #2, "Bento Box" on the top tube contains: ID, insurance card, benadryl, albuteral inhalor, cell phone, car key, and sometimes a Clif bar.

[anakiwa]

Tube, patch kit, tire levers, hex-key/screwdriver tool, and $20 bill (this item gets used most often). I have a pump on the bike as well. I have a bag on every bike I own (it's worth it not to have to worry that I'll have forgotten it when I most need it).

Cell phone depends on where I'm riding (there are a lot of places around here where a cell phone is just dead weight).

[Melalvai]

I always bring my cell phone - what else should I have in there? Spare tube or patch kit and tire irons? What is everyone else carrying around.

It depends on what you are doing. As a commuter, I keep a lot of stuff in my rack trunk. Recreational riding, or racing, or touring, etc will have different needs. The contents change when I do a century.

I agree, don't bother with patch kit etc unless you know how to use it. If you can't take a class, go to your local bike shop and ask them to show you.

The multi tool has been a good investment for me. I like being able to make my own adjustments, I've spent a lot of time with my riding buddies & the LBS learning from them. I can adjust my saddle angle in the middle of a ride, for example.

[northstar]

Tube, patch kit, levers, CO2 cartridge, cell phone, ID, chapstick, snack of some sort. I just don't like the feel of stuff in the back of my jersey (unless I'm commuting through the ghetto...then I keep my cell in my jersey pocket).

A girlfriend of mine just carries a cell phone. I feel a bit unprepared with just that.

[li10up]

IMO the minimum you need is:
tube, patch kit, 1 tire lever, money, sm. multi tool, copy of ID, and pump or co2 with 2 cartridges.

I have a very small seat bag and it all goes in there except the co2 pump...it goes in my jersey pocket along with my cell phone, a copy of my car key...no need to carry the whole key ring...and maybe a gel if I plan on going more than 30 miles. I like to travel light on the bike.

[agrsgrl]

Yeah, I keep a spare tube, patch kit, mini-tool, tire levers, money (including quarters), ID, insurance card, CO2 cartridges and inflator, chapstick, and a small thing of sunblock. I usually carry my phone in my jersey pocket, although I'm finding the heat and sweat is causing some problems.

One trick with gels is to tape them to your top tube to carry them. makes them easy to access. Just make sure that your knees aren't going to hit the tube or you'll end up with some nasty paper cuts.

[singletrackmind]

Would something like a ziploc sandwich bag help with sweaty phone problems? It's what we use with disposable cameras and it works great for that.

[Grog]

You've received good answers there.

My rule for this is: let's say you have a flat tire (a relatively common occurence) in the boonies somewhere, or in an industrial area on the weekend, five km walk from the nearest bus stop/phone booth/friend's house etc. Let's say that your DH does not answer his phone for a moment, or that your phone for some reason doesn't work. What do you need?

Which is why I make sure that I also have some way to patch a tire if it's slashed (energy bar wrappers work well for most of those, except sidewall holes, for which only a new tire will do, and then you're really stuck, but it's a much rarer occurence).

And the skills to change my own flats. As a woman, I find this especially empowering and important. I don't want to be at the mercy of any idiot who decides he wants to "help".....

[li10up]

Having something to boot your tire is a good idea...but there is so much trash along the sides of the road around here that I could probably pull a McGuyver and put a whole bike together if I needed to (assuming I had some mechanical ability).