Tandem Cycling - First Aid Kits For Tandems

Do you carry a special kit for your tandem? We bought a container for one of the water bottle holders. I quickly realized that we are really limited to adhesive bandages, triple antibiotic ointment in a tube, an eye bandage, alcohol prep pads, small scissors, tweezers and gloves. Mostly I want to be able to handle minor road rash. Anything else is going to be treated by a cell phone. I am reluctant to put in Tylenol and antacid tablets or other medications due to heat concerns. My biggest concern is that if trauma happens we have enough for both of us. Anyone ever use a clotting sponge? I saw one at REI, and am thinking about getting a couple. My biggest concern about a sponge is size. Any ideas?

Been riding 'in tandem' for well over 3 decades.
We don't carry half the stuff you do!
Carry a couple bandaids, small packet of ointment and couple ibuprofin/aspirin. Usually used for other folks who have a problem.
Water from water bottle can clean off roadrash (been there, done that). A Coffeemate creamer/container (plastic with screw on cap) fits nicely in a bottle cage and carries tools/tube + our so-called med-kit.
As for heat concerns for meds, we live in the desert southwest (Tucson); not an issue.
Most of the things we worry about, never happen. If they do: Improvise!
A cellphone can be nice, but does not always work in mountainous area. So who will you call . . . AAA/911?
Enjoy the ride TWOgether!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem

We're fortunate to live in Oregon's Willamette Valley. While there are areas with limited cell coverage, they are relatively few. I actually have my biggest cell phone problems at hospitals. There are lots of areas in those building where cell coverage is nonexistent. We probably will call 911. BTW, the nice thing about 911 is that there is no charge unless they transport you. I don't want to abuse them, but it can be handy if there is a problem. I'm an Emergency Medical Technician, so I like to be prepared. Like you most of what we carry is for others if they need it.

When I hit a tree (no helmet!) while backcountry skiing, one of my buddies had the stuff in his first aid kit that I carry now. I don't carry much of the minor stuff. It's the big stuff that can make an immediate difference. Luckily, big bandages are very light and don't take up much space, though it's more space than most folks have in a little saddle bag. We have a couple of 4X6, a roll of 3" stretch gauze, tape, and a few other things. We always have ibuprofen and a couple of tablets of a serious, you can't ride after this, pain reliever. Day riding, we have as big a bag as will fit under captain and stoker saddles and a triangle frame bag. That's been enough for us, though most tandems we ride with use a rack and rack-top bag. Touring, there's even more room. We've been in a group when other people have gone down hard, and you really don't want to wait 20 minutes (or longer) for the aid car to do something. It's not so much preventing infection, because real injuries are going to get scrubbed up anyway and minor stuff can wait. It's what to do about keeping the blood in while waiting for the aid car.

Do you carry more than usual for a single bike? If so do you limit your items or just carry more stuff?

I carry in a camlebak so I only need one kit. Its best to make your own as the pre made ones arnt very capable. I just have a "crash pak" now but need to make my own soon. Check out nutnfancy backpack first aid kit on youtube. some good ideas there.

Have used a bandana as a temporary tourniquet on a female cyclist's wrist that crashed hard into a guardrail.
Improvise . . .
But carry whatever you feel comfortable with.
Have tandemed in the Willamette Valley one whole summer a few years back . . . nice!!!
Pedal on TWOgether!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem

Thanks, He has some great ideas. Mainly I'm interested in cleaning a wound and stopping bleeding. Highly organized kits.

Thanks, He has some great ideas. Mainly I'm interested in cleaning a wound and stopping bleeding. Highly organized kits.

When we tour, I carry Spenco 2nd Skin or something similar to deal with road rashes. It's is very hard to find in France. Had to use it once and ran out. The French pharmacies don't carry anything equivalent.

For absorbing blood and slowing down bleeding, women's tampons works very well but you will never find that in a commercial 1st aid kit. http://www.bikeforums.net/images/smilies/lol.gif

We carry two "Brave Soldier" crash pack kits. Very compact and easy to replenish. Perfect! www.bravesoldier.com

Just checked out the "crash pack" and think I'll get a couple to carry. Thanks for this tip.