Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Carrying too much or being prepared?

Some of my riding friends have started a running joke about how much I carry. After listing stuff I do carry, they moved on to stuff I actually don't, then to the absurd: a bowling ball. :lol:

Yesterday morning I was riding with one of these guys and my chain broke. He thought I'd have to take the bus home. Nope. I carry a chain tool and master link (SRAM chain) and was back on the road, with dirtier hands, before long.

Most people would carry a tool kit like mine on a tour, but I tend to carry it all the time. I've been known to carry a spare tire on my LHT at all times, although I stopped doing that recently.

I'm considering getting a used bowling ball (a lighter one!) to put in my pannier for my next ride with these jokers. :D

You might want to add a pair or two of disposable nitrile gloves to your kit - helps with the dirty hands problem you mentioned...

You might want to add a pair or two of disposable nitrile gloves to your kit - helps with the dirty hands problem you mentioned...

Not to mention a few wet wipes. :)

And yeah, I fall into the "hyper prepared" category as well. During a ride not too far back I had a brake cable fail on me (luckily, I wasn't going very fast at the time and was able to stop using the front brake without any problem). I pulled out my spare and my multi-tool, and was rolling again after a bit of road side maintenance. Made sure I stopped by the bike shop on the way home for a new spare.

better to have too much then not enough. But, If i were you, and I were riding somewhere there is public transportation or other means to get home, i wouldnt carry anything. I would carry all that stuff only when you are isolated. Thats just me though

I carry a chain too too, it's in my multi tool. Only had to use it once and it worked great. Only you can determine what is excessive based on your surroundings. Way to be prepared :thumb:

BTW: these people who tease you about having too much stuff will be the first ones to beg you for a spare tube, patch kit, or to let them use your frame pump when their last CO2 cartridge is a dud.

You might want to add a pair or two of disposable nitrile gloves to your kit - helps with the dirty hands problem you mentioned...

I actually do carry those. They are a little small, and with the heat and humidity I was too "sticky" to manage to get them on. I need to find a bigger size. :)

I should buy some wet wipes. That's a new one.

BTW: these people who tease you about having too much stuff will be the first ones to beg you for a spare tube, patch kit, or to let them use your frame pump when their last CO2 cartridge is a dud.

Been there, done that. My road morph pump has been used more on other's bikes than my own. I've also fixed a flat on my buddies bike. He was carrying nothing, and he knows better. :twitchy:

Yesterday morning I was riding with one of these guys and my chain broke. He thought I'd have to take the bus home. Nope. I carry a chain tool and master link (SRAM chain) and was back on the road, with dirtier hands, before long.

A repair kit like that, and you don't have latex gloves...? ;)

I have a chain tool, about 4" of chain and a couple master links in my repair kit.
Riding a singlespeed there's less for me to worry about breaking, but there's also more in a way. On a multi-speed you can shorten a chain around a single gear if your derailleur breaks. On a single, if you bust a chain, you're s.o.l. if you don't have the means to fix it; so I aways keep my repair bits at hand.

On my brevet bike for a long course, I'll have more than most people will ever carry (unless they're also doing unsupported ultras). Fiber-fix spokes, a brake and a shift cable, spare cleat and bolts, zip ties, duct tape, electrical wire and twist-cap junctions (for lighting repairs). The list goes on. It's pretty crazy.

Close to my house, where I do the majority of my rides, I carry the bare minimum. Tube. Tubes if my girl(s) are riding with me. CO2. One tire tool. 2 allen wrenches. If i can't fix the bike with that, I use my most useful tool.........THE CELL PHONE :)
If I am going to be a long way from help, I carry more stuff.
But the best tool to carry is a cell phone.

Now, on my dirt bike it was another story. I carried all sorts of stuff. Then again, another 5-10 lbs of stuff didn't detract from the experience. For a bike, it is not my idea of fun to carry a lot of weight especially positioned high on the bike. But then again I do not ride far from my house nor....out of cell phone range.

I carry a chain tool also. Had to use it a couple times on my recumbent when I noticed links that were about to fail (this was just after purchasing it used). I replaced the chain after that.

I also carry 2 spare tubes, small vice-grip pliers, and a couple different multi-tools. I carry a pump, not CO2 cartridges, plus tire levers. To carry all this on my road bike I have a large seat bag. I really don't care if the lycra-clad superheroes think I'm a fred. Self-sufficiency is more important to me than looking "cool" or saving weight.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5097/5587383555_009cd42be6.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/29998767@N07/5587383555/)
American River in Coloma (http://www.flickr.com/photos/29998767@N07/5587383555/) by kittyz202 (http://www.flickr.com/people/29998767@N07/), on Flickr

Close to my house, where I do the majority of my rides, I carry the bare minimum. Tube. Tubes if my girl(s) are riding with me. CO2. One tire tool. 2 allen wrenches. If i can't fix the bike with that, I use my most useful tool.........THE CELL PHONE :)
If I am going to be a long way from help, I carry more stuff.
But the best tool to carry is a cell phone.


Some of us don't have the luxury of knowing people who are willing to take time out of their day to help a cyclist in need. I know for a fact that everyone I know would be genuinely annoyed if I try to ask their help. "What in the hell were you doing biking 60 miles anyway?". "I told you it was a bad idea to bike to work", etc.

Glad you have cycling-friendly friends. Some of us don't.

Some of my riding friends have started a running joke about how much I carry. After listing stuff I do carry, they moved on to stuff I actually don't, then to the absurd: a bowling ball. :lol:

Yesterday morning I was riding with one of these guys and my chain broke. He thought I'd have to take the bus home. Nope. I carry a chain tool and master link (SRAM chain) and was back on the road, with dirtier hands, before long.

Most people would carry a tool kit like mine on a tour, but I tend to carry it all the time. I've been known to carry a spare tire on my LHT at all times, although I stopped doing that recently.

I'm considering getting a used bowling ball (a lighter one!) to put in my pannier for my next ride with these jokers. :D

simply tell those that poke fun at what you carry this........ You can't use what you don't have.

I always have an air pump on every bike that I ride, and a handlebar bag with tire change kit, multi-tool, various wrenches, a spare t-shirt, and an medical kit. On lots of my rides, I fix other bicyclists' rides broken on the side of the road. Last weekend, on our group ride, one rider fell down and scraped herself pretty badly (one would require stitches). Not being near a paved road, with my trusty medical kit, we patched her up enough to get somewhere we could call a taxi to get her to an urgent care. The handlebar bag is a small item to carry, but has been indispensable.

Some of us don't have the luxury of knowing people who are willing to take time out of their day to help a cyclist in need. I know for a fact that everyone I know would be genuinely annoyed if I try to ask their help. "What in the hell were you doing biking 60 miles anyway?". "I told you it was a bad idea to bike to work", etc.

Glad you have cycling-friendly friends. Some of us don't.

True. My wife travels a lot and is often hundreds, or even thousands of miles away. She spent six months in Alaska (and all I got was a dumb t-shirt). Also, my marriage is ending (don't be sad, I'm not) and I'll be living alone again.

I have no family in the area other than my car-free daughter. I have a few friends, but it makes me uncomfortable to ask for help. I did call a friend when I had an destroyed tire. This was before I moved into town and had the option of the bus. I now have a spare tire (folding) for the longer rides.

That's the beauty of being a Clyde. Once you've lost 20# you can pretty much justify carrying whatever you please.

That's the beauty of being a Clyde. Once you've lost 20# you can pretty much justify carrying whatever you please.

I've lost 96...

can I carry 4 spare bikes? :D


Fun fact, Victor Fontan had to do this in the 1929 Tour de France:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1929_Tour_de_France#Race_details


In the tenth stage, after only seven kilometers Fontan broke his fork. Some sources say he hit a dog, others say he fell in a gutter. He is said to have knocked on every door of a small town before he found a replacement bicycle. According to the rules, he had to finish the race with the bicycle he started with, so he strapped the broken bicycle to his back, and rode for 145km through the Pyrénées with a broken bicycle on his back, before he finally gave up.



Definition of HTFU right there, folks.

I've been thinking about this recently, and started considering "hiding" little cycling geocaches around on the main trails. Not with any expensive stuff, but just some basics that people don't always carry. Need to see if any bike shops will balls up and make a branded one or something; it would be a great way to gain new customers.

But that aside, I carry far too much on my longer rides and next to nothing except a multitool on shorter rides or close circuits.

Not to mention a few wet wipes. :)

And yeah, I fall into the "hyper prepared" category as well. During a ride not too far back I had a brake cable fail on me (luckily, I wasn't going very fast at the time and was able to stop using the front brake without any problem). I pulled out my spare and my multi-tool, and was rolling again after a bit of road side maintenance. Made sure I stopped by the bike shop on the way home for a new spare.

Up and Up baby wipes work best. My soon to be 2 year old is fascinated with the chains and pedals on my bikes....

Up and Up baby wipes work best. My soon to be 2 year old is fascinated with the chains and pedals on my bikes....

Mine too and I am amazed at how well baby wipes work to clean them up.

What you carry should depend upon a few outside issues; how far from home base do you ride and how able are you to call and get a ride (with the bike) if you have a mechanical problem.

Like you I carry a fairly complete kit of tools/materials; however, I ride further from the house than I am comfortable walking in a reasonable time and I don't really have anyone I would call who could pick me up... Therefore I expect I will have to self-rescue.

If one or the other of those two reasons are different (for instance my "utility" bike which is only used for shorter rides) then I don't even carry a patch kit and pump.

I've lost 96...

can I carry 4 spare bikes? :DWhy not? If you can figure out how to do it then I say go for it. Maybe a modified trailer? :rolleyes:

I ride a 1987 Trek 400, with a lugged steel frame. The whole thing is 24# stark naked in the rain. BUT, I also have a HB bag for whatnot, a saddle wedge for tools and a rear rack. In commuter mode the rear rack carries two small panniers containing my clothing and lunch. Depending on the plans for the day there could also be a U-lock tossed in there but that is the exception rather than the rule.

With all that stuff on there I don't even want to know what the whole thing weighs. I am unwilling to change my lifestyle to reduce the weight of my bike. Therefore if I want less weight on my ride the answer is to reduce the size of the rider.


What you carry should depend upon a few outside issues; how far from home base do you ride and how able are you to call and get a ride (with the bike) if you have a mechanical problem.BTW, regarding tools and being prepared it would have come in handy yesterday to have my freewheel tool, a wrench and some spokes with me:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-s5dk3Rph0x4/TiWa8z2j-QI/AAAAAAAAAQY/va772nGgu2g/s512/2011-07-18%25252019.13.34.jpg
I did not have these things and thus had to call my wife for a rescue.

I get made fun of too. Here is what I carry on road rides:


Two spare tubes (add two 26x2+ when commuting and I have my trunk-bag)
The tubes are in empty plastic bags, that make the tubes more slippery and easy to pack, and the bags can be used for lots of things (to carry stuff, emergency rain gear for our head, etc.)
Small Patch Kit (4-6 patches, glue, sandpaper, and 2 tire boots)
Multi-tool with chain tool and tire-levers (topeak mini-hex 16 has tire levers in the handle).
CO2 pump and cartridges
Frame pump (roadmorphs ROCK)
A presta-to-shrader valve adapter (yes, I've had both the air cartridge and the frame pump fail the same day)
3-feet of duct-tape folded into a flat square (good for first aid too)
small first aid kit (a couple small bandaids, 2-3 knuckle bandages, gauze, and sterile wipes)
A pair of velcro reflective ankle bracelets (hang on zipper-pulls, and are handy for repairs too).
A small packet of facial tissues (lots of uses)


I've found ways to save lots of space by arranging most small and flexible items into a flat shape, that I place in ziplock bags, and arrange like pages in a book in my medium-sized seat bag.

I carry more when I have my trunk bag. Reading what you guys have, I now want to add some chain bits, spare cable, and maybe a spoke or three...

Like you I carry a fairly complete kit of tools/materials; however, I ride further from the house than I am comfortable walking in a reasonable time and I don't really have anyone I would call who could pick me up... Therefore I expect I will have to self-rescue.


Exactly. I learned my lesson the hard way... twice. First time I wasn't carrying a wrench and my rear flatted. Forgot the rear didn't have a quick release (note to self: CHECK BEFORE MAKING THAT ASSUMPTION!). Had everything else but the wrench... had to walk 10 miles home, which was not fun.

Second time my derailleur broke 20 miles from home, wasn't carrying a screwdriver or allen wrench to attempt to readjust it to get it working somewhat. When I was able to walk again, I went to a bike store and picked up a rack and panniers, and every single tool I would reasonably need. Only thing I'm still missing is extra chain links, but I have a chain tool so it shouldn't be too hard to just set the chain on a smaller ring.

I get made fun of too. Here is what I carry on road rides:


Two spare tubes (add two 26x2+ when commuting and I have my trunk-bag)
The tubes are in empty plastic bags, that make the tubes more slippery and easy to pack, and the bags can be used for lots of things (to carry stuff, emergency rain gear for our head, etc.)
Small Patch Kit (4-6 patches, glue, sandpaper, and 2 tire boots)
Multi-tool with chain tool and tire-levers (topeak mini-hex 16 has tire levers in the handle).
CO2 pump and cartridges
Frame pump (roadmorphs ROCK)
A presta-to-shrader valve adapter (yes, I've had both the air cartridge and the frame pump fail the same day)
3-feet of duct-tape folded into a flat square (good for first aid too)
small first aid kit (a couple small bandaids, 2-3 knuckle bandages, gauze, and sterile wipes)
A pair of velcro reflective ankle bracelets (hang on zipper-pulls, and are handy for repairs too).
A small packet of facial tissues (lots of uses)


I've found ways to save lots of space by arranging most small and flexible items into a flat shape, that I place in ziplock bags, and arrange like pages in a book in my medium-sized seat bag.

I carry more when I have my trunk bag. Reading what you guys have, I now want to add some chain bits, spare cable, and maybe a spoke or three...



Holy Crap! WTF is up with the green text?:notamused:

Really lame. :crash::crash::crash:

Exactly. I learned my lesson the hard way... twice. First time I wasn't carrying a wrench and my rear flatted. Forgot the rear didn't have a quick release (note to self: CHECK BEFORE MAKING THAT ASSUMPTION!). Had everything else but the wrench... had to walk 10 miles home, which was not fun.

Second time my derailleur broke 20 miles from home, wasn't carrying a screwdriver or allen wrench to attempt to readjust it to get it working somewhat. When I was able to walk again, I went to a bike store and picked up a rack and panniers, and every single tool I would reasonably need. Only thing I'm still missing is extra chain links, but I have a chain tool so it shouldn't be too hard to just set the chain on a smaller ring.

I just switched to a Carradice Barley seat bag that holds 7L! It can easily accomodate everything I want to carry along with rain gear and lunch! Possibly dinner as well! No rack needed, which is good since the bike I prefer for longer rides can't accommodate a rack

I carry a snub-nosed .357 magnum revolver when I go on rides that take me through some pretty sketchy neighborhoods.

No one really makes fun of what I carry on rides.


PS ... Yes, I have a CCW and am in full compliance of the law.

I carry a snub-nosed .357 magnum revolver when I go on rides that take me through some pretty sketchy neighborhoods.

No one really makes fun of what I carry on rides.


PS ... Yes, I have a CCW and am in full compliance of the law.

Bowling ball beats gun. :)

When I was a teenager, I actually did ride with a bowling ball. I bowled in a Saturday morning league a couple miles from my house and had to get myself there. I had one of those mousetrap racks, and with a few bungee cords it was pretty secure.

Bowling ball beats gun. :)

Indeed, you are correct, sir. Maybe I'll consider the bowling ball after I lose 16 pounds!

Multi tool
1 or 2 spare tubes
Patch Kit
Tire-levers
Chain tool with a few extra links
CO2 pump and cartridges
Frame pump
presta-to-shrader valve adapter
A few feet of electrical tape wrapped around my bars
A few zip lock bags (rain gear for my iPhone)
Swiss Army Knife

This isn't exactly a repair tool, but it's a nice luxury: I bring sunglass cleaning tissue packets. It's great to clean off the dried sweat from my sunglasses when I'm stopped. 6 cents each at Target.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31xuu3q2wZL._SL500_AA300_PIbundle-100,TopRight,0,0_AA300_SH20_.jpg

where do you all end up putting your stuff when you ride? I have a camelpack that I keep stuff in but dont use it for water but thast gets old after a while.

where do you all end up putting your stuff when you ride? I have a camelpack that I keep stuff in but dont use it for water but thast gets old after a while.

I have one of two set ups for my main bike, utility and sporty. In utility mode, a small set of panniers is always on the bike. I try to balance the load as best I can but for the most part, toss everything in and go. I also have a stash bag thingy behind my stem which is the perfect size for my phone, keys, and other small doo-dads. In Sporty mode, the rack, fenders, and pannier come off. I leave the stem bag on, but stuff my wallet, spare tube, multi tool, patch kit, tire lever, and energy bar into a seat wedge that attaches to the rails of my saddle and my seat post.

where do you all end up putting your stuff when you ride? I have a camelpack that I keep stuff in but dont use it for water but thast gets old after a while.

One of these holds quite a bit...

http://cache1.bigcartel.com/product_images/33517732/medium2.jpg

Available from http://www.acornbags.com, but they do sell out quickly. I've had mine for a few years now.

I've done 40+ mile rides with nothing more than a metro pass, ID and credit card in my pocket.

That said, they were around town and I knew if something happened I could always walk my bike to a bike shop, a bus stop, the subway or - if all else fails - just call a cab. :)

I actually do carry those. They are a little small, and with the heat and humidity I was too "sticky" to manage to get them on. I need to find a bigger size. :)

I should buy some wet wipes. That's a new one.

next time you are at a restaurant and get ribs, as for some "extras" of the wet wipes. Already in a packet and fit nicely in the seat bag. They do dry out over time but could always re-wet from water bottle.

where do you all end up putting your stuff when you ride? I have a camelpack that I keep stuff in but dont use it for water but thast gets old after a while.

Panniers and/or trunk bag depending on the bike and the ride.

When I was a teenager, I actually did ride with a bowling ball. I bowled in a Saturday morning league a couple miles from my house and had to get myself there. I had one of those mousetrap racks, and with a few bungee cords it was pretty secure.

I bet you didn't have any unwanted drafters.

I carry a lot on my rides, but that is mostly because I'm headed to work, so I've got a computer, a change of clothes, lunch, first aid kit etc in my bag that I strap to my rack.

For touring and for mountain bike rides, I carry this

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r181/cyccommute/IMG_0113.jpg

I have added a flash light and a Two Fish block because I got caught on Hermosa Creek outside of Durango in the dark. My daughter had a squeeze light on her key chain but have you ever tried to squeeze one of those for 2 or 3 miles?:eek:

When I commute, I carry a subset of this but not much smaller.

One of these holds quite a bit...

http://cache1.bigcartel.com/product_images/33517732/medium2.jpg

Available from http://www.acornbags.com, but they do sell out quickly. I've had mine for a few years now.

I'm glad you posted that, I think I'll be doing business with these people...

Here's what I carry:

http://www.ucs.louisiana.edu/~tsh9390/tube.jpg
http://www.modernbike.com/images/Product_Images/main_IG2126174925.jpg
http://www.2009tourdefrancenews.com/images/cma/MH_co2pump.jpg

What a crazy world it would be if that was to scale.

For touring and for mountain bike rides, I carry this

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r181/cyccommute/IMG_0113.jpg

I have added a flash light and a Two Fish block because I got caught on Hermosa Creek outside of Durango in the dark. My daughter had a squeeze light on her key chain but have you ever tried to squeeze one of those for 2 or 3 miles?:eek:

When I commute, I carry a subset of this but not much smaller.
Love the old-school Cool Tool! :thumb: I still carry mine, but I don't think mine came with the 6 mm allen sleeve I see on yours. I bought it back in 1991 or 1992.

I used to carry that exact same patch kit. Now I carry two tubes. My luck with patching tubes sucks.

freighttraining, could you tell me who makes that seat bag?

Love the old-school Cool Tool! :thumb: I still carry mine, but I don't think mine came with the 6 mm allen sleeve I see on yours. I bought it back in 1991 or 1992.

I used to carry that exact same patch kit. Now I carry two tubes. My luck with patching tubes sucks.

The Cool Tool is way better than any multitool I've looked at now. It does more than just about any of the others, is less bulky and feels like a 'real' tool in your hand. It's a shame they don't make them any more. I have several.

I also carry extra tubes but the patch kit is still a necessity here. I usually carry 5 to 10 patches and I've been on rides where I've used all my tubes, all the tubes of the group, all their patch kits and all my patches and still didn't have enough. Four bikes, 27 flats!

freighttraining, could you tell me who makes that seat bag?
Inertia Designs. Here's the side with their logo.
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s66/hardmf1/roadbikeseatbagrightside.jpg

This is the side that was visible in the picture I posted of my bike on the bridge. The LBS logo is on the left side of the bag. Don't know if this is common with most LBS's.
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s66/hardmf1/roadbikeseatbagleftside.jpg


The Cool Tool is way better than any multitool I've looked at now. It does more than just about any of the others, is less bulky and feels like a 'real' tool in your hand. It's a shame they don't make them any more. I have several.

I also carry extra tubes but the patch kit is still a necessity here. I usually carry 5 to 10 patches and I've been on rides where I've used all my tubes, all the tubes of the group, all their patch kits and all my patches and still didn't have enough. Four bikes, 27 flats!
Yes, it is the best! :thumb: Last night I was showing it to someone at an LBS. I was demonstrating how the chain tool works, and I discovered that socket it comes with is the right size for a crankarm bolt. Duhhh! I can't believe I've had this tool for 20 years and I didn't realize it had that size socket. :o

After looking at the picture of yours a little closer, maybe that's an 8 mm allen sleeve, not a 6 like I originally thought. Mine does have a 6 mm allen wrench.

Yikes! That's a lot of flats! Goathead thorns?

Yes, it is the best! :thumb: Last night I was showing it to someone at an LBS. I was demonstrating how the chain tool works, and I discovered that socket it comes with is the right size for a crankarm bolt. Duhhh! I can't believe I've had this tool for 20 years and I didn't realize it had that size socket. :o

After looking at the picture of yours a little closer, maybe that's an 8 mm allen sleeve, not a 6 like I originally thought. Mine does have a 6 mm allen wrench.



You might find that there are 2 socket sizes on that part of the tool:thumb: Here's how it's supposed to be used

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r181/cyccommute/IMG_0111.jpg

Yes the sleeve is for an 8 mm allen wrench. It's easy to lose too:mad: I also have the tool for threaded headset nuts and for the BB lockring. Found them in a bargain bin.

If the Cool Tool has any failings, it's the lack of a flat blade screwdriver. The Leatherman PS4 fixes that problem.


Yikes! That's a lot of flats! Goathead thorns?

Yes, goatheads

To each their own.. I like to go light.

co2
tube
2 pedros levers
multi-tool
small first aid kit
credit card/id/cellphone

This isn't exactly a repair tool, but it's a nice luxury: I bring sunglass cleaning tissue packets. It's great to clean off the dried sweat from my sunglasses when I'm stopped. 6 cents each at Target.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31xuu3q2wZL._SL500_AA300_PIbundle-100,TopRight,0,0_AA300_SH20_.jpg

Just wanted to say that I never knew these existed (well, existed so cheap... Lenscrafters, where I got my glasses, sells the same basic thing for $1 a pop... so I've never even considered buying them before), and thank you for this. Just bought two boxes, and tested them out, wow that's awesome. There's now 5 packets in my panniers, I put them in with the other medical related stuff :)

Thanks!