Joe_Mo

Making sure you're prepared for your rides? Currently on my road bike I make sure I have a replacement tube, patch kit, hex wrenches, and a small hand held pump. but to be completely safe I'd like to maybe get my hands on a small first aid kit to have at all times just in case. Its either this or I put a bunch of band aids + Neosporin in a plastic baggy and stuff that in my pouch. I am quite the prepared guy that will plan ahead for anything, so tomorrow I was thinking about going to local camping and out door stores and picking something up.

Thoughts?

Big_e

Interesting thought, that is. If I was touring or even riding across town, a first aid kit would be a good idea, at least something with a rolled gauze and duct tape to patch a person up. On a quick ride around the lake, I go so fast that if I wipe out, nothing in a small first aid kit would be of any help.
Really just a roll of bandage, large gauze pad and duct tape to hold a person together would be of any worth and that for a tour or long ride like a century.
I wouldn't carry first aid in a seat pouch just for a 1-2 hour ride. I would just carry the bicycle stuff. treat your bike like a lady and she'll always bring you home.
Ernest

Scheherezade 

^

You make me smile, Ernest. =)

politicalgeek

K.I.S.S

I've never liked a lot of the F.A kits offered. Too much extra crap taking up space. I do want to throw something together for my commute though. I would probably do something like this:

Roller Bandage
A handful of gauze pads
some medical tape wrapped around a pencil/pen
assorted band aids for the small stuff
alcohol pads
gloves (good for fixing a friend or the bike)
a small bottle of some type of pain reliever
and since I am certified CPR and help lead some group rides, I'll probably through one of my pocket masks in

lil brown bat

I have the same thought about first aid kits that I do about carrying tools: there's no point in carrying it if you don't know how to use it. Anyone knows how to slap on a bandaid, and it's worth having some of those along for minor nicks and scrapes (a cut knuckle bleeding all over your bars is annoying to say the least). A sanitary napkin is good for anything that bleeds more than just a little (it takes a lot of those expensive gauze pads to soak up what one sanitary napkin can handle). Neosporin and the like, to be honest, I almost think cause more problems than they solve, because people read the word "antibiotic" and think that all they have to do is dab some of that stuff on a wound to clean it. Anything beyond that -- again, the question is whether you know how to use it and when it's appropriate to use it. If the answer is no, I wouldn't bother.

MNBikeguy

+1 on the sanitary napkins. Great for road rash. If you need a FA kit, pack a few of those with some tape and a small bottle of hydrogen peroxide. Beats bleeding all over the place.

DallasSoxFan

I've got a few alcohol prep pads and 2 of the bandaids that are goofy-big. I might take the duct-tape suggestion though.

oboeguy

The number of times I've really needed first aid in all my years of riding: 1. That was when a friend took me out after touching wheels w/ another pal. Doh! In that case, the ride was aborted, and the first drug store we came across was patronized to temporarily patch-up before applying the magic known as Tegaderm at home (works amazingly well with road rash). The way I see it, it's hard to go somewhere very remote near NYC, at least on a road bike, so I don't bother taking anything with me. I do get a little spooked in the winter riding through state parks.

maxrayman

A great site that might help you in building your First Aid Kit (or FAK) is https://www.edcforums.com Those guys have discussed compact FAKs to death over there!! Great forum.

nkfrench 

Drivers license, credit card, cash, cellphone with In Case Of Emergency numbers flagged, insurance card, business cards for my doctors. I did put a couple of bandaids in the saddlebag also in case one I was using sweated off. In the winter I pack a space blanket and in the summer I carry an extra water bottle.