TrackGuy

The bum bag that I use to hold my tool kit was getting a bit overweight, it topped out this week at a whopping 2 1/2 pounds. After emptying it out, discovered the following:
• 4 tire irons
• 2 CO2 cartridges and inflator
• 1 Topeak Alien
• 2 patch kits
• 1 mini bottle Purell
• 1 Mag (2xAA) flashlight
• 1 15mm PB wrench (ride a fix)
• 9 quarters (in case I forget both Metrocard and cell phone)
• 2 Hibistat first aid wipes
• 1 asthma inhaler

In all honestly, only need less than a third of all this stuff and should probably get a smaller bum bag to encourage more frugal choices. I will be reducing duplication and converting to lighter versions of the essentials but before I throw the baby out with the bathwater, was wondering what other people consider to be the absolute bare minimum tool kit for a commute.

Allen

Everything I need to change a tire plus some:

1 tube
Roll of rim tape
Patch kit (a few patches, some sandpaper, and a small tube of glue, wrapped up in latex gloves)
Key of 4 Allen wrenches (all I need to tweak every bolt on my bike)
Gerber multi-tool
3 small metal tire irons (I've broken too many plastic ones to trust them)
Spoke wrench
Chain tool
Small rag
Small LED flash light
Several zip-ties

Frame pump under the top tube

DataJunkie

1 tube... sometimes 2 tubes but I just switched to my summer wheels and need another spare tube.
1 Patch kit
1 Multi tool
Set of 3 tire levers
Extra chain link
3 zip ties
1 roll of electrical tape.

All this fits into a small section of my rack trunk bag and maybe weighs a pound (if that)

ax0n

Tube
Patches (park tool glueless)
sandpaper
Park Tool MTB-3 multi
3 links of chain and one SRAM powerlink
Blackburn Mountain Air

cyccommute 

This



Granted this is my mountain bike kit and I don't necessarily carry it everyday but sometimes...

JOHN J

I use a caradice nelson longflap bag.

this seems like alot to some Im sure But my commute is 19 miles if I take the MUP and about 2 miles are locked in by water on both sides and many sections are in the middle of no where so I like to be prepaired.

side pocket #1

cable lock, spare blinkie, first aid kit, small LED light


side pocket #2

1) 6" ADJUSTABLE with electric tape wrapped on handle (in case I need tape)

2) Serfas multi tool with chain /spoke tool

3) 5 4 3 mm allen wrenches

4) tube

5) large patch kit

6) shimano pins (my chain) sram quick links for others (good samaritan)

7) 3 tire levers

8) 2 co2 cartridge with head

9) swiss army knife

10) cable ties 3 or 4

11) 4 or 5 quarters

thats it

I also carry a blackburn mini pump but its strapped to my bag.

"John"

SDRider

1 CO2 cart
1 tube
small patch kit
Multi-tool

I carry a spare tube in my backpack along with a mini-pump. If all else fails I have my cell phone.

rykoala

https://rykoala.org/ryko/gear.html

nick burns

Holy crap, some of you people carry a lot of stuff. But then again, my commute's only an 11 mile round trip.

2 titanium tire levers
2 spare tubes
1 patch kit
multi tool
mini pump

Tabor

One set of tire levers.
Two spare tubes.
One set of allen wrenches.
One bike pump

I also typically carry a pocket knife and a flashlight, but they are not in my tool kit per say.

Chuck G

1 tube
1 patch kit
2 plastic tire levers
Park MT-1 multi tool (weighs 53g)https://www.parktool.com/products/det...11&item=MT%2D1
Spokey plastic spoke wrench
Chain tool
Presta to Schrader valve adaptor
1 shop rag
$5 bill
2 quarters
Xerox copy of my driver's lisence and medical insurance card

...carried in a generic REI seat bag

Topeak road morph pump on the frame

PaulH

No tool kit. My philosophy is to make sure the bike is relaible enough that I am unlikely to need one. Since I commute in an urban area with lots of taxis around, this works.

Paul

fordfasterr

a gun.


j/k. lol

dynaryder

For commuting:

patch kit
Pedro's tire levers
spare tube
generic multi-tool
Leatherman Mini
Topeak Mini-morph

When pillaging:

Topeak Mountian Morph
spare tube
Craftsman strap wrench
mylar blanket
patch kit
Pedro's tire levers
flat roll of Duck Tape
Leatherman Juice
Rav-x multi-tool
Craftsman stubby combo/ratchet 15mm wrench
Craftsman 10mm wrench
small pedal wrench
pair of latex gloves
travel bottle of Gojo hand cleaner
bandaids
antiseptic pads
paper towels
assorted zip-ties
few feet of paracord
spare blinkies

Everything except the pump,tube,and strap wrench fit into a zippered neoprene bag about the size of a paperback. I carry more crap when out with my friends because they usually wind up needing it.

rykoala

Wow, that is a fantastic idea! I just made a copy of those along with a copy of an advanced medical directive I carry and stuffed it in my seat bag. THANKS!!!!!

Flimflam

My commute pack is my ride pack for weekend/recreational rides, so it's a fit-all.

Front pouch on my backpack:

Leatherman multi-tool
Spare tube
2 repair kits (good mix of patches/sandpaper/glue)
2x plastic tyre irons
3x metal tyre irons
few cable ties
quarters
dollar store allen key tool - covers most bolts on the bike
multi ring-wrench - used for brake nuts, wheel nuts, etc.
spare AAs and 2x spare Cs for my lights (one of my rear lights take AAAs, but my main is a double AA setup).
Spare back light - they're a $7 6-function LED blinky - I use one on the bike in solid mode along with a schwinn on blinky from Canadian Tire.
edit: spare dust caps, not that these are imperative, it's handy - and they came as part of a repair kit I got from Canadian Tire.

I'm not sure what else is in there right now, I've not looked in a long time.

One of my biggest problems right now is that I rely on being local to a gas station for flats - I've no portable pump (I use a regular footpump) - so I need to look into getting a top-tube or an easily/good portable solution. On long hauls, I can pack the footpump (single barrel, not so bulky in a backpack) but on my commute I don't bother.

spokenword

3 tire levers
1 frame pump
1 patch kit
2 spare tubes
1 multi-tool
1 spare link
1 FiberFix emergency spoke
1 small roll duct tape
3 zip ties
2 spare AAA batteries

HardyWeinberg

1 tube, 1 patchkit, 1 leatherman (the heavy part), 3 tire levers (spooned together) and a folding hex-wrench thingy. I have to look more closely at my new ride but if it is all hex, no phillips-head, the leatherman will be walking from here onwards...

edit-> oh yeah, frame pump on the seat tube, but the rest is in a wedge bag under the seat.

nashcommguy

Topeak Mini-9, 3-way, chain tool, small section of chain, AA, AAA batteries(two each), spoke wrench, zip ties, small side cutters, patch kit and a Leatherman. Patch kit is for others as I've gone airless recently.

Mueslix

3 tire levers
spare tube
first aid kit
multi-tool
15 mm wrench
Topeak road morph

The last three items aren't actually in the kit, but I carry them with it.

Bikepacker67

3 tire levers
1/2 dozen glueless patches
foldable allen wrench set
foldable screwdriver set
digital air pressure gauge
spoke wrench
indelible magic marker

jmeier

wow, from the uber-minimalist to the kitchen sink.

I take:
1 tube (keep wanting to leave it home though)
1 plastic tire lever
multitool (with chain tool)
patch kit
usually have a pocket knife as well

cell phone
wallet

Raiyn

This is what's in mine. Except for the frame mounted pump that is.

rykoala

Raiyn, you carry *glueless* patches? I tried those. They refused to hold at high PSI.

Raiyn

I sure do. I follow the same procedure as I would with a glued patch and they work fine @ 80-85 PSI. It's not a permanent solution, (although one I put on my girlfriend's tube lasted 2 years until the valve itself failed) but it's better than nothing.