Originally Posted by
RNAV
Is there a reason you're not carrying your essentials in your jersey pockets?
I carry my phone, ID, money, spare tube, CO2, tool, food, and sometimes a gun (depending on where I'm riding and whether or not I'm solo) in my jersey and I've still never run into a situation where I've needed a saddle bag. If the problem is the saddle bag, get rid of the problem.
Half of the stuff you call "essentials" are really "emergency supplies". I like keeping that stuff out of the way and not worrying about packing it every ride. Pockets are generally reserved for food in my case. Though I do ride with everything in the pockets on my TT bike because it doesn't fit a saddle bag conveniently. There's nothing bad about that, but moving tube/lever/tool/pump(or CO2) in and out of the jersey before and after every ride is just more than my lazy ass likes to do
.