Originally Posted by
the sci guy
One question I came up with - do riders usually put on a rack and a pannier or trunk bag for stuff while out riding? like food/drinks/other supplies like tools and spares and stuff? Or is it more like keep a spare tube in your saddle bag, get refreshments at the break areas, and just pedal!
Most people put everything in a seat bag or in their jersey pockets. Very few people travel with panniers or other baggage. There are support vehicles all over the place, so don't think you need to bring everything as if you were out touring. You still want to bring the essentials (tube, pump/CO2, multi-tool).
If you are worried about storage space, do what I did last year. I wore a CamelBak, and then I put tennis ball containers in my bottle cages and used those to pack my sunscreen, jacket, and some food. I got some strange looks by a few people, but it helped out a lot.