I started out following the advice of the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink guys. Ten years and 50,000 miles later, I've cleaned out the stuff I've never used.

Each bike has its own Road Morph G pump mounted on the seat tube. Standard load in all my seat bags is one tube, one tire lever, and a single 5mm allen wrench, since I use 5mm bolt-on skewers. I've never used any of the other stuff typically recommended. Since I keep up with regular maintenance at home, there's no need to carry a full toolkit and spare parts every day.

On Mondays, the panniers carry food (other than a daily sandwich) and clothes for the week, and any library books I have to return. One pannier stays at work, the other comes home in case I need to carry raingear during the week. Then on Friday, I use them again to bring home the laundry.

Food for the week means 5 apples, 5 oranges, small containers of miso paste and instant dashi powder, and a leftovers container of diced shiitake mushrooms and sliced green onions. Morning snack is one of the fruits, lunch is the daily sandwich and the other fruit, then afternoon snack is miso soup.

On the three midweek days, I can get by with just my ID, glasses and the daily sandwich sandwich stuffed in a jersey pocket.

My lock stays at work, and that may soon become superfluous when I get a bike locker.