puma1552

Looking to pick one of these up, but not sure which. Want something small and discreet.

Want to carry the essentials:

-Mini pump or 2 CO2 catridges and inflator
-Extra Tube
-Patch
-Multi-tool
-Spare Chain Link
-Wet Naps
-Band-Aids
-Couple Ibuprofen Pills
-Maybe iPhone 6

Can the Micro-Wedgie handle all this? Or would I need to go up to a Mini-Wedgie?

Also, what are the thoughts on CO2 cartridges vs. mini-pumps? It seems like most people go with CO2, but there's more risk that you make a mistake with it and it leaks out. Plus replacement cost, vs. a pump which is probably a safer option and a one-and-done from a purchase standpoint? Do people go CO2 just for convenience?

jefnvk

If you're gonna do CO2, at least pick up your cartridges when you are done with them. Astounding how many I see littering the streets of Detroit.

I like pumps. Much easier to just keep one on the bike, and I can use it even if I just want a quick top off.

kevindsingleton 

I agree with jefnvk. I have CO2 inflators, and I carry them on most rides, but I always have a pump, and usually one that will do both Presta and Schrader valves, in case someone needs help. CO2 is quick and easy, but it doesn't do you any good when you get that second puncture.

For all you're trying to carry, the micro is probably too small. I can't get my multi-tool, spare tube, and tire levers in my smallest bags without some effort, and there's no way a phone will go in.

SkyDog75

You might want to consider throwing some tire levers in there. And maybe a tire boot in there while you're at it. (Dollar bill, piece of Tyvek envelope, Park Tool TB-2... Whatever you prefer to use to keep your innertube from poking out through a cut tire.)

I go both ways ...when it comes to inflating a tire, at least.

The fairly small size and sloping top tube of my modern(ish) road bike don't give me a whole lot of decent places to carry a pump, so I keep an itty bitty Genuine Innovations Air Chuck Elite CO2 inflator in my saddle bag along with 2-3 cartridges. The bag is a small Serfas Speed Bag (which I really like), and it comfortably carries my CO2, multi-tool, spare tube, levers, patch kit, and tire boot with some room to spare. Not enough for an iPhone, though. You're gonna need a bigger boat.

I've used the Air Chuck a few times. First at home to try it out, to make sure I could use it, and afterward on the road on a few occasions. It's a really well-designed and built little item, so between its quality and a little bit of practice, I'm confident I'm not gonna screw up an inflation.

On bikes with more traditional geometry, I carry along a Topeak Mini Morph. It's nice to know if I keep getting flats, I can keep patching tubes and airing 'em up. If I was going to go on a long unsupported ride through the middle of nowhere, I'd likely carry a pump.

Some people... Geez. If you've got space to carry a full cartridge, you have space for it after it's used, too. Shove it back in your bag. The world is not your personal trash can.

Cychologist

My bag is rather small and my iPhone/energy bar(s) are in my jersey pockets. (iPhone in ziplock bag.) In my small bag I have room for:

--inflator with 2 CO2 cartridges (one cartridge has about 12" duct tape wrapped around it for a tire boot, etc.) https://www.amazon.com/Portland-Design-Works-Object-Inflator/dp/B00915FJY2
--spare tube in ziplock bag and covered with talcum powder
--2-Prestalever tire tools (love these) https://www.prestalever.com/
--FixItSticks instead of a multitool as they have more leverage https://fixitsticks.com
--quick link and small chain tool (don't know why I carry them as I haven't needed them in 30+ years of serious cycling)
--a few zip ties
--spoke wrench (again I've never used it out on the road, but have loaned it to a friend)
--a couple of Monkey Wipes https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00365J82W/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687602&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B003O7CV4E&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=Z5PWCS23SAAWS7K7P25Y

I have never had more than one flat on the road, but am usually with a friend who also carries a tube if needed (or again I carry my iPhone). I also have never had a CO2 fail me on the road. (The secret to this is to practice at home so you know exactly how it works and make sure the tire is seated and tube not pinched between the tire and rim.)

MRT2

I go with a mini pump. Topeak Road Morph G, which I mount to the frame. In my seat bag I keep my spare tube, tire levers, and multi tool. My phone usually goes in my jersey pocket, as does any food I might pack for a ride. Anything more than that, such as a lock, goes in a small bag I can mount to the front of my bike.

As far as which seat bag to go with, I would go with the larger one. Weight difference is negligible. Might as well go with the one that holds more stuff.

ArmChairRider

Bigger is better, except for the Atomic-Wedgie of course.

650c

I just recently got a specialized micro-- and it really is micro.

Even when empty, it cannot even fit an iphone6 in it. It is tall enough but not wide enough.

I can fit the following:

• 1 spare 650c tube
• two 16g CO2 cartridges
• a stack of 3 tire levers (park tool)
• a tiny CO2 inflator head
• a tiny presta to regular convertor valve thing
• my house keys

...and its pretty much full after doing some tetris magic to get everything in

since these items you mentioned are really small, they would fit as well with everything i have listed

-Patch
-Spare Chain Link
-Band-Aids
-Couple Ibuprofen Pills

Multi-tool and pack of wet naps would not fit with everything

oldschool56

To prove my point, I am willing to admit to doing something really dumb. A few weeks ago, 18 miles in to my 30 mile ride, I had my first flat. Everything went just dandy as far as replacing the tube. I opened up my C02 pump to invert the cartridge and resealed it. I was expecting to hear the cartridge engage ( a small hiss, pop or something). When I didn't hear anything, I unscrewed the handle and, yes, the handle and cartridge flew across the road and into the nearby woods. The cartridge had seated properly. I just did not realize it. Anyway, a call to the wife and a couple of miles walk, I was back home to wipe the egg off of my face. I went right out and bought a mini pump. If you do decide to go with CO2, don't expect to hear a noise when the cartridge engages.

glenncz

I'd go with the pump. I feel much more comfortable with a pump because flat fixing can be frustrating and awkward, esp if you are not practiced at it. You might screw up and need to air up again, or get a few flats etc and worry about running out. Also the CO2 takes up room in your bag, i like to travel as light as possible and very little room for them after phone, spare tube, levers, patch kit and maybe candy bar or car keys.

I got the Topeak Pocket pump which is cheap, always there and works just fine, but I would practice with it.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

ArmChairRider

https://amzn.com/B00A3W8FFM


Large and expandable bag


Sawed off and filed down Crescent ACL29VS Lighted Adjustable Wrench, 9-Inch, Chrome
Irwin 7WR vice grips
The 2 above items can accommodate the largest nut I have on my bike (1 3/16")
Set of long handle metric hex wrenches
Chain breaker, chain and quick links
Spoke wrench, cone wrench
4 tire levers, air pressure gauge, 26" inner tube, touring patch kit
Safety steel wire and zip ties
Plus I keep a Swiss Army knife with me.
I still think I could stuff some more stuff in the bag.
Maybe some baking soda and superglue or some duct tape.

kevindsingleton 

Yikes! $2990!!!

Bolo Grubb

I like the Arundel Dual Seatbag. you can find it for under $20 dollars ( I got mine on Amazon). It can carry a spare tube, mini-tool, tire lever and patch kit.

I carry a Road morph on the frame with a mount that attaches under the water bottle cage.

I have the same set up on both my bikes.

ArmChairRider

That's the one with the gold zipper and the butler follows and carries it around on his bike for 2 weeks.

Mine only cost $13.

DaveQ24 

We could all use a bike butler😄

ArmChairRider

puma1552

So I picked up a saddlebag today. After seeing how tiny both the Micro and Mini Wedgies were in person, the regular Wedgie was a no brainer, which I hadn't even been considering prior since I assumed it would be huge.

The Wedgie is well made and is quite compact, yet holds a lot. I also am very short at 5'5" and ride a small size Sirrus, so I have pretty much the least amount of visible seat post you are going to find, and I still have several inches of clearance between the bottom of the bag and the rear tire.

Here's what I managed to pack in there:



-Spare tube
-Mini pump (decided to skip CO2)
-3x tire levers
-3x tire boots
-Patch kit w/glue
-Glueless patch kit (doesn't hurt to have both kinds of patch kits just in case)
-4x Wet Ones
-6x Band Aids
-4x 200 mg Advil tablets
-3x 39 gallon tall kitchen garbage bags (to lay bike down on when repairing a flat)
-iPhone 6 which is also in a PowerSupport Air Jacket and then further in one of those old Apple iPod socks

That's a ton of stuff, and it all fits nice and tight without even expanding the expandable part of the saddle bag for some extra room. The garbage bags absolutely do take a lot of space - I'm sure I could get away with one bag and tear it into pieces to put under the contact points during a flat repair, but I'll see how my first flat goes and reduce if I am able to.

I am lacking a multitool with chain tool and a spare chain link. I will pick up a spare chain link, and for me I will be using the Specialized EMT tool that mounts to my bottle cage - however without one or two of the garbage bags, a multitool would even fit in here, and certainly if you opened up the expansion part.

The bag sits nice and tight, doesn't shake around, and is plenty narrower than the seat so I have no chance of rubbing my thighs.









Overall I couldn't be happier. Highly recommended.

Retro Grouch 

How upset do you get when things go badly?

If you tend to have a lot of flats, and you want to get back on the road as quickly as possible, CO2 is much faster and more convenient ONCE YOU LEARN HOW TO USE IT. The trick is to be sure that your new inner tube is safely enclosed in the tire cavity before inflating it with CO2. Otherwise you risk a blow out destroying your inner tube and losing CO2. I carried only CO2 with no pump back up for several years and never had a problem with it. CO2 is more compact and easier to carry on your bike too.

If you are a go with the flow type of person you might prefer to use a pump because it's cheaper. I switched over to using a pump when I started riding recumbents. My recumbents use larger volume tires that require using more CO2 cartriges and consequently hit my cost gag point. The problem with pumps is how to carry them on your bike. The nifty looking mini-pumps that might fit in a bag universally suck because they require so many strokes to get your tire up to pressure. My current favorite is a Topeak Road Morph. It works well but I think that it's ugly.

I don't carry a lot of repair stuff on my bike but I have recently added a needle nose pliers. A high percentage of punctures are caused by steel belted radial tire wires. Those little dickens are hard to find in your tire and, after you do find it, are the devil to pull out.

SkyDog75

Holy cow, man. You need a trailer, not a saddle bag. ;-)

MRT2

The 3 large garbage bags strike me as overkill. Your bicycle is a tool. It is going to get a few marks and scratcnes.

idiotekniQues

I used to have a saddlebag then decided I just hate the way it messes with the lines and looks of the bike. Plus it's one more thing to take off every single time I stop to lock up which is so annoying. A lightweight cycling backpack solved those issues.

puma1552

So now my saddlebag is complete since I bought a multitool and a couple quick links today.

Here's an updated picture of the contents jammed into my Specialized Wedgie, still without expanding the expansion section.



-Topeak mini 18+ multitool with sleeve
-Spare tube
-Mini pump
-3x tire levers
-3x tire boots
-Glueless patches
-Glue patches
-2x 200mg Advil
-4x Band-Aids
-3x Wet Ones (pic shows 4 but decided 3 was fine)
-2x Master links
-iPhone 6 in PowerSupport AirJacket and iPod sock
-One garbage bag for bike contact points during flat repair (can cut up as needed)

The glueless patches, master links, and Advil are squeezed into the glue patch kit (little blue box). Other than that I had to be pretty thoughtful in how I pack everything, but it does all fit and I have it set up so my phone easily slides in and out between the garbage bag and the Wet Ones. No room for anything to rattle.

EDIT: I may toss in a little Swiss Army Classic SD too - was going to go for an old Victorinox Mechanic for the pliers but it won't fit - the Classic SD has a little tweezers though which might help me out a bit.

idiotekniQues

garbage bag for contact points? lol. holy **** man you can't lay a bike down without scratching it? oye vay

10 Wheels

You Did Good.

Now start thinking about a Bright Tail Light.

Happy Safe Miles to you.

LaughingLots

Hilarious!