If you have one, whats in yours?

Im switching from a saddle bag to a trunk bag and so i have:
tube, co2, first aid kit, patch kit, tools.

I don't like carrying any more weight than necessary and the trunk bag and content plus the rack itself add several pounds. Even more, I hate not being prepared. A number of years ago when I began riding and riding quite a few more miles, finding myself 30 miles from home I thought it wiser to carry enough stuff to fix likely problems such as flat tires, bad tubes or destroyed tires and a few spare chain links. For the tire, I have a well worn folding tire, still with a few miles remaining on it, weighing maybe 8 ounces or so. I also put together a small pouch with a few spare odds and ends.

This time of year, as temperatures get cool, I may leave the house in the morning wearing extra layers but as the days warms, I need a place to put those things.

An interesting question. Having a big bag on my bike is handy because I can throw all sorts of stuff, like a rain jacket, into it while I'm on a ride. The problem comes in cleaning it out periodically. One spring I found a dried up banana left over from the previous fall.

The flip side of the coin is the amount of tools and spares that some posters claim to carry with them on every ride. I've been criticized several times for saying that I only carry enough stuff to handle one puncture.

I have a Topeak MTX bag. I carry inside it my 2nd 24 oz. water bottle (only space for 1 on the frame), a reused 32 oz. Gatorade bottle that I fill with water and freeze, and two 20 oz. bottles of Gatorade of which I only drink one so I'll get rid of the other and find another bottle to fill and freeze with water. I drink a LOT of water. The water I carry isn't enough for 60 miles.

I usually have a couple of granola bars or couple of PayDay candy bars but usually I don't end up eating them. I carry them anyways just in case.

In the underside of the top there is a pouch I toss my keys in and always have a bottle of Excederin. In a pouch on the back inside I have a handful of eye glass cleaner wipes since sweat pours off me like a fireman's hose and inevitably it will drip from my brow and get my sun glasses a mess to where I can't see out of them.

There are pouches on the sides of the trunk bag but they are tight against it and useless. I sometimes slip my phone into one of the side pockets. It's difficult getting it in and out.

I usually have a bag of jerky wedged in after all the bottles because, well, for no other reason than I like jerky. That and I chew snuff (stupid, I know) and trying to kick the habit or at least cut down, I'll chew up a little of the jerky into my lip instead of the snuff.

I just got a small little behind the head frame bag which I can now carry my camera and my wallet for easy access. I'm the photographer of the group and need quick and easy access to the camera. When we stop anywhere, it was getting to be a pain to dig the wallet out among the other stuff in the trunk bag plus it would be cold and damp from the frozen bottles.

Think about how you mount your bike. If you swing a leg over the rear wheel, you're going to have to stretch a bit to clear the rack and bag. The extra weight has been mentioned. I'm generally satisfied with a saddle pouch but add a small handlebar bag if I need room for extra clothes or such.

The Jandd Duffel Rack Pack (halfway down the page): Rear Rack Trunks

It is a simple duffel bag with straps to attach to a rack.

I had the complex ones with all the little compartments in the past, and hated them because they didn't have have space for a large bulky object (eg large pump) even though they had the total volume to handle it.

Eww, an old banana.

For long rides (100-200 miles solo and unsupported) I take an Arkel TailRider with a builtin rain cover. It contains the inner dry bag from the Arkel saddle bag I use on shorter rides, one liter Platypus, Clif bars bringing my total to one every two hours, sun screen, what I don't wear during warm daylight hours (wind jacket, thermal jersey, thermal tights, reflective ankle bands, reflective vest), spare Garmin Edge 500, spare cue sheet, Krebs bicycle touring map, spare tire, electrical tape, helmet light, Ixon IQ Premium as a spare head lamp, 4 AA batteries as spares for that, spare phone battery, handlebar phone holder.

For all rides:
My small dry bag has two tubes, a patch kit with sealed vulcanizing fluid tube, three tire boots, two tire levers, three master links, the left over links from a new chain, Park MT-1 dog bone, T-25 torx key, chain tool, spoke wrench, TiGr lock cylinder, and a pair of nitrile gloves.

Outside those I have dynamo lights with no batteries to exhaust, a full-sized frame pump (90psi in 90 strokes) beneath my top tube, and my TiGr titanium lock bow.

A trunk bag to carry this?

I've added more since switching. That's what I had in my saddle bag.

I like a trunk bag in the shoulder seasons so I can carry extra clothing.

I have a Bontrager trunk bag with fold out panniers. Since I'm almost always biking with my kids, and I like extra ice water even when I'm not, I use it all the time. I usually have one or two 40 oz vacuum insulated water bottles in the main pocket. I keep a spare tube, pump and patch kit in there for any longer rides, and snacks, sunscreen, bug spray type items for the kids most of the time. Extra clothes, and swim suit go in if I'm biking to the beach. I've also packed and carried lunch with freezer gel packs to keep it cold. Also comes in very handy to carry things back from the farmer's market or smaller grocery runs. I get odd looks when I don't bother to take the bag off when I hit the trails, but I'm not trying to impress anyone. I already have a 40 lb bike so if I carry some extra weight in supplies, all I'm getting is more exercise which is the point anyway.

If front trunk bags get to play, in it, I'm hauling a fold-up tire, 2 oz. Stans, pressure gauge, chain tool, leftover chain piece and 2 quick-links, a rag, saddle cover, and still small room for sundries.
The tool roll on my saddle bag carries 2 tubes and a tool for every fastener on the bike, including peanut butter wrench and valve core tool.

The MUT bag strapped on my rear rack will carry a 25 oz thermos, and between it, 2 cages, and an added bar bottle bag, I can carry 100 oz water. I've sweated that much on summer rides in the TX hill country.

Each of my bikes carries the full compliment mentioned above in different ways - on my drop-bar road bike, all my roadside (fold-up tire, 2 tubes, Stans, chain stuff, tools, pressure gauge) is in a roll-top saddle wedge bag.


Each bike also has an added front bag or a larger front bag for carrying winter/weather layers.

e.g., this 7-liter saddle bag carries all roadside with room for sundries, and I put on the front trunk bag in winter for weather layers.

In the spring, I used a trunk bag to carry my rain jacket. I also carry a phone, external battery and usb cable to charge my phone, since my phone couldn't hold a charge for more than 2 hours. I also have my mini tool, tubes and inflator. I also carry some food incase my blood sugars drop too much. I have switched to a frame bag.

I weighed my bike with everything tonight and its 30lbs.

I use a trunk bag from Timbuk2. In it, I keep a Crank Brothers multi-tool, a spare tube, a patch repair kit, a 6" crescent wrench, a mini air pump and a honking heavy Krypto U-Lock. When I go out on extended excursions, I add 2 cans of Beaver Energy drink and some extra clothes.

I have an old REI trunk bag that I will use on liesurely rides to carry a rain/wind shell and perhaps a vest or sweater in addition to my 'flat' kit. Usually I just carry my 'flat' kit, snacks and phone in my jersey pockets. On leisurely rides I'm usually not kitted out so I have no place to put my essentials.

I usually carry a roll-up canvas shoulder bag or cloth hobo bag in case I want to pick up a few groceries after a ride. I keep a few basic tools in there. On longer rides I might add a spare tube, extra water bottle, snacks. After major adjustments or parts replacements I'll add a few more tools for the first break-in ride. I just roll up those bags and use a cargo net to hold 'em on the rear rack. Easier to tote with me when I'm off the bike than a conventional trunk rack.

I have a Topeak MTX trunk bag, I use it on my 50+ mile ride on Saturdays, I also have the fitted rain cover that works really well. Since it rains almost every day, I pack flip flops, dry socks, shorts, shirt, underwear, towels, and contact eye solution. If I get stuck in a downpour I find a dry place that serves beer, change into dry clothes and flip flops, and try the best I can to dry out my shoes. I have had to use this set up about 50% of the time this summer.

Spare tube
Tire levers
Mini pump
Patch kit
6" crescent wrench (for IGH axle nuts)
Allen keys
Lock
Bungee cord
Spare workplace key set
That leaves a lot of space to carry small loads, clothes, etc.

I was using a truck bag on a rack that clamped onto the seat post of my road bike. But I've just switched to a front rack handle bar bag. The new front bar bag is bigger, but I plan on roughly the same stuff.

For long randonneuring rides (and this varies depending on the length, time of year, weather forecast) (and I should mention I'm a junior Randonneur, so I'm still working out my load):
- Extra food
- Energy beverage mixes
- Some Tylenol
- Multi-tool
- Spare tube
- Pump
- Tire levers
- Patch kit
- Boot for repairing tire (I should jut start carrying a folding tire)
- Fiber-fix spare spoke
- Handy wipes
- Spare front light
- Spare rear light
- Rain jacket
- Zip ties
- Velcro straps
- The glasses I'm not using
- A pen
- A silver sharpie
- Money / ID / Credit card
- Zip lock bag
- Phone

If I'm just going out for a short ride (under 100 miles) I use an under seat pack with:
- Spare tube
- Pump
- Tire levers
- Patch Kit
- Multi tool
- Fiber-fix
- Pen
- I stick some food in my pockets. I just run on water or stuff from stores for beverages.
- I stick my phone in my pocket. I don't mind having stuff on my back for short rides, but I leave the pockets empty for short rides.

Just big enough for 2 tubes & tire levers.

Tubes, glueless patches, tire boot, bike multi tool, leatherman, 6 inch crescent, CO2 inflator, mini pump, chain quick link, alcohol, and rags. All this in the trunks on both the bent and trike. I pretty much dont intend to have to walk home.