Today for me it was my headphones. I had to drive to where the ride began, realized I forgot them as I was prepping my bike.

What are things that you sometimes forget to bring?

Sunglasses is common for me.

Worst was the saddle with seatpost. My mountain bike fits much easier in my sedan when the saddle removed. Whenever I remove it for transportation, I make sure to put it down in the trunk now.

My friend has forgotten his helmet a couple of times.

Recently, I forgot to bring my rain pants for a week long tour. For three days it rained a cold rain on me every mile I was on the road until I abandoned the tour and had an old friend drive 4.5 hrs. to rescue me.

I once forgot my cycling shoes. I was on the way to an club event and realized it maybe 20 min. into the drive. Returned home and decided to do a local club ride at noon. Got five miles into that ride and realized I had left my water bottles in the car from aborted drive to the club event. It was clear I was not supposed to ride that day.

One night I camped out at the start of a club event only to discover the next morning that I had forgotten my bib shorts.

One time I was a few miles into a ride before noticing I wasn't wearing my helmet over my halo sweat cap.

I survived.

Sometimes I forget to wear any pants, but that's pretty common whether cycling or not.

A variation: I was touring from Seattle to Cortez, CO. During the third day of the trip I took a ferry from Pt. Townsend, WA to somewhere I cannot remember. Got off the boat and started riding along. About 3 miles later I felt like I was missing something. That's when I realized I had left my Camelback hanging on a fence post after getting off the boat. Good thing I hadn't gone that far. I hate going backwards.

Another forgotten helmet. My wife and I had driven over an hour to the start of a charity ride with a mandatory helmet rule. Of course I had forgotten mine so I did what any other red blooded American male would do--I told my wife to go ahead and start and I would catch up to her. Then, I pretended to return to the car but instead detoured around the official start to catch up with my wife. No one mentioned the absence of my helmet all day and I didn't crash and split my melon open. And, it was a great ride on a beautiful day.

Gloves. I wear them when it's cold and I make a point to try to wear them while racing. But I typically ride bare handed in warm weather if I'm commuting or training. Half the time I forget to pack them in my race bag. Oh well.

Back when I used a roof rack that required front wheel removal and stowage in the backseat, I forgot my wheel! Got the to the trail head all excited for a great ride and realized the front wheel was 30 minutes away; laying on my garage floor! Doh!

A woman I know left her front wheel on the sidewalk in Philly. Amazingly, it was still there when she returned.

I forgot rain gear on a charity century, and that turned out to be pretty serious.

Salty.....

computer

Dang it, forgot my......

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Originally Posted by mynewnchome

Today for me it was my headphones. I had to drive to where the ride began, realized I forgot them as I was prepping my bike.

What are things that you sometimes forget to bring?

My last extended trip for a bike ride was about 300 miles by car, and fellow BF subscriber [MENTION=25235]BluesDawg[/MENTION] was going too.

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Originally Posted by BluesDawg

I am now registered. No idea yet where I'll stay, how I'll get there or whether my wife will be able to go, but I'm in.

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Originally Posted by Jim from Boston

As a veteran of four Fifty-Plus Annual Rides, I had made up this (updated) Preparation Schedule for myself as a working professional with a family….

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Originally Posted by BluesDawg

Yeah, I've never been and never intend to become that organized. I'll be there. That's about all I need to know at this point.

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Originally Posted by Jim from Boston

Well you should see my packing list…hate to arrive on time, having forgotten my bike (helmet, gloves, shoes, pump, tools, shorts, water bottle, computer, lights, extra valve stem caps…); never happened.

Well, I know I forgot something, I just can't remember what it was.

I often drive to a start point, so at one time or another, I've forgotten most things.

Some of the stuff I've forgotten....Waterbottles, helmet, shoes, tools, ride snacks, air up my tires....I'm pretty sure the only thing I haven't forgotten is my bike.

Worse one and it only happened ONE time (I made sure! lol) was the front wheel of one of my bikes. Fork mounted roof rack. Leaned the wheel inside my garage. Took off without it and only found out at the trail. Ended up just walking. Hahaha! Now I lean my wheels on my car where I can see them.

I mostly commute to the office. The most common thing I forget is a water bottle, maybe three or four times a year. Sometimes I go back in the house and get it, sometimes not.

Next, about twice a year, I forget to bring fresh underwear and socks to change into at the office. But for the last few years I carry a spare pair of undies in my commute pack, and I keep spare socks at the office so I never have to spend the day in potentially gamy briefs. Why I don't keep extra undies at the office, I don't know, but there's a Target a quarter mile away, so I have that as a backup.

I often run banking and shopping errands on the bike at lunch. About once a year I forget to bring my wallet with me, so I have to ride back to the office and then again to my errands. Usually it's within three miles, so it's not too bad.

The only other thing I forget with regularity while riding is I forget where I'm going...or specifically, I forget to make turns if an errand it takes me off one of my usual routes. Sometimes I use Google Directions to remind me to turn when I need to.

....my helmet. I'll be halfway to work on my bike and just feeling off. I'll start wondering what is missing until I realize I'm helmetless. Happens every now and than.

I always forget my Cliff bar, so I stop and buy one and water refill. So then and go forget my money, my phone got me out of that with apple pay.

I forgot my bike was in the trunk of a rental car and returned the car to Hertz.

The situation worked itself out easily enough but there were a few moments or horror when I realized.


-Tim-

One time, when I was going out for a club evening ride, I forgot to bring my bike. However, since I was very early, so I had time to drive home and retrieve it so all was well.

You name it, I've probably forgotten it. Except my bike. I now carry spare helmet, spare bottle, bottled water, and even spare gloves, in my truck most of the time. I usually dress before leaving home, so I don't usually have to worry about kit.