cyclinrunt

I know others carry phones, but I'm often not with others. I like to cycle alone, esp for long rides. I don't want to be the lone stranded female cyclist, out in the wilds of rural Tennessee, where necks are red, and people can't figure out why bikes are on the road in the first place.

khuon

To be honest, I carry my phone for two reasons.

[1] Emergencies - Admittedly I've only had to use it once but the time I did use it was during a potentially life threatening situation.

[2] Maintaining communications contact on longer rides - We would all love to say that we can just suspend our daily lives while we trek off incommunicado on our bikes but some of us have to be realistic. Without my mobile, I would not have as much freedom to go out for hours at a time. Am I that important that I have to be reachable? Maybe... maybe not... it depends on who you ask and when you ask it.

What it all boils down to is using it responsibly. Just last week, I felt my phone vibrating in my jersey while I was descending a hill at about 45MPH. Was I going to reach back there and answer the call? Hell no! I completed my descent and rode for another mile to a park where I checked the missed call and returned it. As it turns out, it was my riding partner calling to figure out what we wanted to do for our weekend ride the next day. The conversation required some interactivity. I had been waiting for him to get back to me all day. Had I waited around at home in front of the phone, I would have missed my ride. And had I waited until I got back home that evening to return his call, it would have been too late to reach him as his Friday evenings are busy.

legstrong

i don't want to carry a lot of things, because i like to ride freely and easily, but a small box of allen keys, a set of patch kit and a small pump are always necessary.

AquariaGuy

I use a pouch under my top tube to carry my stuff in. I carry a phone, extra glasses, some money, and water on the cage. I don't carry any tools, as I don't know how to fix anything yet -_-

ViciousCycle

At an army surplus store, I got a "ranger's vest" which is similar to a photographer's vest. It has a ton of pockets. The back pocket is huge. I carry a long Topeak Road Morph bike pump in that back pocket, along with some spare tubes, tire levers, spoons, etc. The rest of the rest is full of pockets which can contain hex wrenches, lights, screwdrivers, etc. I really enjoy the vest because it means I always carry my tools with me and don't have to make an effort to take my tools with me when I lock up my bike. The vest cost under $30 and I use it almost every day.

The only drawback to the vest is fashion. If you wear lots of spandex, the vest may clash with your clothing. But if you wear certain types of street clothes, you may find that the best may work for you...

khuon

How about sunny summer days? Do you find the vest hot at all? I know that unless it's below 50 outside, I'm still in short-sleeved jersey and shorts otherwise I get too hot.

poupou

carrying tools is a sure sign that you're not entirely happy with your mechanic, or your mechanical skill. Why would you need any of those macgyver tools?

A good mechanic would never let a chain go to the state ofalmost breaking and likewise with allenkeys. check 'em once a month. Screwdrivers only do limit screws on derailleurs nowadays.

Just go for a pump under the bottlecage, a cell phone and a tube. Practise using your QR levers as tire-levers. Better do this before you ride.

Forget patches. a pain in the wet.

orguasch

last summer, I used to carry about 8 co2 cartirdges, now I carry a pump on my jersey since the cost of the co2 cartridges has become very prohibited, I also carry patch kit, chain breaker 2 tubes, tire lever I place them in a pouch and into my back pocket as for the tubes, I strap them underneath the seat