Hi,

I'll admit my ignorance. I just am getting into cycling "for real". Rode bikes while younger, never had a flat. Prior to recently haven't been going too long of distance that I would be stranded. Now reaching 30 miles (and farther every week!) that's pretty bad timing for a flat...

I want to purchase everything needed: spare tube(s), pump (had one small enough, broke 3rd use... please recommend a decent one maybe on amazon?), patch kit (no idea what to look for, have a good reliable kit?), and levers.

7.2 FX - Trek Bicycle

That is the EXACT bike I have (in black). How do I pick out a correct tube?
Tires: Bontrager H2 Hard-Case Lite, 700x35c
Which aspect of my tire size matches for tube purchase?


So, as mentioned... no idea what is good and what is bad. I know there are permanent patches that take longer and those that are quicker/less chance of a permanent seal. How much time extra does a permanent take? I ask because I commute to work, so time is sorta important lol. Maybe I'll buy both and if time is there it's there.

Is a lever a lever? Or do I need to buy quality/name brand here?

I have a cheapo saddle bag, but I don't think it's going to fit everything. So please recommend a nice saddle bag!

Thanks in advance.

700x35c tire size, your tube should be sized the same. 700 would be your wheel diameter in mm and 35 is the width of the tire in mm. You can not use a larger width tube in a smaller width tire, but since the tube is in general terms just a balloon, your tire is what holds the air pressure so you would probably be OK with using a bit smaller diameter tube (like a 32mm tube.) My old bike was a mountain bike with 1.95 inch tires and I had I think 1.75 inch tubes in it. A coworker gave me a 28mm tube to use as a spare in my 32 mm tires on my new bike because he switched to a thinner tire.

Note, I don't have experience with this stuff as I am just buying as well, but here is what I've decided after research.

Everyone keeps saying to get the Topeak Road Morph G. It is $35 at Amazon. It is small enough to mount on the frame, has a hose to connect to the valve and has a little peg that folds out for you to hold with your foot to pump. A lot of the frame pumps connect directly to the valve with no hose and from what I read, it is first awkward to use and second, it is easy to push and pull the valve around possibly damaging the valve. I am hoping this will do for an every day pump as well for a little bit because my 2 month old floor foot pump that I picked up at Walmart and have hardly even used already broke.

Everything I have read about tire levers is these, Pedro levers. So, I have these in my cart at Amazon waiting for me to checkout. Seems like a lot of reviews and forum talk about the fact that they have a lot of leverage and are pretty unbreakable as well.

I've been looking at an under the saddle bag to carry the stuff and the Topeak Aero Wedge bag seems pretty popular. I don't have much of a budget though for everything so I thought maybe I could knock a few dollars down and have this BV USA bag in my Amazon cart. Would like to see if someone has an opinion on this.

Just now i see another bag that looks nice. Aviner Bigmouth seat bag. Anyone know anything about this bag?

Again, those are just what I've been researching. I don't have personal experience yet.

All you need is a few patches, cement, scruffer and a Co2 inflator with 2 or 3 cylinders. Period. And being as you're running 35's you don't even need tire levers.

I'll second mrodgers' suggestions. The Topeak Morphs come in two sizes,and are designed like mini floor pumps which makes them much easier to use than any of the stick pumps. Pedro's are also my personal choice for levers. A spare tube is nice for making speedy repairs,plus sometimes a tube can't be fixed. I also carry Park Tool's stick-on patches;for permanent fixes I use proper glue-on ones,but for the road side stick-on are much easier to deal with.

I have to ask,can you post your chops? Your absolute statement is pretty far off from my experience. In addition to the fleet of bikes in my sig file,for the past several years I've run a free bike clinic,and have wrenched over 1k bikes. There have been tire/rim combos that I could get on/off tool-free,but most require at least one lever to come off. I've also had combinations that were so difficult it required my bead jack to get on. A set of 2" Crossroads and a pair of 1.3" S-Licks were particular nightmares,and wire bead Randonneurs are always fun.

Thanks for the responses guys,

Now one question (may have missed it) is a tube "a tube"? Are cheap tubes GTG or so I spring for some name brand (which I don't know any name brands lol).

I have never needed levers. I used to do my MX MC tires without levers. You just have to be smarter than the tire.

Back in the days of cantis, I used to gorilla all my tires off with my bare hands. Then one day after a long technical downhill I got a flat. My forearms were pumped and burning (cantis dont stop!) and after I finally wrestled the tough tire off, my fingers were bruised and achy as well. I am now older and softer so I just carry the three pieces of plastic. Ive also run across some combos that just will not come off with goirilla paws. Leverage FTW.

As far as tubes, there are thicker and thinner tubes, but for most of us, a tube is a tube. Just make sure it has the right type of valve (Presta or Schraeder)

However, I avoid tubes with slime (personal taste) and the ultra-light tubes that racers use to save a few grams, but you won't run into too many of those in 35mm, and they tend to cost more than other tubes. If your area has a lot of goats heads or other thorns, you can use a thorn resistant tube to help a little, but it also weighs more, and some people can tell the difference and feel the ride is sluggish (not me, but some).

For flats, I carry at least 1 spare tube, a patch kit (in case of additional flats), a couple of CO2 cartidges with an inflater, a Topeak Road Morph pump and plastic tire levers. I am over-prepared, but I figure that any extra weight just gives me a little more exercise. I ride some fairly remote rail trails, and I don't want to walk 6 or 7 miles to the nearest trail head (or 10-20 miles back to my car) because of a flat.

Save your Road Morph for emergencies, and buy a decent floor pump to top off before rides. I have had good luck with my Blackburn Air Tower 2 which works for both Schraeder and Presta valves. After several years it just started having trouble with the head, but the manufacturer is sending me a head rebuild kit for free (lifetime warranty).

Since you have been searching, you have probably read it before, but I will add here for completeness... When you get a flat, make sure that you identify the cause so that you don't immediately get a second flat...

This is the kit I put together on Amazon last week.

CO2 inflator
Amazon.com : Innovations Air Chuck Elite Inflator : Sports & Outdoors
Tire levers
Amazon.com : Kool Stop Bicycle Tire Levers : Bike Brake Levers : Sports & Outdoors
Tube
Amazon.com : Kool Stop Bicycle Tire Levers : Bike Brake Levers : Sports & Outdoors
Bag
Amazon.com : Cycling Bike Bicycle Saddle Bag Pouch Back Seat Bag Black and Blue Bag : Bike Wedges : Sports & Outdoors
extra CO2
Amazon.com : 16g Threaded CO2 Cartridges 6-Pack Mole-Zap/Ant Zap Refills : Sports & Outdoors

My bag choice is a mistake as Amazon deliberately hides the fact that is shipping in the slow boat from china and will be in transit for 30 days.

As this is emergency equipment I have not tested it yet.

Now I wish I had bought this kit.
Amazon.com : Genuine Innovations Tire Repair & Inflation Deluxe Kit : Bike Seat Packs : Sports & Outdoors

Walta

Even though my Park Multi-Tool has 2 built in levers, I have yet felt the need to use them. I guess that I still have the "gorilla" hands from growing up on the farm.