Kindacrunchymom

Good morning! I just purchased a Yuba Mundo that is scheduled to be here early next week and I hope to start riding immediately. But first I'm trying to get all of my ducks in a row. What items (tools/gear/misc) do you carry on a daily basis? Is there anything you had or things you find useless?

Thanks!

Roody

For years I've had a cool little repair kit. It fits in the palm of my hand, but it contains a couple Allen wrenches, chain tool, tire irons, and a tube patch kit. I also carry a mini-tool--like a jack knife with pliers, knife blade, screw driver, and scissors. Then there's a spare tube, an extra blinkie, some chain links, and spare batteries for my lights. And a little bottle of chain lube.

All that stuff weighs less than a pound and I have a little case that holds it all.

When you buy tools, try to find good ones that you really like the look and feel of. And find a cool case that they fit snugly in, without rattling around. If you love your tool kit, you'll always take it with you and you'll never be stuck without it.

kookaburra1701

A lock, my wallet and a phone. I have a large basket on the front of my bicycle that carries most anything else I pick up. My repair kit is a bus pass.

MikeRides

I don't ordinarily carry much on my commutes. Just my wallet, phone, a lock, a water bottle, allen wrench set, spare tube, and some duct tape. I wear a backpack most days, to make things easier (carrying groceries, change of clothes, etc.)

B. Carfree

The only items that I always carry are my wallet (cash, credit cards, ID, medical insurance card) and a house key. If I'm staying in town, I may add a lock and key. If I'm heading out of town, then I'll add water, satellite locator, cell phone, tube, patch kit, pump, tire levers and allen wrenches. If the ride is longer than 200 km, then I may bring some food too. If I'm heading out of state, I'll usually add a tent, clothes, sleeping pad & bag, more tools (multi-tool plus pliers) and some food. If it involves some terrain that warrants it, I'll pack off-road tires.

Most of my trips are the simple in-town, bring a wallet, keys and lock type. Most of my miles are the add water, tube, levers, pump, allen wrenches type. Most of my fun are the add everything type.

lasauge 

I always carry water, a pump (Topeak Road Morph), patch kit, spare tube, multitool (Park MT-1), house keys, phone, and my wallet. And I almost always have appropriate weather gear, lights, and a light cable lock with me as well. For longer rides I'll add extra water, food, and sunscreen, and if I'm planning to leave my bike unattended for a considerable period of time I'll bring a U-lock.

My kit is pretty basic and limited to things I don't feel comfortable riding without, but is enough that I can deal with the most common contingencies and lets me go anywhere within a fifty mile radius of home without worrying. Some other things that might make sense to carry would be a spoke wrench, chain breaker, and tire levers if you're not confident about being able to remove and install tires by hand.

Nickfrogger

My panniers usually look a lot like most people's back car seats. I don't really notice the weight, so right now I have a couple water bottles, some seltzer, a pump, some adjustable wrenches, a bed sheet, my u-lock, a few jackets, and some cheese (with accompanying cutting board and knife). That's pretty much the norm

wipekitty

I almost always carry a set of allen keys, a 15 mm wrench, a small adjustable wrench, tire irons, a small two-way screwdriver, a mini pump, a tube or two, and a lock. Most of the time I also have a wallet (not always) a phone (though not always for short errands), and house/office keys. In cold weather, I include a lighter, instant heat packets, and an extra hat. If it will get dark, I have some kind of backup lighting. If it's a particularly long ride, I'll bring a backup brake cable and some water too.

All of this goes into a special pocket in my large messenger bag, leaving plenty of space for work stuff and things I might pick up on errands.

Kindacrunchymom

Thanks everyone!!

Haha, this is what I'm trying to stay away from. We always pack the car with so much.

Having two kids with me I know I'm going to have a lot already so I want to make sure I have the most used/needed items first and then add in extras. Tools, pump, water, batteries, light, some snacks, diaper kit for the young one, maybe a small light blanket or sweatshirt I can throw over them if the weather takes a turn. 90% of out commute is within 4 miles of home and it's all 'in town' so I'm always retry close to help if I need it.

shipwreck

One thing I would carry would be a basic first aid kit if I was toting kids around. I usually take one on tour but not around town. Fixing the bike is nice, but treating a scraped knee is better!

B. Carfree

I never carried a first aid kit around with my child. If it was something simple, it could wait until we got home to take care of it. If it was serious, that's what ambulances are for. If it's somewhere in between, that's going to depend on what it is but it is amazing what can be done with fabric. (Basic microbiology and physiology education are helpful things for those who choose to breed.)

I just have to ask, who carries a first aid kit everywhere they go with children? Why would one carry a kit on a bike if not when travelling by other means?

Isaiahc72

If the trip is less than 5-miles, I have no problem carrying just a lock, keys, cell phone, wallet, and lights. But if it's further than that, I carry a spare chain, chain tool, phillips screwdriver, hex keys, mini pump, spare tube, tube patch kit, lock, lights, and most useful, vise grips.

wahoonc

Guilty FWIW we have first aid kits in all of our vehicles too. I made my own though, didn't buy the ready made ones. I used little tackle boxes for most of them.

Aaron

Kindacrunchymom

I do! Well, it's normally just band aids but it def wouldn't hurt to throw some in with the diaper kit!

mconlonx

I always carry an emergency repair kit: CO2, regulator head, patch kit, one tire lever, mini multi-tool. This goes into my backpack/man-bag so it is always with me. Not only when I'm riding, and indeed, I got to play good samaritan/hero bike mechanic once.

The above goes with me anyway; for commuting and longer rides, I carry a larger multitool w/ chain tool, extra master-link, spare tube, CO2inflator/pump combo, patch kit, 2 tire levers, zip ties, mini 15mm wrench, small (sample-size) bottle of lube, couple of spare 5mm bolts, couple prepackaged alcohol swabs, one Off bug repellent towelette, a rag, water bottle, energy bar, and a vest which stuffs into its own pocket. Oh, and lights. All this stuffs into a moderately sized barrel shaped handlebar/seatbag which I can easily swap bike to bike.

Most of the time, these function merely as talismans, magick to ward off flats, changes in weather, mechanicals, etc. On the extremely rare occasion I've needed them, I was glad I had them; and I've made friends and customers by lending tools and knowledge on the road... which is why I also carry shop business cards as well...

shipwreck

I have to admit that my basic kit on or off bike has always included a condom, so I don't have any children of my own. However, all my friends have had children and I am lucky enough(I guess)that all my old buddys wives like and trust me enough that I am allowed to hang out with those children. If one of them gets scraped up with Uncle Shipwreck, its a nice effect to put a SpongeBob band aid on it. It makes the kids happier, and certainly fools the mothers into thinking that I am responsible when I return with a fully sterilized and covered boo-boo. I do know just enough physiology that I won't try to return a child with a tourniquet around the neck to stop a bloody nose.

timmythology

kookaburra1701

You should see me when I'm on a long road ride, though. I look like I have horrific kidney tumors my jersey pockets are so stuffed.

enigmaT120

For my commute I have one pannier locked to the rack, in which I carry a little pack with dry clothes for wear on the bus and at work. In the other one I carry magazines, books, my lunch, my Samsung tablet for more books and TV shows to watch on the bus, and anything else I need to haul around. It's not light.

I keep tools and a spare tube in the black water bottle in my lower bottle rack:



Never mind the front rack and stove, I just had those on as I took that picture to show how they worked together. I don't usually have those on.

B. Carfree

A noncycling friend who volunteers with the Marcola Fire Department was amazed at how much stuff the cyclist she treated had in his jersey pockets. She described it like the circus clown car, but with more blood. She did find a way to remove the clothing that needed removing without cutting it to ribbons. She knows how much it costs and didn't want to add any more woe to the poor sap than he already had coming.

The rider wasn't seriously injured, but there was a risk of hypothermia as he was underdressed for laying around bleeding on the asphalt. I guess that part wasn't in his ride plan.

kookaburra1701

I wish the jersey-style back pockets would catch on in the wider world. They're so handy! I've been thinking about drawing up a pattern for a scrub top modeled on a bike jersey.

MikeRides

In the past I always kept a first aid kit in my cars at all times. Usually just a basic one (band aids, neosporin, and gauze pads). I carried this over to my bike when I was car light and now that I'm car free. It's always better to have something and not need it than need something and not have it. A small first aid kit doesn't take up much space in a saddle bag, along with a spare tube/patch kit/tools.

BikeAnon

- $500 cash, in various denominations
- Credit card
- Leatherman/multitool
- Pistol
- Cell phone

On the bike, or off, there are very few problems than cannot be solved with this combination of resources.

{{insert smilie, if you need to believe I'm kidding******

gerv 

A table !!!

The one tool I require to get my single pannier loaded up is a table that has all the possible things I might fit in a pannier ... all laid out so I can see everything and consider what I might need.

For example I don't need my cell phone and a bag containing various things like a comb and small plastic bags with emergency Aleve... but I find these great for commuting. If I'm going to the grocery store, I remove as much as possible so I can fit more food. If I'd staying late, I'll need lights. If it might rain, I'll throw in my small rain cape.

Roody

Believe it or not, I know exactly what you mean.

I used to have a spare room that I called the bike room. It contained a large kitchen table where I laid out and organized all the bike stuff. There were also hooks for clothing and a wire shelving unit for off-season storage. I could get ready for any kind of ride in two minutes and I never misplaced or forgot anything.

When my family of four people, two cats, and a dog moved in, the bike room had to go. It's one of the few things I miss about my single days.