Yesterday, I did an outdoor group gravel ride. One of the riders got a flat tire. This should have been a quick 10 minute fix, but due to equipment failures, this took a lot longer.
This was a good reminder to restock my bag and make sure all is in working condition.
So- what do I carry?
Multitool- make sure it has the tools you need for your bike. Common things to fix on bike- saddle height and angle, tighten cleat bolts, adjust brakes, dropper on mountain bike.
Tube- carry at least one. If you have had the same one in your repair kit for over a year, make sure there are no holes in it. This is what caused our problem yesterday- the valve had rubbed a hole into the tube.
Tire levers (2)- pedros like shown are easiest to use.
Bike Pump- make sure it works. My lezyne pump was so oxidized, I could not get hose out of it. A little grease fixed this (after the fact).
CO2 inflater and extra CO2 cartridges. Over time, the inflater nozzles clog or stop working. Unfortunately, yesterday was the day mine died.
For gravel and mountain biking- chain tool, multlink, rear derailleur hanger.
If tubeless- dynaplug or bacon strips, extra valve core, valve core removal tool, paper clip to unclog valve. Duct tape and a couple zip ties.
Extra nutrition, hand wipe (optional), pair of nitrile gloves, chamois cream, extra cleat bolt, some lube and bandana round out my kit.
Many of these I have learned to carry from mechanicals I’ve had. The bandana is one of the most useful things to carry- you can use it to wash up, cool down, clean wounds, wipe dirty hands, splint broken bones, etc.
As outdoor riding season is coming upon us, take a day and restock, refill and check your kit.
@Petals i love that you have all this. I also have extra stuff but now have to check it. My husband rides tubeless and has nothing. Nothing. Nothing just in case. “It’ll seal up”. Don’t get me started.
I still have to learn how to use the CO2 cartridge. I always carry a pump. You never k WO when old school will be needed.
Multitool, rag, tire levers, a bit of duck tape. And in addition to a pump and spare tube I also have a patch kit since I’ve had multiple flats on my road bike on really long rides. I also have a silver sharpie so I can mark the puncture on the tube when I find it. And band aids in case I need to be patched
Great post. Here in Phoenix you can pretty easily blow through 2-3 tubes on a road ride during goathead season, so most people I know who aren’t tubeless carry 2 tubes and a handful of CO2 cartridges along with levers. I’m tubeless and still carry a tube, patch kit, CO2, and levers. I need to get some bacon strips. I keep a tiny first aid kit in an altoids tin- a few bandaids, asprin, some single use packs of neosporin. Medication for myself if needed. Multi tool. Probably a few other things I’m forgetting.
I blew a back tire out descending a hill in Flagstaff as a pretty new road rider. I screamed, it sounded like a gunshot, but I didn’t crash.
My husband and I have blown as many as 5 tubes between us in a single ride.
. Bigger wounds happen