ggpepper

Just ordered one of these for my Hamilton's 2nd bottle cage. I think it will help with the lost small item problem.

Jiggle

Heh, nice.

I lost about $200 in petty cash after a rest stop. I forgot to zip up my saddle bag and it fell out along the ride. I hopped in my car and cruised the route. Found it about two miles from the end, just sitting there in the road. Whew!

I'm sure keys are easier to find.

Sy Reene

Not with the car.. you'd be walking or back on the bike.

Jiggle

Maybe HE would, but I have a spare key epoxied in a safe spot.

f4rrest

Might be a great use for a body piercing.

Jim from Boston

Well said...same thing for handlebar mounted mirror cyclists. Like those who don't wear mirrors at all, they're all idiots since they don't wear eyeglass-mounted mirrors.

My mother has one of those too, with a combination lock from her phone number. Got me in the house once when no one was home. But when you write, "I carry the remote in my pocket." does that mean a remote control to open the lock box? In which case, couldn't you lose the remote?

Bines

This!

Strange

Wouldn't go that far. But it does seem to me that if you're concerned about your physical safety the last thing you'd want to do would be to compromise your best defense against getting hit by another vehicle. Anything that reduces your situational awareness increases your risk. I find it hard to believe there's anything you can hear with earbuds that makes that risk worthwhile. Obviously YMMV.

skycomag

I use this:Bicycle Bike Cycling Frame Pannier Saddle Front Tube Bag Both Side Double Pouch | eBay

they have a draw sting inside . this what I use for my keys and cell.
I got mine from geeks. they'll be cheaper . I use their app on my tablet. they'll come from china.

Phil_gretz

Wallet - why?
Headphones - why?
Tools - why? Are you still adjusting the fit of your bike. Don't you maintain it regularly anyway?
Keys? Do you need to carry them? Single key instead?

I'd look for ways to carry less...

Also, I apologize in advance for ragging on Bontrager, but Trek's house brand wouldn't be my preference for anything. It ripped because you have a habit of overstuffing it, and then you don't notice when it's giving way? It didn't fail like carbon fiber, it failed gradually - more likely...

Eaton

It's the remote for the car. The lockbox is a combo lock.

wphamilton

Phil! People carry things for their own reasons, so "how" is more important for them than explaining "why".

For me, and OP may have completely different reasons but for example: in case I want to buy something, if I want to listen to music or ignore MUP "safety instructors", to fix or adjust things when necessary, and because I lock the house when leaving, respectively.

Phil_gretz

Because sometimes "why?" is the better question. If you want to buy something on your ride (and you'll be carrying it home), then you'll also prepare with a way to carry that thing on your bike. If it's just a food item (on a 30 mile loop?), then a thin credit card or a folded bill will do. One doesn't need the entire wallet.

I ask because the bag was overstuffed. Why so many precautions on a simple ride? That was my question.

bakes1

I am kinda with Phil on this one.
People are ofc free to carry whatever they want but too many threads start with new riders asking advice on what to carry and next thing you know 10 people are telling them to carry everything but the kitchen sink because that's what they do.
Again, if those ten people can't leave home without medical id, drivers license, camelbak, tools, protein bars, first aid kit, $10 dollar bill, house keys, headphones, gps, bigfoot repellant, etc... thats all good and more power to them. But maybe they aren't the best folks to be dispensing advice to new riders on that particular subject?
Just sayin...

wphamilton

Well, they've probably given it more thought on how, and tried different methods of carting all that stuff.

If you ask me how to carry less stuff I'd tell you that what we tend to carry scales with whatever our cargo capacity is. Take some bags off, take the rack(s) off, and you'll quickly decide what's most important to have on the bike. Or vice versa, add bags or bucket or whatever and we'll probably wind up using them. To my mind the key is having the right amount of space to carry stuff we think we want, and what or why doesn't matter as much.

bakes1

I completely agree.
I just think most people(myself included occasionally)forget to be objective when dispensing this type of advise.

fietsbob

After having a back pack pocket picked, I wear a Money belt under my clothes , when I need security more than convenience.

wphamilton

To me it's logical for the seat bag to hold stuff that I don't use frequently. It's storage, that stays with the bike, and I can forget about it until I need it. So I don't go into it all the time, but it's always full.

OP uses it to also temporarily hold his personal items because he doesn't have pockets and that's reasonable IMO. I guess that's why it's overstuffed, you fill it with whatever and then your pocket stuff. He needs another separate, dedicated container, or at least a compartmentalized saddle bag.

70sSanO

Jandd

waterfish_21

I carry my bike pass in my wallet, too lazy to put it somewhere else, we need them here in Wisconsin. Also I never carry cash on me, haven't done so for 10 years, I guess I could put some cash in my bag or something. Headphones? well, that's a personal choice I guess, a dangerous one at that, but I'm on the bike trail 90% of the time, and take them off when I'm on the roads. Yes, I'm still making adjustments to fit my bike, I just got this bike and didn't get a proper fit in. Also tire tools in the case I need to change one. I keep my car inside my garage locked, so I carry my garage key with me, and my building key, and my room key. I guess I could put my other 2 keys inside my car and lock the garage... Also my 30 mile loop sometimes turns into 50-60 miles depending on the day and how I feel, so I always prepare for it.

As for the bontrager bag, it was the only brand the LBS carried so I bought it. Also it was not overstuffed, just over zipped over the summer and the zipper was damaged, similar to any other zipper on a jacket/lunch bag/backpack.

Thanks for all the replies, I found a new bag and a way to secure my keys with me.

ColaJacket

I use a Transit seat bag, and it has a clip for keys. If I have to drive to a ride, I'll clip my car key to it.

GH

Strange

A conversation I've had a few times too many...

Roadmate: Hey Strange, whaddya packing all that stuff for? We're only going to be gone a coupla hours, you don't need all that crap.

Me: Mumble...whatever.

--- Exactly one hour and nineteen minutes later ---

Roadmate: Dude I just got a flat. Can I borrow your patch kit?

Me: You know I could've sworn someone was recently hassling me about carrying a bunch of 'stuff I wasn't going to need'...

Roadmate: C'mon man lemme borrow your patch kit okay?

Me: Grumble...

--- Five minutes later ---

Roadmate: Lemme borrow your cell phone, I gotta call my girlfriend and tell her I'll be late.

Me: You mean that cell phone you said I wasn't going to need...?

Roadmate: Quit being a dick and lend me your phone okay?

Me: Ggggrrr...

--- Later down the road at a store on the way ---

Roadmate: Hey man I don't have any cash, can I borrow some bucks?

Me: Yeah, on one condition. You have to let me take my Sharpie (which I did in fact bring along) and write 'I am an @$$hole' across your face.

cyccommute 

It seems to me that this would be self explanatory. It's a convenient place to carry money or the plastic that serves as money. I suppose if you are only riding close to home needing to pay for something is less important than if you are thousands of miles from home but, still, you never know.

It's a convenient place to carry an ID so that they can identify the body. Or if a police officer ask for your ID you can hand it over and not spend time in the back of his squad car as he tries to identify you.

This one I actually agree with but I hardly wear headphones at all.

Stuff happens. Again, if you can walk home perhaps tools are unimportant but I've had enough flats that I at least carry the tools...and they are tools...to fix a flat. But if you are thousands...or even only a few dozen miles...from home, tools come in handy.

If I'm carrying a lock (I don't always), I need a key for the lock. I need a key for my house. I need a key for my vehicle if I drive to a starting location. I don't know of anyone that makes a single key that opens my front door, opens the lock on my bike and starts my car. My key chain is also a convenient place to put my backup flashlight which I always carry after getting stuck on a mountain bike trail after dark without lights. Also included in my tool kit is a fire starter kit and cottonballs cover in Vaseline so that I don't have to spend a cold night on a mountain bike trail after dark.

ColaJacket

On the ID, this isn't Russia, you're not required to have an ID. You are required to give them your correct name.

For the keys, if you drive, you can put your house key in the car. I can understand the need for a lock key and either the house key or the car key.

GH

cyccommute 

Twenty four states have laws that require some form of ID be presented when an officer asks for one. Almost all traffic stops...bicycles are vehicles...are called "Terry stops" since they fall under the 1968 Supreme Court Ruling in Terry v. Ohio. Failure to present ID can get you thrown in jail until such time as the authorities can determine your identity. You can refuse to present ID but the cops can detain you until they can identify you. Is a few grams really worth the time and effort of being hauled to court?


I don't know about you but my keys are conveniently linked together. My house key is on the same ring as my car key. Yes, I could take the house key off and place it in my vehicle but honestly, I could take a swig of water and spit it on the ground and same more weight.