tetonrider

hi!
recent, repeated failure of a small pump's frame mount has caused me to rethink what i carry on road rides. more specifically, it made me think about ditching the pump and switching to co2, but it also had the effect of making me think about the other stuff i carry in my small seat bag.

since i have a micro-seat bag, space is at a premium. i'd like to carry 2 tubes, 2 16g co2 cartridges, an inflator and appropriate (minimal) tools. space not weight is really the issue.

(1) flat protection
i have an ultraflate plus sitting here in the packaging, but i'm worried about the size. i also have an older air chuck sl (tiny, but functional?)

any opinions on which one to carry? i think i could take off the head of the ultraflate plus and just use that with threaded cartridges to save space. the air chuck sl saves more space, of course, but is there anyone who has used both and can comment on their relative performance?

i'll carry one plastic tire lever.

(2) general tools
i was carrying some topeak tool with 18 or 20 things on it, but that's overkill. i keep my bike well-maintained, so it should just require emergency stuff while on the road -- not a complete overhaul.
i took an inventory on my bike and realized that the features of the topeak mini 6 cover all i need. (wouldn't be ideally suited for my mountain bike.)

(3) chain failure
i'm having trouble figuring out if i still should carry a chain tool. i know it's a rare occurrence to have a chain fail, especially on a road bike (and further on one that is maintained and chains are replaced when necessary).

i was wondering if i could get away with simply carrying a spare connector link (dura ace or wipperman) instead of a chain tool and pin.

when a chain breaks, does it often "explode" such that the old pin falls out (or is easy to get out with ones fingers or hitting it on the ground?) -- or is the old pin usually jammed in there an impossible to remove except with a tool? the last time a chain broke on me was in 2003, and i really don't recall whether or not i needed a tool to get home.

Jynx

Fixed

AngryScientist 

as jynx pointed out having 2 tubes and 1 co2 isnt going to help after the first flat.

merlinextraligh

You can save a lot of space by carrying one tube and a patch kit, as oppossed to two tubes. The odds that you are going to shred 2 tubes beyond repair are deminimis.

The odds of even getting a second flat are low, and its just not that difficult or time consuming to repair a tube.

Phantoj

I carry way too much stuff. I need to go through and trim the fat...

Then, I was out last week on the tandem with my kids and had a blowout. I realized (1) that I had forgotten to grab my seat bag, and (2) it wouldn't have helped with a blowout anyway.

I feel like I need to pack a chain tool. I have seen few chains broken when riding off-road, but never broken a chain on the road, or seen someone break one. So that's an irrational hang-up of mine, I guess.

I'm thinking a good basic pack would have:

Park IB-3 (includes tire lever, chain tool, AND spoke wrenches)
CO2 inflator (Red Zepplin from Planet Bike looks good to me)
threaded CO2
tube

maybe another CO2
maybe a patch kit and a shrader/presta adapter


(The steamer trunk of a bag that I'm carrying now must weigh four or five pounds!)

NoGaBiker

I've carried AirChuck SL with 1 16oz cart, 1 tube, 2 plastic irons (PR3s are HARD to get off!), your Topeak Mini 6, and $20 in the smallest bag I can find for the last 10,000 miles. Never had more than 1 flat (and that rarely), never used the Mini tool for anything other than seat/bar angle adjustments (in other words, nothing ever broke). I use the twenty nearly every long ride at some point.

On century or longer rides, I play the odds and stick another tube and cart in my jersey pocket.

obstacle

90% of my riding is in Central Park now-a-days and all I carry is a Crank Brothers Multi-5 in my jersey and always have $20 bill in my bars for a cab ride home if needed. I know this is a luxury but it's all I need.

On rides out of the city and/or to the middle of no-where I still travel light. I carry 1 tube, the Crank Brother's Multi-5, a CO2 canister/valve, and two tire levers in my seat pack. Again, $20 in the bars.

The only thing I've ever worry about is flatting. I ride Ultra Gator skins on all my bikes so that covers alot of the worry. I've never had a chain failure, even when I rode/raced cross-country. I'd not worry about that one.

The thing about CO2 canisters is that you need to practice using them. With high PSI road tires you have one shot to get the tire to anything other than limping home on. Even then most CO2 canisters will only get that tire to 100PSI or so. I'd buy a 10 pack of them and practice until you can get the full shot into the tire. I'd also keep practicing every few months to stay in form. What seems like a simple operation isn't always out on the road when all depends on you doing it right to get yourself home.

tetonrider

3 tire levers, jynx? really? i've never needed more than 2, and often when at home i use only one, even when others are readily available to me.

agree re: allen wrench set and multi tool. there are a few 2mm and 3mm bolts on my bike, i believe, thus i'm covered by that little topeak tool (2/3/4/5/6/philips), though i could probably get by with just 4/5/6.

ultraflate not worth the weight/space?

i did write "2 16g co2 cartridges" above.

point taken. maybe i'm out of practice, but i haven't had the greatest lucky lately repairing tubes -- even at home. on occasion, it has been difficult to find the source of the leak without a bucket of water. also, some patches haven't held at 110-120psi.

should i be going glueless or w/ glue for in-the-field repairs?

carrying one tube would certainly save a ton of space, i agree.

it's possible for me to be 50 miles and 2 mountain passes from home, which is why i was thinking 2 spare tubes...if they fit. maybe i tube, patch kit, and cell phone would be better. (although my cell doesn't work in some areas i ride.)

thanks for the replies and insight!

merlinextraligh

Not irrational on a Tandem. We've broken chains 3 times over the years (and one timing belt, but that's another story) You're putting a lot more force on components, and things are more prone to break.

Also, if your RD fails, or is damaged in a crash, a chain tool is the difference between walking and riding home.

Besides the weight a chain tool adds to a good multitool is probably about an ounce.

AEO

get a multi-tool with chain breaker, it doesn't add much weight or take up a lot of room.

Jynx

They come as a pack of three and snap together thats the only reason why I have three. I usually never use more than one but they are the same width as a tube so it doesnt take up any extra room to just bring all three. I guess if they break i'll have an extra.

Yea anything with 2,3,4,5,6, and a screwdriver is good

not worth the space (for me atleast).

Bring 2 tubes and 2 co2's if you dont trust your patch jobs. then bring the tube home and patch it comfortably at home.

glue patches last forever (or atleast much longer). generally glueless are temporary (although some have had good luck with long term repairs). the glueless are faster which is nice but not really a big deal unless you need to catch up with a group.

If I know I am going on an exceptionally long ride or a place with bad roads Ill just throw another tube in my jersey pocket for that ride.

Velton

Jersey pockets carry my tube/tools

jurnaza

I carry a spare tube in my jersey and the following in a micro wedge:

1 x E3 Mini Multi Tool
2 x Tire Levers
2 x Threaded CO2
1 x Threaded CO2 Inflater
2 x Park Tire Cut Patches
1 x Park Tube Patch Kit
1 x Park Spoke Wrench
1 x Chain Tool
1 x Link & PIN

Lately I have been thinking of ditching chain tool, link & pin.....

andr0id

2 tubes and 3 CO2s, but 1 one of those is inside the inflator. A patch kit, a spoke wrench and a cell phone for when things go really south. I just mount/unmount tires by hand, so I don't worry about tire tools. I used to carry a 5mm Allen wrench, but rarely do anymore unless I've made some recent seat adjustment I might want to tweak on the road.

starvingdavid

I 100% agree, I found out the hard way that you need to practice if you are going to use CO2. I flatted about 25 miles from home and had never used the CO2 cartridge before. My idea was to get a little air into the tube so I could fit it around the tire, big mistake. The CO2 came out all at once, the tube was overstretched and I had no way to get home.

Luckily, very luckily some cyclists came by and offered up a spare tube and their pump. I bought a very small CrankBros pump the next day. It hangs out just a bit from my small seat pack, but it's not going anywhere.

clausen

What Jynx said.

DScott

I ride alone in remote areas quite a bit, so I like to be prepared. The spoke wrench is there becuase I've had need for it twice now. The last time, a broken spoke would have killed a planned century just 30 miles in. I was able to finish the ride. I'm still lacking the chain tool/spare link, and debate whether that is worth carrying.


In saddle bag:
2-tubes
2-Co2
Air Chuck SL
tire boot
glueless patches
E3 Mini tool
one Park tire lever with hook cut off
Spoke wrench

On bike:
Topeak Micro Rocket mini-pump on water bottle cage mount

On me:
Cell, money, ID, food/meds, extra clothes

merckx_rider

I carry a full repair kit with me:
fresh tube
patch kit
tire levers
co2
frame pump
multi tool
spoke wrench
cassette breaker
extra spoke taped to the frame pump
small cresent wrench
cell phone when all else fails

GP

Glueless patches in the field, regular at home.

Do you use light tubes? If I replace a tube at home, I'll use a regular generic tube but in my seat bag or pocket, I carry light but not ultra light tubes. I take them out of the box and refold them as small as I can, put them in a baggie then put a rubber band around the baggie.

idcruiserman

I carry my chain tool on my MTB rides, but not on the road. In my experience glueless patches are worthless. On my commuter bike I carry lots of stuff, including chain tool, several tubes, zip ties, etc. For road rides, 1 tire lever, tube, patch kit, multi-tool. I use the Crank Bros 17 multitool to get the 8mm allen and torx.

Retro Grouch 

I'm always amazed when I read these threads at how much stuff some riders carry with them on every ride.

GeoLes

One day you are going to have just 2 cartridges. When you get that third flat.......

https://www.dalescycles.com/product_p...irtoolmini.htm


I use the Specialized Air tol mini frame pump. It mounts via a bottlecage clip, which is quite secure. It is a mini pump, but I have gotten adequate pressure from my 6'4" 237lb frame quite easily. 2 tubes, small patch kit, a spoke wrench tire levers and a small multi-tool are about all I have ever needed. They are a permanent part of my micro saddle bag - always there when I need it.

spdrcr5

I have preformed every conceivable repair you can imagine out on group rides. I have retrue'd a wheel after a spoke broke and the wheel was in a serious S shape, took me about 20 minutes and she finished the ride like this! This was on mile 15 of a 100 mile Century riding around Take Tahoe. I have done chain repairs on several bikes when a link let go or something jammed in it. I have removed a bent rear derailleur after a crash and turned the bike into a 3 speed and shortened the chain so they could limp back home.

The above are just some of the repairs I have made. I carry far too much stuff, but I am also bringing most of it to fix other people's bikes. I can't ride by one of my teammates sitting on the side of the road because something broke on their bike. it isn't always because the bikes are in ill repair, it's just that stuff happens sometimes.

I carry the following:

Road Morph
C02 with 2 16g cartridges
2 tire irons
Topeak Alien (the original one with 20+ tools)
2 and sometimes 3 tubes
patch kit
SRAM power links
Topeak Presta Valve extender

I have used everything I carry at least once in a season and most of it far more than even I thought I would.

DScott

It's just insurance. While I hope to never have to use any of it, and grumble a bit when I think about how much it all weighs, I've had need for all of it at one point or another. Sure beats being stranded in the middle of nowhere, or having to rely on kind strangers or the already over-stressed wife to bail me out.

Compared to the dip**** with the flat walking his bike up the hill on the coast the other day, I'd say it's worth the hassle. No patch kit, nothing. I hope to never be that guy...

hammond9705

How much trouble is it to call someone to come get you if you can't get going again? If it isn't much trouble, then just carry the 4,5,6 allen wrenches, CO2 inflator, 2 cartridges, patch kit, and a tube. Odds are that will get you home 99.9+% of the time.