Obeast

Does anyone have one? I want to carry all the stuff in my car but of course itīs not practical so maybe a 1kg kit with the most important things you would need to take care of the bike and yourself in -C temperature on a 20km commute?

wolfchild

The most important thing to carry is your tool kit which should include: spare tubes, pump, chain tool, spare chain links and multi tool. Personally I also add some extra clothing items such as: extra sweater or base layer, gloves , glove liners, beanie etc.

Riveting

I commuted 16km one-way in -15 C (5 F), and for those temps the only extra pieces I added to my emergency/spares kit included 2 sets of chemical handwarmers and a small mylar thermal blanket. I figured the worst case scenario on my commute was having a ride ending mechanical failure at exactly the half way point, and then deciding if I wanted to walk 8km back home or walk 8km to work, or waiting for a ride from a friend/co-worker/Uber (hence the thermal blanket). What's much more likely to happen is a flat that you simply change as fast as you can, with your gloves on for as long as possible, but probably with your gloves off for some period of time and freezing your fingers a little (hence the chemical warmers).

What's "all the stuff in your car" that you would consider bringing on the bike?

mcours2006

A phone to call someone to help...but I suppose that's a given. If it's a flat, you try to fix it, but using your bare hands when temperature is so extreme is not easy, or even possible, in which case a phone to call someone for help is crucial. Anywhere along my route is no more than a ten minutes walk from some kind of indoor business into which I can probably beg/plead for help, or at least a warm place to change my tire. Most people are decent enough to help out like that. So other than the usual tool kit necessities I don't carry much else.

Obeast

I have an emergency kit in the car that is meant for 2 days emergency including a lot of unnecessary stuff. I can either create a brand new kit or take parts from the car kit. I want to bring some kind of wool blanket as well but itīs going to take up a lot of cargo space. I need some front panniers I guess.

dabac

How much other traffic is there along that commute?
My commute is 18 km suburbia, 7 km dense city.
Under anything resembling normal working hours I think there'd be another person along in less than 10 minutes even on the most "remote" stretch. From any given point of the journey, I can probably get to, and onto, public transportation that can take me someplace useful within 30-45 minutes.
Not much need to go full prepper for that.
I bring some extra clothes and a headlamp to be able to deal with the fixable stuff.
And a lock to deal with the unfixable.
Anything outside walking distance to home/work I can't deal with by the roadside, I'll walk the bike to someplace where it seems OK to lock it up and leave it there for later retrieval.
Unless I can get a taxi that can carry a bike.
Or have someone else pick me up.

rumrunn6

if I'm going to be somewhere remote I'll bring stuff to start a fire

pdlamb

Cell phone's about my limit for a commute. Perhaps if I commuted to a remote ranch I'd look into adding a bivy, winter sleeping bag, something to shoot the grizzly bear or wolf that might happen by while I was stranded, etc. Despite the fact there was a yearling black bear sighted south of town last spring, I think my town is mostly civilized.

PaulRivers

1. Cell phone
2. Credit card

I am always biking somewhere with cell coverage and the ability to call a an uber/lift/taxi/tow truck/ambulance if there was an emergency so that's my backup plan.
I could see how if you bike through places offroad or without cell coverage, an extra layer could be helpful for keeping you warm while you walk home.

I'm kinda interested in seeing what other people carry, but I've figured you're going to have less of an ability to fix mechanical issues in the severe cold anyways so there's little reason to carry more stuff. If something important breaks your choices are to get picked up or to walk your way out. Some of my tires are difficult to get on and off when it's warm, is it even possible to get them off the rim when it's cold and the rubber shrinks a bit? If my chain broke would my fingers be capable of the dexterity needed to replace a link in the extreme cold? I would think that despite increased danger your realistic ability to fix mechanical issues in the extreme cold would be a lot lower vs when it's warm.

Bikewolf

Maybe already part of your regular kit but I wanted to underscore the importance of water.
Remember that e.g. a 30 min. commute may end up taking at least twice that long.

I don’t think a thermal sleeping bag is necessary though.

BobbyG

I do this too.

steve0257

A phone to call for help and clothes that will keep you warm and dry while walking. Unless the wind picks up and everything goes totally south on you, you should be able to walk the 10 km to either end of your commute in less than two hours.

But, if you want to be really prepared check out this list. Scroll down to 19 for the gear list. Arrowhead 135 - Race Rules

parkbrav

AAA Emergency Road Side for Bikes

srestrepo

By the sounds of it, I'm fortunate to have a rack and panniers setup for my 4 mile commute. Also, I keep a frame mounted pump as well as a tube, tools, levers and a pair of rubber gloves stashed conveniently in my saddle bag. The logic being if its raining or just very cold I can save my gloves by chucking those in my jacket and using the rubber gloves to keep me and my gloves clean and or dry. Being that they're in a saddlebag access is always immediate instead of emptying my pannier.

in one of my panniers I always keep a u lock, a very lightweight wind layer, a rain jacket, beanie, a merino wool buff, and toe covers. When it's really cold, I'll throw in a sweater and use it for layers. I know it sounds like a lot but, rolled up in the bottom of a pannier that is only used to hold my lunch, it's really not cumbersome.

wipekitty

My winter kit isn't that much different from my summer kit. Summer stuff always includes tubes, tire levers, some way to inflate tires, some way to remove wheels (if not quick release), allen wrenches/mini screwdriver, and usually, a chain tool.

For winter, I usually bring, in addition:

• Chemical warmers
• Lighter
• Extra wool shirt (sweater or baselayer, depending on temperature)
• Extra gloves or liners (both for cold hands, and to replace if there's too much sweat build up)
• Sometimes, extra head covering (again - sweat.)
• Maybe some extra lights.

A lot of the serious survival gear might be important if you're going way out in the boonies in serious, extreme cold. I'm usually just going slightly into the boonies, and figure I can survive long enough to walk to a farmhouse (or bar) if it gets seriously bad.

Jim from Boston

Emergency Winter Cycling Kit?I too ride on urban / suburban routes with similar measures, but early, before 6 AM. I envision going to an indoor ATM machine to fix a flat, so I carry a bank card too.

I routinely bring enough clothing in a pannier to accommodate any wet / cold weather, with enough space to doff items, from about 50° F to zero. I don’t carry a lock and wouldn’t want to abandon my bike, with hassle of picking up later.

I have only about three times called a taxi on my decades of commuting, all in temperate weather. I haven’t used Uber yet, so I don’t know how long wait (and inactive) times would be, especially in the early AM,so I would prefer to keep moving in the cold.

Since I have excellent Commuter Rail as an alternative commute, even on which to take my bike, I have frankly disdained busses, which are more accesible and frequent on my routes. Last week I did take a bus with my bike, and was pleased with the service, and carrying capacity, so now that looks like a primary emergency measure.

PS: I also use Kevlar tire liners year round, even on my fair weather carbon fiber road bike, to hopefully forestall flats.