VegasJen

Thanks for the clarification. I get what you're doing with the twine now.

As for patches, I've had garbage luck with any patches I try on the side of the road. However, I do have very good luck with patched tubes I do at home. In fact, most of my bikes right now are riding on tubes that have been patched at least once. I'll patch a tube two times before I replace it. I bought a can of rubber cement and just cut up an old tube to make patches. I have a Dremel with an abrasive bit and then I set an old motorcycle battery over the patch for a day until the cement cures. I have really good success with these repairs. Never had good luck with the kits, so I carry a spare tube but no patches. If I get a puncture, I'll replace the tube and then head home just in case since I only have one repair available.

Fredo76

Yes, levers. The cross-shaped things also commonly used as blunt instruments, in popular imagination at least, are also known as tire irons, but are more properly referred to as lug wrenches, according to a quick google.

indyfabz

Condoms?

delbiker1 

tool bag?

ted_major

You can run out of CO2, but you won’t run out of air. I’ve helped others fix flats, and if I carried CO2, that would have left me unprepared if I had a flat afterwards.

urbanknight

Definitely a good reason to make sure your bag is as complete and useful as possible.

For what it's worth, there are smart watches that have cell service and tie in to your regular phone's number. You have to pay a separate monthly service fee, but it's a great way to leave your expensive phone at home and have a way to make a call if you need. We got one for our son because we didn't want him walking around with a phone and rotting his brain on video games.

Personally, I have had to walk home once because I ran out of CO2, and once because the pump seal blew (cheap pump). Another good reason for carrying both (and not going cheap on the pump).

The biggest reason to have a pump over CO2 is that you can only have as many flats as your CO2 will fill. Since it's also a pain to use a tiny pump, it makes a good argument for carrying both. 2 CO2 to facilitate fast flat changes, and a pump to at least get you back rolling again should you be horribly unlucky. Switching to tubeless is also an option, but blowouts can still happen.

cyclist2000

I'm a diabetic, my blood sugars will drop from 160 to 60 in an hour if I do a lot of climbing. So I also bring a meter to check my blood at my turn around point.
Tire irons is the old phrase for tire levers. My favorite is the VAR tire tool.

Pinelander

I carry two CO2 and a small hand pump. The kind that attaches to the bottle cage. It's like a little fire extinguisher that gives peace of mind, and allows me to help another rider without going into my cartridge "stash." Make sure to have a presta/shrader converter (chuck?) too. The only time I needed roadside assistance was a broken rear skewer. Fortunately close to home.

Iride01 

In addition to what the OP carries, less one CO2 cartridge, I have a pair of latex gloves and my house key. The house key is the only thing that's been used in the last 18 months or so. Not sure if it's even worth carrying for local 2 - 3 hour rides. But I guess the Boy Scout pledges I made long ago require me to Be Prepared!

Koyote

Also, a pump is often preferable for tubeless tires. I once had a puncture that didn't quite seal, so I plugged it and pumped it back up. A CO2 cartridge would've been overkill.

urbanknight

Agreed. Haven't had to use a cartridge since going tubeless (including 2 flats so far), but I'm considering keeping my CO2 handy in case a tire goes completely flat and needs to be seated again. Even then, a tube could solve that problem.

livedarklions

You have a warrant?

veganbikes

Oh yeah disposable gloves are super handy I do usually carry those.

A pump doesn't run out of air yes it can break but so can anything. When I am out of C02 cartridges I am out of air, plus CO2 is a smaller molecule so it will escape from tube and tire faster. Plus pumps can last a long long time vs CO2 being a disposable item.

indyfabz

Not all tire-rim combinations play nice with tubes. Twice I’ve had to put a tube in my Schwalbe Pro 1 25c tires. Both times the tire would not seat properly around the valve stem area. There isn’t enough room to accommodate the extra material where the valve stem is attached to the tube. Had to limp home both times with a little hop in the tire.

urbanknight

Hoping those bacon strips will make sure I never have to find out how mine will work.

indyfabz

Had this mishap the day before Memorial Day.

I had recently had the tires remounted and fresh sealant put in. Tube insertion was super messy.

Pratt

Probably important to keep the inhaler and the inflator separate.

GhostRider62

In addition to the typical stuff

1. Spare cleat and hardware
2. Small tube of superglue
3. Assortment of zipties
4. Spare valve core and tool
5. Real boot cut from old tire
6. Dynaplugs
7. Spare batteries
8. small single use eye drops
9. Derriere lube
10. Pain medicine

JohnDThompson 

You never run out of air to inflate a tire.

urbanknight

What model of tire was that? I just ditched my Open Corsas because something similar happened at about 300 miles. It sealed enough to get home by pumping it back up every hour, but there was a sealant booger sticking out of the gash and a slight bulge in the tire the whole way. To be fair, I think I messed up trying to insert the bacon strip, but even if successful, all signs point to replacing the tire when you get home anyway.

indyfabz

Schwalbe Pro 1. Don't know how many miles, but they were probably at least 3 yeas old. Maybe even 4. I have no idea what I ran over.

rsbob 

VegasJen, you may want to buy a cheap burner phone to carry with you for safety. Besides being harassed and needing to call 911, in the event you crash and can’t be seen or need immediate help, you can call 911. You may be able to program your real phone to forward to your burner as well. I’m a dude and always carry a phone in my back jersey pockets (25 years) and have never had a phone eject, even while doing some rugged mountain biking.

GhostRider62

I often carry both.

A pump is lighter than two cartridges and inflator attachment, plus it has a gage on it. And, when you flat you do not have to ride home if you only have one spare, no patches, and only one CO2 cartridge. In the rain, cold and/or darkness, CO2 is a nice luxury.

LarrySellerz

I just carry weed and stuff to smoke it with in my saddlebag. No room for tools

Some people like pumps because they are reusable. Also there is something cathartic about sitting on the side of the road for 3 minutes trying to get a tire hard enough with a dinky little pump

m.c. 

I was going to say Vodka and a Knife but after the thread got closed I decided against it.