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Too much stuff

Old 04-24-22, 09:05 PM
  #1  
Ttom
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Too much stuff

When I started commuting I bought a Bushwacker Bag to carry a few things in, flat repair stuff, some tools, I thought it was great but then I started needing to transport a little more that the bag could carry so I bought some panniers and promptly forgot about that Bushwacker bag.
Now that I have my new bike panniers attached one day last week I went to put the bike on the bike rack and decided to take the panniers off and realized they were pretty heavy, in fact I realized I really don't need panniers at all for day rides unless I plan to stop at the store.
My frame pump just barely fits into the Bushwacker bag length wise and I still have plenty of room for flat repair stuff a few tools with room to spare.
I got smart and lost a few pounds this week.
https://www.bushwhackerbag.com/produc...bags-panniers/
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Old 04-24-22, 09:11 PM
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Old 04-24-22, 09:54 PM
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Given too many bicycles, and a similar desire to not be stranded = I have 2 cycling 'backpacks'. One for clinchers one for tubulars. And other means as well..
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Old 04-24-22, 10:49 PM
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Interesting. For my day rides, I carry:
1 tube’
3 patches and glue
2 tire irons
1 tire boot
2 CO2 cartridges and inflator
multi-tool
1 valve core and valve core removal tool

all in an under seat bag about the size of a soft ball. Probably weighs 2.5 lbs. Never been stranded with what I carry.
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Old 04-25-22, 08:10 AM
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For a long while, this was my typical kit on rides. Bunch of tools in the seat bag including a spare tube. The rack bag has my Ulock and mini pump (as you can see). On "short" rides the rack bag would be empty. On longer rides, I'd stuff a sandwich, some fruit or other snacks to have lunch along the beach or in some regional park. Occasionally I'd take a camera (non-cell phone based) along.
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Old 04-25-22, 04:17 PM
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I have a frame-fit pump on each of my bicycles, which solves one storage problem.
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Old 04-25-22, 06:16 PM
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I am going to take note because I used to carry a saddle bag with tubes, CO2 cartridge, tire levers and then stuff whatever else I could get into it but got lazy and thought it looked dorky on my road bikes. Well, you got caught out there with a problem and no tools and you're stuck.

Time to put the saddle bag back on.
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Old 04-25-22, 07:58 PM
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Really like your set up. 2000 mile month wow you been have some fun I'd say.
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Old 04-25-22, 08:03 PM
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Nice, love the shifters I had a Raleigh Record when I was a teenager with shifters on the down tube never thought it was a problem. Loved that bike I would give my eye teeth to still have it.
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Old 04-26-22, 07:48 AM
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I agree, too much stuff. I get it for a long, or multi-day ride, or slogging it out on a tour, you need the stuff, but I got sick of moving it from bike to bike, and making changes for specific bikes. Also, it takes some of the enjoyment out of riding a lighter more responsive bike.
So for the last 5 years or so, on rides of 40 mi or less, my kit is a phone, credit card, multi-tool, and a twenty dollar bill. I’ve had only one breakdown, and the Uber driver really didn’t seem too put out, picking me up. I find biking a lot more enjoyable without all the stuff, kind of like when I was a kid, it was simpler then, there was no stuff, you just got on your bike, and off you went.
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Old 04-26-22, 08:02 AM
  #11  
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Originally Posted by rsbob
Interesting. For my day rides, I carry:
1 tube’
3 patches and glue
2 tire irons
1 tire boot
2 CO2 cartridges and inflator
multi-tool
1 valve core and valve core removal tool

all in an under seat bag about the size of a soft ball. Probably weighs 2.5 lbs. Never been stranded with what I carry.
Also need to make sure the tube matches the wheel size for the chosen ride of the day.
Also if a SS with bolts then a peanut butter wrench is necessary
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Old 04-26-22, 07:38 PM
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If the purpose of the ride is just the ride you only need a small amount of stuff, and it will fit in a jersey pocket or a small seat bag. Why would you need anything else? I only carry a lock if I'm planning on going inside someplace but usually not because I'm out there for the ride. A spare tube or two, a multi tool, a patch kit and a frame pump. I've never broken a chain, and the one time I broke a spoke a spoke wrench wasn't going to fix it so I leave those two tools at home. Wallet, keys, phone, glasses go in my jersey pockets. That's all I carry.

When I commuted I had a full set of stuff for the other bike that I used so I wasn't swapping stuff around. The commuter gear was in my pannier/messenger bag that I used. I've been retired for 3 years now and I only just last week went through it all because I'm setting that bike up for a tour, getting new panniers. I filled the panniers and took it on a longish ride of 40 miles but it was still the same tool/gear setup since I wasn't really going anywhere.
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Old 04-26-22, 11:04 PM
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I have a few pre-loaded under-saddle bags that I share between bikes with the same tire size, so I rarely have to think about it. All bikes carry a tire tool, patch kit, CO2, multi-tool, and a tube. The tubeless bikes also get plugs, a valve tool, and a boot. I can't stand racks and panniers.
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Old 04-27-22, 07:55 AM
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Originally Posted by Rolla
I have a few pre-loaded under-saddle bags that I share between bikes with the same tire size, so I rarely have to think about it. All bikes carry a tire tool, patch kit, CO2, multi-tool, and a tube. The tubeless bikes also get plugs, a valve tool, and a boot. I can't stand racks and panniers.
On a road bike I can't stand them either and none of my road bikes ever had eyelets for them. But on a converted MTB for commuting they're fine.
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Old 04-27-22, 07:56 AM
  #15  
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I like to be able to carry stuff, but usually don't on short rides. I use the smallest saddle wedge I could find for my tool kit--tube, patch kit, boot, multitool, quick link. Frame pump on the bike. But my bike has a rear rack and I almost always carry a light pannier (Arkel Dry-Lite) for longer rides. One of my criteria when buying a bike is braze-ons for a rack. It's a habit from a lifetime of commuting and touring.

I like to carry a lock, lunch, and rain coat most rides over 50 miles, and many of my trips are multi-purpose. I ride to a trailhead to go hiking. I cycle across an entire urban area to pick up something from an ethnic grocery not found where I live. On my frequent trips into the foothills and occasionally up to the Continental Divide, I like to carry extra layers, sometimes for afternoon snow storms in summer. I see (mostly younger) cyclists making the same trips without food or extra clothing, and I know there are tougher people than me.
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Old 04-27-22, 09:27 AM
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I carry a bunch of little items that just adds up. But the single heaviest items are my bike lock, my tool bag and surprise, surprise, my Arkel bag because it's made of heavy durable canvas fabric and big zippers.

And on top, I carry gym clothes to the gym or on long recreational rides, food, water a GPS and an extra power pack.
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Old 04-27-22, 11:36 AM
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All I need for a 50 miler. Includes all the tools and tube I listed above. Also attach a mini-pump under the saddle, just in case the CO2 fubars. Don’t carry a lock since the bike is never out of sight. If its going to rain, have a great little bag to stuff the rain cape into which fits one of the water bottle cages.


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Old 05-01-22, 05:49 PM
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I can understand why bike-packers get fully loaded up, but I'm amazed what some people lug around for a relatively short ride. My kit for a century ride consists of:-

1. Dynaplug puncture repair kit
2. Mini-pump (attached to bottle cage)
3. Multi-tool
4. 2 large bottles
5. Phone, cash and credit card
6. Energy bars, gels
7. Packable rain jacket (if it might rain)

I just carry those small items in my jersey pockets.

I do have a very small saddle bag that I rarely use anymore. I used to carry a spare tube and tyre levers in it, but after not using them for 3 years I decided it was redundant.
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Old 05-01-22, 07:17 PM
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I usually ride solo and on the road less traveled. For my longer jaunts I carry what most would consider "too much" but it's all stuff I have needed at one time or another on a ride over the past 25 years and didn't have. I have a small tool kit with a chain breaker, etc. and I have since converted all my chains to SRAM's "missing links" so I also have a mini tool for the missing link plus a spare link. I carry one tube plus a patch kits, a tire pump and a CO2 inflater. I also have one of those "water bottle" storage containers with a basic survival kit. Emergency space blanket, 3 methods of fire starting, water purification tablets, cordage, etc. I also carry 3 times as much water as most people and I almost always still have to refill along the way. Here's the contents of the "survival" kit....... I've also been the "AAA" on my rides more than once for other cyclists who had a mechanical issue and had no tools.

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Old 06-09-22, 08:56 AM
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reminds me of a time I was getting ready for a day-long ride & was changing rear rack trunks. as I transferred items, I did some editing. was surprised to find 3 chain tools agh!
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Old 06-09-22, 03:32 PM
  #21  
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Well, I cleaned out the Lowe Alpine waist pack I use before a long ride today and found a stack of really stale Oreos in a sandwich bag and half a spark plug, so there's that.
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