Everything You Need To Take On A Bike Ride (& How To Carry It)

What tools and spares do you actually need to take on your bike rides? And how do you even store them all? Spare inner tubes, a multi tool, a pump, puncture repair kit, quick links for your chain, tyre levers… there’s a lot to consider! Manon goes through what you really need for every ride, then compares bike bags, pockets and other tricks to carry everything!

00:00 Intro
00:27 Bare essentials
03:21 Optional extras
06:28 How to carry everything

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What else do you take on every ride? 🚴 Let us know in the comments below! 💬

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[gcn]

What else do you take on every ride? 🚴

[simonwilliams]

I always carry a Presta to Schrader valve converter. Useful if you don't have a pump with you and need air, can stop into most petrol stations and use the air filling station.

[mikeainsworth]

Zip ties are useful in some circumstances for a ‘get you home’ fix. I store a few in my bars, just pop out the bar end plug.

[martinoffenhauer]

This is a really good primer for what and how to carry necessary things. But one thing was left out - a small first aid kit. We've all crashed and ended up with some road rash. Since we don't have a medical car to ride up to for treatment we need to have be prepared to deal with minor injuries on the road. I crashed and ended up with a 6 x3 " road road rash on my lower leg that was full of gravel. I used my water bottle to wash it off and had some antibiotic, a few 3x3's, and a bandage roll to patch things up while I limped home. The Dr at the emergency room said that doing so probably saved me from significant infection and scarring. And if you don't have to use it on yourself, you may be able to help a friend on a ride. There are may good small kits available or make your own as I do. Keep up the good work !

[tonythomas]

After my chain broke on a ride once I and I had to walk home i always take a chain break tool and extra links!

[lucborot]

OK, now, I'm a touring bloke, and weight isn't sooo important, but to the necessaries mentioned by Manon, I'd add 1 rear derailleur cable and the same for brakes if you're not on disk brakes. Having learned to race in the days when u-16s and u-18s in France had no assistance, I used to take one tubular and pump with me on the bike when racing, 2 when training. 1970s-Paris surroundings weren't always a smooth terrain to ride on. I'm now on tyres and 2 inner tubes are less cumbersome than 2 tubs used to be. And hurray for mini-pumps!

[kaidean]

What about a first aid kit? I take one on longer rides, just the essentials, plasters, anti-bac wipes etc.

[larisonjohnson]

Manon, you taught me, a while ago, how to change tires without a lever. 😂
Don’t forget the wipes or the little dried cloth tabs to clean off your hands.
You can dust the butyl tube in corn starch and place in a bag, makes install easy. I usually place a few wraps of duct tape around the single tire lever I still carry. And always throw in a few small cable ties.

[richardharris]

Manon's take on "a good old-fashioned saddle bag" wasn't what I expected. It was just a modern bag. Back in the 60s, we had saddle bags that must've been about 12" wide, and big enough to put one's change of clothes in to leave at the roadside near the start area while riding an early morning TT. Along with the clothes were sandwiches, a set of darts, a bottle of "horse liniment", a puncture repair kit, and a waterproof cape. Oh yeah, and beer money.

[andysmallman]

Just a shame you didn't give this detail to Olly and Alex before they tried to ride around Mallorca!! Clearly Manon should be put in charge and the boys are clearly useless.

[bjm]

A couple of zip ties are always useful. I used one to replace jockey wheel bolt. 👍

[HabaneroTi]

A mini first aid kit is a must on any ride to handle minor accidents, aches and pains, consisting of some band aids, antiseptic wipes, painkillers and maybe a short length of gauze and tape.

Also some spare money and a credit or debit card in case you forgot your wallet, an extra photo ID or copy of one, and emergency contact info in case something happens.

Also not a bad idea to bring energy bars and such for a pick me up. And a light rain jacket just in case. Not just for rain but also wind and if it cools down a bit or you have an accident for the road rash.

Never needed anything else but I always pack nearly all the items in this video along with these.

[davidianwalsh]

What about a rear derailleur hanger? Individual to every bike and not stocked in bike shops - I always carry one though luckily never needed it yet!

[Itsbengriff]

Best thing I carry in winter is a set of 'petrol station' gloves. When it gets super cold, I put them on underneath my usual gloves, especially if i'm subject to a lot of rain. They are completely waterproof and wind proof and just provide that layer in keeping the wind and rain off. They are free and have saved me endless amount of times!! plus, they fold up to nothing!!

[kennethward]

I wrap my tubes in plastic sandwich baggies to keep them from being chafed by other objects in the saddle bag, and I once used the baggies as emergency toe booties when caught in a chilly rain. One of my riding buddies uses disposable gloves to wrap her inner tubes, again getting double use out of items in the saddle bag. Don't forget the saddle bag is a marginal aero gain....😜

[fredjohnstone]

One trick for pumps is to velcro it to the underside of your saddle. I use Brook's saddles which have an enclosed nose. The pump will slide into that between the rails. I stick velcro to the undersurface of the seat with a corresponding piece on the pump. It seems to work pretty well if the pump isn't to big or long. My small saddle bag is mounted underneath that on the rails.

[Pesmog]

Regarding multitools. Don't just buy one and put it on your bike instead practice using it by servicing your whole bike using just the multitool. That way you discover which important tools are missing on the multitool as none of them are perfect. Many multitools for example don't go above 6mm Allen/Hex, but a surprising number of bikes now go up to 8mm or 10mm in the crank fittings. Same for the larger Torx sizes. When you see you don't have everything you need on the multitool then add the missing tool to your pouch for peace of mind. In addition to the multitool (with built in chain breaker), I also carry chain pliers, a small plier wrench (to help break tyre beads on tubeless & 10mm MTB suspension pivot nuts ), proper screwdrivers (multitool ones are tricky to use), a knife and a proper spoke key.

[AnnieMakilopi]

I'm wary of carrying anything hard in my pockets duch as a multi tool pump etc as I think they could cause injury if you come off.
Great video and in time for me returning to cycling in my 60s.

[bikebrain]

Another vote for cable ties and don't forget the CO2 valve to go on the cartridge Manon

[mrjack]

Good list. The best way to figure out what you need to carry is to just ride and see what you need. All of what said here is good. I usually have a bike light, lock all the time. With all my stuff, I just use a backpack and have for over 10 years. It gives me some space I pick something up from a store or restaurant while riding. I mostly do urban exploring kind of rides with an occasional back country road ride.