How to carry your kit

[Jody]

Advising newbies to take stuff they don't need is bad advice

You take a spare piece of chain with you. Not needed if you have a chain tool! You take a charging cable with you. Not needed if there is nowhere to plug it in.

Pot - Kettle?

No one said anything about chronic dehydration and the OP didn't say how long he intends to cycle for. Its not a mountain of stuff. Its a couple of swigs of water in a bottle.

Talk about pedantic.

 

[Dogtrousers]

As this thread started as a question about how to carry it rather than what to carry, my advice is:

Drinks: In bottle cage. If you do not take this, you are unlikely to die, but in the event of zombie invasion you could regret your decision.

Tools/spares/phone: In an underseat wedge bag. For handier access, a small handlebar bag is useful for keeping phone/money/extra food especially on longer (multi-pork pie) rides. There are also tri bags that sit on the top tube that look quite handy for this but I have no experience of them. Frame triangle bags I have found to be (a) very un-roomy and (b) tend to wobble and hit legs and (c) just generally a bit crap.

Spare clothes, small waterproof, buff, etc. I reserve my jersey pockets for spare clothes or layers while not in use.

 

[Tin Pot]

You take a spare piece of chain with you. Not needed if you have a chain tool! You take a charging cable with you. Not needed if there is nowhere to plug it in.

Pot - Kettle?

No one said anything about chronic dehydration and the OP didn't say how long he intends to cycle for. Its not a mountain of stuff. Its a couple of swigs of water in a bottle.

Talk about pedantic.

You and I will never agree, so let's leave it at that eh?

 

[Tin Pot]

As this thread started as a question about how to carry it rather than what to carry, my advice is:

Drinks: In bottle cage. If you do not take this, you are unlikely to die, but in the event of zombie invasion you could regret your decision.

Tools/spares/phone: In an underseat wedge bag. For handier access, a small handlebar bag is useful for keeping phone/money/extra food especially on longer (multi-pork pie) rides. There are also tri bags that sit on the top tube that look quite handy for this but I have no experience of them. Frame triangle bags I have found to be (a) very un-roomy and (b) tend to wobble and hit legs and (c) just generally a bit crap.

Spare clothes, small waterproof, buff, etc. I reserve my jersey pockets for spare clothes or layers while not in use.

Mmm. Pork pies.

I have used the tri/top tube bags for a couple of years and discovered it had damaged the patina of my bike too late. They're also a bit awkward stopping at lights where my knee would naturally go.

I have since "discovered" everything I actually need can go in jersey pockets, including mince pies

 

[GravityFighter]

On a slight tangent, do people find that phones and debit cards are fine in their jersey pockets without a zip?

Most of my jerseys have one zipped pocket for such things, but a couple don't (the Castelli Gabba I've just bought being a good example) and I'm worried either my card, phone or both could bounce out of the open-ended pockets at the back of a jersey.

 

[Jody]

You and I will never agree, so let's leave it at that eh?

We can agree, based on your other thread that you do a lot more mileage than me and are probably more experienced in riding for hours with little or no drink. Each to their own.

 

[Jody]

On a slight tangent, do people find that phones and debit cards are fine in their jersey pockets without a zip?

Not with the cost of replacing my phone, it has to be a zip pocket or nothing. Everything else if fair game.

 

[Tin Pot]

On a slight tangent, do people find that phones and debit cards are fine in their jersey pockets without a zip?

Most of my jerseys have one zipped pocket for such things, but a couple don't (the Castelli Gabba I've just bought being a good example) and I'm worried either my card, phone or both could bounce out of the open-ended pockets at the back of a jersey.

In my experience yes, I have one jersey with and one without and I haven't lost anything. That said if you get knocked off, you want to have your card/phone available.

 

[phil-b]

its a choice between a bike rack ( the one above will fit my bike) or an Ortlieb large Saddle Bag.

the rack is a little less expensive and will give me the option to carry more kit if needed. the bag will be lighter and will carry enough.
I am still not sure what to pick though

 

[mjr]

In theory, I'd go for the saddle bag.

In practice, all my bikes came with rear racks and I've not taken any off

 

[phil-b]

well I went for a rack. I found one on ebay for less than a tenner. it arrived today and im pretty pleased with it it will do the job nicely. I guess the only down side is it is not so cool to have a rack but it will be very practical

 

[steveindenmark]

I have racks on all my bikes. I can then carry a wide variety of loads. I use pannier bags for clothes, a box on top for groceries and I can strap other things onto the rack as needed.