What to take in your emergency kit

[cubey]

I can't think why no one has mentioned suntan lotion yet...................

 

[Reynard]

I already have LOL Factor 50, if you must know...

I have, distributed about my person and on the bike: bottle cage with bottle of water, mini pump, lights, spare batteries, tissues, multi-tool, puncture repair kit, spare chain link, phone in a plastic bag, small amount of money, haribo, banana, mr kipling cake, and now that the weather's getting warmer, sunscreen.

 

[Alan O]

Factor 50, if you must know...

That's Dulux, isn't it?

 

[Reynard]

That's Dulux, isn't it?

Better that than the boiled lobster look...

 

[mjr]

That's Dulux, isn't it?

I remember that! Consistency of flipping magnolia trade paint!

Fortunately, sun block has moved on now. Even 12h waterproof factor 50 doesn't have to be like that these days.

 

[vickster]

A bike?

 

[freiston]

I usually take what I would take anywhere - so that is wallet, phone, leatherman, paracetamol, anti-histamine, sunscreen (if required) etc. On top of that, if I can walk home or leave the bike somewhere safe and get home, then not much else. Otherwise, toolkit, lock, spare tube, pump, drink, snack-food. I usually carry an ICE card too. The toolkit is a roll with puncture repair kit & levers, allen keys, a couple of spanners, chainlink tool, spare cables, nuts, bolts, washers, electrical tape, cable-ties, duct tape (wrapped around an old plastic membership card), all rolled up with a couple of toe straps around it (handy for all sorts of stuff including 'third hand' stuff). When the weather isn't brilliant, something warm to put on in case I have to stop for some time. If rain looks likely, waterproofs. Sometimes a small first aid kit including a small tin of vaseline.

I don't have recourse to a phone-for-backup/rescue car and so I like to feel a bit more prepared than most might hence all the kit. For day rides, I usually have a rack-top bag and a handlebar bag (as in my avatar) and I'm not one to fret about the weight.

 

[jefmcg]

I remember that! Consistency of flipping magnolia trade paint!

Fortunately, sun block has moved on now. Even 12h waterproof factor 50 doesn't have to be like that these days.

It didn't have to be like that ever. I've only bought sunscreen in the UK once or twice as it was that terrible opaque goop. Never saw anything like it in Australia - excluding actual zinc cream of course - so I just stock when I'm there.

Glad it's improved.

 

[jefmcg]

Michelin restaurant guide(in case I've eaten my jelly babies and need more food)

You carry a book? You're no better than an animal!

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/michelin-guide-europe-2017/id1183382445?mt=8

 

[mjr]

It didn't have to be like that ever. I've only bought sunscreen in the UK once or twice as it was that terrible opaque goop. Never saw anything like it in Australia - excluding actual zinc cream of course - so I just stock when I'm there.

Glad it's improved.

What are you getting in Australia? I wonder if it's available here. I think I'm currently using up http://www.boots.com/soltan-invisible-cooling-suncare-spray-spf50-200ml at the moment but I'll need to restock before the end of summer.

 

[jefmcg]

What are you getting in Australia? I wonder if it's available here. I think I'm currently using up http://www.boots.com/soltan-invisible-cooling-suncare-spray-spf50-200ml at the moment but I'll need to restock before the end of summer.

Pretty well anything. It's all highly regulated an thus trustworthy.

Currently this

This is good stuff. Isn't greasy, I don't usually reapply it. I've never got burnt and it's never got in my eyes. Proceeds got to a cancer charity.

Previously I had a 1 litre supermarket brand pump pack, something like this, but that's way to much for UK weather.

 

[jefmcg]

Oh, you can get this in the uk, but it's a tad pricey. Twice as expensive as silver, gram for gram.

 

[PaulSB]

I'm always surprised by the amount of kit some riders carry. In all my years cycling I've never had a catastrophic failure and in the thousands of miles ridden every year in our club these are rare. Consider this our club ride is usually 70 miles with 15 riders. This is 1000+ miles between us on a Sunday or 50,000 per year. We have 200 members in total so I guess probably riding half a million miles per annum.

I can recall one crank which sheared, a derailleur which went in to the bike wheel following a fall and a bottom bracket failure.

My kit would be:

Pump on bike wrapped in cling film.

POCKETS
Emergency contact details
Medication list
Dates of medical issues
Orienteering whistle (make a lot of noise while wrapped in the survival blanket!)
Mobile phone
On long rides battery charger as Strava drains iPhones
Electrolyte drink and extra electrolyte for refill
Gels to use
Energy bar to use
£20
Tyre lever - see image

SADDLE BAG
Two tubes (wrapped in newspaper and cling film)
Patches and glue
Multi tool (cling film wrap)
Quick link
Latex gloves
Two cable ties
Lock
£20 left in saddle bag
Spare energy bar
Survival blanket (no one mentioned yet

For tyre levers get one of these. It will take the tyre off AND put it back on in seconds

Crank Brothers telescopic tyre lever

 

[Saluki]

That's Dulux, isn't it?

The factor 50 for kids is better. It doesn't look so goopy. Hubster has Factor 50 all year round as he is a transplant patient and the consultants told him too.

I take:
Saddlebag:
2 Bontrager Red tyre levers
1 or 2 spare tubes
Bike Multitool thingy. Also mini tool thing that @Sbudge sent me. Very handy for thorns.
quicklink (never used one in anger)
Spare key
My Co2 kit with pack of leeches in there and the tyre levers mentioned above
Small sawn off toothbrush, for getting gak, little stones etc out of cleats, pedals, derailleur etc
Very tiny first aid kit (savlon, plasters. sting spray etc) when I remember
There is space for a flapjack.

Pockets:
Phone in it's case with some ID, folded up tenner and emergency cash card, donor card
Proper puncture repair kit (for longer ride)

On Bike
Mini pump. I'll use this rather than the Co2. However, if it's hissing down and I just want to go home, I might use the Co2 instead.
Water - always. Whatever time of year it is and even for a very short ride.

Hmmm, I take more than I thought that I did.
My saddlebag set up is the same on both bikes. I move the Co2 kit from bike to bike, and the mini tool thing but everything else is the same. Mini pump on both bikes.
One bike has Gatorskins, the other Marathon Plus tyres. After last summer, I'm taking no chances.

 

[welsh dragon]

Very little. I have a back pack. i carry my phone, and i use endomondo on it. A drink. Some money , my co2 kit which is very small indeed and has tyre levers, patches and 2 co2 bottles. A small pump. Thats it. If i carried all the clobber some here seem to carry, by the time i got it all ready and checked, i'd not bother going out. I go for as light as possible.