Bike question redux

In My Humble Opinion
21

On my half-hour-each-way commute, I carry a spare tube and a pump on my bike, and a Leatherman and a Swiss Army Knife on my person. I can do a field repair of a flat tire in about a half-hour, but the past couple of times it’s happened, a co-worker has seen me and given me a lift anyway. Just as well-- I’d want to re-do the repair at home, anyway, because I can do a better job of finding (and hence removing) the puncturing object at home.

I don’t carry spare cables. Those only very, very rarely break, and even if one does, you can limp home with a broken one (either go slow and use the other brake if it’s a brake cable, or just go in the wrong gear if it’s a shifter cable).

My bike is completely non-electric, but even if it were, I still wouldn’t carry a spare battery. I’d just fall back on the pedals if need be.

I maybe should carry some zip ties, some duct tape, and an appropriate-sized single Allen wrench (all of the hex bolts on the bike are the same size). I’m not sure precisely what I’d use any of those for on the road, but they’re all small, light, and generally useful. Both of my wheels are quick-release, so I don’t need any tools for that.

I used to patch flat tires, but I mostly don’t bother with that any more. A patch kit costs nearly as much as a new tube, and I’ve had a patch fail more than once.

22

I always replace the tube on the road but I’ll patch it once I’m home. Never had a failure.
My first handcycle used 650C (nominally 26 inch but 23mm width). At the time the Central Valley had a plague of goathead thorns. I got real good at putting in a new tube.

23

My primary source of transportation for the past ~4 years has been an ebike of some form or another. I carry the tools necessary to pull a tire and change the tube. Why? Because until I switched to a fat tire bike I was having to change the rear tube (and it was always the rear tube) at least once a week. This is despite the fact that I had kevlar tires, Slime-filled tubes, a plastic shield between the tire and the tube, and a battery-powered air compressor. If you’ve got a brake issue, it’ll almost certainly start to manifest itself well before it becomes a serious issue and you can deal with it at your leisure.

24

Unless you have some reason not to use it I think Neosporin is a better choice. It fights on more fronts than bacitracin does (IIRC Neosporin includes bacitracin).

25

OK

Here is my emergency kit checklist. If it does not rain, tomorrow, I begin a commute that is about 20 miles each way. Work to home will probably be longer because of traffic. Cars ignore the bike lane borders when it lets them add another lane to congested roads-- on my regular bike, I’d take the sidewalk, but can’t do it on this bike.

Anyway (I had nearly all this stuff already-- it was just a matter of putting it in one place, and some came from the car kit):

(and bear in mind, this is a personalized list)
Mag light
Eye drops
Gorilla tape (just added this per post above)
Ace bandage
Electrolyte drink mix (individual envelopes)
Chapstick
assorted Band-Aids
medical tape
triple antibiotic ointment
hydrocortisone creme
one dose of each of my emergency medications (mostly for migraines, IBS and allergies, and extra doses of Benadryl)
Lidocaine roll-on (for minor injuries)
Bactine
Benadryl topical creme
disposable wipes for cleaning hands and wounds
gauze pads
hard candies, wrapped, and won’t melt in heat

Got “travel” sizes of everything except the hydrocortisone creme, and checked all dates.

All that loosely fits in one fanny pack. It is either standard fare for 1st Aid kits, or stuff for my hypoglycemia, and my allergies to bee stings, poison ivy and nettles. I know most people react to the last two, but they can send me to the ER.

In addition to that, I have a pencil bag that has the tools that came with the bike for assembly-- two flat wrenches, with a different hex on each end, a narrow Phillips head driver, and 3 Allen wrenches. It has the tube, slime, patches, tire tool and gorilla tape. You all convinced me not to bring the cable. I used to bike out to remote locations for camping trips, where the price of a cable against not having one because t broke in a crash was a good bet, but you all are right that I don’t need one now.

The tool bag is in a larger bag, along with the tire pump.

I do not want a second battery for it-- I want a second charger. I want one to keep at home, and one to keep in the larger bag. If I need to charge on the go, I have it, but if I lose it or it is stolen, I still have the one at home. The charger is not nearly as big or heavy as the battery. Also put in a spare glucometer. I usually have one on me, but a strenuous bike ride is a bad time to forget it. I might want to put in some meal bars.

If anyone actually read through all that, have I forgotten anything? I don’t have zip ties, but I have bungee cords in many different sizes.

Other comments?

26

FWIW you can get this as a combined product:

Aren’t those two kinda redundant? Also, not sure of what use they are on a bike ride. I guess you mention bee stings and nettles. If those are an issue where you ride then sure.

Why? Are you riding in the dark? Even if you need to do bike repairs in the dark a lamp strapped to your head would probably work better.

Also, a bottle of water. Yes, you can use a clip on bottle but for clean water to wash a wound I’d opt for bottled water you have not used/guaranteed clean. And can be used for hydration if needed.

27

Actually, yeah, most of the year, I will be riding in the dark in the morning for the first part of the ride. The mag light takes up very little space, and was in my car emergency bag, so I figured “heck,” and moved it over.

28

They are different chemicals, and if I accidentally ride into nettles or poison ivy, they’ll buy me time to get to the ER. My skin breaks open and can get infected from poison ivy, so if it’s a big area, it needs special bandage, and I need oral antibiotics. I can go into shock from nettles.

29

FWIW here is Zinn’s [former Velo News guy] list for road bikes:

  • Spare tube
  • Pump/air cartridge
  • At least two tire levers
  • Patch kit
  • Small screwdrivers
  • Hex keys (2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8mm)
  • T25 key if you have disc brake bolts that need one
  • 8mm and 10mm wrenches for pre-1980s bikes
  • Small clip-on taillight
  • Warm outerwear
  • Identification
  • Cash
  • Phone/GPS

And for those longer trips:

  • Spare tire and second spare tube
  • Rain gear
  • Spoke wrench
  • Chain tool
  • Spare chain links
  • Spare spokes (could be one of those emergency Kevlar spokes)
  • Chain lube
  • Sealant-filled tire inflator
  • Grease
  • Duct tape
  • Wire/zip ties
  • 15mm pedal wrench
  • Headlight
  • Matches
  • Emergency blanket
30

WTF sort of surface are you riding on? And how many total miles per week?

I am very much an amateur cyclist nowadays. But back before I could drive I relied on my trusty Schwinn to get everywhere. I’ve certainly gotten punctures, but IIRC more like every few hundred miles, not every few miles. And of course it had none of those high-tech tube protections you mention.

I’m not trying to dispute your lived experience. Just trying to understand it.

31

I have:
pump (attached to top tube)
spare tube
in tool kit:
patch kit
tire irons
allen wrench set
adjustable crescent wrench
screwdriver (slotted and Philips)
pliers

I usually have the tool kit in one of my rear rack panniers. Otherwise I do have a seat bag.
I have fixed a flat several times – I just replace the tube. I figure if that goes flat before I get another I can use the patch kit.

I have Shwaulbe marathon plus tires which do have an anti-puncture layer. I’ve had things poke into the tire without causing a flat. The reflective part is nice too.

Brian

32

At the height of the goathead infestation, I could count on at least a flat per day if not per trip(to and from my coaching job). I planned for flats when determining the time to leave. I also had to inspect my tires daily for thorns that had broken off in the tire but hadn’t yet worked their way to the tube.
My record was nine flats in a 27 mile ride.

33

Jeebus. Color me educated.

I’ve seen goathead about various places I’ve lived, and there were many other annoying sticker bushes growing up in arid SoCal, then later living in Phoenix & Las Vegas.

34

Yikes! I think that, at a flat per day, it’s long since ceased to be a practical means of transportation. I get one flat maybe every thousand miles or so.

35

I haven’t had a car since 2011. Can’t afford the upkeep, insurance or gas.

36

Starts to make one wonder which, if any, of the many non-pneumatic bicycle wheels designed over the years are any good…


37

TBH, I just make sure I have a bike lock and a phone to call Uber if I have trouble… :rofl:

38

I definitely do not get “a flat per day” just riding around the city.

39

City streets, some of which are in an industrialized zone, and about 100 miles a week.

40

Tire repair, as has been mentioned a number of times already. CO2 are quick & easy but I always have a good pump, at least as a backup if not primary. Some of the pocket pumps need about 4 million strokes, at a minimum, to fully inflate your tire
Next most important repair, IMO is a chain tool & a spare link or two in case your chain breaks. I wouldn’t worry about replacing cables on the road; you should be able to limp home w/o one.
How long is your commute? I’m questioning the need for the first aid kit; not that it’s not useful & a good thing to have but is it necessary to schlep that all the time if you can be at home/office in 10 or 15 mins & take care of the wound there?