Carry tools etc on a Road bike

[Silver940]

Been riding a mountain bike for ages now and chuck spare tubes/levers tools phone keys etc in my hydration pack. I know it's not the norm for roadies to use a pack so what's the best way to carry the gubbins you need to take along?

Saddlebag? ( Not a big fan of these )

I was thinking a second water bottle with the stuff in was a possible way.

I know jersey pockets is popular but surely that must get annoying after a while?

[Mr Gear]

Silver940 said:

Been riding a mountain bike for ages now and chuck spare tubes/levers tools phone keys etc in my hydration pack. I know it's not the norm for roadies to use a pack so what's the best way to carry the gubbins you need to take along?

Saddlebag? ( Not a big fan of these )

I was thinking a second water bottle with the stuff in was a possible way.

I know jersey pockets is popular but surely that must get annoying after a while?

I can get a set of tyre levers, spare inner tube, multi tool and Park Tool patches into a small soft case which I then put in my back pocket of my jersey. A small pump also goes into a pocket (although I could mount it next to the bottle-cage if I wanted), as does phone, and keys go on a lanyard around my neck. Job done.

In all the years I've been road-riding, I've only ever been stuck at the roadside once, and that was for want of a new wheel.

[burriana]

A simple pack that fits behind the saddle - cheap, light and discreet.

[voicey]

Saddle bag with spare tube, multi tool, tyre levers, wallet, phone & coins. Pump is mounted next to the water bottle.

[benny.c]

I have one of these (in small size though). It fits in one pocket, isn't heavy and you really don't notice it's there once you are riding.




Filled with.....

Edited by benny.c on Tuesday 20th November 09:53

[NitroNick]

Cut the top off an old water bottle, stick in a spare tube, tyre levers,a CO2 inflator and a small multi-tool (i also carry a spare chain link that doesn't require tools to instal).
For longer spins I carry another spare tube and a spare CO2 cartridge in a jersey pocket.

[Rouleur]

I use the smaller one of these http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/workshop-too... or stick everything in my pockets on rides where I need two bottles.

Most shops will have them.

[Silver940]

Interesting the different ideas, looking about the saddle bags look much better than the old one I used to use, looks neat on the Bianchi above, thinking I might pull the trigger on one of these

Reckon it will take the pump too, not keen on them frame mounted. Should cater for pretty much anything I'd need for a decent ride and leave both bottle holders free.

[anonymous-user]

i have a small topeak aero wedge bag that fits a tube, a mulitool, two levers and a pack of park super patches, another empty super patch box has two £2 coins in it, one for emergency phone calls and another for emergency snacks.

my pump is mounted on the bottle cage the topeak stuff has a nice mounting system which is bolted to hte underside saddle and doesnt come loose like the old velcro strap ones did.

jersey pockets are full of jaffa cakes and gels.

i dont take a phone, i'm rarely more than 25 miles radius from home and there are still some public phone boxes around the countryside and for those that dont take coins, i'll knock on some farmhouse and await rescuing should the worst happen....

[burriana]

That small Specialized one on the back of my Bianchi cost about a tenner and fits a spare tube, CO2 unit with two canisters, two tyre levers, a couple of allen keys and a stubby screw driver with a bit a room to spare.

[JuniorD]

I get everything I need into my back pockets; am not a big fan of those under-saddle suitcases.

[nammynake]

Some people hold the Velominati as a kind of bible. They will tell you that saddle bags are a definite no-no and that you must ram all of your items into jersey pockets. Personally I use a medium sized (by Specialized) saddlebag which has enough room for the following:

- Spare tube
- 2 tyre levers
- Multi tool
- Spare chain link
- a tiny box of tyre patches (Park Tool)
- my phone
- cash/bank card
- house key

I put my small pump (Lezyne Pressure Drive) and snacks in my jersey pocket, which then leaves some room for when I want to remove and store my arm warmers.

[shouldbworking]

burriana said:

A simple pack that fits behind the saddle - cheap, light and discreet.

I now feel like a complete idiot. I'd been wondering why my little saddlebag had such giant long straps and threaded it round the saddle rails multiple times whilst bemoaning it....

[Mr Gear]

shouldbworking said:

I now feel like a complete idiot. I'd been wondering why my little saddlebag had such giant long straps and threaded it round the saddle rails multiple times whilst bemoaning it....

Ha ha! By running the strap underneath, you can also create a kinds compression-effect which stops stuff rattling too. Win-win.

[prand]

nammynake said:

Some people hold the Velominati as a kind of bible. They will tell you that saddle bags are a definite no-no and that you must ram all of your items into jersey pockets. Personally I use a medium sized (by Specialized) saddlebag which has enough room for the following:

- Spare tube
- 2 tyre levers
- Multi tool
- Spare chain link
- a tiny box of tyre patches (Park Tool)
- my phone
- cash/bank card
- house key

I put my small pump (Lezyne Pressure Drive) and snacks in my jersey pocket, which then leaves some room for when I want to remove and store my arm warmers.

Rule 29 I believe

[AyBee]

Pump, levers, phone, keys, spare tube, patches, bit of money, bank card, gels - all into the back pocket and forgotten about

[burriana]

I'd rather have the weight fixed to the rigid bike than moving about on my body, having to lift it all up every time I get out of the saddle.

[Mr Gear]

prand said:

nammynake said:

Some people hold the Velominati as a kind of bible. They will tell you that saddle bags are a definite no-no and that you must ram all of your items into jersey pockets. Personally I use a medium sized (by Specialized) saddlebag which has enough room for the following:

- Spare tube
- 2 tyre levers
- Multi tool
- Spare chain link
- a tiny box of tyre patches (Park Tool)
- my phone
- cash/bank card
- house key

I put my small pump (Lezyne Pressure Drive) and snacks in my jersey pocket, which then leaves some room for when I want to remove and store my arm warmers.

Rule 29 I believe

The reality is though, we are not TDF riders with support vehicles etc, so it often makes sense to use little saddle bags and/or strap stuff to the frame.

[donfisher]

Back in the 90s, on my MTB, I had this like totally radical water bottle*. The base unscrewed to reveal some tools and a puncture repair kit. The bottle cage had a pump attached to it.

In hindsight it probably wasn't the most elegant solution but as above, I quite like the idea of a dummy bidon for road bikes full of tools and stuff.

Now I have a smallish bag under the saddle for some stuff and pockets for the rest.

• It probably came from poundland or similar.

[AyBee]

burriana said:

I'd rather have the weight fixed to the rigid bike than moving about on my body, having to lift it all up every time I get out of the saddle.

All that weight