Carry Essentials

Water, true minimum, then a compact multi-tool and a tire inflator. Welcome, and enjoy your new bike.
 
Thank you Rodolfo. I think I have a multitool. Which tire inflator would you recommend please. Thank you Bob
 
I got a flat yesterday. You will need a tube, preferably a tube rather than a patch kit for yourself. I like CO2 kits to inflate the tire. They are much easier than a mini pump. You could be pumping for a long time. Wal-Mart sells a nice CO2 kit for $15. You will need a bicycle multi tool. A first aid kit. I also carry a patch kit for my biking partners on analog bikes. They cannot carry as much weight around with them so they don't typically have much in an emergency. I also like to carry a presta/Schrader valve adapter. Those can be handy in an emergency. A towel for your seat when you turn your bike upside down to protect it from scratches. The Lafree is awesome......get some locking grips. The stock ones it comes with like to rotate in the heat. Good luck to you......Ride safe.
 
I know it's all about the gear ?, but really, when you were in high school or university, did you carry all of this stuff when you commuted daily to school or your job? I sure didn't.
 
ChezCheese:) said:
I know it's all about the gear ?, but really, when you were in high school or university, did you carry all of this stuff when you commuted daily to school or your job? I sure didn't.
Click to expand...
Ever since I got my first real bike I've carried what I need to fix a flat. Roughly 50 years. I carry a tube just in case, but a patch kit is my go-to solution. Sometime you don't have to remove the rear wheel to do a patch. Beyond that, I have the minimum necessary tools for some minor road repairs or adjustments, plenty of CO2, a small first aid kit, some zip ties, a tire gauge. Maybe a few other things. I haven't weighed everything but I'd be surprised if it's over 5 pounds, which I think is almost nothing on my RadRover.

A lot may depend on where you ride. I'm on greenways a lot and it's easy to get at least 3 miles from the nearest place to meet someone in a car or truck. I have roadside assistance insurance from AAA and from Markel, specifically for my bike, but I don't think that it covers the cost of tire repair -- just the cost of having me and my bike hauled to an LBS or home. Aside from the 3 mile hike, pushing my bike with its flat tire, I don't care to wait for a rescue when I can easily fix a flat in less time than it will take the rescue truck, or my wife, or whoever, to show up.

I can imagine using the roadside assistance sometime, but for me, flat tires are just too trivial. I have Slime in my front tire, by the way. Just haven't gotten around to putting it in the rear yet.

TT
 
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Loved your comment about carrying all this stuff today vs yesteryear. Backpack? What was that? Biking shoes. Sorry, only one pair of shoes. Not complaining at all. I don't think I want to change a tube either. You added some more things to my list that makes sense. Many more and I will need a trailer!!!! :)

Thank you Tars.
 
With the Gates belt drive, you're not going have as many maintenance issues as a chain driven bike.
That said, the LaFree +1 doesn't have quick release, so if you think you might need to replace the tube in the field (I always try using the cheap but excellent Park GP-2 self-adhesive patch kit first, and have had great success), then you'll need either an adjustable wrench or a metric wrench of the proper size (might be 15mm, but check!) in order to remove the wheel. Since this is a Gates drive (interesting that the Giant site calls it "Gatex") with an IGH (internally geared hub), you'll want to learn and practice the procedure for removing the rear wheel at home before attempting it in the field. Gates has a video here, but this video shows the procedure with the same hub as the LaFree +1.

Summary:
Multi-Tool: Doesn't have to be a fully fledged unit (no chain tool, for instance). Mostly for the hex and/or torx bolts.
Tire irons: Light plastic ones are almost always fine.
Metric wrench: for the wheel nuts
Pump: TaraBara's suggestion for a CO2 kit is reasonable, but be sure you carry enough cylinders for a tire of that size (and maybe twice as many in case you get 2 flats!), and again try using it at home so you're not figuring it out for the first time in the field. I personally like the "Micro Floor Drive" pumps from Lezyne. They make a number of versions - you'll want the High Volume (or "HV") version, and I would opt for the built-in pressure gauge. These have a fold-out foot with decent length hose, so you can pump as much volume/pressure as you want pretty easily - just a shorter stroke than a full size pump. These light enough to carry on analog bikes, but a tad bulky for the frame mount. For an e-bike with a built-in rack they're easy to carry. I really like the way the Lezyne pump heads screw onto the valves. I use their digital floor pump at home, and have a tiny hand pump with hose for my analog road bike.
Wet wipes: Just a small pouch with wet wipes to clean your hands after any repairs.
First-aid kit: This can be as small as a couple bandages with ointment if you travel in town, but off-road you'll want something more extensive since you might be miles from a drugstore.
 
Wow.....I have received so many credible and informative replies from this group. Your links are nice...thank you. I have a Ryobi battery powered inflator that I use to gauge my auto tires and I suspect it's going to work well on the bicycle tires. Home use of course. I will have to check the size tools I will need for the LaFree. We have a marvelous network of greenway trails here so I doubt I will ever be more than ten miles from home. Never thought about wet wipes but that makes sense. Great tips "Smorgasboard." Thank you very much.
 
A AAA card. I haven’t tried it yet but they will pick up your bike if it breaks down (counts as part of your towing miles)
I carry the fix a flat equipment, but my bike finally did get a very slow leak (our thorn season has been awful) Fortunately, I didn’t discover the flat until I came out all ready for my bike ride the next morning.
I have Schwalbe Super Moto X tires on my bike. While they don’t go flat easily, holy crap, when they do, they are tough to fix.
My bike repair guy had to use a bead breaker to get the tire off the bike, and he had a real struggle getting it back on.
I’m sure that some commenters will tell me that changing these tires in the field is effortless. But I am an older women with back issues, and for me, and many others, I suspect it’s not.
Carry flat repair equipment (I do), I now have my good friend Mr Tuffy in my tires, and have a backup plan.
 
RLB2444 said:
Loved your comment about carrying all this stuff today vs yesteryear. Backpack? What was that? Biking shoes. Sorry, only one pair of shoes. Not complaining at all. I don't think I want to change a tube either. You added some more things to my list that makes sense. Many more and I will need a trailer!!!! :)

Thank you Tars.
Click to expand...
Long term, “biking shoes” might not be a bad investment. I’m not talking clipless pedal shoes (I don’t think most bikers bother with them), but something like Five Ten Freeriders . They are stiff soled, grip the pedals just enough, and protect your feet in case of a scrape or fall.
 
I went tubeless a few weeks ago, so I'm not going to need a spare tube, hopefully.
So now I carry a CO2 inflator, Leyzene plugs, a multi-tool, and a small phillips screwdriver.
Oh, and a rag for cleanup, all in my trunk/seat bag.
 
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