tools: what do you take on a ride?

[Mr. Coffee]

Hi all,

Just curious. What tools do you take with your bike when you go for a ride? Do you have a tool kit you always take, or do you sometimes take nothing at all?

For me, I have the awful little tool kit that came with my bike. I added a can of CO2 to inflate the tires, a tire pressure gauge, a small flat-bladed screwdriver, a pair of snips, a tiny pair of needle nose pliers, duct tape, and a few cable ties.

If I were going on a longer tour or seriously out of cell range I'd take a spare tube and tire levers.

 

[Larry Ganz]

When I ride I take a camelback with everything I might need. A cell phone is a must. I also take the above items, but my needle nose is a Gerber multi-tool, and I take a folding hex wrench set, and my Swiss army knife. My screw driver is reversible and has a philips and flat blade, but with the Swiss army knife I don't need to carry this now.

I also have a small 5nm torque T-wrench with some hex tips for my handlebars and other areas. I also keep a tire pump along with the Co2, and a couple of Presta to Schrader valve adapters, and a spare tube. I have light weight tire levers and patch kit too, in case I have more than one flat (or my wife and I both get a flat).

Add to that an Altor 560G Ti lock, headlight, and tail-light, but those aren't tools in that sense. I might replace my electrical tape with duct tape squares.

 

[mrgold35]

Depends on just work commute (13 miles roundtrip) or a longer trail rides (20-30 miles).
- Flat kit with pump, tools, patches, small bottle of Stans tire sealant, and air gauge
- Topeak Alien II multi tool
- Cell phone with USB cable to recharge with bike battery if needed
- mini hand held flashlight
- knife
- zip ties and velcro strips
- plenty of water
- spare ebike battery on longer rides
- spare headlight battery for night rides
- handy wipes
- cheap bifocal riding glasses because of old eyes (2 pair in one case, Dewalt 1.5x safety clear glasses for night riding because I hate getting bugs in my eyes and In Style Eyes 1.5x tinted/polarized for day)

 

[Mr. Coffee]

I also carry a tiny locking blade knife. usually this one -- https://www.crkt.com/shop/pocket-knives/delilah-s-p-e-c-k.html

I'm not really a fan of multi-tools (or swiss army knives, for that matter), mostly because they become hopelessly impractical if you are in a situation when you need a tool in each hand (e.g. tightening a locking nut while maintaining tension on a cable) and also because the tools don't often lock in place.

 

[Larry Ganz]

My Gerber multi tool locks, and my Swiss army doesn't but it's quite hard to make it accidentally fold when I'm pushing with the screwdriver tools. I always have a Benchmade locking knife in my pocket, as well as a S&W .38 or Kahr 9mm.

I also forgot to mention that I have a set of rechargeable lights on the bike and a spare set of AAA ones in my seat pack (Urban 500 and Fox rear).

 

[vincent]

think i need to go over my tool list after reading these

i always have in each bag

an extra removable headlamp
extra removable tailight
topeak alien 2
3-4 of the CO2 tubes and the handle for them- all bikes have slime or stans in the tires
sunglasses
packable down vest if at all cool
large rain poncho and sometimes a bike cover
1 or 2 water bottles
should have a few zip ties and a velcro strap but need to double check

on me i keep a knife, pepper spray, cell phone and my car keys

definitely need to add the usb cord to charge the phone
maybe another knife or multi type tool with needle nose pliers

 

[Larry Ganz]

I just checked my camel back and I also have a Marmot light weight shell in there, a nice compact 1st aid kit, a spare battery pack and cables to charge devices, sunglasses, a lighter, and some protein bars.

 

[galvinro]

I usually carry a patch kit, tubes, tire pump, tire levers, zip ties, to name a few.

 

[mrgold35]

My travel tools are a work in progress. I started out not taking much on my rides other than a cell phone and added tools as issues started to happen. It is good to hear about other folks list to see if I might add additional things to help me on my rides.

The next thing I might add (not really a tool) is the HISY bluetooth remote to my iPhone. It is a one button remote to activate your camera for pictures or movies on the go when riding. I had a person toss a Sonic Route-44 full of ice at me once that hit the front tires because they were just being A-holes. My ride home in the afternoon from work has a lot of traffic and it would be nice to have something like a dashcam recording around the busiest parts of my commute. Would be nice to have something to record the moment in one click since my phone is already on mount facing forward.

 

[EddieJ]

It largely depends upon where I am riding. If I am away in the Alps for example, I leave nothing to chance.







Sometimes there are also a couple of extra additions, over and above.

 

[mrgold35]

Prepare for the worst and hope for the best is my thinking also!

 

[tomjasz]

Mastercard. And a folding Topeak Mini 9. With the mid drives a chain tool and some chain. But im not an adventure rider. The city is under 2 miles wide and 6 miles long.

 

[McApple]

Pump, 2 tubes, tire levers, wd40, cotton cloths, wrenches, screwdrivers, hex drivers, travel first aid kit, gps, cell phone, lights, spare batteries, valve adapters, sun block, rain/wind shell, Swiss Army Knife, spoke wrench, spare spokes, spare cash.

 

[GingerBeardMan]

It largely depends upon where I am riding. If I am away in the Alps for example, I leave nothing to chance.

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Sometimes there are also a couple of extra additions, over and above.

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Love your "Everyday Carry" layout style of your tools. Should really start a forum here just for that

 

[Alex M]

For me, I have the awful little tool kit that came with my bike. I added a can of CO2 to inflate the tires, a tire pressure gauge, a small flat-bladed screwdriver, a pair of snips, a tiny pair of needle nose pliers, duct tape, and a few cable ties.

If I were going on a longer tour or seriously out of cell range I'd take a spare tube and tire levers.

This , and spare tube with tire levers. On a short ride too - anywhere farther than 4 or 5 miles one-way. Patching is easier to do at home, IMO.