Open Thread: What do you Carry?

It happens all of the time - you are out on a ride and something happens and you say to yourself, "If only I had brought (insert object) with me!"   Makes me wonder what kind stuff has either saved someone in a pinch, or stranded someone in a pinch.  

A trip to the grocery store is obviously a lot different than a 6 hour epic mountain bike ride, so it is important to adapt to the particular kind of ride you are on, but you or your bike can suffer almost anywhere.  There are two main types of aid - bike aid and human aid.  So what do you carry?  Is there a tool you cannot live without?  An ointment that is sure to ease your suffering? 

What do you carry on rides?  Please comment freely.

Also, I will wrap up the Lion Bellworks contest soon . . . I've been traveling and need to catch up with my email. 

Comments

[GITerDone]

I take small rolls of emergency duct tape when taking longer distance rides(30+ mile rides and/or multiple day rides). One instance for use of this on a bike ride is when I was on a multiple day ride I kept on getting flat tires on my front tire. I finally figured out that the tread was worn enough that I had a hole in it and the tube kept protruding and tearing as a result. I was able to use duct tape and a folded dollar bill(nice sinews and threads in the paper to keep it strong) to cover the hole on the inside until I got to a more advantageous place to handle this problem. Duct tape is soooo versatile. How could you go wrong taking a small roll of it with you?

[Dave]

I always carry this little lot, plus a pump:
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/1005358/2012-10-26%2008.36.26.jpg
It all fits in the smallest pocket of my rucksack, and will get me out of most fixes. I've probably lent them to other people more than I've used them myself, but it's nice to be able to offer some practical help when you come across someone stranded on the road.

[Richard White]

I always keep seat bag with tube, CO2, tire levers, bandaids, advil, small patch kit, $20, 2 bus passes and a lock. I then use a front bag for rides in the spring/fall or longer rides where I may need vest, gloves, arm warmers etc. I used to carry a chain tool, chain link and some other items but came to realize I would never actually use them so have left them on the workbench. :)

[Jonathan]

In my current bag:
Reusable shopping bag
U-lock
NYC bike map
Patch kit
Wool glove liners
Frame pump
Pliers-type multitool
Pocket notebook
Pen

[Tom Ligman]

every single ride: tube, inflator head, co2 cartridge, patch kit, small multi-tool, lights, lock, $20 (minimum), 8 band aids, 2 4"x4" gauze pads, a roll of medical tape, 4 tablets of immodium, 4 tablets of tums, a tiny bottle of miscellaneous pain killers (mostly advil for me and excedrin for others), 2 alcohol swabs, and however many of those little wet wipes from the rib place I can cram in the remaining space. the whole 1st aid kit part weighs less than a lb and rolls up small. I've rarely needed anything from it, but I've been incredibly glad to have it when I have needed it. In the fall and spring i usually stuff a pannier with a set of clothes for the opposite weather condition to what they forecast, for when it changes midday, or for when I get soaked.

[Janice in Ga]

90% of my rides are within 7 miles of my house. But I still normally carry a spare tube or two (depending on how vulnerable I feel that day), a patch kit, tire irons, a multitool, a frame pump, and some boot material with me.

That said, when I had a flat a couple of months ago, I found I'd taken the tire irons out. At that point, I was really, REALLY glad I'd challenged myself to see if I could remove a tire without using tire irons. (I was curious, because I honestly didn't think I'd have the hand strength to do it. I'm 60, and have achy joints.) I'd done it once, so I knew it was possible. And sometimes that's half the battle. :)

So I swapped out the tube, pumped up the tire, rode to the bike shop and bought another spare set of tire irons.

[Gear]

Aside from the aforementioned items I have a trailer with a generator and my welding machine. You just never know when the frame will crack.

[Ron Ablang]

Most of my rides are errand rides, no more than 5 miles one-way. So I usually bring cash and a cell phone. Flats are a thing of the past since I have gotten puncture-proof tires ($25 apiece, 100 psi) for my Schwinn.

[Rob]

I always have a spare tube, multitool, tire levers, and a small patch kit. I stopped carrying first-aid items with me, but definitely would if I was touring, doing an S24O, or some other self-supported ride where I knew I was getting "out of civilization". I used to keep a 10-trip worth of bus passes, but started keeping half at home/half at work since that's when I was most likely to use them.

[JImmy]

My standard messenger bag kit
Extra Tube
Portable Pump
Patch Kit
2 Cresecent Wrenches
A few Allen Wrenches
Small Swiss Army Knife
Pocket Knife
Tire Irons
Various bits of former tubes
Multi-tool (Leathermen type)
3 foot Chain Lock
7 foot cable
$20 backup cash
A small medicine kit inside of an altoids tin (pain killers, migrane meds, allegery meds)
Matches
Lighter
Water Bottle
Flashlight & extra batteries

Most of the time I'm headed to school so I also have;
Laptop
Notebook(s)
Pens/Pencils/Writing Stuffs
Kindle
Chargers for most of the electronics

[Dave S]

3 plastic tire levers, spare tubes, CO2 inflator/cartridges, valve core tool, air gauge, patch kit, folding allen wrench set, two 15 mm wrenches (for my wife's bike), cable ties, vinyl gloves, a couple of paper towels, chain tool with a few extra links, a small bottle of chain lube and an 8/9/10 mm multisocket wrench: http://www.rivbike.com/product-p/tl018.htm

So far, I've never needed anything else to get home and it all fits nicely in a small fanny pack stuffed into the bottom of my seat bag.

Keep in mind that it's total weight that's important (yourself included). A few pounds worth of gear isn't going to change your ride. Carry what you think you need. I doubt that you'll notice the difference. Check out Grant Peterson's article about weight in 'Just Ride' (probably also on the Rivdendell web site).

On bike club trips that I run for my school, I also carry an automatic external defibrillator and a first aid kit. I maintain the same top/average speeds with or without the extra gear. Makes no difference.

[Bill Marshall]

I’m one of those guys that has bike bags like roach motels, things go into them but really come back out. As such I cart a ton of stuff around in my bags that I never use.

Mostly what I do use from my bags is a spare tube, frame pump and power bars.

[Bond, James Bond.]

1. Bottle opener (Corter leather bottle hook)
2. $6 emergency beer money(six pack PBR is 4.59, tecate is 5.40)
3. spare tube
4. tire levers(lezyne or soma steel cores are best)
5. park tools hex key multitool.
6. leatherman keyring tool
7. clean rag
8. 3 quarters for self serve air compressor
9. list of ex girlfriends who live close by(and still like me)
!0. Sense of purpose

[bruce taylor]

Kinda wimpy, but I now carry surgical gloves. Saves looking for something to clean my hands with after my chain falls off.