John Cutler posted on May 27, 2010 10:59
Disaster seems to strike in twos in threes. I once rode eleven months without a flat or on-road mechanical. I felt invincible!
And then, surrounded by shop staff, out in the wilds of West Virginia at the Raw Talent Ranch, I experienced a karmic reversal. Flat city. I'd fix the flat, and then a couple meters later ... pssssst. Rinse. Repeat.
Out came the flat repair kits.
It was a good chance to see who came prepared, and who crossed their fingers each day and prayed someone else came prepared. Especially when riding with experienced riders it is tempting to simply assume that the "other guy" has all the stuff you'll need. Problem is that the other guy assumes the same thing. And you never know when you'll end up off the back.
So, in the spirit of staying prepared, I present the bare essentials saddle bag kit. This setup should get you through 2 flats, most on-road mechanicals, and buy you a bottle of coke and a Snicker's bar once you've bonked and are questioning your existence at a random "we don't take cards" country store.
The Kit
- Two C02 Cartridges
- Inflator "Chuck"
- Multi Tool
- Patch Kit
- Spare Tube - LONG STEM!
- Valve Adapter
- Duct Tape
- $10
Valve Adapter ... a life saver.
Some tips:
- Using a C02 cartridge and chuck takes practice. It is worth burning through a couple cartridges to figure out how to use one BEFORE you're out on the road. Bring two, and try not to lose the chuck.
- Multi tools come with lots of bells and whistles. Bring the smallest tool that gets the job done. Almost all on-road repairs can be accomplished with a fairly small tool like the ___________________
- Patch kits are a lifesaver! You can get away with a single tube if you carry some patches.
- A valve adapter will bail you out when the only pump available is a farmers forty year old bike pump, or when you need air out of a gas station air compressor.
- Duct tape. Why not?
- $10. Don't forget your cash!