Comments on: Commuting 101: What do you carry with you?

By: Cellphoneguy

Cellphoneguy — Tue, 27 May 2008 03:56:09 +0000

I carry just one thing:

A cell phone.

If anything goes wrong with my bike that causes me not to be able to ride it, I call someone to come pick me up so I can fix my bike at home. This is almost always faster than fixing it myself. Just make sure you don’t ride somewhere that doesn’t get cell service…

By: clunkerider

clunkerider — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 02:05:17 +0000

I have a back rack-pack for my lunch, sun-glasses, perscription glasses, a multi-tool, allen keys and that’s it. I have two drink holders on my ride, one for coffee thermose and one for water. I ride five miles each way. My bike is an old clunker mountain bike with really good commuter tires. No flats in ten years of commuting, so I don’t bother with extra tubes or pumps. I used to ride road bikes but got tired of bent rims on the rough roads and flats. Yes my mountain bike is slower but I find it less trouble.

By: AngelWolf

AngelWolf — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 11:37:51 +0000

I carry a first aid kit, a spare tube, a co2 inflator, an alien multi-tool, a frame pump, a couple spare chain links, and a power bar. I also keep a “Fix a Flat” tube in the box on my trailer along with an assortment of bungee cords and tarps. Our public transit here only runs 8-6 M-F, and only goes to certain places, so bus service is spotty, and it has undersized bike racks, not good for my longer tourning commute bike.

I carry so many flat fixing things because the street sweepers here in Medford, Oregon only sweep the street, pushing all the debris in to the bike lanes, and they only run part time, too. Flats are a way of life.

By: CaptCanuck

CaptCanuck — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 02:37:55 +0000

Aramid….I think I heard they make the black boxes on airplanes out of that stuff.

By: chunkymonkeybiker

chunkymonkeybiker — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 15:51:50 +0000

I don’t carry anything except: phone, mp3, wallet, lights. If I get stuck, I can always ride the bus in and change a flat at work.

By: Hugh

Hugh — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 01:26:03 +0000

I just carry an old, well thumbed Playboy to read ,while I wait for a cab (or my wife) to pick me up if I get a flat!

By: Rob L

Rob L — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 14:53:54 +0000

Erin –

Well, Ford always said “Know where your Towel is”. Not a half bad idea, I do usually carry some rags in my pack.

By: Erin

Erin — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 01:21:55 +0000

I just stumbled across this post (and the site in general–I’ve found them both informative!), and noticed that nobody mentioned a towel. I usually don’t bring one with me, but the last time I crashed I was on my way to the beach and had one. It was so useful cleaning up blood and chain grease that as soon as I started riding again, I tied a face towel to my frame and now don’t leave home without it.

By: Joe

Joe — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 17:55:53 +0000

Alexis I agree, Easy rider, I don’t think you realize how condescending and arrogant you sound.

“Tools are only useful if you know how to use them. If you know how to use them then you should not have to use them”

Ummm….ok. I know how to use a tire pump, but by your logic I should not have to use it because I can somehow keep my bike in superior shape and predict when I might get a flat and avoid that….whatever dude.

Consider humility on your next post.

By: Alexis

Alexis — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 17:43:53 +0000

Easy Rider, I think it’s quite arrogant of you to say that if you can’t remove your tires without levers, you don’t know what you’re doing. I’ve got small hands and simply don’t have the mechanical strength required to remove my tires by hand, but I’m perfectly capable of fixing flats on my own if I have the levers.

We are all different. Your way is not the only ‘right’ way.