Recently, I was riding at the local Veloway when I caught up to a family out for a spin. A father, mother, and their grade-school daughter were riding easily along, but the little girl wasn’t very steady on the bike. She weaved back and forth across the track, but seemed to keep her bike more or less under control — until she hit a rock.
The front wheel turned sharply, and she was catapulted from the bike onto the hard surface. She wore a helmet, but that didn’t keep her from scraping her face on the asphalt. Her parents jumped to help her. I asked if I could do anything, but the dad said since we were near the parking lot, they would just head back there and take her home.
I thought about the crash, and about some that I’ve seen, and been involved in myself. After my last crash, I had some severe road rash, but still had four uncomfortable miles to pedal home before I could treat it. I wonder — should we be carrying first aid kits in our seat bags?
That’s something I’ve never discussed with the folks I usually ride with. I know there are commercially-packaged kits, like the one in the picture, that would probably do the job admirably. This one is by Skinz, and seems to cover all the bases. It contains:
2- Sterile 3×3 Dressing (pkg 2)
3-1×3 band aids
2- Knuckle band aids
1-1/2” x 10yd tape
1-sting relief pad
1-APAP extra strength pkg of 2 (like Tylenol)
1- Mole skin(for blisters)
3-antiseptic towelette’s
1-antibiotic ointment
The downside is, kits like this cost $25-$30. We might not need as much as this one has, but if you were going to put together some kind of first aid kit for your seatbag, what would it contain? Or are these another unnecessary addition to our loads?
I reccomend anything by Adventure Medical Kits. I keep one of the “light and fast” type kits with me all the time ( http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com/product.php?product=123&catname=Light%20&%20Fast&prodname=Adventurer ). Its the only item that always manages to switch between my day-pack and crumpler bag. They have versions for many types of travel (excluding bike specifically unfortunately) and level of ability (from know nothing to Wilderness EMT certified). This sounds a bit like me trying to sell the things but Ive used them in backpacking for some time and know its a great product.
I carry a kit with me all the time. I’m 50/50 so far on bandaging others up vs. bandaging myself up.
IMHO, if I’ve got a commercially packaged kit, I won’t use it unless it’s a real dire emergency. Because I’m obsessive-compulsive and stuff. So I just assembled it out of bandages and whatnot myself. I’ve got a wound closure kit from REI (that I don’t expect to use unless I really need it), a bunch of bandages of various types, antiseptic and anti-itch ointments, and a bottle of betadyne. I’ve also got some survival gear there like a space blanket and firestarters and a leatherman tool.
This is also one of the reasons why I ride with a rack and trunk bag. Trunk bags don’t run out of room like under-saddle bags do.
I don’t usually carry a kit – on my 4.5 mile commute I don’t feel it’s really necessary.
However, as I get back into trail riding (which I hope to do more of in the coming months), I’ll probably assemble a few key items into a small ziplock and toss that in for my rides. I agree w/ wirehead on using pre-packaged kits… theo nes that I’ve had mostly sit around until everything in them expires.
I certainly don’t think it’s a bad idea to carry a basic first aid kit. It’s one of those things you don’t want with you until you need it. Then you really want it.
I don’t carry one currently, but I could see putting a simple kit together in a ziplock bag. Just enough to get through a ride after minor injury.
I keep one. I get a giggle every now and then from someone because of all the crap I carry on my bike. I like to be prepared.
I carry one of the Adventure Medical Kits from REI. I also carry a small bottle of liquid bandage and some neosporin.
Once a Boy Scout……….
I carry one as well. I’ve never needed for myself but have had to use it on others numerous times. One thing I for myself is a bottle of eyedrops…even with sunglasses I have had stuff get in my eyes and it’s miserable. If you don’t have eye drops already…add them to your kit.
Good point – thanks.
I carry a basic kit, just some band-aids, gloves, alcohol wipes, a gauze pad, and Betadine. I found after I fell over the other day (grazed knee, didn’t unclip at a stop), that my wipes were all dried out, and all my band-aids were unusable. Remember to check every six months and replace as needed, and stop your kit from rubbing against your tools and becoming unsterile.
Also, get a largish band-aid for the knee-sized grazes.
I just did this yesterday — the “0 mph-can’t unclip-dead turtle” trick. Skinned my knee and elbow. Went looking for my little first aid kit … well, it’s in the seat bag of my other bike. D’oh! Lesson learned. I am putting together some kits for me and my husband and will add them to the seat bags on ALL our bikes.
The poster above with the idea about eye drops is a genius. Definitely adding this to the mix.
Also, if you happen to have them around, feminine pads make great blood stoppers for large wounds. Yes, really. They’re designed to stop bleeding after all. The smaller ones would be easy to put into a kit.
I carry the same first aid kit for both hiking and bicycling, I made it up myself and so far have never had to use it! Just feel better knowing it’s in the rackbag!
The first aid kit is possibly the most essential bit of kit I take. The amount of times I have needed it when I have been in the middle of nowhere is amazing.
Eight items are recommended by the Health and Safety executive in the UK as contents of a first aid kit.
Triangular bandages
Wound dressings
plasters
Gloves
Safety pins
Eye pads
Non alcohol wipes
Guidance card for first aid