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What’s In Your Saddle Bag?

08.29.2013 by Ray Niekamp // 16 Comments

Guest poster Jeff Hemmel opens a discussion of one of biking’s most common items.

HemmelsRide2Recently I came across a discussion of what people carried in their saddle bags. It piqued my interest, because over many years I feel like I’ve really streamlined mine to the true essentials, while still allowing for a few items I’ve come to appreciate from experience…and some people might overlook.

What do I bring along for the ride? I dumped the contents out to jog my memory. Chime in to add anything you think I’ve missed.

bag

A Spare Tube — This one is obvious. A spare tube is there to save the day should you flat on any of the detritus that lines the roads, and as such should be the key item in any saddle bag. Tip? Bicycling magazine recently suggested to wrap a spare in plastic wrap. I guess the idea is to keep it “fresh,” but it also keeps the tube as compact as possible, as well as protects it from some abrasion by other items in your bag.

Perhaps the real question should be one tube…or two? I try to keep things as minimal as possible, so I go with one, reasoning that I can call someone for a ride should things go really haywire. If I’m venturing out into some unknown area, however, I sometimes squeeze a second one into my bag…just in case.

Patch Kit — One reason I often go with just the single tube is that I carry a patch kit. You can find them in tiny little packages that are easy to add to your bag. That way if you ruin your spare, you can do a quickie repair.

Tire Levers — I usually just use my hands to remove a tire, but I still keep a pair of tire levers in my bag. They’re helpful for getting a tire off the rim, especially if the tire is new and not very pliable.

CO2 Inflator — My brother gets on me about this one, noting that all of us quick-fix types aren’t doing the environment any favor. But a small CO2 inflator is the simplest, quickest way to get you back up and riding, especially if a group may be waiting for you…or you don’t want to lose them. CO2 inflators, however, are notorious for misfiring. After a little trial and error, I’ve settled on a Genuine Innovations Air Chuck Elite. It’s a tiny, spring-loaded, inexpensive inflator head that’s got a great reputation. There are flashier solutions, but I’m not sure any really better.

CO2 Cartridges — I have a mini frame pump that tucks behind a bottle cage, so I stick with just one CO2 cartridge in my streamlined bag. For the typical road bike tire, one 16 gram cartridge should get you back up to about 110-115 pounds. Theoretically it should fill to 130 psi, but I’ve never quite seen that happen.

Presta Valve Adapter — This summer I had what I’ll call the “flat change from hell.” Suffice it to say my old CO2 inflator leaked, my frame pump broke, and I was eaten alive by mosquitoes on the side of a steep country road. I was finally able to walk to a convenience store, only to find I had to do a little surgery on their air hose just to get a little bit of air into my tire. Then and there I vowed to get one of these little adapters (about $1.50) and throw it in my bag. I may never need it again, but if I do, it’s cheap insurance.

Multi-Tool — I’ve seen better (and bigger) alternatives, but I think most people can get by with just a simple tool, like Park’s tiny IB-2. It’s got a multitude of hex wrenches, a flat-blade screwdriver, and an I-beam handle for strength.

Grease Monkey Wipe — I scoffed at this when a friend gave me one, but these little foil-wrapped wipes really do clean up your hands after a chain issue, or even a dirty tire change. I just used the one I was given. Time to find some more.

Oh, a side note…the makers were funded by one of the “sharks” on ABC’s Shark Tank.

As to the actual bag I keep this stuff in, I’ve found one — again, a small one — that works perfect for me, the Serfas EV-2. I like the bag’s durability, but I primarily appreciate that it’s not just one wide-open bag. Instead, there’s a mesh pocket in the zippered entry flap (a great spot to stow that little inflator and Presta valve adapter), a pocket on one side to hold my multi-tool, and a strap on the other to tuck in my CO2 cartridge and tire levers. Best of all it’s even got a strap with a clip to securely hold a house key…something you definitely don’t want to lose out of your saddle bag when changing a tire on the side of a hill while being attacked my mosquitoes.

Not that I would know about that sort of thing.

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Categories // Accessories, guest post Tags // guest post, Hemmel, seatbags

Protecting Stuff in Your Seatbag

12.10.2009 by Ray Niekamp // 10 Comments

A friend was telling me about a recent ride he took, where he got a flat. He pulled his spare tube out of his seatbag, got the tire remounted to the wheel, and started pumping it up.

But his spare tube turned out to be punctured, too.

He realized that his seatbag was so crammed with stuff that it was rubbing against the tube, and caused it to tear.

I had to admit, that happened to me once, too. I was using a small bullet-shaped bag that could barely hold my tube and multi-tool. But I also had jammed a patch kit and tire levers in. The multi-tool’s edges got my tube, and I had to sag in during a semi-supported ride.

I’ve dealt with the issue since then by ditching the small bag and putting on a larger one. And my spare tube is now parked in an old sock. I cut the toe area off the sock, because that’s all you need to store a tube. It’s worked like a charm — I haven’t had any more tubes damaged in an overloaded seatbag.

Some folks I know use a Ziplock bag for their tubes, and a second bag for other stuff. How about you? Any tips for keeping your biking necessities safe and organized? I’m always looking for better ideas.

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Categories // Accessories Tags // seatbags

What’s in YOUR seatbag?

03.01.2009 by Ray Niekamp // 12 Comments

A reader recently asked me by email, “Bike Noob, what do you carry in your seatbag?” Funny he should ask, because I’ve just gone through a switch to a new bag, and then a switch back to the old bag. Here’s why.

I bought my seatbag when I bought my bike. It’s made by a company called “Inertia Designs,” and is somewhat larger than many bags I see on road bikes. In fact, some other bikers have referred to it as a “trunk.” But it’s worked well for me, holding what I consider the necessary accessories for biking.

However, when I got my seat post-mounted water bottle cage, it seemed that I would need a smaller bag to fit between the seat and the water bottles. So I dug up a smaller, bullet-shaped bag we had lying around, and put it on. But it was barely large enough to carry a spare tube. I crammed my multi-tool in also, and that’s why, when I got my pinch flat two weeks ago, the spare was punctured, too. The edge of the multi-tool had apparently rubbed a hole in it.

So, I’m back to the bigger bag. I lowered the water bottle cage almost to the bottom of the seat post, and there’s room enough for bag and bottles. The picture is for comparison purposes — the small bag is propped on the top tube.

bags1

The size difference between the current bag, on the left, and the small bag, on the right, is evident.

Well, why is it so important for me to have a big bag? Plenty of folks use bags the size of the one on the right in the picture. Here’s why. A look at the stuff I must have on a bike ride.

openbagWhen unzipped, the bag opens its maw to reveal a cornucopia of bike stuff.

Actually, only four different items are accounted for here. First, a spare tube. I like to carry it in its box, to avoid any more accidental punctures. Then, a patch kit. I do carry one, altho I haven’t used it in the field yet. Bet I do, some day. The blue thing is my multi-tool. Three Allen wrenches in 4, 5, and 6 mm size, plus two screwdrivers. I use it a lot. Finally, two tire levers.

There might be just a little room left in the bag for me to carry more stuff, but the only need I’ve found for that is when we drive to a ride. In that case, I’ll stick my car keys in the bag. But I carry my ID, a little cash, and my cell phone in my jersey pockets.

I’m happy with my seat bag. I suppose I could go to one like this:

medbag“Medium” seatbag by Acorn Bags.

But I doubt it. What do you think? Am I carrying too much stuff? Is there an item that I ought to have in my bag, but don’t?

What’s in YOUR seat bag?

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Categories // Accessories Tags // Accessories, seatbags

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