What to take on bike rides

I have a pretty usual weekly routine for doing things outside, and even though I’ve done some things over 100 times, I still find myself forgetting a detail or two every now and then. This post is a reminder for myself, and is also something I can give to people that I’m bringing along on a weekend mountain bike ride sometimes. If someone asks in the comments, I may even make a printable/laminateable template. I’ll update this in the future as I’m sure I left out some things.

Road Bike Ride

• Road Bike
• Shoes
• Socks
• RoadID on Ankle
• Bib Shorts
• Jersey with pockets
  • Sealine eCase with Phone inside, $20, ID, credit card, keys
  • 2 GU packets
  • mini-pump
• Gloves (fingerless above 60f, fingers down to 40f, and including glove liners below that)
• Glasses (UV sensitive clear->grey for sunrise/sunset, dark for during the day)
• Helmet
• 2 water bottles
• Garmin + HRM Strap
• Seat bag
  • Spare Tube
  • Multitool with chain tool and tire levers
  • CO2 nozzle and 2 CO2 cartridges
  • Patch kit
  • quick-links
  • 1-2 Grease Monkey wipes for cleaning hands after fixing something
• Any cold weather gear required, Bicyling.com’s What To Wear is pretty solid.

Driving to Start

If I’m driving, everything above gets packed into a duffle-bag and I change before starting and at the end of the ride. Also in the bag is a towel, chamois cream, a full water bottle, and a snack for right after the ride.

Epic

If we’re going a 150 mile death ride, I’ll add in more food, more cash,

Mountain Bike Ride

Sometimes I’ll bring along my GoPro or Canon EOS M, but that’s usually just special occasions. For everyday gear:

• Mountain Bike
• Shoes
• Socks
• RoadID on Ankle
• Bib Shorts
• Jersey
• Gloves
• Glasses (UV sensitive clear->grey for sunrise/sunset, dark for during the day)
• Helmet
• Garmin + HRM Strap
• Camelbak with 3L of water
  • Garmin 60CSx with route data about where we are going and/or paper map and compass
  • Topeak Mountain Morph pump
  • Topeak Survival Gear Box
  • patch kit
  • quick-links
  • Small pile of GUs, Shot Blocks, Etc
  • 10 zip ties
  • Leatherman Skeletool
  • Custom first aid kit
  • 2 spare tubes
  • 2-3 Grease Monkey wipes for cleaning hands after fixing something
• Any cold weather gear required

Epic

• Anything more than 2 hours means sandwiches in sandwich shaped tupperware containers. Usually PB+J.
• If we’re planning on over 3 hours in the woods, we’ll make sure at least one of us is carrying a water filter.
• A zip-lock baggie with toilet paper
• a lighter
• strike-anywhere matches in a waterproof container
• 20 feet of parachute cord
• mylar emergency blanket

Night

• NiteRider helmet-mounted front light
• PlanetBike flasher tail light
• SureFire flashlight in my Camelbak for backup.

Run

• Running shoes
• Socks
• Running shorts
• Technical t-shirt
• house or car key
• gu packet
• RoadID on ankle
• Visor
• Garmin watch + HRM strap
• Chafing countermeasures