New Rider, what kit?

[sc0tt]

Hey guys, recently bought a road bike on ebay and went out for my first ride this morning and ended up woth a puncture 15km from home, lucky my wifes fairly forgiving so came to pick me up on the proviso its the first and last time

On this basis whats the minimum kit i need to make myself self sufficient and what must I learn before i got for attempt number 2?

Thanks

[PomBstard]

Just saw your pic on the other thread - well done on getting a bike and getting out there

Opinions will vary as to what you should carry but for the last 25 years I’ve had a small saddlebag carrying a spare tube, 3 tyre levers, a multi-tool (Allen keys, screwdrivers) and a puncture repair kit, plus a pump attached to the bike in some way - currently it’s a bottle holder/pump holder combo.

Always on the bike so I don’t have to think about what I should be carrying when it’s time to go for a ride.

I often ride solo and often a bit away from main roads or people, have always been able to get home!

[Bill]

Go tubeless!

[sc0tt]

PomBstard said:

Just saw your pic on the other thread - well done on getting a bike and getting out there

Opinions will vary as to what you should carry but for the last 25 years I ve had a small saddlebag carrying a spare tube, 3 tyre levers, a multi-tool (Allen keys, screwdrivers) and a puncture repair kit, plus a pump attached to the bike in some way - currently it s a bottle holder/pump holder combo.

Always on the bike so I don t have to think about what I should be carrying when it s time to go for a ride.

I often ride solo and often a bit away from main roads or people, have always been able to get home!

Thanks, i’ll poke my head in halfords shortly and see what they have.

[PomBstard]

Bill said:

Go tubeless!

My road/gravel bike is tubeless, and I still take the kit listed earlier

Experience tells me that if the puncture is caused by a sliced tyre, you need a tube. And getting a tubeless tyre off and on usually needs tyre levers, and then you need a patch on the inside of the tyre to protect the tube.

Tubeless is great for lots but not for everything

[Rich1973]

Veloplugs and kevlar reinforced tyres greatly reduces chance of punctures. I have both and also carry tube, pump etc as a few have said above.

[okgo]

Bill said:

Go tubeless!

I needed my wife to drive and pick me up this morning with tubeless

[Bairn]

Welcome to riding. Everyone will have a different take but depends a lot on the type of riding your doing. If it’s just to get you home/to a train station or bus stop then you can get away with very little. Once you start thinking about being self sufficient the kit list grows massively.

Don’t do what I done and buy the biggest saddle bag you can imagine, because you’ll soon find out you don’t need all that for short 1-day rides.
YouTube’s great , but just think about what you need when you have likely failures due to the type or riding your doing.

[v8notbrave]

My experience is that punctures are proportionately related to the state of the rear tyre, it has the weight and the rubber deteriorates. So get new tyres

Pump, couple levers, inner tube and multi tool (or be like mercx and take couple loose Allen keys) all in small snug saddle bag

Go full mamil, ignore the haters, it's the only way

[croyde]

I ride bicycles and have never resorted to dressing up as if I'm doing the Tour de France.

I ride motorcycles, and have even owned race reps, yet I've never dressed up as if I'm participating in Moto GP.

I drive sports cars and funnily enough I don't wear a flame retardant suit, multi thousand pound helmet, boots and gloves.

Just saying

[magpie215]

PomBstard said:

Opinions will vary as to what you should carry but for the last 25 years I ve had a small saddlebag carrying a spare tube, 3 tyre levers, a multi-tool (Allen keys, screwdrivers) and a puncture repair kit, plus a pump attached to the bike in some way - currently it s a bottle holder/pump holder combo.

I'd add a tyre boot a chain tool and some links/quick links that has most roadside issues boxed off

[okgo]

croyde said:

I ride bicycles and have never resorted to dressing up as if I'm doing the Tour de France.

I ride motorcycles, and have even owned race reps, yet I've never dressed up as if I'm participating in Moto GP.

I drive sports cars and funnily enough I don't wear a flame retardant suit, multi thousand pound helmet, boots and gloves.

Just saying

For riding a road bike, that’s the kit that makes most sense. It’s light years more comfortable for the job.

I’ve never understood this idiotic viewpoint that people do it to emulate professional cyclists, they wear that kit because it’s designed for the job. Road bike kit is made of Lycra and close fitting.

None of your comparisons are remotely close to being the same. I’ve ridden around 10 hours this week and without a proper pair of bib shorts for each ride it would have been very uncomfortable.

[Castrol for a knave]

Tubeless is alright in low pressure tyres like gravel or mtb but it is a messy pain on road bikes

I would just get a decent set of tyres and a couple of spare tubes and one of these

https://ebay.io/m/ay7PAB

[dave123456]

okgo said:

Bill said:

Go tubeless!

I needed my wife to drive and pick me up this morning with tubeless

My partner brought me a spare wheel last week as my tubeless failed, I must admit I don’t rate tubeless based on my experience..

[dave123456]

magpie215 said:

PomBstard said:

Opinions will vary as to what you should carry but for the last 25 years I ve had a small saddlebag carrying a spare tube, 3 tyre levers, a multi-tool (Allen keys, screwdrivers) and a puncture repair kit, plus a pump attached to the bike in some way - currently it s a bottle holder/pump holder combo.

I'd add a tyre boot a chain tool and some links/quick links that has most roadside issues boxed off

A fairly cheap topeak multi tool will have a chain tool included. Agree re quick links.

In the summer I have a small seat pack with the correct inner tube in for each bike (been caught out by valve length before) that stays on the bike. And I have a multi tool and emergency energy chew in a little wallet that goes in my jersey pocket.

In winter I use one of my bottle cages to carry a container with tools in, freeing up pockets for extra food.

[croyde]

okgo said:

croyde said:

I ride bicycles and have never resorted to dressing up as if I'm doing the Tour de France.

I ride motorcycles, and have even owned race reps, yet I've never dressed up as if I'm participating in Moto GP.

I drive sports cars and funnily enough I don't wear a flame retardant suit, multi thousand pound helmet, boots and gloves.

Just saying

For riding a road bike, that s the kit that makes most sense. It s light years more comfortable for the job.

I ve never understood this idiotic viewpoint that people do it to emulate professional cyclists, they wear that kit because it s designed for the job. Road bike kit is made of Lycra and close fitting.

None of your comparisons are remotely close to being the same. I ve ridden around 10 hours this week and without a proper pair of bib shorts for each ride it would have been very uncomfortable.

I'll admit that when a had a pukka road bike and a single speed Langster I did wear padded cycling shorts under my camo shorts.

Just don't tell anyone

[sc0tt]

Thanks guys, i now have tyre levers and managed to change the tube in a PR of 41 minutes.

Will grab some of the bits listed, riding will mostly be done on the smart trainer from now on I expect as the weather is turning. If anyone has any good URL’s to the kit provided also appreciated. I expect like cars Halfords isn’t the best so unsure of a good cycle supplier.

[sc0tt]

croyde said:

I ride bicycles and have never resorted to dressing up as if I'm doing the Tour de France.

I ride motorcycles, and have even owned race reps, yet I've never dressed up as if I'm participating in Moto GP.

I drive sports cars and funnily enough I don't wear a flame retardant suit, multi thousand pound helmet, boots and gloves.

Just saying

Thanks, not sure of the relevance here though, i expect whilst you are driving you have a jack, spare wheel or some tyre sealant, If you read the post you will see what tools i’m looking to carry as opposed to which aero helmet I need.

[Castrol for a knave]

sc0tt said:

Thanks, not sure of the relevance here though, i expect whilst you are driving you have a jack, spare wheel or some tyre sealant, If you read the post you will see what tools i m looking to carry as opposed to which aero helmet I need.

It starts with browing the Sigma Sports website, buying a tyre for £30 and 3 months later, you own a bespoke Pegoretti, full Rapha kit and hang around in cafes in Girona, looking moody.

[SchillingTwo]

croyde said:

I ride bicycles and have never resorted to dressing up as if I'm doing the Tour de France.

I ride motorcycles, and have even owned race reps, yet I've never dressed up as if I'm participating in Moto GP.

I drive sports cars and funnily enough I don't wear a flame retardant suit, multi thousand pound helmet, boots and gloves.

Just saying

I only run as a hobby, but wear proper running shoes.

I don’t motorbike competitively but have a very good helmet, gloves and boots.

When I cycle any significant distance I wear the clothes that make it most pleasant. Unsurprisingly this tends to be clothes designed for cycling.