XFM - extreme sports for men, by men

The following items make up what I consider a “basic tool kit”, a necessity for bicycling. Usually when riding, most people end up miles from home. So if something mechanical happens to your bike you need to provide yourself with at least a modest chance of success in fixing the problem and continuing your ride.

The basic tool kit is good for the majority of shorter day rides or charity rides, but if your extending your mileage beyond roughly 40 miles and staying out on the road the better part of the day, then you should consider adding the optional items to your pack.

But before you start putting together this tool kit, make sure your bicycle is equipped with water bottles held on by lightweight water bottle cages. You should never go very far without water and once you get close to the two hour mark of riding always take a product such as PowerAde or Gatorade, plus some type of snack. So load up the water bottles to keep yourself hydrated.

1. Tool Kit: Pack (Bike Bag) Buy a small pack designed for the bicycle at your local shop. These packs come in nearly every style and size imaginable from a very small 15 cubic inch to over 700 cubic inch pannier (similar to saddlebags draped over and attached to a light weight frame mounted on your bike). These bags rage from relatively inexpensive to rather expensive and vary in features, so it is best for you to go to the local bike shop and check them out.

2. Tool Kit: Tools Now you need to fill the pack with tools and tools which will make your life easier should you every experience a breakdown and you will if you ride enough.

· Tools – A lightweight multi-tool is an absolute must. Look for one with a flat head screwdriver blade, a Philips screwdriver bit and several hex wrench sizes, such as: 2, 2.5, 3,4,5,6,8mm, this will cover most repairs. You may want to consider one other nice feature, which is some type of adjustable wrench for the odd nuts on your bike.

3. Pack (Bike Bag) Necessities:

· Tube Patch Kit - Most tubes are made of butyl rubber, and most patch kits have approximately 3-4 butyl patches with a small tube of glue in the kit. Recently developed have been the pre-glued patch kits, either way you’ll need one kit per bicycle. If you use something other than a butyl tube (and you would know it if you did) you’ll need a different kit. Progress is being made in the field of tubeless tires for bicycles, but they are not common yet, so get the patch kit.

Tire Levers - These are plastic or alloy levers designed to help you get the tire off the rim. Some tires come off easier than others, so carry one if you’re experienced at tire removal but most people carry two.

· Tire Pump or CO2 inflator - Once you’ve repaired your tube you have to re-inflate it. Pumps like everything else come is many sizes, shapes and pressure capacities. They range from size starting with mini-pumps at 5-3/4” and 98 grams to full frame pumps upwards of 13” and 258 grams. The CO2 inflators are around 5-1/2” and 52 grams with one cartridge. Read carefully before you buy, but buy one and attach it to the frame of your bike.

· Rain Jacket – A lightweight wind jacket or preferably a rain repellant jacket is a must for those of us in areas where the weather changes abruptly. But even over the course of day, temperature can drop from a beautiful 80 degrees to a chilly 60 degrees. And rain can ruin a ride if you can’t keep dry. So check out what is available and what your budget can afford, but pack a lightweight on in your bag to take with you every time you’re out on a ride.

· Money – Always have a few one-dollar bills stashed away for emergencies in your bag. Dollar bills are lighter than coins and most vending machines take bills now.

You might think about taking: a cell phone, a spare spoke, a spoke truing wrench and a chain tool.

Happy Cycling!