CYCLING ADVICE

YOUR GO TO CYCLING KIT

When I was a kid I use to remember just jumping on the mountain bike, helmet on and off cycling with my mates all day around various roads or down the local woods doing jumps, with little thought to the risks of performing dare devil stunts. While the essence of riding hasn’t changed much over the years, the level of caution applied is far greater, having “No Fear” as were my favourite brand of T-Shirts as a kid has somewhat gone, brought on through adult responsibilities, while the sheer quantity of kit taken on a ride has also significantly changed.

These days going for a ride requires a little more planning, driven partly, well hugely by how much technology has come along over the years ,with the need to record our rides on our brand of favourite cycling computers and then uploaded post ride to the various cycling platforms, well let’s not be coy, it’s Strava isn’t it? if its’ not on Strava it didn’t happen. Combined with how busy the roads are these days a key element of kit is also based around safety and protecting ourselves.

Aside from a helmet as part of your essential cycling kit, while this is always a subject which invokes debate, there is no debate in my repertoire of kit, wearing a lid is mandatory. Getting ready for a bike ride these days feels a little like packing for a holiday, ensuring you’re prepared, and nothing is missed or forgotten. Having once made the mistake of not getting ready the day before, flying out the door the following morning, my water bottles were forgotten, don’t ask, it just happened. Let’s just say a pair of Evian water bottles purchased at a garage several miles into the ride understandably aren’t designed around fitting very well into carbon bottle cages, rattling about, and worse still on my best aero summer bike didn’t exactly look “cool”, invoking some much deserved mickey taking from fellow group riders.

Every rider is different to what they take, some don’t take anything and are happy to rely on a taxi picking them up from wherever their bike suffers a mechanical. While this is certainly a simple and weight saving method, it comes with its challenges, like finding a cab who will take you and your bike, not to mention the cost, especially if you’re many miles from home.

Others like myself like to carry an array of kit.

PUNCTURES.

Anthony Walstow

: Admin on Cycling Advice

Blog: cranksandcake.com

Author: “A passionate cyclist, obsessed about anything aero or tech with an addiction to buying bikes”

all come at once. Two punctures on a single ride have happened and being prepared was worth its weight in gold. Forget hand pumps, CO2 is where it’s at, inflates in seconds and off you go.

MECHANICAL ISSUES.

These can and do happen. Chain snapped? Loose bolt somewhere? You bet when they do happen it will be miles from home. For some bizarre reason on a ride one of the saddle bolts became loose and my seat suddenly tilted up and backwards, making it impossible to ride. Carrying a good multi tool is essential, bolts tightened, and problem fixed. Yes, my inner OCD ensured the offending bolt was correctly torqued when arriving home.

ON BOARD SNACKS.

This is key, normally oat and sugar based for slow releasing carbs to provide energy on those long rides to stop the ever looming “bonk”. Try to learn reading your body and fuel before you hit the wall, because once you are at that stage it’s normally too late and difficult to come back from it.

BE SEEN.

Most of my rides are done in the day but it cannot be stressed enough to run lights, especially on sunny days, which sounds odd in bright sunlight, but as you dart in and out of overhanging tree canopy it can make a rider difficult to see. Decent rear and front lights are vital.

COVER YOUR BACK (AND FRONT).

It’s a good idea to run a cycling light with a camera, such as Cycliq to capture any accidents. While it won’t stop them happening, it certainly will help you with insurance claims and identifying who is at fault, or worse, prosecution from drivers who don’t stop after hitting you.

It sounds like a lot to take, but every piece has a perfectly designed purpose, covering all angles on what can and does happen when out on a ride. What’s your go to kit?