Must have spare parts/tools

[John Nelson]

CO2 is great for a flat on short rides ,when you are back to the house that same day.  I use it.  When I get home I deflate and inflate the tire once or twice with a floor pump to purge the CO2 from the tube.

+1

If I don't replace the CO2 with air when I get home, the tire goes soft much faster.

The only reason is because I have historically had troubles getting tires to seat sometimes with smaller pump.

Get a different pump. I've never, ever had this problem, I've never known anybody else who has had this problem, and I've never heard of this problem. Anybody else here had this problem? Or maybe the problem is a tire/rim incompatibility.

[cosjp]

CO2 is great for a flat on short rides ,when you are back to the house that same day.  I use it.  When I get home I deflate and inflate the tire once or twice with a floor pump to purge the CO2 from the tube.

+1

If I don't replace the CO2 with air when I get home, the tire goes soft much faster.

The only reason is because I have historically had troubles getting tires to seat sometimes with smaller pump.

Get a different pump. I've never, ever had this problem, I've never known anybody else who has had this problem, and I've never heard of this problem. Anybody else here had this problem? Or maybe the problem is a tire/rim incompatibility.

This, however, was on a road wheel set running much higher pressures so it may not be as much of a concern here.

[ray b]

As usual, I started skimming after John's reply.

I will add that the best tool is between your ears. When it was said that everyone draws the line differently, you'll find that the mechanics are usually best prepared, with the least amount of parts, fasteners, and tools.

One bit of advice that I picked up from Matt Lee (of Tour Divide fame) is to forgo the multitool, and simply bring individual tools.  I also like to have some of the most used tools positioned around the bike. I keep the two allen keys for the cockpit in a front bag where I can get to them. My tube/tire repair kit and tools are easily accessable and self-contained. The bulk of parts and my tool wrap sit low and centered on the bike in the frame bag near the bottom bracket - harder to get to, but along with the first aid kit, I'm hoping it's one of the 2 things I pack that I hope I don't have to use.

A thought - one of the astrophysicists I ran into on the road a couple summers ago prepared his tool kit by spending a few weeks helping the mechanic at his local bike shop.

[Westinghouse]

My last tour of 1300 miles I carried all kinds of tools. All I used was the patch kit and pump. If not for all the miles on interstate highways, even the patch kit was superfluous. But do not go anywhere without one and a pump, and definitely spare tubes. You will not need extra deraileur cables, and they are weightless anyway. Maybe a spare brake cable. Most likely brake pads. They wear down quick enough in hills and mountains.

[canalligators]

I think the best approach is to take what you’re likely to need.  That means being able to fix your most likely faults.  That list, IMO, is all kinds of tire problems, broken gear and brake cables, lost rack and fender bolts.  Take the parts and tools you need to fix those problems.  And take tools needed to work every fastener on your bike.

[Westinghouse]

Use lock nuts for everything that attaches by putting a screw through one side and out the other. The nuts will jiggle loose with the constant vibrations. You must use lock nuts,

[canalligators]

Use lock nuts for everything that attaches by putting a screw through one side and out the other. The nuts will jiggle loose with the constant vibrations. You must use lock nuts,

Or Loc-Tite.  Or both.

[ray b]

Use lock nuts for everything that attaches by putting a screw through one side and out the other. The nuts will jiggle loose with the constant vibrations. You must use lock nuts,

Or Loc-Tite.  Or both.

(Which gets back to bringing unworn, good fitting wrenches for all those nuts, and maybe a lighter to heat them up, if you're going to use loc-tite with your lock nuts.... Don't forget the tool between your ears.)

[canalligators]

Lighter? I’ve never had to use heat to loosen a fastener installed with blue loctite.  They’re kinda hard to turn, but doable.  Just don’t use red loctite on any fastener you want to be able to remove.

[ray b]

Lighter? I’ve never had to use heat to loosen a fastener installed with blue loctite.  They’re kinda hard to turn, but doable.  Just don’t use red loctite on any fastener you want to be able to remove.

(Your comment is spot on. Not generally recommended for bicycles, but the hard red Loc-Tite is specifically formulated to soften up with heat. The blue lock will also soften if needed. I've used the red to salvage a couple bottom brackets over the last 50 y and I've rarely resorted to it on the road for some worn out rack bolts on other folks bikes, when replacements weren't available.)
Although you can't take them on airplanes, I usually carry a modern lighter as a handy source of directed heat.

[BikeFreak]

Murphys law: Once I got a flat in rural Sweden. As I was inflating the tube, the pump head simply cracked and became useless. That pump had been in service maybe 10 times after purchase. All this happened at 7 am on a Sunday morning. I had to wait until 8 am before I started to walk and start ringing door bells on the farms close by asking for a pump. After a while I got lucky because I found a family who had a handicapped family member in a wheel chair where they used the pump for inflating the wheel chair tires. After 100km I arrived in Linköping where I could buy a new pump.

[cosjp]

Murphys law: Once I got a flat in rural Sweden. As I was inflating the tube, the pump head simply cracked and became useless. That pump had been in service maybe 10 times after purchase. All this happened at 7 am on a Sunday morning. I had to wait until 8 am before I started to walk and start ringing door bells on the farms close by asking for a pump. After a while I got lucky because I found a family who had a handicapped family member in a wheel chair where they used the pump for inflating the wheel chair tires. After 100km I arrived in Linköping where I could buy a new pump.

Thanks for sharing this. That is a good thing to keep in mind!

[jamawani]

And a harmonica.
(To fix your spirit when it gets low.)

[cosjp]

And a harmonica.
(To fix your spirit when it gets low.)

LOL!

[canalligators]

And a harmonica.
(To fix your spirit when it gets low.)

LOL!

Or a penny whistle.