With some road rides being 10 miles and others being more than 100 miles, it is hard to choose what to take along for your ride. Whilst wanting to stay comfortable and not carry around thousands of accessories but also not wanting to be stranded is quite a hard balance to perfect. In order to be as efficient on the bike as possible, riders often only tend to have jersey pockets available for the essential accessories and tools with a saddle bag on the odd occasion.
In this blog, we shall be going through our list of essentials that you need to take so you don't end up stranded and calling your other half for rescue. From clothing to nutrition, we will have all bases covered to make that nightmare never becomes a reality!
Windproof & Waterproof Jacket -
In the colder months, a waterproof and windproof jacket is pretty much a given essential item of clothing for any road cyclist. However, in the summer, it can be very hit and miss with the weather so it's worth checking the forecast and taking a jacket if you're going out for a few hours on the road!
Luckily, most jackets are foldable and can be easily and efficiently stored in a jersey pocket or a saddle bag. A jacket will also be one of the larger items that you have to carry around but is definitely worth it for the occasion when you do get caught out in a traditional Summer shower.
Gloves & Mitts -
Personally, I can't ride without Mitts or Gloves... no matter what season it is. Having a layer of protection between your hands and the bar tape allows for constant grip in all weather as well as the reduction of getting calluses on your hands making your ride more comfortable.
As well as keeping your hands warm against the elements, having gloves on your hands will inevitably protect them in the worst case scenario that you do fall off.
Saddle Bags -
When going out for a full day on the bike with plans to do hundreds of miles, it's absolutely essential to ensure you have enough space to carry all of your belongings. Investing in a saddlebag allows for you to effortlessly carry around everything from tools, to nutrition, cash and your phone. Being prepared for all worst case scenarios whilst out road cycling is a must as you don't want to be left stranded.
Shop all our Saddle bags here!
Multi tools
Why carry around hundreds of tools in your back pocket when you can have one tool that does everything and more? A good Multi tool should consist of: A set of allen keys (from 2 - 8mm), A phillips and flathead screwdriver, a chain tool, tyre lever and a Torx T25 allen key. The convenience of a multitool is that they can easily be stored away in a pocket, saddle bag or even on the bike - you just never know when you or a friend are ever going to need it.
Nutrition
Fuelling your body before, during and after a ride is crucial as your body needs the energy and nutrients from your food. When your body is fuelled correctly, you will find that your concentration and energy levels will be heightened allowing you to perform better when you really need to dig deep in a race or during a club ride!
Shop all our Cycling Nutrition here!Phone -
Like carrying around spare change, ensuring that you have your phone on you at all times, if you're going out for longer rides, can be a life changer as you never know when you might need to contact someone in case of an emergency!
Puncture repair tools -
We've all found ourselves by the side of the road with a pesky little puncture but it's worse when you aren't equipped to fix it. Carrying around a set of tyre levers, spare tube, pump or Co2 Canisters will ensure that you will be able to get back on the road within minutes so you don't miss out on any key cycling!
Lights-
Whether riding on a Winter's day, a rainy spring day or back from the pub on a summer's evening, having a set of LED lights is a necessity for other motorists and cyclists to see you! It's quite easy to be caught out and it's better to have a set with you at all times.
Sunglasses -
I can't think of anything worse than being out for a Sunday morning ride and getting blinded by the sun as you peak at the crest of a hill. To combat this, a pair of wrap-around, lightweight sunglasses can tackle the issue as well as offering you protection from stones, bugs and dust that you may encounter on your ride. Not only do they protect your eye. but they compliment and complete your Summer cycling outfit!
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