Cycling Commuter Survival Bag

[Lazarus]

What's the minimum equipment you take on the bike for the commute? I have a long commute and was about 8 miles from home and saw a flash just before I heard the loud pssssssssssss. I had hit a piece of glass that sliced the tire half way through so that when I tried to inflate the tire a bit of the tube would stick out of the slice made from the glass. I took a couple of bucks folded to make a sleeve and line the inside of tire to protect and to keep the tube inside the tire. Limped my way home. This has happen a couple of times so I make it a habit of carry the following in a seat pouch.
1 spare tube
1 set of patches
set of tire levers
3 CO2 cartages
CO2 tire inflator
Alan keys
Chain tool.
Cell phone- won't leave home without it.
10 bucks in varying denominations.
Zip lock baggie for cell phone
This has been enough to only leave me stranded once when I had multiple punctures.

[SVOboy]

Is the advantage to having co2 over a pump strapped to one of the tubes just weight?

[Lazarus]

Originally Posted by SVOboy

Is the advantage to having co2 over a pump strapped to one of the tubes just weight?

Several reasons. I've never had any luck with the pumps. They are rarely used so that when you need them they don't work because of all the grim from the road. It's also a major pain to use. Inflating a tire from 0 to 130 pounds with the hand pump just wears me out. I have a compact roadbike frame so with the water bottle cages there is really no room for it. The co2 cartages are cheap and will inflate the tire in 5 seconds. I carry 3. That's enough for 3 punctures after that it time to get on the cell phone.

[SVOboy]

How much is a co2 setup? Pictures of the size of your bag? I might need to get a bigger one if I start doing hardcore commuting (meaning if I find myself a commute, )

Also, what kinda bike? Post up your stable!

[Lazarus]

Originally Posted by SVOboy

How much is a co2 setup? Pictures of the size of your bag? I might need to get a bigger one if I start doing hardcore commuting (meaning if I find myself a commute, )

Also, what kinda bike? Post up your stable!

Co2 cartages. Same thing as a pellet gun. I've got the 25g I think.
Co2 inflator.

Bike is like this one except black

[SVOboy]

I've heard about that bike, but not too much. You should definately post up a review at somepoint, . I like it, like it. Do you have that velomax wheelset?

Thanks for the air links! Wish I hadn't just placed my second near-to-another order with nashbar. I'll get one after my first bad experience,

[Lazarus]

Originally Posted by SVOboy

Do you have that velomax wheelset?

No the frames the same but I have the low end parts 105 and the wheelset is pretty basic. I can't remember what's on there. They been pretty solid for 5 years or so. Only had to retrue them a couple of time and have only broke one spoke. Although I'm only 160 lbs so that helps.

[SVOboy]

Ah, cool cool. I don't know why I need a different wheelset, I guess to be a weight weenie and to look better, mehbe when I start racing I'll look at building my own,

[Lazarus]

Originally Posted by SVOboy

Ah, cool cool. I don't know why I need a different wheelset, I guess to be a weight weenie and to look better, mehbe when I start racing I'll look at building my own,

Your weight is the big difference. The bigger you are the better the wheels. Check the Zen of bicycle maintenance. Sometimes when you're heavy set being a weight weenie is no good. Unless of course you like breaking things

[Lazarus]

Originally Posted by SVOboy

Ah, cool cool. I don't know why I need a different wheelset, I guess to be a weight weenie and to look better, mehbe when I start racing I'll look at building my own,

Well if you want to race you're at the right place.