What's in your breakdown/repair kit?

[Mububban]

I’m going to buy my first road bike soon, and am putting together a c r c order for a breakdown kit to go with it. The bike will be used for commuting and solo weekend fitness rides. I only ever had one puncture in years of MTB commuting, but I'm assuming punctures will be more likely on a road bike.

I’ll see how the stock tyres go first, but will be ordering some puncture resistant tyres, so far my shopping list is:

Tyres - Schwalbe Durano Plus
http://www.this link is broken/au/e ... prod128939

Multi Tool - which one would you recommend (same price, different sizing)
http://www.this link is broken/au/e ... p-prod4695
OR
http://www.this link is broken/au/e ... -prod47017


I’d appreciate some recommendations for:
- spare tubes
- CO2 cartridges?
- saddle or top tube bag?
- other tyre recommendations
- anything else you think is useful to have

Thanks!

[Velt]

I like the topeak hexus II multitool personally. Cheaper than your options as well.

[Calvin27]

Patches. They are so small, keep a few to tyre tears ($5 trick works also) and on the off day you get more than one puncture.

[jaseyjase]

Most multitools will come with the allens/torx/screw driver, but id recommend making sure it also has a chain breaker.

I prefer using a small pouch that fits in your jersey pocket than a saddle bag, so i normally carry

2 x co2 cartridges (with rubber cover)
co2 inflator
puncture repair kit (park tool stick on)
multitool
TACX tyre levers
$20 note

Pouch then just goes into my backpack when commuting.

You may also consider carrying tubes and a hand pump/frame pump.

[Mububban]

With the CO2 inflators, do you need to use a hand pump to put some initial pressure in the tube to get it seated correctly, and then use the CO2 cartridge to get it up to proper pressure?

[Ant_S]

I commute on a single speed track frame along a bit of path that regularly gives me punctures.

I wear a backpack for this run so it gives me a bit more room for tools & what-not. On the weekend bike I carry less, usually just a few things from below if it's a longer ride (pump on a frame-mount & clip-on saddle bag with stick-on patch kit, small levers & spare tube).

On the daily I tend to carry:

- Small high pressure pump. I got a BBB Hose Road from my LBS. It goes well, important features are flexible rubber hose with screw-on fitting for your valve & small diameter body so it only pushes a little air per pump meaning it takes a lot of pumps but makes it possible to pump at high pressures. I can usually shove 90psi into my tube relatively easily with it with some patience (I run my tyres at 110-120psi usually). It's also small and sturdy.

- Spare tube. For me its easier to just find what punctured me (usually a double gee), remove it, put the spare tube in & get home. Then patch/replace the spare tube ready for next ride.

- Little pack of Park Tool self-stick patches (non glue type) just to get me home if in a jam, say 2 punctures, one front one back.

- 15mm Spanner. Given its a track frame, it doesn't have quick release wheels. All the tools I've tried are pretty weak on the wheel nuts so I just carry a proper spanner.

- Proper tyre levers. Given I run puncture resistant tyres, they tend to be stiff in the sidewalls. I've snapped small cheap tyre levers before. I find it much easier with proper size if you can carry them.

That's probably it for me. I really did find trying to use small, multi-tool type stuff was a bit of a pain given I had a backpack anyway.

In regards to tyres, I ran the Durano Plus for a while as I'd read good things. I found them slow, spongy & heavy although I got used to that. But I STILL got punctures since the Durano's seemed to soak up road crap and get punctured that way, OR the Double Gees would still get through them anyway. I also found them really bloody annoying to mount. It's hard to describe but you have to have strong hands and work the crap out of them to get the slack around and pop them on. I recently changed to Continental Gatorskins which I know have a bit more of an agricultural reputation but I find them a big improvement. Still hard to mount, but easier than Duranos and they ride a lot better I find.

[biker jk]

With the CO2 inflators, do you need to use a hand pump to put some initial pressure in the tube to get it seated correctly, and then use the CO2 cartridge to get it up to proper pressure?

Yes, I use the hand pump to get some shape in the tube before fitting and then the Co2 catridge to pump it up. Always carry a hand pump.

[jaseyjase]

With the CO2 inflators, do you need to use a hand pump to put some initial pressure in the tube to get it seated correctly, and then use the CO2 cartridge to get it up to proper pressure?

you can get inflators with an adjustable knob so you can slowly let a little air in to give the tube shape, then once on you use the rest to inflate.

[Duck!]

With the CO2 inflators, do you need to use a hand pump to put some initial pressure in the tube to get it seated correctly, and then use the CO2 cartridge to get it up to proper pressure?

Yes, I use the hand pump to get some shape in the tube before fitting and then the Co2 catridge to pump it up. Always carry a hand pump.

Always carry a manual pump. If you have a bad day & use your supply of gas bottles you can still get yourself going again.

My kit comprises:
Spare tube
Tyre levers
Patch kit
CO2 head & two bottles
2.5, 3, 4, 5 & 6mm loose short-arm allen keys. I don't like multitools, the buggers fold up on you when you're trying to use them. Plus the loose keys tuck along the side of the bag, so are more compact.
Pump (on the bike).

[lucky7]

2x CO2 with adapter
1x tube
1x pkt glue-less patches
2x tyre boots (cover a tear in tyre)
1x multi tool
2x Park Tool tyre levers
1x pr latex gloves (keep grease off your hands)

I normally just blow some air into the tube before seating it.

[Mububban]

Thanks everyone. I neglected to mention I'll be riding with a small backpack as well so I'll have my hand pump in there (as well as my lunch, wallet, keys etc).

Any other tyre recommendations for commuting? I thought I'd seen a thread on the subject but can't find it now I need it...

[caneye]

some popular tyre choices for commuting ..

conti gatorskin
conti 4 seasons
schwalbe marathon pro

i use the last 2

(a lot depends on the surface of your commute too and how clean/dirty it is)

[Mububban]

What specific tubes do people recommend?

Myself, bike and backpack will weigh less than 85kg combined if that matters. I ride on 50/50 bumpy bike paths and decent roads.

[StevOz]

A good walk, a phone call, thumb out and perhaps all three if needs be.

[Duck!]

What specific tubes do people recommend?

The right size for your tyres, and valve length & type for your rims. That's as specific as it needs to get.

[limetang]

Small saddlebag with -
2 x tubes
2 x CO2 canisters
CO2 inflator

I use this on road rides up to 150km. Never had any issues inflating with CO2 only.

[uart]

My current tool kit is pretty basic.

- Multitool (includes chain breaker)
- Tyre levers
- Spare tube
- A pump (that works)
- Puncture repair kit
- A few pieces of "sticky back" sail cloth for emergency repair of tyre damage.

I've got to admit that I don't really understand it, but the modern trends seems to be for pumps that are so pathetic that they barely work, and then CO2 inflator/canisters to get around their shortcomings. Personally I couldn't be arsed with CO2 if I've got a decent pump.

Not too long ago I was running a non quick release rear on my old beater. Then I was carrying a more complete kit including a 6" shifting spanner and a small pair of slip joint pliers as well.

[DavidS]

I carry it in a saddle bag, pump in pannier or mounted on bike when I have no pannier, I carry the following:

• Multi Tool
• Gloves
• Tube
• Pump
• Decent tyre levers

But the best part of my kit is the pump, this one:


Lezyne Micro Floor Drive: a portable floor pump, really easy to use and full pressure in the tyres. Who needs CO2?

DS