Friday 18 March 2016

Essential riding items - The Results

I recently asked what are the five things riders cannot leave behind when on a long ride.  The answers came in via a number of different social media platforms and here are the results.

Many thanks to the people that contributed to this.  We all might learn something from it and maybe this will make us think about what additional thing(s) we might want to carry ourselves.

The answers were interesting, with some items being the things many riders like to carry and other things being somewhat more unusual.  I have collated the answers as best as I could into five categories.

The answers in each category are in order, with the most popular being at the top in each category, working downwards....

FOR YOUR BIKE
Puncture repair kit (way out in front in this category)
Leatherman / multi-purpose knife
Mini compressor
Spare fuel
Small tool bag
Spare key
Fuses, bulbs, etc.
Micro-fibre cloth
Givi tail bag
Maxima Chain Wax.
Grip buddies

SOMETHING YOU WEAR WHEN RIDING
Rain gear (top answer in this category, by a long way)
Riding trousers
Sunglasses
Hi-vis jacket
Buff
Comfortable socks
Icebreaker brand merino layers
Club patch vest
High hiking gaiters (for off road riding)
Silk underwear (really)
Rain gear

TECHNICAL STUFF
(People were encourage not to vote for a phone, as we all carry those)
Camera (the most voted for item, in all categories)
GPS / Sat Nav
i-Pad / laptop
Helmet intercom

ESSENTIAL ITEM TO CARRY WITH YOU
Earplugs (equal first in this category)
Water (top answer, along with earplugs)
Maps
Sunscreen
Camelbak
Heated Gloves
Disc lock
Roadside assistance card
Tent
Emergency contact details
Notebook and pen
Toilet paper
Insulated coffee cup

A LUXURY ITEM
Comfortable shoes for after riding (easily the top item in this category)
Lip balm / lipstick
Credit card
Sleeping bag / pad
Alcohol / Wine
Custom moulded ear plug speakers
Cigars
Seat cover / gel padding
Monarch butterfly chair for camping
Comfortable shoes for after riding
Lip balm / lipstick
Credit card
Sleeping bag / pad






6 comments:

Unknown said...

Gary, thanks to your project and its results, I'll likely be adding spare key, fuses, and bulbs to my trip prep list.

I'm still undecided about silk undies. :D

Gary France said...

The silk undies idea was from a guy. I must admit, it have never tried this.

Oz said...

Good list, gets you thinking before a trip. Thanks

Trobairitz said...

Thanks for posting the results Gary. An interesting list. Some things I wouldn't have thought about bringing.

I think if I tried wearing silk undies while riding I'd be worried about motion when cornering, the silk sliding inside the riding pants. Yoga pants under riding gear seem to work fine though.

Gary France said...

Thanks Thomas, it did the same for me too.

Gary France said...

Trobairitz - I see what you mean. If I added 'Silk Undies' to my pre-ride checklist, it somehow wouldn't look right.