Tool Kits for the Road

Did you notice that the word "kit" in the title is plural? This is because, in my opinion, there is no single tool kit that is right for all kinds of road riding. After all, "road" means different things to different bikers, and what it means to you should determine the makeup of the tool kit that you carry.

Racing
Road racing, for instance, will predispose you to the minimalist school in choosing what to pack during a race and on your endless training rides. A mini-tool, spare tube, and pump are popped into a jersey pocket or under-the-seat bag, and you're off. If you ride every day, you are forced to be more attentive to your bike than an occasional cyclist; chances are good that whatever trouble you encounter will be easily reparable with a minimum of gear. And if not, you can walk, or call a friend or cab to haul you home.

Riding
Road riding—short spins and day rides on relatively unloaded bikes—presents you with an opportunity to carry the expanded kit you might prefer, either for ease of repair or because your route is somewhat off the beaten track. Packing tools is wise and necessary, but wiser still is using them first at home in a quick mechanical once-over before heading out. This will go far in keeping your on-the-road kit tucked away while you enjoy unbroken hours in the saddle. The proper lubing of chain and components before a ride, the airing of tires, and testing of brakes and derailleurs will also keep you from holding up your riding partners and causing hard feelings that can ruin an otherwise perfect riding day.

Touring
Road touring demands that you pack all that's required to keep your laden bike rolling down the road—any road, anywhere your fancy takes you. There's a road (paved road) sign in Utah that warns the motorist and touring cyclist entering that part of its high desert, "No Services Next 100 Miles." In boggy parts of the Deep South there's pavement that lures us into green and swampy country that will seem a million miles from nowhere if you break a spoke and can't tend to it yourself. And in Colorado there's a weather-beaten but still-paved road that tops out above fourteen thousand feet. It's a long walk down if you don't have a spare tire or the material (or knowledge) to boot a sidewall rip. In short, mountain bikers aren't the only riders who need a backcountry tool kit.