Comments on: N Plus One

By: Hot Damn

Hot Damn — Fri, 29 May 2009 19:42:55 +0000

I have found that since switching to 700×35 wheels with speedy kevlar tires, I don’t get surprise flats anymore. I’ve stopped even carrying a tube, pump and tire levers.

As long as I stay fully inflated, my tubes outlast my tires (literally- I have had my front tube for years, and gone through two sets of tires). Kevlar tires seems to be sensitive to the weather and after about a year and a half or so of daily riding and being left outside they get cracks and need to be replaced. But they give me plenty of warning before their stability is really compromised. I ride over broken glass, potholes, construction gravel, you name it! So… I carry kevlar tires, conveniently stored on my wheels.

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Thu, 28 May 2009 22:35:50 +0000

I wonder why my bike bag weighs so much… then I dig into its depths and realize that carrying all the +1 stuff adds up.

By: Guy

Guy — Thu, 28 May 2009 18:00:58 +0000

I should add that my commutes are mainly in the day anyway. Only time that it is really dark is during the winter months.

By: Guy

Guy — Thu, 28 May 2009 17:59:33 +0000

I carry a patch kit, tire levers, a spare tube, and multi-tool. I use a backpack to carry it along with my lunch. One of these days I’ll have to get a seat bag. I did use a min maglight as the bike’s front light and then got a free blinky. I kept the maglight with me for a little while but kinda fell on the way side and needed it for more at home projects.

By: Noah

Noah — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:08:27 +0000

Funny, my next post is going to be about impromptu tire booting (with a link to your post on long-term repair booting of minor cuts).

By: Ghost Rider

Ghost Rider — Thu, 28 May 2009 12:34:41 +0000

Don’t forget tire boots — sections of Tyvek Fedex envelopes weigh nothing and really come in handy for emergency tire repairs…

I’m in the same boat regarding CCW — while Florida has very lenient carry laws (it’s kinda like the Old West down here), I work in a government building where firearms are strictly forbidden. I ain’t leaving a handgun in the bushes outside while I work!

By: Noah

Noah — Thu, 28 May 2009 00:38:02 +0000

Jack: my reasoning was that members of the blogosphere (both writers and readers) are technically inclined and are likely to be “knowledge workers” – not always IT, but I’d be willing to bet most of us are desk-job folks with computer access.

Tinker: I’d love to carry. I work in MO and live in KS, both of which allow CCW but at least the state of MO allows businesses to ban regardless of license status, and in downtown Kansas City “NO FIREARMS” signs are posted pretty much everywhere. That means I’d have to leave my piece on my bike (yeah, right) or not carry.

By: Quinn

Quinn — Wed, 27 May 2009 23:24:44 +0000

and a small wate bottle, all in my Chrome bag, the only thing on my bike is my Cat Eye EL-410 headlight

By: Quinn

Quinn — Wed, 27 May 2009 23:20:46 +0000

I guess IM the minimalist of the group…

1 tube (Use Tuffy Liners)
a hand pump
1 CO2 and screw-on inflator head
full patch kit
med. size multi tool
lock
sm. bottle of vitamins
1 pedros tire lever

By: Tinker

Tinker — Wed, 27 May 2009 22:22:54 +0000

I have two, no three, flashlights in my bag (1 that takes 2 CR123 batteries, another that uses 3 AAA size (both white LEDS) and another that is also 3 AAA powered but has red, green, and blue LEDS as well as white. (Got rid of my Maglites waiting for them to come up with an LED conversion.)

A couple of Lezyne Alloy patch kits, that I keep refreshed from the standard lezyne kits, a set of short steel levers for my tires, these are a “short” design for a motorcycle. 2 glucose meters, two bottles of test strips, two lancing devices, and several hundred lancets to fit, my blood pressure tester, and a Smith & Wesson Trailboss, in 44 magnum (BIG revolver).

I am NOT a commuting IT guy, mostly because I retired a couple of years ago. I ride mostly for fun now.