A saddle bag doesn’t have to cramp your style on the bike. It’s a total ride saver when you have a mechanical issue, it's also great for packing emergency snacks to avoid the dreaded 'bonk'. But what saddle bag do we use and what are we carrying in them?
Price: £32.00
Angry Pablo is the story of a childhood friendship carved on a love for cycling, but also the frustration of seeing the sport being way too serious. That's why Pablo is Angry; he wants us to rediscover the freedom and camaraderie that cycling brings. So does Moloko!
This saddle bag is different from a lot of the bags on the market. We like that it packs small, and has lots of compartments so that everything is kept really neatly. There's a matching bar bag too if you want the set. We absolutely swear by it, it's like Mary Poppins' magic bag: you'll be amazed at all the stuff you can fit inside!
Price: £20.00
A multi-tool is essential for any small tweaks and repairs you need during a ride. It might be something small like your saddle needs adjusting, some even include a chain breaker that can help you out if your chain snaps, providing you have a spare link too. We like using the Topeak multi tool because it is light, compact and has lots of great features like spare tyre levers and a chain breaker.
Price: £5.99 each (£29.99 for 5)
An inner tube is a must-have on a ride: you can get a puncture anywhere at anytime so you must be prepared. Even if you don't know how to change a puncture, we recommend you always carry a tube so you don't need to use the tube of a fellow cyclist who helps you.
When you run tubeless, it will also rescue your ride if your puncture doesn't seal: just clear out the sealant as best you can install the fresh tube and off you go. These Schwalbe tubes are light and cover a range of road tyre sizes.
Note: Check what tyre width you're running & what valve size you need (especially if your wheels have deep rims). If you're unsure, you can ask your local bike shop and they will help you.
Price: £12.29
If you've ever tried to get a tight tyre on or off a wheel without good levers, you'll know that it can be a nightmare. We find these levers from Granite to the job nicely and as they are made from plastic they are less likely to damage delicate carbon rims.
These levers also feature a quick link breaker and hidden quick link storage. This is a great tool to combine with the chain breaker so you can fix any chain issues on the fly.
Just need normal levers? We also use these tough and cost-effective ones from Muc Off.
Price: £10.29 (pack of 10)
If you want to minimise how long you'll spend on the roadside changing a flat, making the move to CO2 canisters is a game changer. They also pack down much smaller than a hand pump and inflate your tyre in seconds.
We recommend using a trigger valve like this one from Lezyne, the design means you can control the airflow to look after the tyre/tube and save any used CO2 for use later. It also features a neoprene sleeve to protect your hands (read below!).
Important! CO2 canisters get very cold during use, to avoid injury, use a cloth and/or canister sleeve to protect your hands.
Price: £11.95
Squeaky chain? Or been caught out in the wet? We always carry a small bottle of Muc-off Dry Ceramic lube for mid-ride top-ups.
Pro-Tip: If you can't find the mini-bottles then a clean takeaway mini soy sauce bottle does the job nicely. Your chain will thank you.
Price: £4.90 (set of 6) - £6.99 + £12.30
Run out of inner tube and really need to get home? A patch repair kit is a handy backup to have in your arsenal. We took ours from the Muc-Off patch kit and dropped them into a little waterproof bag.
In this bag of tricks, we also carry a spare valve core removed from an old inner tube plus 8/9/10/11 & 12 speed quick links so we can cover chain issues for all our riders.
8. Snacks
No one likes to bonk. A spare emergency snack is key for a long ride. You never know if some rogue headwind will tire you out quicker than normal or that light breakfast just wasn't filling enough. We try to snack every 30 minutes on a long ride but find what foods suit you. Veloforte gels, bars and chews are our go-to as they don't feel heavy or overly sweet but have enough carbs to keep you going.
9. Optional extras: gloves, pump & puffer jacket
Carrying disposable gloves with you will stop you from getting your hands greasy when you're in the middle of nowhere.
A hand pump is a godsend if CO2 canisters run out, this one from Bontrager is super light & doubles as a CO2 valve (middle pic above). We love that the pump comes with its own frame mount and a spare canister.
Finally, to combat the cooldown chills during long stops and lunch breaks we also use our matching bar bag to store our packable puffer jackets and some extra snacks.
Happy Riding!
PS: If you have any questions please feel free to reach out and contact us.
Disclaimer
All orders/returns are to be handled by the manufacturer & prices may change.
This page is intended to provide information & advice only.
Moloko Cycling reserve the right to withdraw the discount at any time & to any user.
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