The five essentials
- A spare tube matching your tires. Check the ETRTO numbers on the tire sidewall, such as 47-622, against the tube in your bag. The Continental tubes on this site cover 47-622 to 62-622 with a Presta valve, in a pack of two.
- Two tire levers. One is rarely enough on a tight bead.
- A way to inflate. A mini pump, CO2 cartridges, or both. The SKS SUPERSHORT is a 6.5 in (16.4 cm) pump with a reversible head for Presta, Schrader and Dunlop valves; the Kadacha CO2 kit comes with five 0.6 oz (16 g) cartridges.
- A multi-tool with the hex sizes your bike uses, and Torx if your rotors or stem need it. The Rockbros 16-function tool covers hex 2 to 6 mm plus 8, 9 and 10 mm sockets, at 7.8 oz (221 g).
- ID and a charged phone. The least interesting items and the most important ones.
Worth adding beyond two hours
- A patch kit, because it is tiny and covers the second puncture. The VeloChampion kit combines vulcanizing fluid with self-adhesive patches.
- A quick link matching your chain’s speed count.
- A short length of tape wrapped around the pump, which temporarily fixes a surprising number of things.
- Food and water: two bottles on a warm day, and something to eat from the first hour.
- A light rain or wind jacket and a rear light, in case the ride runs late or the weather turns.
Where to put it
The repair kit goes in a small saddle bag, so it is on the bike whether or not you remembered it. Jersey pockets take what you need to reach while riding: food, phone, jacket.
Two checks before a long ride
- Tire pressure, within the range printed on the sidewall.
- The spare tube, that it still matches the tires.
Both take under a minute, and both are things that end rides.
What is not worth carrying
A full tool roll. Anything with a printed torque figure gets checked properly at home, not adjusted with a short multi-tool at the roadside.
The questions riders ask
Pump or CO2?
Both, ideally. CO2 fixes a flat in seconds, but each cartridge is one inflation; a pump is slow and never runs out. The Kadacha kit on this site comes with five 0.6 oz (16 g) cartridges, stated to take a road tire to about 100 psi each; the SKS SUPERSHORT is a 6.5 in (16.4 cm) pump that fits all three valve types.
What do people most often forget?
A spare tube that still matches the tires on the bike. A wheel or tire change makes an old spare useless without anything visibly changing. Check the ETRTO size on the tire sidewall, such as 47-622, against the tube.
How much food and water for a long ride?
Start eating within the first hour and keep going in small amounts, rather than waiting until you are hungry. Carry two bottles on a warm day or a ride over two hours, and plan a refill stop.
Saddle bag or jersey pocket?
A saddle bag for the repair kit, because it stays on the bike whether or not you remember it. Jersey pockets for food, phone and a light jacket, which you need to reach while riding.
Do I need a patch kit if I carry a spare tube?
On a long ride, yes. The spare covers the first puncture; a patch kit, which weighs almost nothing, covers the second.
Last reviewed November 6, 2026
