Eyewear

Pebbles are everywhere so be prepared with protective eyewear. Some eyewear is shotgun tested to show it can withstand the impact of an object. Other eyewear considerations are lens color, shapeable ear arms, ect. Many eyewear pieces today offer a lens that will transition from dark to light and light to dark while riding. This is ideal for riding in the sun and darting into a tunnel or riding in the open and then heading in to some tree cover. No more swapping out your lens for what the forecast predicts. One lens can do it all.

Flats!

Be prepared. You’ll need a patch kit and tube (it’s best to carry both in case one fails), tire levers to remove the tire from the rim, CO2 and/or mini pump to get the pressure back up. CO2 is the most popular way to roll these days. Compact and lightweight, it airs your tire up in just a few seconds. It is best to carry a mini pump too in case the CO2 fails or you get multiple flats. Mini pumps range in size from 2 feet and spring load in to your frame underneath your toptube to 7 inch long mini pumps that can go easily in your jersey pocket.

Consider adding protection to your tires with a tire liner or purchase a set of tires already equipped with a guard of some sort. It may add a few grams of weight, but well worth it.

Tools

Having tools with you can save you a lot of aggravation. A multi tool is the best way to go. They usually have the most popular sizes of Allen wrenches and a Phillips head. Another item to consider is a chain tool. We’ve seen a lot of creative ways of temporarily repairing an area of the bike just to make it back home, but rarely is there anything you can do to a busted chain without a chain tool. You may never need it, but when you do and you have it, you will love it.