Rule #31 was conceived out of necessity, aesthetics and plain good taste. Seeing an oversized saddle bag hanging limply by velcro under a Flite, Arione or Regal just isn’t right. Frame pumps, while they undoubtedly do the finest job of inflating a tube, add nothing but bulk and clutter to the lines of a frame (and aren’t compatible with the majority of curvy, plastic frames prominent today). While a folded tubular held under the seat with a Christophe toe-strap may have been de riguer and kinda cool back in the day, running tubs nowadays is not only uncommon, but an exercise in futility should one ride on any road less smooth and glass-free than a baby’s bum. So you see, Rule #31 was a no-brainer.
But even this most important of Rules has its drawbacks; stuffing the three pockets of your jersey can leave you looking like the Hunchback of Notre Dame, albeit with the hunch on the lower back, and more akin to a series of tumours across the hips and lower spine. Not a pretty sight. My usual pocket-stuffing routine would entail a tube and tyre levers bundled together with a rubber band, stuffed in the middle pocket, with a mini pump accompanying it. The phone would go in the right hip pocket, along with a camera (if there were to be some photo ops along the route, or blatant bike porn shots) and gels and bars in the left. Any extraneous clothing shed en route (arm warmers, cap, gloves) would then be forced in wherever they would fit. If a jacket was required, then all hell would break loose.
But recently I happened by chance upon an item that has made my life, and my riding experience all the easier and clutter-free. Lezyne products were having a season launch of their new, cool gear, and everyone attending received a free gift; in my case, I was handed the Caddy Sack, a simple PVC pouch. Inside was a metal patch kit with glueless patches, and a pair of mini tyre levers. I took it with a degree of dismissal, thinking it would just end up in the pile of superfluous bike crap scattered around my house. But I decided I’d see how much I could load it up, and was surprised to find that it holds a veritable shitload of gear. There’s room aplenty for a tube, levers, patch kit, multi tool, card wallet and phone. But if I want to, I can easily ft in another tube, a bar or two and a couple of gels. And it fits with ease into the middle pocket of all my jerseys, especially the sweet V jersey which is always the go-to garment of choice. This leaves the two outside pockets with more room than ever for whatever the ride requires from the aforementioned list-of-crap-one-may-carry.
Sitting alongside the 31 Sack is always the best mini pump I’ve ever used, the Lezyne Pressure Drive M (for medium). Why is it the best? Just look at it! It’s sexy, yeah, but for such a small unit it packs plenty of air into each stroke, and I can get a geniune 100PSI into my tubes during any roadside repair. But the best feature is the flexible screw-in hose, which eliminates the chance of breaking off the screw-on end of Presta valves, as has happened to the best of us when vigourously hacking away with a fixed-head pump. C’mon, admit it, you’ve done it. No more chance of that with this little beauty. Quite simply, it rules (31 especially).
I know as well as any of you that I've been checked out lately, kind…
Peter Sagan has undergone quite the transformation over the years; starting as a brash and…
The Women's road race has to be my favorite one-day road race after Paris-Roubaix and…
Holy fuckballs. I've never been this late ever on a VSP. I mean, I've missed…
This week we are currently in is the most boring week of the year. After…
I have memories of my life before Cycling, but as the years wear slowly on…
View Comments
I love the pouch pockets and use one every ride. Mine's made by SciCon but the same idea. Put my wallet and phone in there and don't have to worry about the rain or getting my phone to damp with perspiration. (I think this killed my old phone)
And I also love the Lezyne pumps. I use the Road Drive M and have it on two bikes. One in black, one in silver to match the frame color. Incredible pumps. I flatted during a fast training ride for the first time this summer. Nervous as heck when everyone stopped to wait. Changing a tube while panting, sweating, and with 30 people watching who want to tell you how to do it. Got my tube changed and tire up to a good psi in no time. One dude actually told me it was kind of rude of me not to bring CO2 on a group ride. No worries, the pump had me back rolling in no time.
I think most saddle bags are ugly and unsightly. But...I'll use one sometimes. It's just a tiny flat one that holds one tube, one lever, one CO2 and the chuck head. Not so bad.
I've always disagreed with rule 31. There are some saddle bags that are very elegant, and solve all problems of overloading jersey pockets etc. Such as the Fi'zi:k aero saddlebags, they are vary compact and sit quite nicely under any saddle, providing enough space for a tube, levers and multitool, without looking absurd. However anything larger is not allowed on my steed.
@Harry
"Get thee behind me Saddlebag."
OK, I'm a rule 31 rule breaker as well. I found the smallest saddle bag I could, and I use it to hold my Silca mini co2 pump, 2 co2 cartridges, tire levers, patch kit, some dollar bills for boots or other emergencies, and a spare house key. Sometimes I'll cram a debit card into there too if I know I'm going to stop by the bike shop or other place where I may need to make a purchase.
In my jersey pockets I keep my speedplay cleat covers just in case I need them, my phone, a snack if I'm not drinking my nutrition, and a kleenex (yes, this has come in handy, I've used it to clean up blood when I've fallen and once I was crapped on by a bird and used it to wipe it off of me).
Sometimes I have armwarmers that I need to strip off if it gets too warm (like yesterday! The frickin' 6th of November and I was too hot in arm warmers) or I'll have my shell crammed into a pocket too if I expect it to rain a lot during the ride.
I've thought about turning a small water bottle I have into a gear holder now that it's winter and I find I don't need a second water bottle to make it through a ride like I do in the hot summer months.
OK, for all you complaining about Rule 31, I have this to say:
Aside from the aesthetic considerations, jersey pockets are much more practical than saddle bags. Anything you take with you on a ride is easily accessible from aboard the bike. The only clothing that should ever go in the pockets are arm warmers and gloves, pockets are no place for jackets.
Jackets and gillets are to be folded in half and half again and slipped under your jersey between you bibs and your jersey pockets. That way you avoid the bulk, and you can easily take the jacket on and off while riding.
No if's, and's, or buts. Saddle bags on Mountain bikes are another matter, although I agree that using a camelback avoids the need for it, although I haven't really gotten on board with the concept entirely.
@Crashdummy
What are you using those wrenches for? Thats some serious roadside repair you are anticipating!
Lezyne makes some hot gear. I heart my track pump. However I use an old cycling sock as my "tool sack"
In spite of being a Rule 74 scofflaw, I actually have gotten Rule 31 compliant, in spite of owning a perfectly serviceable Fizik saddlebag that snaps onto the Aliante. After searching in vain for a serviceable sack, I bought and Adventure Medical Kits .5 for 5 bucks, dumped the contents into the medicine cabinet and loaded it up with 2 CO2 cartridges, inflator, levers, tube, patch kit and a couple of hex keys, along with an old ID and insurance card (ICE). It goes in the center pocket, phone and a spare Andy Jackson in a ziploc in the left pocket along with bars/gels, leaving the right pocket and under the jersey for warmers, gilet, etc. Voilà ! The bike looks much better, the bag doesn't rattle and I even think handling is better (not sure why).
@Brett
I'm a sinner, Oh Great and Powerful Merckx. Have mercy on my sorry ass. Yes, a saddle bag so wee I can barely cram two inner tubes and two plastic tire levers in there. My jersey is already crammed with shit. I had converted and was compliant until I got two flat tires in two miles and had to hide in the shade on the side of the busy road whilst Wifey finished the ride and drove back to pick me up. Oh I cursed Rule 31 and the heartless bastards who chiseled it into the stone tablets. I should have been cursing myself for only having one extra tube with me.
I'll convert again with the right pouch for a jersey pocket, two tubes, plastic levers, 5mm wrench, paper money. I'll try Brett, really I will.
I carry just one allen wrench, which I've used once in ten years when my seat-post broke and I thanked Merckx I had it. But I see no need for all these tools everyone seems to carry on road bikes. And lastly, glueless patches suck donkey balls. I've wasted too many tubes on them. There, I'm done.
@frank
apologies to any velomifatties