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).
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Kind of a good idea as the gloves help keep you bartape clean, but I just distribute the same stuff over the three pockets adding an iPhone/ID , tire lever and gels/energy bar for longer rides.
Phones?, Cameras?, gloves?, Pumps?... I know you guys aren't gonna like this but pretty soon it gets out of control. Soon you'll want a chain tool, waterless hand cleaner, spoke wrench, truing stand. Look this guy in our club (see photo below) just added one little thing at a time and he doesn't realize what he is carrying. (There is no telling him too! He just doesn't want to hear it.)
I contend the bike (and rider) should be lean, clean and austere. My advice, try to keep it under control otherwise you could end up looking, well ... overloaded.
Here is the photo...
@Fausto Lucia Please tell us what is allowed in order to keep our austerity. By order of one of The Faustos!
Guys, nobody mention 'till now about the PocPac Pro Road Tool Pouch???
I'm really very sorry indeed but I have now become a permanent breaker and violator of Rule 31. Having suffered an involuntary dismounting twice due to the irresponsible actions of others (the first a car,the second an out of control roadie) I will no longer carry anything in my rear pockets that will promote further injury during an impact with asphalt. In both incidents I received bruises the shape and size of the objects in my jersey pockets. Thankfully these were flattish objects and not something shaped like a pump which would I am sure have left the rider punctured. Once again I am most sorry to be a breaker of the rules.
@Charlie Mcilroy Read the Masturbation Principle.
I appreciate and observe Rule 31, but not full-duplex, alas. Of course, I disdain any under-seat (Selle Italia SLR Flow) storage (blech!), but rather than try to stuff my jersey pockets, I ride with a custom, mini messenger bag built by CourierWare. The flap is ScotchLite treated but mega-night visibility, but looks subtle grey-blue -- No YJA colors, I promise.
Living in coastal LA, and often riding at through dusk (both as commuter, and on training rides), I'm subject to drastic micro-climate changes which force me to carry a whole shit-pot of kit to be ready for rides of any length (heavy and light gilets, arm and noggin warmers, gloves, towel, etc, plus the usual tooling/CO2/pumps/nutrition). I don't believe it would be feasible to pocket-stuff all that crap in, and, in addition, the bag offers the advantage of being always (mostly) ready to go -- I just check it for contents, and sling it on and go.
Oh, and to stay on-topic, there's one pouch in the bag that's *perfect* for my Lezyne Caddy Sack (pre-2013 version w/ zipper), replete with 2 tubes, 2 CO2 cartridges, levers, multi-tool, patch kit, cab fare, etc.,etc.
There is the rare mid-morning summer ride where I know the temps and conditions will be stable enough to ride "naked", but for the most part I always have my "KOM" bag as I call it.
Hmm, maybe if I order one size bigger, I can carry my post-ride recovery ales with me...