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What's your 'pocket loading strategy'?

As inspired by the Howies Llaeth review, what goes in each?

Most of my jerseys have three pockets, so it's as follows:

Left - phone, cards & money in slim plastic thing, keys

Middle - pump, cafe lock, clear or sunglasses, sometimes a spare layer (jacket, snood, or base)

Right - lip balm, paracetamol, tissue, energy bar/snack, eyeliner.

 

If I stop and pick up a few groceries on the way home, I usually stick the milk in the middle (emptying it first into the right), chocolate bar on the left, and anything else down the front of my jersey. 

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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41 comments

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Danger Dicko | 7 years ago
0 likes

Left pocket - Energy gel and water proof/gilet if required. CO2 pump

Centre pocket - Rapha essentials case with spare tube, multitool, tyre lever, self adhesive patches and cash.

Right pocket - Mobile phone and my garage opener.

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The _Kaner | 7 years ago
0 likes

On me...as in the pic below. Lezyne caddy has room for cash/CI license 3 x zero tabs and spare battery for front light (lezyne micro XL)

On the bike a Lezyne saddle pack (small/loaded on the aeroad, medium for the defy) 2 x inner tubes, patch kit, multi tool and 2 x tyre levers...with micro pump attached to bottle cage(s)

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alansmurphy | 7 years ago
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Emergency pound?

 

I want your kind of emergencies!

 

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wycombewheeler replied to alansmurphy | 7 years ago
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alansmurphy wrote:

Emergency pound?

 

I want your kind of emergencies!

 

sort of emergencies that can be solved with a snickers i guess, unless he wants to buy a bottle of water so he can find the hole in his inner tube.

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s_lim replied to wycombewheeler | 7 years ago
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wycombewheeler wrote:

sort of emergencies that can be solved with a snickers i guess, unless he wants to buy a bottle of water so he can find the hole in his inner tube.

First one, definitely. 

Second one: does anyone fix tubes these days? 

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turnerjohn replied to s_lim | 7 years ago
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s_lim wrote:

wycombewheeler wrote:

sort of emergencies that can be solved with a snickers i guess, unless he wants to buy a bottle of water so he can find the hole in his inner tube.

First one, definitely. 

Second one: does anyone fix tubes these days? 

if you puncture your spare (I take three just in case) then your b*ggered !

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s_lim | 7 years ago
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The bare minimum...

  • Winter rides: a phone in the right-hand pocket, wallet & housekey in the left 
  • Winter/Spring training runs: the above & a powerbar, only if there's group consensus that we're not stopping 
  • Summer:  the above & maybe 1 or 2 gels in the left, and a packaway gilet in the middle pocket (was a lifesaver in Spain last May, when descending).

I hate loading my jersey with crap, that's what a saddlebag is for, and it contains a tube, levers, gas pump, spare cylinder and emergency £1.

I don't understand why people load their pockets with food in the winter, especially if you're training. 

 

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Kapelmuur | 7 years ago
3 likes

I used to stuff everything into my jersey pockets, then I saw a sideways on photo of me off the bike and I looked like the Hottentot Venus.

Now everything is on the bike, the machine may look like it's embarking on a round the world tour but I have the 'bella figura'.

 

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Dr_Lex replied to Kapelmuur | 7 years ago
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Kapelmuur wrote:

[...]now everything is on the bike[...]

 

Snap. The only thing that ends up in my pockets is a pair of mitts/gloves.

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Awavey | 7 years ago
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I dont really have fixed pockets for things except the middle pocket tends to be soft stuff like gloves/gillet/cap/armwarmers only as yeah I do agree if you bounce off on hard things, theyll tend to hurt more on your spine.But left or right side I have things like phone, keys (not in the same pocket though), lip balm, inhaler,gel,cereal/protein bar. money I put in the saddlebag, pump goes on the frame, but I might bag it up now as I realised that actually yeah it does get alot of crud off the road and might not work when I need it if I leave it like that.

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dottigirl replied to Awavey | 7 years ago
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wycombewheeler wrote:

nothing has a fixed location...

Awavey wrote:

I dont really have fixed pockets for things...

What chaos is this? kiss How do you know if you've got everything, if it doesn't have a fixed location?

Awavey wrote:

...pump goes on the frame, but I might bag it up now as I realised that actually yeah it does get alot of crud off the road and might not work when I need it if I leave it like that.

Yeah, this I would highly recommend. 

A couple of years ago, I went out to watch the RideLondon waves come off Hammersmith flyover. 

Six people stopped with mechanicals. None had a functional pump. The two that carried a pump discovered it was bust. Another guy had gas but hadn't used it before and came nowhere near to inflating his tyres (it was amusing how fast he went from smug to contrite). 

Luckily, I had my mini pump in my jersey pocket. Despite what anyone's read in my naughty stories (cheeky), it's never seen so much action.

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Simontuck | 7 years ago
0 likes

OH, I know this is a week old thread but I want to play!

Left pocket: small pump, rain jacket or warmers depending on the time of year. food wrappers also go in here unless I have a winter jersey on, then they get tucked in the sleeve.

Middle pocket: spare tube, or tubes, any other layers that I can squeeze in if needed. Sometimes put a cafe lock in here or swap contents with left pocket apart from pump that always stays in the left pocket.

Right pocket: Phone in clear pocket with any cards or money that I might need, orbitkey keyring which holds and protects sharp bits of keys from sticking in me!, plus food.

I used to have a saddlebag, but I've found that I really don't need it. Can't even remember where I put it actually! Same with levers, I rarely find a tyre that I can't get on and off without levers and thats from mtb and kids bike tyres right through to 23mm road tyres. It's all about the technique and having really calloused thumbs!!

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SingleSpeed replied to Simontuck | 7 years ago
4 likes

Simontuck wrote:

 I rarely find a tyre that I can't get on and off without levers and thats from mtb and kids bike tyres right through to 23mm road tyres. It's all about the technique and having really calloused thumbs!!

I once worked in a bike shop, had some bloke apoplectic with rage that after his childs bike was serviced both tyres were replaced and then getting a puncture and being unable to remove the said tyre we fitted that the tyre on his bike was clearly the wrong size, trading standards, not fit for purpose, inconvenience of having to back to store , snapped 6 tyre levers we'd be taken to court blah blah.

As he's prattling on at the front counter I'd worked the bead around the rim and popped it off got a new tube and put it back on the desk...His face was picture and it was telling his wife and boy both had sheepish yet resigned face as if this was the blokes normal way of going about things.

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TypeVertigo | 7 years ago
1 like

Personally, I would avoid using the center jersey pocket for anything hard. Land on your spine in an endo, and that mini pump in your center pocket can spell instant paralysis.

Tools and tubes always on the bike, either in a saddle bag, or mounted to frame as with a mini pump.

Left pocket - wallet in ziplock sandwich bag, keys, sunscreen on longer rides
Center pocket - my rain jacket, a bulky Sugoi Zap hardshell
Right pocket - waterproof phone, granola bars, wet wipes

There are instances of riders whose wallets have gotten snatched away by local thugs in my country, though. When I bike commute to work I usually put my wallet inside my panniers.

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Shamblesuk | 7 years ago
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Lesson learned. Phone goes in middle pocket now as I fell off after a nonchalant unclipping amnesia while stationery and bent my phone which was in the right pocket.

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Simon E replied to Shamblesuk | 7 years ago
1 like

Shamblesuk wrote:

Lesson learned. Phone goes in middle pocket now as I fell off after a nonchalant unclipping amnesia while stationery and bent my phone which was in the right pocket.

A phone can be replaced no problem, fixing lumbar vertebrae is not so simple.

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Man of Lard replied to Simon E | 7 years ago
2 likes

Simon E wrote:

A phone can be replaced no problem, fixing lumbar vertebrae is not so simple.

Especially if you take a £10 PAYG Nokia/similar.

Shamblesuk wrote:

... while stationery ...

A note book?

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bbir | 7 years ago
0 likes

Small under saddle bag: spare tube, pump, space blanket, levers, cafe lock, and allen keys.

Middle pocket: Phone and money

Right pocket: Glasses, rain jacket (if needed)

Left pocket: Food (and later food wrappers)

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Man of Lard | 7 years ago
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Left - tube, tyre levers, micropump & ID (velcroed together)

Right - Ratchet minitool, selection of brands of glueless patches, quicklink

Middle - rain jacket/gilet, gels, phone (in zip lock with a couple of tightly rolled plastic fivers)

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sw600 replied to Man of Lard | 7 years ago
3 likes
Man of Lard wrote:

with a couple of tightly rolled plastic fivers)

Jesus that's a bit blatant, I thought we were trying to clean up the sport?

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ClubSmed | 7 years ago
0 likes

Small under saddle bag: Spare Tube, spare batteries, Tyre Levers, patches and Multitool.

Middle pocket: Phone (if not attached to stem), food bars.

Right pocket: Keys, Tissues

Left pocket: Money (folding and notes), Handsfree earphones.

Pump attached via holder mounted under bottle cage.
Cafe Lock is permanently wrapped around head tube just in case
Wind/Shower jacket on the pannier via 3 strap bungee (which can also be utilised for shopping if needed)

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Simon E | 7 years ago
1 like

Left: a small fleece square for wiping my nose - it's far better than tissue and won't get manky like a hanky.

Middle: house key, cash. A jacket/cap also get stuffed in here as required with empty wrappers.

Right: food - banana, snickers etc.

Tools and spare tube go in a seat pack. I wouldn't carry a pump, or anything solid, in a jersey pocket.

Groceries are bought separately. I try not to mix business (shopping) with pleasure (riding). For the commute I use a small waist pack or rucksack.

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barbarus | 7 years ago
1 like

Right - epo vial and syringe
Middle - benzos
Left remote control for hidden motor

Nah not really, it's just a banana and some keys, same as everyone else.

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wycombewheeler | 7 years ago
0 likes

nothing has a fixed location

generally tools and tubes are on the bike
snacks in a top tube bag so they are accessible
wallet and phone in one pocket
keys and coins in another
extra layers in the third

I don't tend to carry a lock, just select my stops accordingly. (Not in towns/cities and where I can see my bike at all times)

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Griff500 | 7 years ago
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Small under saddle bag: spare tube, CO2, levers and allen keys.

Middle pocket: Phone

Right pocket: Jelly babies

Left pocket: Money, only on longer rides if I plan to buy lunch.

Keys/eyeliner left at home in hidey hole.

 

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LastBoyScout | 7 years ago
0 likes

Left - phone, money, ID, keys, pack of tissues, 1/2 the food.

Middle - windproof if not already wearing it, spare tube, emergency gels.

Right - Neoprene pouch containing breakdown kit (CO2, 4/5mm Hex keys, tyre boot, patches and glue, chain links, few plasters), 1/2 the food.

Add arm warmers and sun cream as appropriate.

For long rides, I'll tape a second tube under the saddle and add another CO2 or mini-pump on the frame.

I used to use a small seat pack to put the breakdown kit and a tube in and sometimes still do on long rides if the weather is iffy and I want to get a proper waterproof/leg warmers in.

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sw600 | 7 years ago
2 likes

"If I stop and pick up a few groceries on the way home, I usually stick the milk in the middle (emptying it first into the right), chocolate bar on the left, and anything else down the front of my jersey."

This has got a lot easier since the demise of big box powders, and since I stopped drinking those 3l bottles of white lightning.

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dottigirl replied to sw600 | 7 years ago
0 likes

sw600 wrote:

"If I stop and pick up a few groceries on the way home, I usually stick the milk in the middle (emptying it first into the right), chocolate bar on the left, and anything else down the front of my jersey." This has got a lot easier since the demise of big box powders, and since I stopped drinking those 3l bottles of white lightning.

I'm more of a 'Bow girl.

And I did actually carry a box of Persil home under my gilet the other day, how did you know?

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arfa | 7 years ago
2 likes

I know it's all a matter of preference but personally I never carry anything solid in the middle pocket on the basis of avoiding anything hard impacting the spine in the event of an "off". Just a thought.

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Kapelmuur | 7 years ago
2 likes

Which pocket for your BC membership card? smiley

 

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