•  Bicycling •  Day Hiking: What to Take •  Mountain Biking: What to Take

It's Saturday morning, the sun is up, and you've dug your bike out of the garage for the first time in months. Do you know what to pack before you pedal? We've put together a checklist of items, below. Be sure to customize it according to the season, the weather, the geography, and your own personal needs. After a couple of trips, you'll figure out which "extras" can be left at home and which can't.

Just print out this list and check items off as you pack them. If you want a more specialized list, you can copy and paste this article into a Word document on your own computer and add your individual essentials.

•Well-maintained, road-tested bike (make sure to check your tire pressure)

•Helmet

•Sunglasses

•Sunscreen

•Map of your route

•Plenty of water (at least 20 ounces for every hour you'll ride, depending on how much you sweat)

•Bike lock (if you'll be off your bike walking or sightseeing)

•Tire pump (one that attaches to the bike frame)

•Handlebar-mounted bell (to let pedestrians, cars, and other cyclists know you're coming)

•Underseat bag, handlebar bag, or fanny pack

•Basic first-aid kit (ibuprofen, bandages, Ace bandages, Neosporin or other antibiotic ointment, Benadryl or other antihistamine)

•Tool kit (see below)

•Patch kit (to fix a flat tire)

•Spare tube

•Tire levers (to separate tire from rim safely when fixing a flat)

•Multipurpose bike-repair tool (including Allen wrenches, Phillips screwdriver, pedal wrench, etc.)

•All-purpose lube

•Rag for cleanup

•Lightweight, brightly colored shirt or pocketed jersey

•Breathable, lightweight jacket

•Cycling shorts (padded)

•Cycling gloves (to absorb shock, improve your grip, and prevent blisters)

•Lightweight, moisture-wicking socks

•Rain gear

•Energy bars

•Bagels

•Cycling shoes (their hard soles prevent the arch problems that riding in regular athletic shoes can cause)

•Seat pad

•Handlebar-mounted cycling computer (to gauge time, distance, and speed)

•Hydration system, or "water bladder" (a tube goes from the water pouch straight to your mouth

•Headlight and taillight (if there's a chance you'll be out after dark)

•Backpack (with padded back panel and shoulder straps)

•Panniers (for larger loads)

•Change of clothes

•Money

-- Benj Vardigan is a senior editor for Consumer Health Interactive and the winner of an Outstanding Young Journalist award from the Northern California chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

References

First published May 11, 1999
Last updated July 28, 2008
Copyright © 1999 Consumer Health Interactive

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