Cycling Sisters

Every rider should have a few items on her bike to deal with an emergency. Some of these are bike-related, some injury-related.

Remember to always have some sort of identification on you and your bike that provides your name, an emergency contact #, and hopefully your insurance information as well. I have a state-issued ID card that I keep in my handlebar bag at all times.

Bicycle Kit:

1. A patch kit that includes tire levers (preferably metal), patches, glue (or preglued patches), a piece of sandpaper or a small metal rasp file, a dollar-bill sized piece of Tyvek (the paper that is used for 'untearable' envelopes or that is used in house construction).

2. An air pump. This can be the kind you actually use physical energy to operate, or one of the little compressed air cartridge inflators (be sure to have extra canisters if the latter!).

Optional: an extra inner tube. There are many times when having an extra tube is your best bet; when it's raining, when it's very cold, when you are strapped for time. They take up extra space, but trust me, it's well worth having on hand. It's not a bad idea to put a bit of baby powder on it, roll it up with a rubber band, and put it in a small zipper bag. You can wedge this under your seat or put it in a small seatpost bag.

3. A bicycle Multi-tool. These are inexpensive and worth their weight in gold! You can get them online, at any bike shop, and at many 'big box' stores in the bike department. You want something that has several Allen wrenches, both Phillips and flathead screwdrivers, and 8,9,10 mm open or box wrenches. A spoke key and a chain tool are nice but not essential. Many of these come with a convenient carrying case, and all are small enough to put in a seatpost bag.

4. A shower cap or standard plastic grocery bag--to keep your seat dry when it's raining or snowing outside. You can wedge this under your seat stays so you always have it handy.

First Aid Kit:

This is a cycling-specific first aid kit. I am able to fit all of this (other than the cellphone) into a small metal Band-Aid box that I stash in the wedge bag under my seat.

1. Bandages in assorted sizes. At least two should be jumbo sized (over 2 inches). Cyclists tend to get "road rash" injuries that require big Band-aids!

2. 3-4 3-inch Gauze pads, and sterile gauze wrap or adhesive tape.

3. 4-8 small butterfly bandages.

4. A triple antibiotic ointment (like Neosporin). Optional but also useful: small individually wrapped alcohol pads.

5. Aspirin, Tylenol, Advil or equivalent pain relievers.

6. Tweezers. You can pick up very small travel tweezers at most pharmacies.

7. A bite relief stick (like Bite-aid, Bite-Relief, Benadryl, etc) --this is for contact with anything from mosquitoes to wasps. I don't carry this year-round (for obvious reasons).

8. A copy of your insurance card. You can toss in your business card or a small info sheet with your name, date of birth, medications/allergies, address, and emergency contact information.

9. And perhaps most importantly: Your cell phone! Alternatively, bring a few quarters to make a pay phone call.

Here's to fun and SAFE riding!