things we carry
Xtracycle: carries anything and everything ... and more
I’ve seen several other cyclists post pictures and discuss the stuff they carry by bike – especially among my commuter friends. It’s interesting to see. The stuff of daily work, laptops, cell phones, keys, locks, cycling caps, spare parts, cameras, snacks, books, Moleskines … It’s as varied as the bikes they ride.
And I’ve recently been following a couple of very visually interesting sites: What Do You Carry and Things Organized Neatly. They’ve made me think about the things I carry every day, and the ways I typically carry all of this stuff I cart around – especially when I’m on my bike. I always have some bike “emergency” items (multitool, spare tube, levers, etc.) stashed in a small saddle bag – but for my daily-use stuff of every day life, I typically use a Rickshaw bag, a Chrome messenger bag, an Ortleib Back-Roller pannier … or, of course, any bag/purse/tote on my Xtracycle. They all serve me extremely well, form and function.
my Rickshaw custom poppy bag
my Chrome messenger
the things I carry ... every day
While the contents are not always so neatly organized, I thought I’d lay things out just to see what I carry nearly every day. It was an interesting exercise. Here’s the (rather ridiculous) list of the inventory:
- a snack (today it’s an apple)
- sunglasses (usually on my head)
- camera (varies – but today, my 7D with 24-70mm f2.8L and 50mm f1.8)
- iPad
- “Wreck This Journal” by Keri Smith (an ongoing project … long story)
- wallet
- keys
- stylus
- eyeglass cleaning cloth
- lip balm
- iPhone
- reusable shopping bag
- three Lamy fountain pens (different nibs and ink colors)
- Moleskine journal/sketchbook
- journal pen/brush assortment
- headphones
- Flapper Girl coffee cozie
- watercolor field set
- green tea mints
Sorry, no bacon. Or beer. If you have any interesting photos of the things you carry by bike, I’d love to take a look and share them on my blog. Neatly organized or not. 🙂
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shebicycles 
Fountain pens! And three of them. Fountain pens are the best. I usually have one, sometimes two, in my writing bag, along with my MacBook and a Moleskine.
What’s your favorite ink color? I always have one pen with turquoise or purple ink in it.
I downsized my purse to a tiny one and only carry in it my iphone, wallet and business card case with insurance and business cards. I usually have a pen and a lipgloss in there and that’s about it.
Send me a picture!! 🙂
I have a love affair with fountain pens – nothing like them. My ink : Noodler’s Cayenne (reddish) and pitch black.
Why can’t I be cool like you Mama Yost? Maybe once I get my road bike (someday), I’ll share my list of possessions.
No need to wait – I want to see what’s in your cool bag now, my friend. :-). Bring it over….
I used to use a Chrome bag but then I carry too much. So I got one of their smaller bags; can’t remember the model right now. But your picture of what you carry every day struck me as very interesting. I hope to get a pic to you of what goes with me every day. I have a Big Dummy and then I don’t carry a bag, but then there’s the other bikes too, and it seems the inventory of “stuff” somewhat depends on the bike, as the bike often determines the activity.
Please send me a photo if you can … I’d love to post a few of these!
How to send a pic to you?
Shebicycles at gmail. :). Pls send – I want to do a post this week on everyone’s “stuff”. 🙂
I took everything out of my under-seat pack and photographed it for you, look for that sometime soon.
What I can’t understand is how the folks I ride with can unzip their saddle packs and literally throw keys and phone inside. I can barely zip mine! Here’s a quick run down: small hand pump (at my husband’s insistence) CO2 pump + 2 spare cartridges, mini tool kit, spare tube in plastic bag per coated w/talcum powder, tire boots, 1 tire lever, a really old $1 bill (throw back from before I bought the tire boots), $20 bill (just in case) 2 chew-able children’s Benadryl (allergic to Bees- been stung before in the middle of nowhere) and last but not least, Incident Report Forms and a pen (also in a plastic bag) for when I lead rides for Greater Arizona Bicycle Association.
If I’m carrying that, what are the rest of the folks I ride with carrying to have so much spare room in their saddle packs? Don’t get me started on the jersey pockets!
I agree with DummyDiva, bike does determine the bag/ pack, and inventory. I use my MTB to run errands. Then I sport my husband’s old Cyclepro backpack.
In a pinch I have turned plastic shopping bags into make shift “backpacks” and you can pack a lot under your jersey: clothing, boxes/packages from the post office, even pastries if they are boxed.
Not much of a commuter because I have no place to shower once I’m at work; my clients would need clothes pins for their noses. Tucson requires a steel constitution for that as well. Mainly because the temps are 80-113 from April to October (we actually celebrate National Bike to Work Week in April for this reason) and my road bike is too valuable leave at work, MTB is too arduous for the distance/ terrain.
That sounds like quite the inventory – and I’d really love for you to send me the photo to post. 🙂
I got your pics – thanks for sending. Plan to get that post up this week … Waiting on 1 or 2 other ppl who were sending pics. Thanks!
I emailed you a pathetic piece of work to your shebicycles@gmail.com account. Let me know what you think!