Knowing what to take and what not to take with you on your ride or race is always a debate. No one wants to get stranded in the middle of nowhere because they didn’t pack spares or have to crawl home after failing to pack enough nutrition to hold off the infamous bonk. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting there are some essentials that you should always have on hand.
Let’s talk road racing…
Arguably the most important thing you’ll need is a puncture repair kit. For a road bicycle, this typically includes a tube (with the correct length valve for your wheels), a set of tyre levers, a bomb + regulator or a hand pump. These will be more than adequate to get you back up and pedalling again if you puncture. Don’t forget a multitool if you have thru-axles without handles on your wheels.
Once you’ve got your emergency repairs sorted you’ll need to consider your nutrition. This will depend on the distance of the race that you’re doing. A longer event will usually mean that you’ll need to carry more snacks whereas a shorter race will require less.
What snacks to carry varies from person to person, things that are easy to eat while riding and that offer a good amount of easily digestible carbs are great options. Energy bars, baby food/pureed fruit sachets, gels and even small sandwiches or rice cakes are among some favourite options.
Pro Tip: A empty bar packet can double as a gaiter if you have a sidewall cut during the event. Place the packet on the inside of your tyre over the cut. Insert and inflate the new tube. This packet will work as a temporary sidewall to prevent the tube from pushing out and puncturing again.
Mountain biking racing and what to take along is not always as simple as road cycling racing, unfortunately.
Let’s unpack exactly what you’ll need and why.
Just like road riding, spares are important. Your emergency repairs should consist of a bomb and regulator or hand pump, plugs and plug tool (if you’re riding with tubeless tyres). Plugs are essentially small pieces of sticky plastic that can be used to plug a hole in your tyre that isn't sealing. If you’re doing a longer race or a multi-day race carrying a spare tube, a chain link (make sure it fits your chain) is never a bad idea.
Pro Tip: Wrap some duct tape around your bombs. Everyone knows that duct tape can solve 99% of your problems, use it to keep a plug from popping out of a punctured tyre, to tape a shoe back together, the list goes on.
Nutrition during a mountain bike race is similar to when riding a road race. You’ll want to pack enough snacks for the duration of the race or at least to get you to the first water point. Jelly sweets, energy bars or homemade rice cakes are great options that are easy to eat on the bike to keep the dreaded bonk away.
The last things that you need to remember pack into your pockets are things like car keys, phone (if you’re riding if one), emergency cash, asthma pump, arm protectors if the weather is going to change etc.
Where to pack what…
Now that you've got a better idea of what to pack, the next question is how to pack it all in. Most cycling jerseys have three or four pockets. Use the outer pockets to pack things that you are more likely to need during the race as these are easier to reach. Pack your nutrition that you plan on using first on the side of your dominant arm (the arm you’re most comfortable taking off the handlebars), this will make your life much easier and mean that you’re less likely to not eat the snacks.
Small valuables like car keys or cash are best kept in a pocket with a zip to make sure that there’s no chance of losing them, check out all our jerseys with the zipper pocket here.
Pro Tip: Balance out your pocket weight. Try to keep the outside two pockets around the same weight when packing them, this will prevent your jersey from slipping and bouncing around when you’re riding.
Knowing what to pack is one thing but making sure you have all the gear is just as important. Explore our full cycling range with all the gear for your next race or ride here.