| You need
to carry enough tools and bits so you can hobble home on your wounded bike
but not be laden down like a US Marine.
Equip
yourself with:
 -
Pump, spare tube, puncture repair kit and a couple of tyre levers (check
the valve on your spare tube matches
 the hole in your
rim and that your vulcanising glue hasn't dried up).
- 1.5,
4, 5 and 6mm Allen keys.
- 8mm/10mm double ended spanner.
- Chain breaker and 6-8 spare links of chain.
 -
Spoke
spanner.
- Duct
tape or electrical tape.
- Short length of inner tube.
- Chain
oil to keep the business end of the bike behaving itself.
- Phone card/credit card/hard currency - one or all are useful if you
get in big trouble, need to quench a thirst or call for pizzas.
- Saddle
bag or tool wallet to shove it all in. (a wide range of Swiss Army knife
style multi-tools are available which combine most of the necessary tools)
First
Aid Kit
Surprisingly,
your body is even more important than your bike. Take with you some grunty
pain killers, plaster and dressings for the nasty falls, a crepe bandage
and a survival blanket. And do a first aid course so you can make like
a seasoned paramedic if something major goes down.
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