Cycling Sportives – what to take

Cycling Sportives have become hugely popular over the last few years, with events running in every location imaginable. There are a variety of Sportives out there, from beginner to advanced over an array of distances.

Once you’ve chosen a Sportive to enter, your focus will undoubtedly turn to training for such an event and also what specialist clothing and equipment you’ll need. In this article, we’ll explore what’s in a More Adventure leader’s saddlebag, hopefully it’ll give you a good idea of what you could take on your Sportive.

How heavy?!

One of the most important considerations in cycling is always weight, so in terms of what you should carry with you, it’s important to take only what you’ll need. We all spend time and money trying to reduce the weight of our bicycle frames, shoes and tyres (and bellies!), so it’s important you take only what you may need, but have enough to cope with common eventualities…so don’t take the following…

Common Problems

The most common problems we encounter on our cycling trips are as follows:

• Punctures
• Chain skipping due to poorly adjusted derailleurs
• Broken bottle cages
• Broken chains

Cycling Sportives – what to pack

That’s not to say we don’t have other problems arise on our tours, but the above are the most common. For that reason, I carry the following as a minimum:

1. Cable ties – these can be a lifesaver, I’ve fixed bottle cages, saddlebags, pedals (I know!), secured brake cables…the list goes on.
2. Speed Chain Link – these are great for repairing chains. Super quick and hassle-free, they are an absolute must. As a matter of course I use one to connect any new chain I put on a bike. Ensure that it is the correct speed for your bike and consider testing how easy it is to fit in the comfort of your home. You may consider bringing a short section of your chain for slightly more serious chain repairs (very rare).
3. Spoke key – there is a spoke-key tool on my multitool but I don’t think it’s particularly good. My spoke key is rarely used on the road but I know that as soon as I get rid of it, I’ll need one for truing up a buckled wheel somewhere!
4. Park Tool Super Patch – when all else fails and you’ve run out of inner tubes, these self-adhesive patches will do the job and allow you to finish the race (but will not make your tubes invincible!)
5. Aquapac 358 Phone Case – these are fantastic and, having tried a number of similar cases, really rate the Aquapac highly. It’s very waterproof (I’ve surfed with mine!) and you can still operate the phone (including calls and touch screen) whilst it’s still in the case. The neck cord allows you to quickly have access to it and ensures you don’t drop it in anger!
6. Inner tube – pretty self-explanatory!
7. Small multitool with pliers/snips – most normal bike tools don’t have pliers but I think they’re a pretty important thing to have whilst cycling.
8. Tyre levers – these are made by Park Tools, are relatively inexpensive (£5) and are super strong. Kitchen spoons are so yesterday (we all did it!).
9. Bicycle Multitool – this is the Topeak Alien RX and I think it’s one of the best out there. Small and relatively lightweight, I’ve had mine for over a decade and it’s still going strong! A couple of important features include a very sharp small knife (very handy), a chain splitter (a must in my opinion although many tools don’t have them) and an 8mm allen key adapter (some pedals and cranks require this size but again, many tools do not have this).
10. Lezyne Zecto Drive Cycling Lights – small, lightweight and chargeable from a mini-USB charger. They are super-bright too!

The one thing I also always have (aside from maybe a Garmin) is a pump, the smaller the better. Many swear by using gas canisters but they are one-use only and I’m also scared of them – I had a tube explode on me whilst cycling to Hamburg last year…it was like a gunshot! I personally use the Topeak Pocket Rocket, but there are newer models available that are smaller and have a tube to prevent damage to the valve when pumping.

It’s absolutely essential that not only do you have all of the above, but you also know how to use it all. For some great resources, visit the Global Cycling Network Youtube page, they have a comprehensive database of hands-on bicycle maintenance that’ll have you clued up in no time.

I hope you’ve found this useful and best of luck with whatever Sportive you choose! If you want to know more about the trips we have on offer, please get in touch!