5 Things to Take on Every Cycling Ride

Wondering what 5 things to take on every cycling ride? You’ve come to the right place. There is really no right or wrong answer to this question, but there are a few essentials that make sense to take on every cycling ride. They are small, light, not too expensive, and best of all they are useful. Take it from those who know, nothing sucks the energy from a great ride like breaking down miles from anywhere and not being prepared. Follow these tips and you’ll be good to go.

1. Water All right, so this isn't a revolutionary idea, but definitely an essential thing you need to take on every cycling ride. Dehydration can occur more quickly than most people expect and become a problem in a hurry. Do yourself a favor and fill up a bottle with water or your favorite sports drink and get in the habit of taking something to drink every time. 
2.  I.D. An ID takes up almost no space and weighs even less, and is one of the things you need to take on every cycling ride. You will probably never need it, but in the unfortunate event of a crash or accident at least the people who find you, or the friendly folks in the ER, will know who you are.
3. Pump Another key thing you need to take with you on every cycling ride is a small hand pump to put on the down tube of your bike. They are light and inexpensive and work well enough to get you home, or at least back to a main road, if your tires start losing air. A double stroke pump inflates the tire on both the up and down strokes, getting your bike back in riding shape sooner.
4.  Patch Kit A patch kit simply covers a hole or puncture long enough for you to get home or to a repair shop. They consist of either self-adhesive patches or a set of patches and glue to stick them on. They are very simple, but a pain to be without.
5. Multi-tool Multi-tools are an important thing you need to take on every cycling ride for a variety of trailside maintenance and repair jobs. For cyclists, they are pretty much a toolbox compacted into a small package with a variety of fold out tools. As a bonus, these multi-tools are often less expensive than buying the tools on it individually. The gadget gurus at "Wired" magazine recommend the SKS Toolbox Travel because “In addition to the usual allen wrenches, spanners and screwdrivers, the Travel also packs a spoke key and a chain link extractor.” With eighteen functions in one, including a case that doubles as tire levers, you will be able to handle nearly everything the trail may throw at your bike.