Basic Repair Kit

This is my first attempt at putting together some repair advice. Hopefully I can do this more in the future.

So what are the absolute minumum ingredients of a bicycle repair kit? Here's my opinion:

• Chain lube (just drip this onto your chain to greatly increase its life and keep it from squeaking)
• Rag (an old sock works great) to wipe dirt and extra lube off your chain
• Pump to get air into your tires (CO2 is good to carry on rides, but you need a pump at home)
• Tire lever (one or two is usually enough) to get the tire and tube off the rim
• Spare tube to carry with you for roadside replacement
• Patch Kit to fix punctured tubes

Now, there are two types of patches. The peel-and-stick kind are very easy, but they don't tend to last as long. When I use them, it's to carry along for roadside repairs, but I assume I'll have to re-patch it at a later date. The regular kind of patches (that come with a little tube of "vulcanizing fluid") take a bit of practice to get on properly, but once they're sealed, that spot is stronger than the rest of the tube. I usually do this after I get back home (or when the spare tube gets a hole in it and I'm forced to). Of course, you can just take your bike into any bike shop (CWB comes to mind) and have a flat fixed. But do you really want to pay $10 each time you run over a patch of goat heads?

Never (never, ever) use WD-40 on your chain. It will strip out any good oil that's in there and evaporate to make bare metal. Not good. Tri-flow is the cheapest stuff I know of that works ok. I have used Pedro's Syn Lube (Road for dry conditions, ATB for wet) for a long time now. I doubt it's any better than the other brands, but I like it so I'll stick with it. It's a bit more expensive than Tri-Flow, but it seems to stick on there longer.

I usually carry a spare tube, one or two tire levers, and CO2 with me on a bike ride. I sometimes also carry a multi-tool for other random repairs, but I don't think that fits into the absolute basics. You can carry these in a variety of ways: underseat bag, Camelback, burrito wrap, in your bike jersey pocket, and a plethora ("Did you say, 'plethora'? Do you even know what a 'plethora' is?") of others.

You can get by with a small portable bike pump. They cost $10 and up and can certainly get enough air in your tube to get you around (although it can take some work to get very high pressure). I really recommend a floor pump to keep at home. They cost a bit more (starting at about $25) but make quick work of getting a tire up to pressure.

Don't know if this is helpful, but there it is.