EDC: What's in your pockets?

I would appreciate it if someone could provide a comprehensive list of the essential tools required—specifically which wrenches and Allen keys I should have on hand. Additionally, I’m curious to know what components most frequently fail or suffer damage during extended rides or when tackling more demanding terrain...

vividgardener192 said:Hey, if anyone’s feeling generous... could you just list out everything I actually need? Like, which hex keys and Allen wrenches should I carry? And more importantly—what usually ends up getting trashed when you're out on long rides or hitting the rougher trails?

Honestly, anything can go wrong—it really just comes down to luck. You might have a spoke snap (or several), blow an outer tire, or deal with a puncture. Sometimes it's just a little hole in the inner tube, other times you catch something sharp and slice the outer casing wide open. Chains snap, brake cables fray, gear cables give out—the usual stuff. Personally, I've mostly just dealt with flats. As far as tools go, I just carry exactly what I showed in that photo from a few pages back—everything fits easily in a saddlebag or one of those small triangular frame bags. Most modern bikes use hex bolts these days, so you don't really need a whole set of old-school wrenches, but you'll definitely want a 15mm wrench handy if you ever need to swap out pedals.

Exactly how much did you drop on that "set" of yours?

Last year over at Target, I picked up one of those deals for about 40 bucks—you get this little organizer bag designed to sit right under the driver's seat, and inside it’s packed with a hex key set, a tire repair kit (glue, plugs, all that good stuff), and some small plastic tire levers. Honestly? The tools are solid. The patch kit does the job just fine, though the levers are a bit soft and tend to bend if you aren't careful. Still, for the price, the whole kit is pretty decent.