Advice please :)

[Attack Warning Red]

Itsy - A spare inner tube would be better IMO. Just put it on when needed, and probably doesn't weigh much at all + folds/rolls up quite small. I'll have to look into that (homework!). I also have a small and light pump which lives in my bag.

Scoobie - no worries. That's all I can think of regarding EDC for London. You might want to add dust masks. I've also been looking at mini titanium hexi stoves - light and small, but realistically I'm not really going to need to cook a hot meal on my journey home. Plus there aren't any wooded areas on my route, so I'm not going to cook on the roadside.. So I've opted for cold ready-to-eat, small food items, plus a caffeine shot. Add water during the summer months, and remove hand warmers.

But your priority is a decent A-Z (the full one, not the mini central-London-only one). My A-Z will get me about half way home, then I'm on my UK road map. Compass is handy. Food, drink and medical bits.

EDIT: Also, the mylar blankets make handy little shelters in wind/rain.

[southernPrepper]

Why don't you add a puncture kit to you EDC? Mind you - how would you manage to locate the puncture to fix it?

Use Green Slime in your tyres. You can buy inner tubes with it built in.

[southernPrepper]

SP - do you carry an EDC? If so, what does it contain?

Apart from my wallet and a mobile, nope.

On the rare occasion I travel far enough away to warrant one I carry,

1 x water bottle
1 x led torch
1x map (of where ever I am if I don't know the area)
1x small knife
1x packet of nurafen if I'm driving

If I'm feeling generous I also carry a packet of polos.

Travel light, travel fast.

[scoobie]

Why don't you add a puncture kit to you EDC? Mind you - how would you manage to locate the puncture to fix it?

Use Green Slime in your tyres. You can buy inner tubes with it built in.

I'd advise against slime... I used to commute every day for a number of years 3 miles each way and for pinhole punctures its ok, but a gash, pinch, or anything similar its useless....

[southernPrepper]

Why don't you add a puncture kit to you EDC? Mind you - how would you manage to locate the puncture to fix it?

Use Green Slime in your tyres. You can buy inner tubes with it built in.

I'd advise against slime... I used to commute every day for a number of years 3 miles each way and for pinhole punctures its ok, but a gash, pinch, or anything similar its useless....

I'm confused - you have something else that protects tyres when the are slashed or gashed?

IMX most punctures are pin holes. Certainly I get far fewer punctures with slime than without it.

[counsellor]

deleted sorry mis-understood

[scoobie]

I'm confused - you have something else that protects tyres when the are slashed or gashed?

IMX most punctures are pin holes. Certainly I get far fewer punctures with slime than without it.

I never mentioned tyres being slashed, and we're talking about inner tubes and not tyres.

For example, if you have a pin hole puncture/leaky valve/leaking repair which deflates the tyre slowly (yes, this very scenario has happened to me, hence the recommendation) you can end up with a running, but 'squishy' tyre. What can then happen is the inner tube gets pinched against the metal rim and not only do you have a slowly deflating inner tube from the original problem but you also have a 'pinch' or a slight tear/gash in the inner tube. Slime will not work for this type of hole.

At one time there were some foam filled tyres on the market which didnt use an inner tube...no idea if these took off or were any good.

I was forever getting punctures on my road bike, but on my mountain bike I could count the number of punctures on one hand over the course of 5 years. That's with offroad biking too.

I'd recommend a spare inner tube over any other form of temporary repair, probably quicker than a temp repair too once you get practiced at it and if you have quick release wheels on your bike.

If you wish to have a discussion on the pros and cons of puncture prevention and repair methods then I suggest you start a new thread, otherwise can we keep this thread on topic please.

[spog]

latex inertubes and good tyres the only problem with latex tubes is that they go down slowly over a couple of days but they are fairly puncture proof and lighter.

[scoobie]

I'm resurrecting this thread again as I've now been offered a job in London! (yay!)

Any other ideas from any newer members, or other commuter who may have added stuff?

I'm thinking of a bag along the lines of a maxped versipack (but not necessarily this bag)

[itsybitsy]

I'm resurrecting this thread again as I've now been offered a job in London! (yay!)

Hurrah!!!