Rule #31 was conceived out of necessity, aesthetics and plain good taste. Seeing an oversized saddle bag hanging limply by velcro under a Flite, Arione or Regal just isn’t right. Frame pumps, while they undoubtedly do the finest job of inflating a tube, add nothing but bulk and clutter to the lines of a frame (and aren’t compatible with the majority of curvy, plastic frames prominent today). While a folded tubular held under the seat with a Christophe toe-strap may have been de riguer and kinda cool back in the day, running tubs nowadays is not only uncommon, but an exercise in futility should one ride on any road less smooth and glass-free than a baby’s bum. So you see, Rule #31 was a no-brainer.
But even this most important of Rules has its drawbacks; stuffing the three pockets of your jersey can leave you looking like the Hunchback of Notre Dame, albeit with the hunch on the lower back, and more akin to a series of tumours across the hips and lower spine. Not a pretty sight. My usual pocket-stuffing routine would entail a tube and tyre levers bundled together with a rubber band, stuffed in the middle pocket, with a mini pump accompanying it. The phone would go in the right hip pocket, along with a camera (if there were to be some photo ops along the route, or blatant bike porn shots) and gels and bars in the left. Any extraneous clothing shed en route (arm warmers, cap, gloves) would then be forced in wherever they would fit. If a jacket was required, then all hell would break loose.
But recently I happened by chance upon an item that has made my life, and my riding experience all the easier and clutter-free. Lezyne products were having a season launch of their new, cool gear, and everyone attending received a free gift; in my case, I was handed the Caddy Sack, a simple PVC pouch. Inside was a metal patch kit with glueless patches, and a pair of mini tyre levers. I took it with a degree of dismissal, thinking it would just end up in the pile of superfluous bike crap scattered around my house. But I decided I’d see how much I could load it up, and was surprised to find that it holds a veritable shitload of gear. There’s room aplenty for a tube, levers, patch kit, multi tool, card wallet and phone. But if I want to, I can easily ft in another tube, a bar or two and a couple of gels. And it fits with ease into the middle pocket of all my jerseys, especially the sweet V jersey which is always the go-to garment of choice. This leaves the two outside pockets with more room than ever for whatever the ride requires from the aforementioned list-of-crap-one-may-carry.
Sitting alongside the 31 Sack is always the best mini pump I’ve ever used, the Lezyne Pressure Drive M (for medium). Why is it the best? Just look at it! It’s sexy, yeah, but for such a small unit it packs plenty of air into each stroke, and I can get a geniune 100PSI into my tubes during any roadside repair. But the best feature is the flexible screw-in hose, which eliminates the chance of breaking off the screw-on end of Presta valves, as has happened to the best of us when vigourously hacking away with a fixed-head pump. C’mon, admit it, you’ve done it. No more chance of that with this little beauty. Quite simply, it rules (31 especially).
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Is a non silca pump allowed to be concealed in the pocket?
Brett, I picked up Le Sack and the jury is still out on it for me. I'd been using a SciCon pocket protect for phone+wallet in middle pocket, tube+lever right pocket, multi-tool in left pocket with gel.
Decided to try the Caddy Sack. I've only used it once, but packed with tool, (very thin) wallet, tube+lever, & Co2 + head it felt really heavy and bulky. Did you love it from first use? Or did it take some getting used to?
The upside is all my gear is in one pocket, with one totally free and one with a very small cell phone.
The downside is I felt like I had a brick in my center pocket. Using a crank brothers m-17, nothing crazy. Maybe a few more rides? Or maybe being not that big the Sack feels like a tramping pack?
In my left pocket I've got a pair of levers and spare tube folded around a Lezyne Air Chuck tied all together with one of my daughter's hair bands (couldn't find a rubber band) and a CO2 cannister. There's plenty of room for an additional cannister and tube if it's going to be a long ride. In the right pocket, my blackberry (in a simple zip lock if the weather looks iffy) and a gel or two. My multi tool, a Crank Bros 19 goes in the centre with a lightweight rain jacket stuffed tightly into a plastic sandwich bag with a twist tie (annoyingly it's not one that packs away into itself).
Doesn't feel too bulky and I can't really thin what else I might want to take with me.
I had a look at the sack but the only real advantage I could see was grouping more stuff together so you're less likely to forget it.
WTF was I thinking, two levers! I at least have enough V in my blood to get a tyre of the rim without resorting to a pair of levers!
My Sack has a tube, two levers, small multi-tool, phone and a tenner in it. Goes in the middle pocket and the mini-pump goes in my right pocket. Left is empty or has a Castelli Squadra rain jacket in it. the sack has been great and I finf it just keeps everything together, snug as the proverbial bug.
I used C02 when I was MTBing and used a camelbak, but it's just weight I don't need in my jersey - I'm going to take a pump regardless, so no C02 for me.
@Chris
That's brilliant to put the chuck inside the tire. I may try that. Get rid of that bulky tire lever, though, and get one of these.
@frank
Thanks but no. That looks longer than the Pedros lever I've got. I'm quite happy with mine, if it can remove these without bending, breaking or bloodied hands, its all that I need. Plus the bright green is easy to spot on a disorganised workbench or a roadside at night.
Good call, Chris.
Frank, be advised that those Mavic hub tool/tyre levers are prone to snapping at the drop of a casquette.
I remember a heap of odd mavic tyre levers sitting around the workbench at the shop not getting used. Pristine looking even, while the Pedros levers would be the go - to levers. Scuffed, covered in grease, chipped to hell but still in one piece and they never bend. I think I've only ever snapped one, but that was trying to get a pair or 19mm tires off some old bastard rims.
I gotta say, from my point of view as someone who uses and has used a shit-ton of outdoor gear, especially small sacks that are purposed with keeping shit dry, I'm not entirely impressed with the caddy sack. The material could be more supple and the zipper, while supposedly a "dry" zipper, does not inspire confidence. Furthermore, the material becomes very crinkly in colder temps. For 10 bucks or whatever I paid, it's not bad. It could be better.