Related topics: •  Bicycle Day Touring: What to Take •  Bicycling •  Kayaking: What to Take

Hitting the trail this weekend? Look over our checklist, below, to make sure you're ready. You'll want to customize this list, taking into account the season, the weather, the location where you'll be biking, and any individual needs you have. After a couple of trips, you'll figure out which extras can be left at home and which can't.

Just print out this list and check items off as you pack them. If you want a more specialized list, you can copy and paste this article into a Word document on your own computer and add your individual essentials.

•Well-maintained, trail-tested bike (make sure to check your tire pressure)

•Helmet

•Sunglasses

•Sunscreen

•Map of your route

•Plenty of water (16 ounces for every hour you'll ride)

•Handlebar-mounted bell (to let hikers and other cyclists know you're coming)

•Tire pump (one that attaches to the bike frame)

•Underseat bag, handlebar bag, or fanny pack

•Backpack (with padded back panel and shoulder straps)

•Basic first-aid kit (ibuprofen, strip and ace bandages, Neosporin, or another antibiotic ointment, Benadryl, or another antihistamine)

•Tool kit (see below)

•Patch kit (to fix a flat tire)

•Spare tube

•Tire levers (to separate tire from rim safely when fixing a flat)

•Multipurpose bike-repair tool (including Allen wrenches, Phillips screwdriver, pedal wrench, etc.)

•Chain tool (to replace links)

•All-purpose lube

•Rag for cleanup

•Lightweight, brightly colored shirt or pocketed jersey

•Breathable, lightweight jacket

•Cycling shorts (padded)

•Cycling gloves (to absorb shock, improve your grip, and prevent blisters)

•Lightweight, moisture-wicking socks

•Raingear

•Energy bars

•Bagels

•Cycling shoes (their hard soles prevent the arch problems that riding in regular athletic shoes can cause)

•Seat pad

•Handlebar-mounted cycling computer (to gauge time, distance, and speed)

•Hydration system, or "water bladder" (a tube from the water pouch goes straight to your mouth)

•Headlight and taillight (if there's a chance you'll be out after dark)

•Change of clothes

•Money

-- Benj Vardigan is a senior editor for Consumer Health Interactive and the winner of an Outstanding Young Journalist award from the Northern California chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

References

First published May 11, 1999
Last updated April 17, 2007
Copyright © 1999 Consumer Health Interactive

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