Seen a few threads on another forum of guys having pretty big offs.
It got me thinking about my safety a bit more especially as I nearly always ride alone.. normally just with just a multi tool, mini pump and packet of haribo stuffed in my pockets. I always wear my helmet, gloves and knee pads.

Have been looking at buying an evoc freeride lite backpack as they are only 10 litres and have a back protector. But what safety type stuff should I stick in it.. small first aid kit, space blanket, an extra tube? Zip ties, duck tape, more haribo?
Flares? Glow sticks? Whiskey?
Or should I just stay with stuffed pockets and worry about crawling back to the car/house if I ever stack it big

Seriously?

Water. £10. an energy bar. 1 tube. Multitool. MOBILE PHONE

MOBILE PHONE

I did that because I ride solo most of the time.

Except when I broke my hip it turned out the battery had gone flat.

I pack a whistle now too 🙂

Last night – a pump and a tube, nothing else.

It was only a quick lap of the Verderers, though…

I pack a whistle now too

Pack one of them fruit sweet ones…

if you get hungry you won’t starve too 🙂

A canoe
An anvil
Acme rocket powered roller skates
A portrait of the Duke of Westminster
A jetpack
A selection of sausages and a Barby
Morphine
A flame-thrower
A St Johns Bible with a forward by Michael Gove
A grappling Iron
A signed copy of Keith Chegwins biography

I don’t take anything extra if I’m on my own, just the same stuff as I do on a group ride. Phone is always there for photos and Endomondo.

All of the above plus a headset press. You just never know…

You never know…

If under an hour, Pump, tyre lever, patch kit, in jersey pocket and drink bottle in frame. If much more than an hour, all in pack and water bladder, some extra food. Where i live, nearly always take at least one extra layer. Phone for strava and communication. Hope I don’t hurt myself too bad to use phone. Always tell someone planned route and expected timing.

Whistle +1,000,000

I’m constantly surprised by how few people will take something that costs virtually nothing, weighs virtually nothing and takes up virtually no space in your pack / pocket, and could easily save your life.

My solo pack for the hills looks something like:

OS Map(s)
Compass
Skills to use the above 2 items
Waterproof
Spare tube
Patches, glue etc.
Pump (wrapped in duck/duct tape)
Zip ties
WHISTLE
Multitool
suncream (if likely to be needed, so not so much this year so far…)
Water
food
Small 1st Aid kit (enough to patch up some bleeding, not enough to perform emergency surgery on myself)
One of those tinfoil blankets that everyone tells me are pretty useless
Chain link
Mobile phone
Cash

I use the same pack for commuting but the whistle lives in there permanently as it weighs virtually nothing, takes up no space and if I don’t keep it anywhere other than in my Camelbak then I can’t find that I’ve forgotten it when I need it.

If only one of these would fit in my jersey pocket 😥

Best watch it messiah. I always carry a stove, kettle, jellymould and jelly mix, for mid-ride hilarity 😉

As I ride quite a lot of cheeky cliff path singletrack would a parachute be overkill just incase?
It was just looking at photos of guys landing on their heads and faces that got me thinking maybe I should carry more stuff just in case.. but what more stuff that should be I wasn’t quite sure. Just curious whether other solo riders carried a suitcase of safety gear just in case.
apart from maybe a big bandage/gauze and some duck tape I can’t really think of anything that useful to carry first aid wise.

I take the same stuff I would if I was going with friends. Don’t rely on any one for anything.

I normally ride by myself though, except the time I broke my arm when I wasn’t riding by myself. 😐

this is the ideal pack for a 2 hour blast, really;

Stupidly Big Rucksack by T?kuta, on Flickr

I pack a whistle now too

I noticed whilst in Morzine that Osprey back packs have an integrated whistle in the chest strap clasp. They appear to be made by the same people that make the Camelbak straps and have the same fixing. Can’t find it as a spare though on the Osprey site.

Aside form that I cary the same kit regardless of the length of ride. The only exception is if I’m doing an uplift day – like Cwm Down – with others. The reason being so that I am used to the weight and position for when I am riding further/harder.

Nice find wwawwas… perhaps I can take the trusty “corby” with me 8)

CO2, tube, lever, multi-tool, chain link, phone, £10

That’s for all rides, it’s all in a zip-lok bag so just pop it in a pocket

Inner tube
Pump
Air cartridge
Multitool
Chaintool
Powerlink
Sweeties
Phone
Antiseptic wipes
Plasters
3l Water
Fox40 whistle. I also have an Acme tornado 2000 (for pissing people off at hockey festivals), but it is seriously deafening!
All fits into a Lobo

FWIW Lowe Alpine packs have whistles integrated into the sternum strap. Nice touch if you ask me.

I also have a little cow-bell on the bike in the autumn and winter to avoid being shot at (large game season)

I pretty much take the same stuff I’d take on a group ride:

-Phone (of course)
-2 spare tubes
-multi tool(s)
-zip ties
-Pump, spare missing link(s)
-clothing to suit weather (or forcast)
-Water and snacks
-First aid pack (has plasters, scisors, gause , etc…
-Maybe a survival blanket if I’m going to be a long way from civilization and/or theres a risk of a significant tumble…
-Dependant on set off time/time of year so emergency get home lights…

-If I’m striking out somewhere new to me I take a Map and compass and leave a marked up copy of the route with my missus…

I’ll be honest; in all my years riding I’ve never thought to take a whistle, but I can think of no reason not to so I shall get one for my pack ASAP… I learned a little something today so Cheers to those who mentioned it above…

The evoc packs (my 20 l one anyway) have a whistle on the chest strap/buckle too. The’re comfotable, well made and good design. If you do want a pack then its a good choice IMHO.
Not sure if the smaller ones have the back protector, I thought it was just the 16/20, so worth checking again before you buy one.
Pretty sure that they are on offer too (about 40-50% off) on sportpursuit at the moment.

FWIW, I find its far too hot to use a backpack comfortably in our scorching summer. Pockets and water bottle ftw.

Solo short rides near civilisation, just the usual trail spares and repairs in jersey pockets and a big cheque with the bank of karma that I’ll be found before I bleed out.

Longer rides, the usual spares and repairs +
* first aid kit
* space blanket
* survival sack
* energy gells (suprisingly good at cheering people up after a bad stack)

The first aid kit’s quite bulky, but anoyingly I’ve only needed it on rides I’ve not had it!

Space blanket and survival sack live in the bladder pocket and take up no room.

Last time we had one of these threads TJ argued that he doesn’t cary anything as nowhere in the UK is more than a couple of miles from civilisation or a road, My counter argument is 2 miles is a bloody long way with a broke leg.

So what if you have a big off.. smash your phone up in one pocket and give yourself a dead leg with the multi tool in the other. Break your arm so the bone is sticking out and squirting claret out and you also have busted up lips so can’t blow your whistle. Do you just cut your arm off with your multi tool like in that film where the **** gets stuck in the cave and drag yourself back to the car with your 2 unbroken fingers

Wingnut’s have an integrated whistle/clip too.

DrP

All of the above suggestions (including the trouser press) are more sensible than this:

http://forums.mtbr.com/general-discussion/what-gun-carry-rides-765016.html

Couple of questions…

I can see a whistle would work in total wilderness, but I know around are way you could be far enough away not to get found, but near enough for people to think your just being an annoying twunt with a whistle.

Why £10 too? I always carry a £50 note

http://www.rockrun.com/products/Rucksack-Chest-Strap-with-Whistle-%252d-19mm.html

you can get them as spares, might see if this will retrofit to my camelback as mentioned

oh and btw my emergency kit = wallet with driving licence and money if im lucky and phone. generally shove a rain jacket in the CB if the weather looks iffy and im out > morning

Why £10 too?

3 pints and a pie, I worked out that 3 pints is about how long it would take the missus to come and get me from the furthest point I’m likely to be away 🙂
Besides, no one will take a 50

So what if you have a big off.. smash your phone up in one pocket and give yourself a dead leg with the multi tool in the other. Break your arm so the bone is sticking out and squirting claret out and you also have busted up lips so can’t blow your whistle. Do you just cut your arm off with your multi tool like in that film where the **** gets stuck in the cave and drag yourself back to the car with your 2 unbroken fingers

You missed the bit where you clean off the wound in the fold out kitchen sink.

On a serious note, I’d figure out if I could walk/ride out. If not then find somewhere sheltered for any weather but still visible from the path and get warm with the space blanket and survival bag. Then wait for the rescue as I’ve told someone where I’m going so they know where to look. Simples.

3 pints and a pie

😯

you live in 1993 don’t you?

you live in 1993 don’t you?

no, the North

If not then find somewhere sheltered for any weather but still visible from the path

When I broke my hip it took me 10 minutes and nearly passing out to roll onto my back so I could get my arm in my jacket pocket to get my phone out.

Wingnut’s have an integrated whistle/clip too.

Cheers. I need a new strap for my Camel back so will try and find an Osprey / Evoc / Wingnut version to replace it with.

3 pints and a pie, I worked out that 3 pints is about how long it would take the missus to come and get me from the furthest point I’m likely to be away

Dear God! That’s the closest thing to genius I’ve ever read. A true triumph of rationality and logic. I salute you sir!

stuff to fix the bike, phone and credit card, money, food and clothing as appropriate.

Exactly what I take on a group ride.

mk1fan -Member POSTED 2 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST Wingnut’s have an integrated whistle/clip too. Cheers. I need a new strap for my Camel back so will try and find an Osprey / Evoc / Wingnut version to replace it with.

Titusrider’s link up there^^^ on the previous page is what you want

you live in 1993 don’t you?

[quote]no, the North[/quote]

Same thing isn’t it?

I can see a whistle would work in total wilderness, but I know around are way you could be far enough away not to get found, but near enough for people to think your just being an annoying twunt with a whistle.

Learn the recognised distress signal – in this country that would be six blasts (…..gap…….repeat).

All this talk about whistles

Surely there’s an app for that? 😉