I hate saddle bags too. I shove everything I need in a small water bottle and that goes in my back jersey pocket (or in a cage if I only need one bottle for the ride). It’s worked just fine for 3 years now.
3 Likes
If you sacrifice a drink bottle for a tool storage bottle…I would dehydrate. A 100km ride here in Aus in 35degrees+…I’ll take 2 full bottles of liquids.
6 Likes
Tsk.
If you can’t be fast (that’s me), at least try to look the part.
2 Likes
I use one of these strapped to the saddle rails:
For longer rides I take one of these with an extra tube and tools. Also keep my phone with $20 inside the case and Samsung pay activated in case I need more than $20.
2 Likes
I just use my jersey pockets
Left pocket: tube, lever, co2, inflator.
Center pocket: in a plastic bag I keep my phone, ID, credit card, cash
Right pocket: bars, gels, food
Personally do not carry a pump or patches for road-side repair. For rides where I want to take two tubes, I move my right pocket items to center, and carry a second tube in the right pocket.
5 Likes
An elastic band holding a spare tube, 2 levers, 20 CAD, an expired driver license, a pair of patches and a tube of glue I’m sure has solidified 3 seasons ago. Add a CO2 bottle and the adapter. All that goes in center pocket. Cell phone in right pocket. Food in left pocket. Off we go.
Once in a while, an ice cream stop while riding with my wife whittles down the cash stash, so I have to be careful to replenish (I should really do the same with the glue). Canadian money has the advantage (that Aussies also share, I believe) of being plastic, not paper, so it does not get soggy from the sweat. We pay a lot of taxes, but our money is waterproof. Small victories.
1 Like
I carry mini pump, spare, levers, multitool strapped together in the middle jersey pocket. Phone, money and keys are in plastic bag in the pocket beside. Gels are in the remaining pocket.
Never had or needed a bidon or a saddlebag. If I need more stuff, I take a small backpack…
1 Like
I love your organization (since it matches mine).
Mini pump is strapped on to the bottle holder (Lezyne thingy).
I only care about looking pro when I race which is infrequent. The rest of the time i’d rather be prepared than look pro, murphy’s law knows when I don’t bring the proper equipment. That being said Silca has some clever stuff that could suit your need. The EOLO wallet looks like it would suit your purpose. If you move quick they’re selling one for a bit more on sale that comes with some of their tools. I’m a huge huge fan of my seat capsule premio.
1 Like
Looking pro is a stupid reason to do anything. Walking home looks even stupider.
18 Likes
Just a had a look based on your comment, not a bad suggestion thanks for that.
There are are also mini-pumps available that are 13cm, they should be able fit in the 16cm of the EOLO wallet.
I have verified multiple times that the Park Tool Super Patches work really well. In fact versatile and good enough to consider leaving the extra inner tube at home.
I’m a fan of the cargo bibs too, didn’t think I’d like them at first, but I do. It’s just a better place to carry stuff than your back.
I still put some things in my jersey pockets but I try to limit it, for me the other options are more comfortable.
You should always carry a tube even if you go tubeless.
On a side note, this is 2019, bikepacking and gravel are big. I would argue that looking pro now means strapping as many bags as possible to the bike.
Personally, I think the saddle bag is great. I keep it as sort of a “flat repair kit”. Everything I need to fix a flat is in the saddle bag and ready to go every time I ride!
1 Like
My theory is that changing a tube is generally faster. The second flat is when patches start to get involved. While patching can be done without taking the wheel off, this assumes you know where the hole is.
The 20 CAD is multi-purpose, by tha way: it can pay for an ice cream, it can pay for a taxi, but it can also patch a blow tyre.
Its not that hard to fit a tube and flat stuff in a pocket.
But, if you’re doing pro level training you’re going to want a second tube so you don’t end up having to cut a ride short. And you’re probably going to be out long enough to need some food and end up with warmers or even a vest in your pockets so a saddle bag to free up some pocket room makes sense.
My guess is a majority of pros use a saddle bag on a majority of their training rides 
4 Likes
I had the same theory but now I’m not so sure because I feel like you have to find the reason for the puncture either way or risk puncturing your new tube almost immediately.
I leave my saddle bag on when the bike is on the trainer just so I don’t forget it when I go outside!
2 Likes
I didn’t read all the replies so this could be a duplicate - Lezyne Caddy Sack - water proof bag. Holds everything that would go in a saddle bag, but I can throw it in my back pocket.
3 Likes
I’m going to recommend relying mostly on CO2s. I still own but probably won’t use again a topeak ninja pump which in concept was great since it could be stored up in the seat tube and is just plain small in general. But after having to try to use it and getting no where fast(only needed to get to 40 psi in my gravel tire), I just went for the CO2 and boom back in the gravel fondo. I later took advantage of a Silca open box/demo sale to get their non-bluetooth tattico pump and what a difference. Yes, the thing is larger and heavier than the small topeak options like the ninja, master blaster etc. but in a comparison it took 30 pumps to do what it took the topeak ninja 100 pumps to barely do. I know it’s another plug for Silca but as I said, those guys are clever. But I do get your aims with this. Having a clean, uncluttered bike is a pretty thing. Sometimes I wish I trusted my luck and didn’t mind having so much stuff in my pockets.