With an abundance of kit, tools, spares and nutrition products available to help you maximise your enjoyment on the bike it’s sometimes easy to become overwhelmed by what you need and what could be considered a luxury item.

Being well prepared with the essentials and having kit that you can rely on will go a long way in ensuring that you have everything you need when faced with any eventuality out on the road, taking the stress out of the unknown and allowing you to make the most of your ride.

Here are our five tips to ensure you have everything you need in your sportive kit bag. Is there anything we’ve forgotten? Tell us in the forum.