Sportive

Writing your ‘ready to ride’ checklist: items you shouldn’t roll off the driveway without

Fuel, tools, money and more

Ready to ride?

Tired of rolling out with only half of what you need? Write a 'ready to ride' checklist
The trusty tyre lever can be an invaluable ally - but is of little use on your workbench when mid-ride punctures strike
60g of carbohydrate per hour is the optimum recommended by SIS nutritionsist and Ironman triathlete, Emma Barraclough
A lightweight, packable gilet can be an ally in unpredictable conditions
Packing a GPS device to record the ride will bring the satisfaction of post-ride analysis, while packing a phone is just good sense
Helmet and glasses are esential items to ride in safety and comfort, in our opinion

Ready to ride?

You know the scenario. The full membership of the Sunday morning chaingang is waiting at the end of the driveway, and you’re still in the garage, frantically pulling on shoes, overshoes and gloves, conducting a last minute check of tyre pressures, thrusting bottles into cages, and twisting your Garmin into place ready to…

Wait. No Garmin. No energy gels, either. And your wallet’s in the living room. The air turns blue. Walking back through the house with your cycling shoes on is more than your life is worth. You collapse into an old deck chair and begin to wrestle with overshoes, resigned to the certainty of a long and potentially fruitless chase back on. By the time you arrive at the cafe, they’ll be leaving.

So how to avoid the crushing feeling of being left behind through your own sheer disorganisation? Starting your preparations earlier will help, but those extra 10 minutes might be monopolised by a significant other with plans for your day, post-ride. A list is the answer, but what to include?

Over the following pages we’ll consider the essential items to include on your ‘ready to ride’ checklist. Without them you’ll be tired, hungry, stranded, lost, or worse. They’re light, easily carried, and will enhance your riding pleasure by at least as much as a carbon wheelset…and cost significantly less than £2,000. Read on our for “ready to ride” essentials, and add your own in the RCUK Forum.