Basil always has a compact shopping bag in his kit, along with these things:
They’re coated wire twist ties. The combination is a different kind of emergency kit, one I deployed on a recent ride when I needed to shed a jacket, and had no place to put it.
I wrapped the jacket in the shopping bag, tied the handles, secured them with the shopping bag’s hook-and-loop fastener, and attached it all to the underside of Basil’s seat with the Gear Ties.
OK, it’s not elegant. Basil looks as if he’s wearing a post-modern bustle. But it worked very well. Utility counts!
These ties are kinder to bike finishes than hard plastic cable ties, reusable, and don’t require scissors for removal.
When the holder for another cyclist’s U-lock broke just as a recent ride started, one of these ties secured the lock to his back rack, solving a the tricky problem of how to carry it. (If he keeps the tie handy, he won’t ever have to depend on a flimsy plastic holder again.)
2 replies on “Better Than Cable Ties”
and where does one find these bike friendly rubber coated twist ties, other than the back of Basil?
In a pinch, Basil will always share, Saul! Basil’s came from several different Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS) stores; I haven’t seen them at REI, but, then, I haven’t looked there either. They might be available at any camping supply place, too, like Dick’s. And I assume that Amazon, overlords of the shopping experience, probably carry them, too.