First Aid Kits

Any cyclist knows that it is possible for a bike accident to occur. These can result in small injuries like scrapes and bruises that aren't enough to cancel a ride for severity but can ruin the fun if they become messy or painful. Because of this possibility, it is important to carry a bicycle first aid kit that can cover the basics. These can be purchased in a store or put together by the cyclist.

Any good cycling first aid kit should be extremely lightweight and small enough to stuff into a camel bak or small compartment on a bike. For this reason, if a commercial one is purchased, it should be sized down and taken out of the heavy plastic case. The supplies can be re-sorted into snack size zippable bags. This prevents the supplies that aren't in a package from getting ruined and also keeps everything together in one space.

A good first aid kit should include:

1. Bandaids in a variety of sizes and shapes. Some important shapes include fingertip, toetip, butterfly, some large squares to cover bigger scrapes, knuckle sized bandaids, and ordinary ones

2. Tylenol for use when a headache pops up. A minimum of two pills are needed for a good first aid kit

3. Advil in the event of any swelling. For swelling, 4 pills are needed while 2 are good for pain killing

4. Neosporin, hydrocortisone, and some sort of an antihistamine are great for treating all maner of wounds

5. Anti nausea medication for those riding in higher altitudes

6. A small roll of gauze and something to secure it to the skin

For people who bike in all weather, including winter, it can be very important to have some anti-hypotheria gear handy. The goal is not just to stay warm and dry but to prevent death in the event of a broken leg. A hypothermia blanket is extremely light and folds up into a tiny package. It's also a good idea to have a meal or protein bar in the pack just in case something happens and a ride ends up taking a lot longer than expected.