We are all on some sort of spectrum in life and riders are no different. The racing roadie TENDS to stay firmly in the type-A very organized lane. It is likely that they have not only brought all their gear but possibly an extra set of wheels or a “B” bike – just in case. The dirt rider, on the other hand, tends to be more on the wing-it side of the trail. And yes, there are shaved legged, spandex wearing riders in the bunch – but on the whole – we are more into sending a jump line and who brought the post ride beer over chasing Strava crowns. This all brings me to the CAT5GEAR Cyclist Case. To say this bike briefcase wonder changed my life is probably an overstatement but it has made my ride life waaaay better.

The Cyclist Case is a customizable padded case for all your riding gear. I am able to fit: my helmet, shoes,
gloves, shock pump, tools, chain lube, extra tube and a variety of other misc. items. The design is pretty brilliant with padded sections that attach with velcro allowing you to create your own custom set-up. The zipper runs the length of 3 sides to allow the top to lay flat, making it easy to load and to get your gear out at the trail. The top is mostly heavy duty mesh and mesh is good. Mesh means you can do a quick check to make sure you have your helmet and shoes but also allows for air flow. And, if we are being honest, bike gear can smell less than fresh after a few rides. The air flow allows it all to breathe and thus, dry faster and smell better – win-win.

Along with the movable padded cube walls, there are a couple of handy small zipped mesh pockets and 2 side pockets to hold stuff large and small. The side pockets are designed for water bottles but since I stick to a one bottle per ride regiment, I use the other one to throw in a jersey, vest or whatever random thing I think I need that day. The little mesh pockets on the inside of the case are perfect for some energy gels or bars, your gloves or – the all important – bottle opener for post rider hydration.

It handles anything
Dad jokes aside, it is great to have a top handle grip as well as a shoulder strap. For you gotta-do-it-in-one-trip people, having all your gear in the case and over the shoulder means you can one shot your gear and bike saving precious time and avoiding the “I am running a bit late” text. Sadly, my ride buddies still see this text more often than they should.

This will likely not make you taller, better looking or fasting on trail but I can all but guarantee you will be more organized, efficient and always have your gear for the days shred session.

Over the course of my MTB “career” my basic motto has been: If I can spend money on something new to make my ride better/faster/stronger, I’m in! Or, you could also say, “there’s a sucker born every minute.…” I like trying out new stuff, so I’ve rarely regretted it, though my bank account might have different feelings.

I still get a little giddy in the parking lot before a ride, especially when my friends are there. For me that pre-ride excitement also has the unfortunate side effect of forgetfulness, which means on more than one occasion, I’ve ended up being “that guy” who needs to borrow a tool on the trail. I HATE being that guy.

What I needed, I decided, was a tool to replace the standard issue multi-tool I’d always (sometimes) carried that would live on my bike instead of floating around in the back of my car. And, because the majority of my rides are on our metro trails, it didn’t need to be expedition grade. The basics would cover it.

One word, stealth. EDC stands for Every Day Carry and it’s small enough to fit inside a steerer tube. As small as it is, the EDC Tool System is a fully functioning multi-tool, and OneUp, in their infinite cleverness, took full advantage of its tiny size and developed a way to actually mount it inside the steerer tubethere. EDC stands for Every Day Carry and that’s the beauty of it—once it’s mounted it’s always there. I’ve always tended toward minimalism when it comes to putting stuff on my bike, so being able to have a toolit simultaneously be all but invisible, easily accessible, and functional? Sold, done, bingo, we have a winner!!!

To be fair, it’s not the only stealth option out there now. Syncros has their Matchbox Tailor Cage and now Specialized has their SWAT(™) Conceal Carry MTB Tool. Youand you can still find Industry Nine’s Matchstix if you look around. But at the time of my purchaseI bought it, options were few, and the EDC looked to me like the most elegant solution available.