How To Carry Bear Spray On Bike?

Do you like to bike through the woods? Then it is better to be prepared for an encounter with bears.

An unfortunate encounter with a bear could cost you your life. You might be in excellent form but it is not always possible to outrun a bear on a bicycle. That leaves bear spray as one of the most effective ways to protect yourself from bear attacks.

In this article, I will discuss the importance of carrying bear spray and how to bring it with you on your bike. I will also go over the four ways you can carry bear spray on your bike.

Now let’s get into some of the methods you can use to carry bear spray on a bike.

Why You Should Carry a Bear Spray on Bike?

Did you know that the smell strength of a bear is about seven times stronger than that of a dog?

The bear spray that cyclists use to fend off the bears in the wood in order to protect themselves from bear attacks contains chili peppers, 2 percent of capsaicin, and many more components that we usually see in regular pepper sprays.

When we push the trigger of the spray can, the spray mixture travels to approximately 25 to 35 feet. This mixture causes a burning and harsh reaction to the eyes, mouth, and nose of the bear and temporarily irritates these parts. And due to the smell strength being this strong in bears, it is very painful for them when the spray mixture gets into their nose.

How To Carry Bear Spray On A Bike?

There are several ways of carrying bear spray on a bike while riding. Choose one depending on your preference and keep in mind you also use these methods to carry your dog repellent.

Carry Bear Spray In A Holster

Experts often recommend that cyclists should carry bear sprays on their person. This makes it easier for the cyclist to grab the bear spray when needed, and there is no way of losing it in time of an emergency. The best position of carrying a bear spray on a bicycle is to put it in a holster that is attached to the chest or the back of the rider.

However, you must make sure that the position of the holster does not cause any sort of disturbance in the pedaling of the cyclist. If you are traveling into the woods as a group, make sure that each and every person has their own bear spray and are ready in case there is a bear attack.

You can also carry the bear spray on a holster that is attached to the hip of the rider. This makes it easier to carry the spray and use it when the need arises.

Attach The Bear Spray To Your Bicycle

Many people are not fond of the idea of attaching bear spray to their bodies. The reason behind this is that they do not like carrying extra weight on their body while riding a bike. In this case, cyclists can carry the bear spray by attaching it to their bicycles.

The majority of bikes nowadays come with a bottle carrier; you can put the bear spray there. Or you can put the spray bottle in a pouch that you can reach easily and immediately.

We have seen a lot of people put bear spray in their cycling backpacks. This not only slows down the process of reaching the spray bottle but also gives the bear more time to attack you. Thus, you need to place the spray can in such a position that you can reach it within mere seconds.

However, the best method we suggest for carrying bear spray is to put it in a holster and attach it to the body.

Attach The Bear Spray To The External Pocket Of Your Backpack

The many cyclists riding in the woods wear mountain bike backpacks. A backpack makes it more convenient to carry essential things while cycling. If you are carrying bear spray with you, then you can attach it to the external pocket of your backpack.

However, putting the bear spray inside your backpack will slow things down when you have to use it, and thus, the bear will get more time to initiate an attack on you.

If you attach it to the external pocket, then it stays within your reach. You can easily grab it within just a few seconds and take it out without having to move a lot.

While attaching the bear spray, make sure that you attach it securely. So, it does not fall down while you are cycling. This can put you in huge trouble if you cannot find it in time when you are in need of it.

Attach The Bear Spray To The Belt Loops Of Your Pants

Another great way of carrying bear spray while cycling is to attach the bottle to the belt loops of your pant.

This method allows you to keep the bear spray within your reach and you can easily pull it out when you spot a bear.

Do not forget to make sure that the bear spray has been attached securely. It is better to attach the bottle to a belt loop on the side of your hip, so that is does not interfere with your cycling.

However, the only downside with this method is that it often collides with the body and can distract the rider while cycling.

Final Words

Protecting yourself from bear attacks in the woods is not easy for a cyclist, so it is a key to survival if you are able to learn how to carry bear spray on a bike. The bear spray contains chili peppers and capsaicin, which irritate the eyes, mouth, and nose of the bear and cause temporary discomfort.

You can carry bear spray by attaching the spray to the bicycle or placing it in an external pocket of a backpack. The method I prefer is to use a holster attached to the body, as you can easily take out the bear spray that way.

You should make sure the spray is attached securely so that it doesn’t fall off while you are on the bumpy roads of the wilderness.