The Peanut Butter Jar

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Someone left a comment yesterday about jar behind Trudi’s seat in one of the photos. (It always amazes me what people notice.) It’s a peanut butter jar. I’m not sure when we started using peanut butter jars instead of seat bags. It was a long, long time ago. I think my brother Kris originally came up with the idea. I started using them because I was so tired of all my stuff getting all destroyed from mud and such getting thrown up on my seat bag from my rear wheel. Nothing like opening up your seat bag and have your multi-tool all rusted up and everything else a mess.

So, we started using peanut butter jars. They are all pretty much the same size and fit perfectly into a bottle cage. Recently, I’ve been using two bottles riding in this 100+ degree heat, so I put mine behind my seat. It doesn’t work that well without putting some Gorilla tape around it, cutting a slit into the tape to hold the jar. I use a Binda toe strap, threaded through the tape, to secure the jar. If you don’t use the tape, then you have to really cinch the jar down, sometimes crushing it somewhat. It will work for a while, but the tape is better.

I was considering trying take this jar idea commercial a few years ago. A jar with a tube, multi-tool, etc., but it’s just a peanut butter jar. And the lids of peanut butter jars already come in quite a selection of colors, depending on what brand you buy. I think I saw a water bottle shaped thing a few years ago that kind of did the same thing. It didn’t seem to catch on. I don’t see why, they work absolutely great.

Anyway, here are a few photos of my peanut butter jar. You can stuff quite a bit into one.

Fits pretty good behind your seat.

Fits perfectly in a bottle cage.

This is what I’m carrying in my jar currently. Way more than a standard size seat bag. Pretty much the normal stuff, the folded number is for booting a cut. I just started carrying a patch kit and have used it nearly daily for the past week. I have no idea why that happens.

It all fits into the jar pretty easily.

And in a clutch, you can put the contents of you jar into you pocket and put your phone (an iPhone fits perfectly) into the jar to keep it dry if you happen to get caught in the rain.

14 thoughts on “The Peanut Butter Jar”

  3. ryan

    I use one for my commuter as well as on mountain. Down fall of mountain is if you use the tube everything bounces around and becomes annoying. I used on for a while with a triathlon single mount under my seat. Great for road not so great for mountain due to constant vibration. Love it though

     
  4. Bill K

    Good idea. I might try it. I’ve got an old white Binda strap that I usually use to hold my “pit” wheels together. The PB jar looks a lot less dorky than a seat bag.
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  6. Gummee!

    I’ve had one of those PB jars on my mtn bike for years. Holds a tube, some other minor stuff, and stays in the bottle cage. I mtn bike with a Camelbak, so I don’t need the bottle cage.

    One of the shops I worked for had a NiteRider repair kit (aka water bottle battery pack) that was empty, so my road kit is all kinds of fancy, but it was still free.

    Onya for ‘breaking the rules.’

    M

     
  7. Jim

    I have used two water bottles, cut in “half” and slid together, for years but I like this idea better. I could never carry mine under the seat without crushing it.
    This will be made tomorrow.
    Thanx for the idea.

     
  8. Veloloser

    Instead of the old toe clip straps get some “voile straps”. We use them in winter to hold skis together when carrying them on a pack.

     
  10. Fergie

    A tip I picked up years ago(not sure who/where), that I still use is; put your spare tube in a healthy plastic bag to keep the tube from getting chaffed hole from other items in the bag/jar. – I have seen some guys Talc powder the bag as well-not a bad idea.

    Something I recently discovered- gotta check/replace your glue in the patch kit a number of times a year-those suckers dry up.

    Where can I find just tubes of vulcanizing glue?..always end up with plenty-o patches.

     
  12. SalRuibal

    I keep everything from banging around inside there by wrapping it all in a shop rag secured with tube sections cut from old tires. The rag comes in handy.

     
  13. Wildcat

    I have a standard seat wedge bag. I just put everything in a zip-lock bag. Almost like a liner for the wedge.

     

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