Do you carry a pump, levers & tube at races?

outfox

I've noticed that most racers don't. But what happens if you puncture out at the far side of the circuit? It could be a 10-20 km walk home. Even further if it's just a single loop. Obviously your race is over (unless you've a support car). But you still have to get home.

koutoubia

CramCycle wrote:

If he was causing a danger by forcing riders onto their own side while travelling with them, imagine the danger opposing traffic with an abundance of ignorance would cause (I'll hold the line, no matter a f*ck whats coming the other direction, and there is plenty of that on irish roads).

Sometimes there is a broom wagon or a support car. But if it worries you throw a tube and some co2 into your Jersey.

yop

Nope, wheels into broom wagon

slow

There's nothing in the rules to prevent you from doing so as long as they're secure afaik. A Munster-based St Tiernan's rider always had a 750ml bottle in one cage and pump, levers and tube in a cut off bottle in the other cage. when racing.

It can be dangerous in the back pocket. One former international cyclist sheared the back stays of his brand new bike last season when his pump fell out and went into his back wheel.

outfox

I carry pump and levers in the jersey, and tube stuffed beneath the saddle. It's crossed my mind that pump and levers could do some nice damage to spine and kidneys in a crash. There were some seriously close calls yesterday in Limerick.

harringtonp

In my back pocket I fit a small pump, tube, small mini tool which has 2 levers and another separate lever. Apart from TT's I never race without them. Always have a phone too for reasons outlined by OP.

If you have a team car following then you obviously don't need this. Punctured on the final stage in Ras Mhaigh Eo last weekend and got a wheel from the last car in the small cavalcade. This was driven by a lady following her husband. Not sure if there was a broom wagon but I would have been straight into a repair if she hadn't stopped. Hanging around in cold wet conditions in the middle of the mountains wondering what to do is no fun.

I have done 2 puncture repairs mid race over the last few years. Race was over but at least I got home in a timely fashion.

easygoing39

I always carry a pump,tube and 2 tyre levers when racing.

CramCycle

koutoubia wrote: »

Sometimes there is a broom wagon or a support car. But if it worries you throw a tube and some co2 into your Jersey.

slow wrote: »

There's nothing in the rules to prevent you from doing so as long as they're secure afaik. A Munster-based St Tiernan's rider always had a 750ml bottle in one cage and pump, levers and tube in a cut off bottle in the other cage. when racing.

It can be dangerous in the back pocket. One former international cyclist sheared the back stays of his brand new bike last season when his pump fell out and went into his back wheel.

I always used to carry a tube, pump, few patches, cable ties and a multitool. Might try the stuff in a bottle going forward.

dvntie

One tube a pair of levers a co2 pump and a few gels is what's in my pocket when racing. Nothing worse than the walk of shame when you puncture.

Dazguy2000

Not when I'm racing.

If I'm cycling to the race I'll bring them with me and dump them somewhere during the rate. There is always someone around during the race to give you a lift or wheel if you need it to get you back to the start.

Stevieg2009

Always carry a small co2 pump levers and tube myself

doozerie

I have a small saddlebag on my race bike containing spare tube, levers, self-adhesive patches (in case of more than one puncture, also a reason I favour pump over CO2 cartridges), and a multitool (mostly for the spoke key on it). My pump is attached to my frame at the bottle cage.

I think the only race I punctured in was the Des Hanlon (A4) 2 years ago. There was only one climb left but it's an awful long walk back from there. I was in the front group at the time so the cars that drove past were sticking with their riders as they chased, I wouldn't have expected any of them to stop to help me out given the circumstances. If I'd had to rely entirely on others I suspect I'd have been waiting quite a while at the side of the road.

For me there is no inconvenience with carrying the pump and saddlebag. They are not in my pockets so not getting in the way there, and at my level the extra weight makes no difference whatsoever to my performance either i.e. I wouldn't fare any better without them on my bike.

Inquitus

Stevieg2009 wrote: »

Always carry a small co2 pump levers and tube myself

Same here, in my back pocket.

dragratchet

good thread, I've only ever forgone the pump and tube at a race once and that's when we had a designated support vehicle. otherwise the thought of strolling 20kms in my cleats outweighs the extra weight a pump/tube etc would add.

that said i would love to not have to carry them. in an ideal world a race organizer could brief riders ahead of time and let them know that a broom wagon of sorts would be following the racers.. if that were the case id never carry the stuff again, i love the idea of racing on a bike with nothing hanging off it or anything in my pockets.

harringtonp

doozerie wrote: »

For me there is no inconvenience with carrying the pump and saddlebag. They are not in my pockets so not getting in the way there, and at my level the extra weight makes no difference whatsoever to my performance either i.e. I wouldn't fare any better without them on my bike.

I use to have a small saddle bag (toppeak mini) where i fit everything except phone. Then just moved everything to jersey pocket. Not much of a difference either way.

Lumen

dragratchet wrote: »

good thread, I've only ever forgone the pump and tube at a race once and that's when we had a designated support vehicle. otherwise the thought of strolling 20kms in my cleats outweighs the extra weight a pump/tube etc would add.

We need an app for that.

Something like Hailo but for dropped racing cyclists.

Failo?

harringtonp

Just on this has anybody been ever left stranded ?

Cars all passed, no puncture repair, have to call taxi or friend/family. Perhaps even have to walk into a house and ask for a phone to make a call.

Plastik

Always carry unless there's a support car - so 99% of the time I have them on me. The benefit of having then far outweighs whatever minuscule cost there is by carrying.

Beasty

Road races - yes - only way to ensure I don't puncture. TTs are different as there's nowhere to stash them in a skinsuit. Only time I've ever punctured in a race was half an hour into a 50 mile TT. Was an 8km walk back to the start (at least I could then watch some of the other guys finishing)

Raam

harringtonp wrote: »

Just on this has anybody been ever left stranded ?

Cars all passed, no puncture repair, have to call taxi or friend/family. Perhaps even have to walk into a house and ask for a phone to make a call.

I had a nice lady from a local house bring me out a track pump once after I punctured out of a race.

CramCycle

Beasty wrote: »

Road races - yes - only way to ensure I don't puncture. TTs are different as there's nowhere to stash them in a skinsuit. Only time I've ever punctured in a race was half an hour into a 50 mile TT. Was an 8km walk back to the start (at least I could then watch some of the other guys finishing)

I am no math-a-magician, and I don't want to be insulting, but are you sure you weren't walking before you punctured :pac:

doozerie

harringtonp wrote: »

I use to have a small saddle bag (toppeak mini) where i fit everything except phone. Then just moved everything to jersey pocket. Not much of a difference either way.

I don't like having stuff in my pockets on the bike, although it's generally unavoidable - when the stuff is not digging into either a boney or fleshy part of me it's dragging the jersey off in one direction or another and generally getting on my wick.

It's not OCD or anything, but a jersey must be straight. AT ALL TIMES! *twitch*

Beasty

CramCycle wrote: »

I am no math-a-magician, and I don't want to be insulting, but are you sure you weren't walking before you punctured :pac:

I am a mathematician so here goes....

It was the Moy Valley vets TT course. 2 x 25 - out westwards then back past the start to Enfield then back again to the start before doing the same again and a bit more. Was on my way back to the start for the 1st time (maybe 7-8 miles in so probably a bit less than half an hour, perhaps 5 miles to get back)

Thought of waiting for a marshal to head back but realised that would be at least another couple of hours anyway.

morana

most races are on circuits. most circuits are less than 20km so the max distance you could be is 10km away from the start/finish. thats a handy distance to rim it back.

races like ras naomh finnan we would usually have a car following.

dont tell me you modern cyclists have lost the art of rimming?????

doozerie

morana wrote: »

dont tell me you modern cyclists have lost the art of rimming?????

I like my rims, riding with them pretty much directly on Irish tarmac/wheres-the-tarmac has no appeal whatsoever. I'd have to fill my pockets with fluffy kittens which I could strip to the rim in those circumstances, which brings us full circle.

CramCycle

morana wrote: »

dont tell me you modern cyclists have lost the art of rimming?????

Was never really my cup of tea but I know a few friends who seem to enjoy it.

equivariant

doozerie wrote: »

I don't like having stuff in my pockets on the bike, although it's generally unavoidable - when the stuff is not digging into either a boney or fleshy part of me it's dragging the jersey off in one direction or another and generally getting on my wick.

It's not OCD or anything, but a jersey must be straight. AT ALL TIMES! *twitch*

I agree about the jersey. However, it is equally important that a seatpost/saddle must not be desecrated with a bag AT ANY TIME! - but particularly during a race, when etiquette and appearance are most important.

daragh_

morana wrote: »

dont tell me you modern cyclists have lost the art of rimming?????

If you are new to cycling and curious about rimming I suggest you wait until you get home before you Google that. :pac:

I was very proud of myself the other night - managed to get all the way from Dundrum to Dun Laoghaire on a flat. I actually had a spare tube - just wanted to see how long I could go.

Normally I stick everything in my second bottle for races. But then all the races I do are pretty short and don't require 2 bottles.

doozerie

daragh_ wrote: »

Normally I stick everything in my second bottle for races. But then all the races I do are pretty short and don't require 2 bottles.

A gentleman *always* requires 2 bottles. A white one to accompany fish gels, and a red one to accompany red meat gels.

dermabrasion

If there is no broom wagon, there is always the ambulance. Of course, you will have to do one if it is called.

harringtonp

dermabrasion wrote: »

If there is no broom wagon, there is always the ambulance. Of course, you will have to do one if it is called.

Is there always an ambulance ?

CramCycle

harringtonp wrote: »

Is there always an ambulance ?

There should be

outfox

CramCycle wrote: »

There should be

Maybe one could put pump, tube and levers into ambulance prior to race? Like on a shelf next to the defibrillator or something.

MediaMan

GCN has the answer.