spare tire and pump - Triathlon Week

adidas82 · 05-08-2006, 11:55 AM

When I train on my bike I always have it loaded down with gear, i.e. my hand pump, seat pack, with spare tire, etc. Is it a good idea to leave this stuff on my bike as I race? Or will someone come pick me up if I get a flat tire?

sfricks · 05-08-2006, 03:19 PM

Most races have a "sag wagon" but I prefer to be independant. On longer races (Olympic & 70.3) I carry one folded tire, two tubes, two tire levers, a patch kit, 2 16g CO2 cartridges and a Power Inflator head. All but the tire fits into a very small & compact flat pack that I sick in a behind-the-seat water bottle holder. For IM 140.6 races I do the same plus put extra tires, tubes & CO2 in the bike special needs bag.

In a sprint, I bundle one tube, two tire levers, one CO2 cartridge (with inflator head attached) and tape that with electrical tape (or a good velcro tie) around the back of the seat post. The idea being 2 flats will pretty much take me completely out of the race.

HTH.

adidas82 · 05-09-2006, 05:43 AM

cool... i havn't messed around with the CO2 cartridges yet, but maybe once I get a few more sprints under my belt (and some more money!!!) I'll give those a shot.

sfricks · 05-09-2006, 04:15 PM

Co2 dispensers are relatively cheap, check out [Only registered and activated users can see links. ].

Good luck,

tri4cura · 05-10-2006, 02:59 PM

I carry with me a CO2 disp. in fact today on my way to work I had a flat< I then called the road department and ask if they could sweep the bike lanes. But I'm finding that after I fix a flat and inflate it with CO2 it deflates after a while. So when I saw this thread I checked it out. I'm looking at get a frame pump so I don't have to reinflate the tire down the road. Any suggestion on pumps would be great. I'm wondering if the pump should have a pressure gauge on it or not?
Later

Spike10 · 05-11-2006, 08:48 PM

I carry a "Work Force" pump on my frame and it's real close to one pump per psi, so if you start with a empty tube and you need 100 psi then 100 pumps will do you until you can get to an air compressor with a guage on it. I haven't tried CO2, it seems efficient but my pump will never run out of air as long as my arms still work after the swim:)
Good Luck
Spike.

sfricks · 05-12-2006, 09:04 AM

Well... there's always the risk vs. reward of CO2 vs. pump. My position on the issue remains time and speed. You will race exactly like you practice so forget the training ride argument. Do it the same way all the time and you'll do it that way on race day.

As for CO2, I've never had a problem. When you dismount the tire you need to check the source of the flat. Tires won't go flat by themselves so typically it's a puncture. In this case, inspect the outside of the tire for obvious signs of damage. Even a small hole in the tire casing can let the tire "bubble" through. If there's ever a question, put a patch on it or use a dollar bill on the inside between the tire and tube. The dollar bill trick will even work on large holes and even slaches. Then run your fingers along the inside of the tire casing. Do this twice. Once easy and once hard. Why easy? I'd be happy to show you the scar on the end of my finger from a piece of wire I picked up one day :). When the tire's all clear, partially inflate the tube with your mouth and reinstall it in the tire. A neat trick I picked up recently is to place each new tube in a baggie full of baby powder and shake well to cover the tube. Store the baggies with tubes in your flat pack. Use this trick before mounting any new tube as well. This goes a long way towards preventing pinch flats. KNOCK ON WOOD, after trying this trick I haven't had a pinch flat in over a year. I use the longer stem tubes because it makes it easier to hold and inflate with a CO2 dispensor. Forget screwing the retention nut down on these types of tubes. It's just an extra step to get on and off when time counts. For that matter, forget the valve cap. I've found the easy way to tell a pro rider from a novice is to look at their valve stems. Pros won't have caps :) OK... new tube is in. Activate your dispensor (typically by screwing it in) and put it on the valve stem. Lock it on and press the release trigger. One, two... Done. A 16g canister gives me about 140 psi in the 700c ties I ride. 12g gives about 100.

NOW... all that said... I do also have a Crank Brothers pump. The CB pump has a guage and most importantly, two settings that allows higher volume per stroke or easier stroke with lower volume/per. Because I ride high pressure tires (150 psi) a frame pump would normally break my arms.

Now... I RARELY carry the pump around on a ride. I usually just use it when I travel (no CO2 on the planes). If I were commuting, perhaps I'd consider riding with it. I do however ride with my cell phone "just-in-case". It's bailed me out of more than a flat tire.