What happens if you get a flat during a race?

You either carry a repair kit with you and fix it yourself or walk back to Transition and DNF.

For sprints, there usually isn't anyone on the course for that. Some OLY length ones have a SAG van that'll drive around though.
HIM and IM have bike support but you have to wait until they get to you to help.

Most (90%+) people carry a tube change kit of some sort on their bikes. Mine consists of:
1 tube with an appropriate length valve
3 tire levers
3 tire boots (thick pieces of plastic in case the tire itself is cut with glass)
2 CO2 bottles
1 CO2 inflation nozzle

That all fits easily into an under the seat bag and goes with me on training rides as well as race rides. Training I generally also carry a cell and my RoadID dog tag.

Welcome to tri and good luck! I also came through the marathon route

You need to learn how to change a flat. Guaranteed, at some point training or racing, you will get a flat, and you'll need to fix it. Sometimes you'll get a sympathetic person during a race who will stop and help (but, really, they should just be doing their own race), some races have sag wagons (kind of like bike ambulances, but many races don't have them, or it could be a LONG time before they get to you), and if you're out on your own on a training ride, maybe you can cell phone a friend or hubby to come get you, but .... in every scenario, just knowing how to fix the flat yourself is much better and will take less time.

You'll need a couple of extra tubes, some CO2 cartridges (or a frame pump), tire levers, a patch kit, and a saddle bag to put them all in and strap to the seat on your bike in case you get a flat during a training ride or the race.

Of course, that means you need a bike to practice on. You can indeed practice on your own bike by letting the air out of the tube, and then treating it as if it's a flat. (I don't, because I'm weird, and I hate messing with a perfectly good bike).

What you can do is buy all that stuff at a nice bike shop, and come in when they're not too busy (call ahead) and usually if you are really really nice to the bike mechanics (I highly suggest doughnuts) they will walk you through changing a flat--often they have beater bikes lying around you can practice on.

Here's a great article on BT with pics on how to change a flat tyre:
http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=1564

For sprints, olys, and TTs, I take a DNF, as I don't carry a repair kit and a spare. For longer rides, I would either carry a spare or Pit Stop (like Fix a Flat sealant and inflator).

You are on your own if you flat, so if you want to keep going, you'll need to carry stuff.

I can (and have) fix or change flats, and I have a flat repair kit in my little bag--was wondering more than anything about the air. I have a frame pump that I take out with me but don't want to take it for the race because it's just one more thing to schlep along.

For whatever reason had not thought of the CO2 cartridges. Ooop!

Edited by GMM 2009-07-29 9:48 AM

It happened to me this past weekend in an Oly distance race. I didnt bring a kit thinking thinking that a flat would ruin my time anyway, so why bother trying to fix it. I said this on the thread for the race the other day, but the best reason to fix it is the LONG walk back to transition!

Yeah, I leaned my lesson. I'll bring a kit (like the ones suggested above) for all races.

I would recommend practicing on your own bike (with raceday wheels) because various rim/tire combos can be TOTALLY different when it comes to getting that tire back on the rim. My tri wheels are easy and my road setup is a nightmare.

After much experience I can usu. change a flat in under 3min.  Even if it takes double that, you can make your own judgment re- "fix & finish" vs DNF in any particular event.  But as was said- it can be a LONG walk back to transition area.  Plenty of reason to carry supplies.

Do a search on  forums.roadbikereview.com & get some good ideas about what experienced cyclists carry on training rides.

don't take all the equipment,, it's a race !!!!!

just clothes line someone off their bike and finish on their bike.. (of course make sure the fit is good and it's the same cleats)

it's takes me 4-5 min to change a flat,,  I can knock someone else off thier bike, jump on and be back up to speed in under 20 sec..

IT"S A RACE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
please really don't do that

That would be turning the bike portion of triathlons into a full contact sport ( some say swimming already is). Next thing you know there will be a training video on the the best way hijack a bike.

requesting a training vid on bike hijack....

the neighbor kid has  a sweet bmx bike,,, I'll see if he will unknowingly volunteer & let me film it   want to do it as a you tube project

Edited by Gaarryy 2009-07-29 11:55 AM

I was just going to post this very same thing. I worked at a bike shop for 5-6 years in HS and college and no two tires and wheels are really alike. Most BMX and mtb tires just fall off the rims if you look at them funny. Other road tires would take 2-3 of us sometimes to get them on right without damaging anything. Just different width tires that are the same make and model can be different. My current tires on my bike I can peel off with no levers, but whatever they get replaced with before the first race (since they are a few years old and a little hard) I will make sure after I mount them I check to see what it takes to dismount them and if I will need levers or not.


Also just take the extra couple of seconds to make sure the tube isn't pinched under the edge of the tire between the rim. Nothing worse then changing a flat thinking you got it all good going 20 feet and getting another one. And very very common when in a hurry.

I actually ordered a new seat bag and some spare tubes last night (probably have 10 in various places I can't find), place I was getting it from didn't have any c02 inflators so I'll just swing by some place local to get them. I've been nervous on all my rides so far since I don't really have anyone within an hour to call when I am out riding.

Fiance of one of my GFs coworkers has a side job doing funny skit videos.. I may have to suggest this next time I see them.

I took a class to learn how to change a flat and many other bike things. It made me crazy that the instructor would mess up my brand new tires or breaks or derailleur or chain and then I had to fix it! But I learned a lot and it was great!

On my one and only tri, I carried all to change a flat, but honestly, I also carried my phone and would have called my husband to come and get me. 

Thanks for the replies, everyone. Like I said, I do know how to change a flat (in fact, I'm pretty good at it!). But for whatever reason my brain had just utterly forgotten about the existence of CO2 containers.