Carrying extra tubes and tools when you race?

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2005-02-08 3:42 PM

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Pro
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Subject: Carrying extra tubes and tools when you race?
Who carries tubes and tools when they race? I've always just figured if you flat in a race then your day's over. I guess it would be reasonable to make a change in a 1/2 IM or IM but does anyone bother for Oly distance or shorter?

2005-02-08 3:49 PM
in reply to: #114540

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Champion
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Ottawa, Ontario
Subject: RE: Carrying extra tubes and tools when you race?
I always carry spare tubes and tire irons in my jersey back pocket along with a mini pump attached to my aero bar.  It may tack an extra 5 minutes to my overall time but at least I will finish the triathlon. 
2005-02-08 3:50 PM
in reply to: #114540

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Champion
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Two seat rocket plane
Subject: RE: Carrying extra tubes and tools when you race?
I guess it comes from MTb racing, but I carry tube/tools and inflation device on every ride, including tri's I can change a flat in about 3 minutes (really fast folks can do it in about 1:30). I might lose a couple of places, but my day's not over by a long shot.
As a matter of fact I flatted in my first sprint tri and still managed to finish MOP.
That said, in a road race, I'll have spare wheels in the wheel truck to save weight, and to hopefully speed up the process, but in a typical circuit race around here a flat is going to get you dropped so much that there is no chance of rejoining the pack.
Why would you NOT fix a flat in a tri though? You aren't going to get  left by the pack, sure you won't do as well as you would w/o the flat, but press on anyway.
Maybe I'm just weird.

my deja is getting all vu'ed on this thread for some reason??
2005-02-08 4:03 PM
in reply to: #114540

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Expert
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Potomac, Maryland
Subject: RE: Carrying extra tubes and tools when you race?
I carry them in all my races.  I agree that the longer the race, the more essential those extras become. 
2005-02-08 4:46 PM
in reply to: #114540

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Resident Curmudgeon
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Subject: RE: Carrying extra tubes and tools when you race?

I carry the tube, levers, CO2 when I race. Haven't flatted yet, so maybe it's like carrying an umbrella when there's a threat of rain: as long as you have it, it won't rain, but leave it in the car and you'll be stranded in a downpour.

As far as "if you flat in a race then your day's over," we've had that discussion before and I just couldn't see "not finishing," especially because of a minor, repairable problem such as a flat tire. It may me knock me off of the age-group podium (yeah, right) but it won't keep me from finishing. What's the alternative, waiting an hour or so until the sag vehicle makes it around to you?

2005-02-08 5:11 PM
in reply to: #114540

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Elite
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Subject: RE: Carrying extra tubes and tools when you race?

LOL, we had this discussion about 5 weeks ago.

I don't carry anything in sprint races and some Olympic races.

If I do carry stuff, I carry 2 tire levers, 2 co2 cartriges, spare tube, (and a patch kit on a 1/2 IM course.)

I ALWAYS have about 10" of 1" wide duct tape wrapped around my seatpost.

2005-02-08 5:13 PM
in reply to: #114540

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Veteran
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Atlanta
Subject: RE: Carrying extra tubes and tools when you race?
2 minutes to change a tube and I'm back on the road. Hell yes it's worth it, even in a sprint. No DNF's for that.
2005-02-08 5:17 PM
in reply to: #114540

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Regular
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Illinois
Subject: RE: Carrying extra tubes and tools when you race?
Yeah I carry them - DNF sucks too much. So would what could amount to a several-mile walk back to the transition depending on where on the course you go flat and how many support vehicles the race has. Plus the extra couple of ounces of equipment are hardly noticeable when riding.
2005-02-08 5:31 PM
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SF soon!
Subject: RE: Carrying extra tubes and tools when you race?
I carry spare tubes, tools, a CO2 inflator and some cartridges. I've had friends who've had to change flat tires during Olys and Half IMs.
2005-02-08 5:45 PM
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molto veloce mama
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Subject: RE: Carrying extra tubes and tools when you race?
a carry a spare tube, tire irons, small crank bros. pump, and a patch kit. its always on my bike anyway, so its there when i race. even in a sprint, its better to take 3 minutes to change a flat than it is to dnf. just my opinion.
2005-02-08 5:51 PM
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Pro
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Helena, MT
Subject: RE: Carrying extra tubes and tools when you race?
I paid sixty-five bucks to race. I'll be damned if a little flat is gonna waste that much of my money. Plus finishing is fun and I imagine not finishing kinda sucks.


2005-02-08 5:51 PM
in reply to: #114540

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molto veloce mama
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Subject: RE: Carrying extra tubes and tools when you race?
dp

Edited by autumn 2005-02-08 5:51 PM
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