kit to carry whilst xc racing?

Pagem
Pagem Posts: 244
edited August 2007 in XC and Enduro
hi all,

just wondering what kit people take with them when they race xc. i've never raced one before but have one coming up in a few weeks. i've noticed alot of the elites have what looks like a C02 pump taped to their seat post. is this correct? what else do they tend to take? is it really worth the hassle? when i road race, if you puncture, there's little chance of getting back on unless you have neutral service and can grab a spare wheel or you're doing a crit and can take a lap out.

any help/advice/tips much appreciated.
Only the meek get pinched. The bold survive.

Comments

  • think180
    think180 Posts: 36
    I generally carry a multitool, some of that tyre-weld foam stuff and self adhesive patches on short course XC races (8km laps).
    For something longer 50km I'll also carry inner tubes.

    As you say for a 1-1.5 hr race the time lost for repairs can be significant, but never say die.
    my bikes, look and laugh.
  • passout
    passout Posts: 4,425
    I'd carry a multitool, self adhesive patches, pump, tyre levels and 1 spare tube.
    'Happiness serves hardly any other purpose than to make unhappiness possible' Marcel Proust.
  • Marantz
    Marantz Posts: 32
    The spare tube is the important one for me. Whack it in and off you go, but never panic about changing something as rushing tends to always help things go wrong. Anyway the more riders that pass you when you have a problem just means the more fun you'll have realing them back in once you are fixed and ready to go :D
  • therookie_31
    therookie_31 Posts: 24
    I tape a CO2 pump with two catridges on my seatpost, bring a multitool, a tube, tire levers and some food and gels.
    "someone is training when you are not. when you race him, he will win."
  • me-109
    me-109 Posts: 1,915
    As you say, in road racing you're pretty much stuffed if you have to replace a tube. With XC I'd reckon that's pretty much also the case - at least if you are in contention for a win/placing and are not just riding round to finish.

    Having only ever done two XC races (a long time ago) I'd not rate myself as an authority, but suggest you consider tubeless tyres/kits as an option to reduce the chance of a race-stopping puncture. There's many an argument already over weight considerations (heavier tyres versus tyre plus tube plus spares?) to drag them all up here - trawl the forums for advice. I don't use them myself but then I don't race so having to do a trailside repair is just an inconvenience and not required for a long time (he says finding some wood to touch), but were I racing they would definitely be a consideration.

    Outside of that, surely it's only fluids and maybe a multi-tool for minor tweaks?

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