After my wife's fiasco at our first tri that I posted about, we were later told that just taping over the plug hole with super tape would have been acceptable to the marshalls. Instead we found a spectator with his road bike, a total stranger who was there to watch the tri, and he was kind enough to allow us to borrow his plug for the race.

We (Bikesport, Inc.) provide neutral support to at least 7 multisport events throughout the racing season here in Michigan and one in Northern Ohio.

When we do this we always bring handlebar end plugs, tape and necessary gear to quickly change a flat. When the swim is going on (or the first run in a duathlon) we put two people, ususally myself and O'Donnell or Seth, in the transition area on roving patrol. If we spot a bike with no end plugs, dangling tape or a flat tire, we fix it right then and there before the athlete gets back into the transition area.

The local USAT officials also alert us to any equipment violations they observe in the transition area. Once they pass that information on to us we act on it at once.

It is worth mentioning that USAT officials are not at the race to perform mechanical service for participants. We are. The USAT guys and girls have their hands full just doing their jobs.

We've had to pull some pretty major repairs in the time it takes somebody to swim a half mile. Last year I found a bike in the transition area of a local duathlon with the the rear brake completely disconnected at the cable clamp. When I looked closer, I noticed the bolt was gone. We had to install a new cable (it was terribly frayed) and a clamp bolt, adjust it and test it. The person who owned the bike never knew we even did the work, that is, until they try to stop and it actually worked.

---

Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

That's wonderful Tom. It would be great if that type of support was available at all races.

Don't count on this as being the case everywhere. USAT Offical's procedures state that the bar end must be solidly plugged and that tape is not sufficient. Maybe you'll get by with tape and maybe not but it's not worth the risk or the hassle. Your best bet is to get a couple of extra plugs and leave them in your race bag.

Larry

A while back Slowman opined that it would be a great idea for a race official to have a stash of plugs. Shortly after that at the Pacific Coast Tri there was someone patroling the TA with a big bag-o-plugs. The power of suggestion. I was glad to see it cuz the prior year I got tagged for a missing plug. Now I carry a spare in my save-a-race kit (plug, laces, safety pins, marker, etc.)

At Tupper Lake (NY) all bikes are safety checked on the way in. They have boxes of plugs. If you don't have them they install them. I've heard of people being DQed at other races before they even get on the bicycle. What good does that do for anyone?

---

---------------------------
''Sweeney - you can both crush your AG *and* cruise in dead last!! 😂 '' Murphy's Law

I raced for about 10 years with bare bars and duct tape wrapped around the end instead of plugs.

1. Duct tape never came off.
2. Never died from being impaled.
3. Never got disqualified.

Ross.

Better yet, after decades of production, why can't the manufacturers make a plug that fits the handle bars?