This is more for the time trialists - what is the best spray adhesive for sticking the number to your back? I’ve been using pins up until now, but I finally wore a hole in my skinsuit. So enough of that.
Also, can you do it yourself or do you need someone to assist you? How reliable is it? Do you ever have problems with it staying on during a race?
Mike
I use 3M 77 spray glue plus 4 pins - usually. It helps to have someone attached the number for you (however, my wife attached it for last night’s race and she attached it upside down creating a last minute change at the start line - not the first time she’s attached up upside down).
I think number pinning is one of those things that need to improve. I hate safety pins - time consuming, holes in delicate skinsuits, difficult to get lying flat, etc., and glue is nice but it doesn’t always stick well to skinsuits over sweaty bodies - peels on edges, etc.
I really wish we had a company like NoPinz in the USA where you can send in your skinsuit to have a permanant “aero” pocket attached for numbers to slip in to, or all-in-all a better system for number attachment.
I volunteer as a “spotter” for the KHMTT race series in Denver, the person who calls in race numbers near the finish line. It’s amazing how many racers attach their numbers wrong or in ways that make then difficult to read. There’s got be be a better way!
OK, rant over.
This is more for the time trialists - what is the best spray adhesive for sticking the number to your back? I’ve been using pins up until now, but I finally wore a hole in my skinsuit. So enough of that.
Also, can you do it yourself or do you need someone to assist you? How reliable is it? Do you ever have problems with it staying on during a race?
I’ve been using this Loctite spray. But it hasn’t been that great, so I’m curious to see what the consensus is. I’ve hard 3M Super 77 is good.
I’ve done it both myself, and have had people do it while the suit is on. Both work, but the latter is better if someone is available. Quicker, more likely to get a good result.
I’ve never had the number come off. But I still use at least 4 pins at the corners. I think that’s necessary by rule as well to prevent the wind prying up a corner. I get the feeling that once the wind finds a crack, things could unravel quickly. The glue isn’t that strong. I believe USAC rules require pins as well?
Glue has its own downsides. Residue (at least for my Loctite spray) remains in the fabric forever. Which isn’t the end of the world - but you have to decide if having a perpetually sticky skinsuit is worse than the occasional hole from pins.
3M 77
I’ve used it for cx, crits, road races, and time trials. I’ve even left numbers glued on and washed my cx kit in the washing machine.
The 3M 74 is even tougher. No need for pins with that stuff! The Goo Gone will remove the old glue, but I am lazy so I just wash my skinsuit and don’t worry about how nice it looks.
If you have worn holes in your suit, you could try a NoPinz suit as a replacement. The number pocket works as advertised and it is one less hassle to deal with.
This is more for the time trialists - what is the best spray adhesive for sticking the number to your back? I’ve been using pins up until now, but I finally wore a hole in my skinsuit. So enough of that.
Also, can you do it yourself or do you need someone to assist you? How reliable is it? Do you ever have problems with it staying on during a race?
Mike
My dear wife has used Super 77 dozens of times in triathlons even on jerseys worn under a wet suit. We’re talking for half and whole IMs. It’s never been the least bit of a problem. No pins have ever been used either.
YMMV,
Hugh
I have used both spray adhesive and tapes, and found both have advantages and disadvantages. 3M Super 77 works well but if you apply to much or put it on to soon, you will have a hard time removing the adhesive residue from the cloth of your skin suit. If you race in an area with lower humidity, you might consider using transparent shipping label envelopes or fabric tape like Singer 3/4 inch Instant Bond Double-Sided Fabric Tape and RacerTape.
I’ve used magnets instead of pins for racing cyclocross. They are a little bit of a pain to use, but you don’t have to poke holes in your jersey/skinsuit. http://www.racedots.com/#intro
A company in Boulder was selling magnetic pins that would not put a hole in your skinsuit. Racedots?
If you have worn holes in your suit, you could try a NoPinz suit as a replacement. The number pocket works as advertised and it is one less hassle to deal with.
Maybe in CO they let you put your number in the appropriate place, but for some reason the officials in NM require the number on the upper right part of the back. I asked at a TT this spring and they wouldn’t budge. I didn’t want to attach to the delicate mesh on my new BP3. It’s fragile and adhesive doesn’t stick worth a damn.
Here is all you need to know:
(1) Buy 3M Super 77 and Goo Gone.
(2) Put on your speedsuit.
(3) Crumple your number, then straighten it out. The crumpling will help the number conform to the shape of your body better than a flat sheet of paper.
(4) BEFORE warming up (when your speedsuit might get sweaty), spray your number with the 3M Super 77. Find some concrete and a spot where it’s not too windy. Make sure to spray it nice and good, and make sure you get the glue all the way to the edges. There will be overspray, so factor that into the location you choose.
(5) Let the number sit for 1 minute to allow the glue to tack up a bit.
(6) Pay attention to which side is up and slap the number on where you want it. You should be able to do this by yourself, but if you have someone to assist, even easier.
(7) Push down on the number nice and good, making sure the edges are glued nice and tight to your speedsuit.
(8) Let dry a little bit more before you start your warm-up. Five minutes should be plenty.
(9) After your race, take your speedsuit off and when you’re ready to wash it, slowly remove the number from your speedsuit.
(10) The speedsuit will have glue residue where your number used to be. Lay that area out flat and spray it with a generous helping of Goo Gone.
(11) Leave the Goo Gone to dissolve the glue for 5 minutes or so, then wash your speedsuit. We have a no-agitator washing machine, so mine goes right in there and comes out just fine, but otherwise wash your speedsuit as you normally would.
(12) As others have noted, you can skip steps (10) and (11) if you don’t care what your speedsuit looks like when there is no number there. In particular, if you only use your speedsuit for racing, then you will always have a number on it, right? So in that case, consider the glue residue something like glue residue on a tubular wheel - it provides a nice base layer for the next number you glue on!
In practice, this becomes super simple and is waaay faster than pinning your number and will of course eliminate the pinholes in your speedsuit problem.
I use the 3M 77.
There is technique involved here. I spray the number but not too much, let it get a bit tacky and then apply. If you apply it soaking wet the glue goes right through the suit.
Removing the glue is also no problem. I have a Pear Tri Octane and a Borah skin suit. I use WD-40 to remove the adhesive. Spray with WD-40, let sit a few seconds and rub in by hand. Remove the best I can by hand with Dawn dish soap. Then wash by hand as needed. My suits both look new and generally have a bit of WD-40 aroma which is nice…lol. I’ve found Goo Gone doesn’t touch the adhesive.
I’ve probably got 15 uses on my Borah skin suit now doing this without issues.
For cycling, we always had someone do it for us, usually while warming up on the trainer, with hands in the drops so that that the jersey is stretched out to the most likely position you’ll be in when racing.
I’m not sure what the rules are, but I’ve seen plenty of USACycling officials insist on four safety pins in addition to glue. Some don’t insist on it. I’ve never seen a number glued right fall off.
A lot of TTs only require the number to be on the bike, most likely because a bike exchange is often not an option in a TT.
I have used both spray adhesive and tapes, and found both have advantages and disadvantages. 3M Super 77 works well but if you apply to much or put it on to soon, you will have a hard time removing the adhesive residue from the cloth of your skin suit. If you race in an area with lower humidity, you might consider using transparent shipping label envelopes or fabric tape like Singer 3/4 inch Instant Bond Double-Sided Fabric Tape and RacerTape.
I haven’t tried it, but something like this is what I was going to suggest. Fabric and craft stores will have a selection of double sided tape with different adhesive properties for different fabrics/purposes.
Lots of great advice! Thanks for the detailed feedback!
So no velcro? 
direct from USAC
The UCI has approved the No Pinz system system, and we are following suit. I have attached their ruling to this e-mail. Please feel free to present this e-mail if an official questions you on this.
Chuck
I don’t think they have an issue with Nopinz at all, but IME they want the number on the upper part of the back (usually) so if your pocket isn’t there, you are screwed.
(3) Crumple your number, then straighten it out. The crumpling will help the number conform to the shape of your body better than a flat sheet of paper.
Actually, that is and always has been against the rules and if officials decide to take issue, they can and will make your life really tense before the start as I and a number of other competitors found out at a USGP Cyclocross event in Fort Collins a number of years back. As explained to several of us by an official just before making us change the offending numbers, the main reason has to do with the fact that it is less readable by a officials and finish line cameras.
(3) Crumple your number, then straighten it out. The crumpling will help the number conform to the shape of your body better than a flat sheet of paper.
Actually, that is and always has been against the rules and if officials decide to take issue, they can and will make your life really tense before the start as I and a number of other competitors found out at a USGP Cyclocross event in Fort Collins a number of years back. As explained to several of us by an official just before making us change the offending numbers, the main reason has to do with the fact that it is less readable by a officials and finish line cameras.
As a “spotter” that radios racer numbers to the finish line, crumpled numbers are a PITA. I have less than 0.5 seconds to read a number, and crumpled numbers are difficult to read. If I can’t read the number and the finish line person can’t read it, then the racer doesn’t get a time. Please, don’t crumple numbers.
USAC can be pretty strict on their must be pinned rules. I met the guy that came up with racetape and even got some to try. It worked just fine, until an official told me I needed pins. Dude explained that’s why his tape idea didn’t go very far. Thought about racedots, but $20 and I’d still need pins? No.
I’ll have to look into these No Pinz, never heard about them before.