Clinchers or tubies for longer races (question re flats..)

Triathlon Forum
1

I’ll be doing my first longer triathlon events this Summer (olympic distances, and one half IM).
I come from a road background, and am really a tubie guy for various reasons.
But I rarely competed in TT’s, and I’m concerned with being in a long event (ie. triathlon) and having my day ruined because I end up not being properly prepared for flats on the bike course.
For those of you that use tubies, what do you carry with you? Do you fold up two spare tubies, and maybe a can of pit stop, and CO2, and hope for the best?
And for clinchers, I assume it is a bit less to carry, a couple of tubes, levers and CO2?
I have both clinchers and tubies avaiable to me (HED stinger disc and stinger 6, and a set of clincher Mavic Carbones that I could put a wheel cover on).

I guess I’m not -overly- concerned with the Olympic distance races, especially since they are not too far from where I live, not a big $$ outlay to go.
But the Tremblant half is gonna be very expensive for me, and longer bike obviously, and don’t want my day ruined.

Thanks!

2

I ride rubies.

I carry:
1 spare tubie1 can of pit stop1 co2 cartridge1 adapter
I pray extra hard that morning.

Clinchers, I’d carry:
1 spare tube1 co2 cartridge1 adapter1 tire iron
If you don’t want your day ruined, then double what I take just to be safe!
.

3

Rubie-doobie-doo ;0)
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4

I ride rubies.

What the hell are “rubies”?
.

5

Rubies are the things you can’t afford since you are buying a new tire every time you flat:).

6

Another thing to think about is throwing some Stan’s or similar tire sealant in your tubulars
.

7

I use tubies for races for years and have carried as little as nothing for long bike TTs (50 miles) and as much as a spare tubie, pitstop and an air source. With some playing around with, it’s not too hard to get a full set of tubie materials tucked away from the wind.

8

Call me crazy if you like(not really) but I have done multiple HIM with no protection, rubber or sealant and never went home disappointed, also did IM Wis. the same way. I RIDE TUBIES

9

For a key long distance race I have:

2x tubes
2x tyre levers
2x co2
Co2 adaptor
3" tyre boot
Mini tool

And for the last two races I’ve carried 3 tubes. This is all tucked under the saddle without significantly inhibiting the bikes aerodynamics (and I don’t mind about the added weight). I’ve double flatted in a race before and it’s not fun, so I tend to err on the side of caution. I couldn’t imagine anything worse than pulling out of a race you’ve worked your butt off for because you only carried one spare…

10

For anything shorter than a full IM, I carry nothing. If I flat, the race is over.

For an IM, I carry one full tire, taped to the seat tube

11

I ride clinchers. For a sprint I don’t carry anything. If I flat, then the race is over.

For Olympic and Halfs I’ll carry one tube and 2 CO2s (in case I burn a CO2 getting it into the inflator).

For a full IM I have 2 tubes and 2 CO2s. I put another 2 tubes and 2 CO2s in my special needs in case I use any of them on the first half of the race.

For every race I try to have a new or very close to new set of tires on my wheels.