Gang:
I am racing 70.3 Cancun, and I am concerned about the unknown.
I have traveled domestically with a bike for a race, but not internationally. Can you please give some tips about getting CO2, Vittitoria Pitstop. I like to fuel with Yams for long races can I bring them into the country. What about gels, bars, powdered gatorade etc etc…
I am all ears for any advice.
Thanks,
Pete
You should be able to at least get CO2 at the expo, since you can’t fly with it. Maybe bring a frame pump just in case.
Don’t know about the yams, but I would definitely bring your preferred race nutrition with you (the brands of gels, etc, that YOU use), just in case. That’s what I did for IM Austria…though I didn’t plan for the whole run and hated the sports drink on the course. (thank goodness I had my own gels for the first half of the run)
Bring your own gels, bars, powder mix (I find that filling an extra water bottle with powder is a good way to carry it and not have to bring the big tub).
Yams? They’ll probably take them from you. Find out what they are called locally and see if they have them.
The race/LBS should have CO2, but have a back up plan (good for any race you travel to no matter where).
clm
I travel overseas frequently in order to head up our three regions tour of Italia. I have never had a problem traveling with powders, gels, or energy bars of any type. All of which are readily available anyway at the LBS we use. Gatorade is everywhere as well. Same for Mexico? I do not know. I would take a few to be on the safe side. I don’t usually travel too far without protein powder as a backup for post ride recovery, etc. I make sure to clearly label the Nalgene container “polvera di proteina”.
Tap water in the hotel were we lodge is just fine. During one of our early trips, I took a filter system from REI. We found the device was unnecessary in Italia. I would however dust it off, and take it to Mexico - If I were racing. Your 70.3 training effort is far too valuable to be ruined by Montezuma.
The tap water at the hotel and most restaurants in Cancun will not be a problemo. Finding CO2 might be a bit difficult. There were none at the expo when I got there, and I couldnt find a bike shop in Cancun. So, I went to Home Depot with my superb (hehe) spanish and asked for CO2… and they brought me a blow torch. So, I drew a picture, and they thought I wanted a fire extinguisher. I am going to Cancun with a better back up plan this year.
What was the expo like?
I sent an email to the race director and they said they would have everything “Pitstop” and CO2.
So obviously he might be a business guy running a race and not a race guy running a race, and does not know the difference?
Another thing you can do is to send yourself a care package to your hotel. Just mail everything you think might get snaged by TSA.
Send it certified so someone has to sign for it.
Do NOT take CO2 on the plane!! I forgot I had them with my bike on the way back and yep, they nailed me.
Was interesting how many they had on the machine, I was far from the only one who screwed up.
Talk a power plug converter, and make sure the power is the same. I loved the poor folks who blew up
their stuff in germany since they got a plug converter, but now a power converter.
Dave