Normally I keep my flat kit on my hydrotail. For sprints and Olympic races I like to take the hydrotail off since I don’t need the bottle cages. The best way that I have come up with to carry a flat kit is a tube shoved under the seat and put 1 or 2 CO2s, my inflater and 2 levers in a plastic bag and put in my aerodrink. I can also put a multi-tool in there if I choose. I can still carry 24 oz of water in the aerodrink. Does anybody have any better ideas for carrying a flat kit during a race?
jart - I don’t mean to give you a smart answer, but I put my flat repair kit in my car for most races. I’m going for the age group and if I flat, well, maybe I get to know a couple of the volunteers a little better and continue on to a training ride. I’m able to rack my bike better without it. But that’s just me.
For all races regardless of distance I carry all of my tools and tube in an empty bottle. Able to carry one tube, multi tool, small pump that doubles as C02 inflator, 1 C02 cart, and 2 tire levers.
I just have a cheap little underseat bag for it. It helps my bike has a standard non aero seatpost.
I would imagine it to be less of an aero loss than a bottle on the down tube or seat tube…
I don’t carry one most of the time. For the ex-con turned hardcore racer, two words… Jailhouse Wallet.
I put my spare tube and two tyre levers under my seat, duct taped onto the seat rails. I duct tape one CO2 (with loosely attached inflator valve) onto the frame top tube. Don’t bother with a multitool as I’ve done 1000s of rides and never needed to use one so the probability of needing one in a race is very small.
Depends what your goals are for the race. If I flat I’m history. Why bother carrying anything. I don’t carry are tools or flat kits for anything under a 1/2IM.
I used to attach a small kit (bag) to the back of my hyrdrowing (or whatever it’s called) but now I shove it all in an empty bottle and leave it on my frame. I’m not sure I like this but it’s what I’m using right now. I always carry a repair kit because I don’t want to walk if I flat.
My flat kit is in the aero bottle. That’s where I carry it all the time. This picture is of my race set up from today, so the two side bottle cages are off the Hyrotail.
Where the hell have I been? I had no idea that people carried their stuff in water bottles…
What rim did you use for your PT build?
Yeah, I know a lot of people that don’t even carry one for small races. Maybe it is just the paranoid in me but I would like a way to fix at least one flat. I know that chances are that I would be out of a podium spot but at least I could make it back to T2 myself. I have seen quite a few lonely souls just walking their bikes on the side of the road.
What rim did you use for your PT build?
It’s a DT Swiss RR 1.1 I had it built up with bladed spokes. It’s been a good wheel.
I’m sorry, but getting a flat tire does not automatically put you out of the running for your age group. How long does it take to change a tube? 2 minutes? If you get knocked out of the age group awards because of a flat tire, then you need to practice changing a flat because something is wrong.
I’m not saying that you can’t decide how you want to race and when you want to quit, but I am saying that the excuse that you can’t win an award after one flat tire is completely bogus.
i think you have the right approach. in the back works well.
still amazes me how many folks would never dream to leave home on a training ride without a kit but then it somehow becomes voodoo for a race setting. oh yeah…let the volunteers save my hiney or try flagging someone else down and explain why you are just too fast and good to otherwise bring a patch and a spare.
i appreciate Tom’s opening line from a page on the Bikesport Michigan site: “If you ride on the road you need to take responsibility for yourself.” check out his basic keep you moving kit.
What do you have your PT comp mounted to out on the aerobars? Need to do that for mine.
It takes about 10 mins to put a tire on a Mavic cosmic rim so its not worth it
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It takes about 10 mins to put a tire on a Mavic cosmic rim so its not worth it
My Fulcrums are the same, not sure why, maybe the brake track is a milimeter too deep but many people complain about it. Every tire is a battle on those wheels
2 minutes if all goes well
plus the time wasted slowing down and getting back up to speed
in a sprint, you are done
in an olympic, you are probably done
half ironman? go for it!
I’m sorry, but getting a flat tire does not automatically put you out of the running for your age group. How long does it take to change a tube? 2 minutes? If you get knocked out of the age group awards because of a flat tire, then you need to practice changing a flat because something is wrong.
I’m not saying that you can’t decide how you want to race and when you want to quit, but I am saying that the excuse that you can’t win an award after one flat tire is completely bogus.
I have a c02 & inflator up inside the seat, electrical taped around the top of the seatpost and the rails.
and I have a tube & 2 levers taped to the back of the seatpost. if push came to shove I could get it all up under the seat.