Mountain Bike Racing - What equipment do you carry in a race?

Just wondering. Does the length of the race dictate how much you carry and what you carry?

Personally when Im doing a clubrace I only carry a waterbottle and a snack in my jersey. Laps are 5-7km long and I figure that if Im gonna get a flat that its no big loss to walk back and retire.

I guess it'd be different in a 6-24hour............or is it!?!?

Let us know ;)

From my opinion, the length of the race determine what I bring, if its a short one, I wont bring a extra tube because I dont have a CO2 inflator, pumping air using the mini bike pump is too slow for a short race, even If i manage to inflate back my air I will need to catch up with the pack which is very hard because they might even be faster then you by one lap. If its a long race, I will bring a spare tube.

I always carry a tube and a couple of CO2 cartridges as well as a multitool (with chain tool) and two SRAM powerlinks. A lot of times I will end up giving my tubes and CO2's to someone else. Even if it is a short race I don't want to have to walk five miles to get out of the woods.

I carry the same things in longer races, I just carry two or three tubes instead and a few extra CO2's.

yikes, I only carry 1 tube for a 18+ mile race

By long race I meant much longer than 18 miles. ;) If in doubt carry one tube and a small thing of patches.

do you keep the tools in back pockets or back pack ?

I have seen many with tubes and CO2's taped to their seatposts - wud be nice to not hv to wear sweaty back pack - just means using a water bottle instead of hydration pack..

That depends on the course. If it is a lap course where I have someone that can hand me bottles then I keep everything in my jersey pockets. If it is a longer race or I don't have anyone to hand me bottles then I carry a camelbak and just throw everything in it (except my clif shots).

wether it is a long race or a short race you should bring a tube,CO2,and a multitool

wether it is a long race or a short race you should bring a tube,CO2,and a multitool

Make sure the multitool has a chain tool on it. It doesn't hurt to carry a powerlink either.

i carry a minipump, one tube, multitool, brake cable, derailleur cable, and i zip-tie two powerlinks between the rails on my saddle.

One tube, one co2, multitool for short (2 hour) XC races. At the 80km type races, two tubes, two co2, multitool, chain tool, powerlinks, some tape, chain oil.

i carry a minipump, one tube, multitool, brake cable, derailleur cable, and i zip-tie two powerlinks between the rails on my saddle.


what kind of riding are you doing. that a lot of stuff for a average race.

what kind of riding are you doing. that a lot of stuff for a average race.
not really. doesnt take up very much room at all. Ive been talking about ditching the pump and getting a co2.

oh yeah, its just xc racing. My provincial races (~35k) thats what i carry, but for my local weekly races, i just have the powerlinks on my saddle.

not really. doesnt take up very much room at all. Ive been talking about ditching the pump and getting a co2.

oh yeah, its just xc racing. My provincial races (~35k) thats what i carry, but for my local weekly races, i just have the powerlinks on my saddle.


brake cables and derailleur cables

if your serious about racing by the time you put a new cable in and adjust your derailleur your not gona win. i just think theres no point in carrying cables with you

brake cables and derailleur cables

if your serious about racing by the time you put a new cable in and adjust your derailleur your not gona win. i just think theres no point in carrying cables with you
i can guarantee i can change a brake/derailleur cable faster than i can change a tube.

and its not like 2 cables takes up that much room/weight.

if you can change and adjust new cables faster than changing a tube there is somthing wrong

if you can change and adjust new cables faster than changing a tube there is somthing wrong
wrong with what dude?

are you telling me that 2 cables are going to occupy more room and have more weight than you can handle in your jersey/seat bag/camelback? are you telling me that if you bust a derailleur cable you would just pack up and quit?

If you broke a derailleur cable, it doesnt take long to route the cable, get the approximate tension on the cable to get 80% of your gears working, then you can fine tune with your shifters barrell adjuster when you are riding.

are you telling me that takes a long time?

It doesn't take long to change the cables period.

Nope, not after the first time on each bike. Once you know the housing length it only takes about ten minutes to change the cables and housing. Of course this is in the comfort of my own home and going for perfect shifting. On the trail I can see it taking about 3 minutes to just run a new cable and get "decent" shifting.

two cables are going to take up much room. but i can change a flat under a minute. i've been racing for 6 years and i have never seen a person race with spare cables. if i did brake a cable i would give up.

i'm pretty sure LowCel doesnt race with spare cables

Two cables will not take up that much room, that's why you buy them in the precut form and leave them rolled up. Use the old housing, it will work good enough. Once the race is over then you worry about replacing the cable housing.

two cables are going to take up much room.
are you nuts? what about your tube? im positive a tube occupies more space than cables.

but i can change a flat under a minute.
good for you champ.

i've been racing for 6 years and i have never seen a person race with spare cables.
in those 6 years, have you inspected every single riders jersey/camelback/seat wedgie to see if they carried cables?

i'm pretty sure LowCel doesnt race with spare cables
what on gods green earth does that have to do with anything. If lowcel jumped in front of a $#%ing truck would you?