Racing and flats
 

Watched my first race this weekend, looked really fun. So what do you guys do if you flat far from the pit? Carry provisions to change a tube there, run with the bike to the pit, just ride the flat to the pit or just call it quits?

ride it to the pits if you can and run it if you cant

If it's close, you run to the pit. Some courses let you cut the course to the pit if you restart where you came from. Otherwise you give up. Quite a few people use some kind of sealant in their tyres too.

We can't cut, so we have to ride, or run. I rolled a tubular last week and kissed my race good bye (finished poorly)! If you're in the proper category (not sandbagging) a mechanical is usually a kiss of death.

Just wondering, has anyone ever used a CO2 tool which repairs and infaltes. They seem like they could be useful and was just wondering how well they actually worked in practice.

sealants
 

i've tried the Hutchinson in a non-race situation with my tubulars (with a valve extender) but it wouldn't seal well and all the goop squirting out the side of the valve. I did seal the tire later with Stan's and it seemed to work.

I have carried the Hutchinson stuff in mtb races, but I don't know of anyone who does it in cross. but, I actually think it could be a good idea if you think a flat is likely. who else makes compressed sealant?

as Capital Cross on sunday I flatted my front tubbie, and rode almost a full lap to the pit to change bikes. but I lost a lot of spots, and it was pretty hairy on turns.

there were actually 2 pits- if I had wheels in the 2nd pit, that could have helped...

marc