Originally Posted by
bennybenny
Do you flat out a lot more or have other technical problems in gravel much more than say road?
At rides or races, are you generally on your own mechanical-wise? (not much of a fixer here if you can't tell).
Every race I have participated in has a very clear waiver of expectation for assistance. You are on your own because the races are so spread out and they are run locally. Its unrealistic to think a random amateur race on rural roads would have a strong infrastructure for mechanical issues.
With that said, other cyclists can and do help each other out. Also, a local popular race has an unofficial refueling location where a bunch of baked goods and water are available for participants. But again, the expectation has always been- you take care of yourself.