First sportive - pumps, punctures, and climbs

[donaldv]

Hi everyone,

I've been lurking for a while, but I've got a few questions so thought I'd better sign up. While I'm not a total beginner, having been cycling for years, I've only recently upgraded to a road bike, and am riding my first ever sportive next month, and could do with some advice.

1. First of all, I need to think about what to do if I puncture. As mentioned I've been cycling for years, including a 2,000 mile journey around Europe, and I have never, ever punctured. I appreciate this is probably an unusual coincidence, and I'm worried I will get my first one half way around this sportive. What do I need to be carrying to repair it? Will I be better off with a spare inner tube, or just a puncture repair kit? I've never even taken the tyre away from the wheel - what do I need to do that, and how straightforward is it?

2. In a similar vein, I need to invest in a pump. The valve in my road bike is unfamiliar to me, different to the one I had on my old hybrid and so incompatible with my current pump (based on a Google image search, I think it's a presta rather than a schrader). Have you got any suggestions for a small pump, suitable for a presta valve, that could fit in my cycling jersey or attach to the frame of my bike?

3. Finally, I'm abit worried about the hills in this sportive. The 70m distance doesn't concern me too much but the ascent of Ditchling Beacon at the end certainly does! I have been training regularly on the nearby Stenying Bostal, which is just as long but not as tough, and I cannot yet make it up in one go. Not a big issue, apart from having clipless pedals - when I stop to take a breather, I then struggle to start again if I have stopped on a high gradient, as I can't get myself clipped back in and pedalling with toppling over! Any advice here, other than to refer to Rule Five and man up?

Thanks everyone. I know much of this, particularly the punctures, is embarrassingly basic stuff, but I've never had any experience of it so I'm hoping to draw on yours!

 

[PK99]

c

Hi everyone,

1. First of all, I need to think about what to do if I puncture. As mentioned I've been cycling for years, including a 2,000 mile journey around Europe, and I have never, ever punctured.

you are now cursed! Two spare tubes and a park tool patch kit is what i carry on a sportive

2. In a similar vein, I need to invest in a pump.

I swear by Leyzene pumps - not cheap but very good. I also carry a CO2 injector and two cartridges -easiest and quickes way of getting full pressure in a road tyre

3. Finally, I'm abit worried about the hills in this sportive.

The Beacon is more of a mental challenge than a physical one, it is a series of short climbs linked by less steep bits (which used to be flats for horses to rest on in the days of horse and cart. Treat it as a series of (iirc) 7 hills and avoid the temptation to speed up on the less steep bits

In general, at the start ignore the 8 stone whippets of 8 ounce bikes who set off at 25mph, go at your own pace. I've done the Puncheur a couple of times and it was my first sportive in its first year - it's a nice ride with a few shot sharp testers on the way round, take it steady

 

[cyberknight]

Hi everyone,

I've been lurking for a while, but I've got a few questions so thought I'd better sign up. While I'm not a total beginner, having been cycling for years, I've only recently upgraded to a road bike, and am riding my first ever sportive next month, and could do with some advice.

1. First of all, I need to think about what to do if I puncture. As mentioned I've been cycling for years, including a 2,000 mile journey around Europe, and I have never, ever punctured. I appreciate this is probably an unusual coincidence, and I'm worried I will get my first one half way around this sportive. What do I need to be carrying to repair it? Will I be better off with a spare inner tube, or just a puncture repair kit? I've never even taken the tyre away from the wheel - what do I need to do that, and how straightforward is it?
2 inner tubes, mini pump/c02 pump, tyre levers,multi tool

2. In a similar vein, I need to invest in a pump. The valve in my road bike is unfamiliar to me, different to the one I had on my old hybrid and so incompatible with my current pump (based on a Google image search, I think it's a presta rather than a schrader). Have you got any suggestions for a small pump, suitable for a presta valve, that could fit in my cycling jersey or attach to the frame of my bike?
I carry a topeak pocket rocket and a weldite co02 inflator although if i was buying from scratch i would probably look at a hybrid pump that did both
http://www.topeak.com/products/Pumps/hybridrocket_hp

3. Finally, I'm abit worried about the hills in this sportive. The 70m distance doesn't concern me too much but the ascent of Ditchling Beacon at the end certainly does! I have been training regularly on the nearby Stenying Bostal, which is just as long but not as tough, and I cannot yet make it up in one go. Not a big issue, apart from having clipless pedals - when I stop to take a breather, I then struggle to start again if I have stopped on a high gradient, as I can't get myself clipped back in and pedalling with toppling over! Any advice here, other than to refer to Rule Five and man up?
Rule 5 is to be taken with a pinch of salt like the rest of that site , practise makes perfect is all i can say and that little extra boost you get when riding an event could give you the desire to get up the hill

Thanks everyone. I know much of this, particularly the punctures, is embarrassingly basic stuff, but I've never had any experience of it so I'm hoping to draw on yours!

Theres no silly questions only silly people who have a problem that have been to afraid to ask

 

[Herzog]

1 = On a sportive I would take a tube, it's pretty time consuming to repair a punctured tube.
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmNo6rFKMzE
for how to change a tube.

2 = CO2 pumps are great little things for roadside repairs!

3 = I used to live in Brighton and know DB very well. It's steep, but short. What gearing do you have at the moment?

 

[Rando]

Just watched the YouTube clip and he made it look so so easy but today I has my first puncture in 2 years of cycling and I could not get the tyre back on to the rim with my hands. It was also very difficult trying to get the tyre off in the first place to remove the inner tube. I have bontrager hard shell tyres. Took me bloody ages and it's clear I need more practice. But my question is are some tyres easy to manipulate that others ? If some please suggest some that also offer some puncture resistance.

 

[Rob3rt]

It comes down to tyre/rim combinations as to which are easy to fit and remove.

 

[Rob500]

1. Will I be better off with a spare inner tube, or just a puncture repair kit?
1. A spare tube(s) is the way to go. Spare on the road and mend at home. You'll need two or three tyre levers too. If disaster strikes and you need to repair then get some of those self-glued patches.

2. In a similar vein, I need to invest in a pump.
2. I have a Topeak Master Blaster Pocket Rocket and it does just fine.

3. Finally, I'm abit worried about the hills in this sportive.
3. If you can't get clipped back in then there is no shame in walking your bike up a short stretch. There's plenty of lard arses out there who do nothing day in day out.

 

[DRHysted]

Also practise a puncture repair before hand, so you're not sat on the side of the road swearing and throwing the wheel into a ditch (no I haven't done this yet, but there is normally swearing involved whenever changing a tyre at home).

 

[Rando]

Well mine are both bontrager that came as standard on my trek. I really struggled with it today which I know lots of you will laugh at what should be a simple and quickish task. I need to get my basic maintenance skills raised !!

 

[Rob3rt]

Practice at home, of course it can be a bit trickier when it is freezing, wet and your rims are really mucky, but at least you will be better prepared.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Surgical gloves are worth keeping in your saddlebag/pocket for such occasions. £6 for 100 pairs or something (perk of my job they are free) so you have plenty to wear during routine fettling/washes too.

 

[Rob3rt]

^^ Yup, and a sandwich bag with some babywipes in it can be handy, for example, wiping down your tools afterwards.

 

[donaldv]

Some super advice in this thread, thanks everyone! I've ordered myself some spare inner tubes, 3 tyre levers, and a small pump, so hopefully when the inevitable finally happens I'll be kitted out to fix it.

This has made it look really simple - thanks! Might have a go at swapping my inner tubes over when all my bits arrive, so I know what I'm doing when I have to do it for real out on the roads.

If you can't get clipped back in then there is no shame in walking your bike up a short stretch. There's plenty of lard arses out there who do nothing day in day out.

Ha!

 

[Peteaud]

Nothing to add other than as others have said have a practice in the living room or garage. It is better to struggle now than latter.

Be careful of sportives, they can get addictive

 

[simmi]

I always carry 2 tubes, I keep one in my pocket along with 3 park tool levers because the last p*****e I had I spend more time unpacking and repacking my saddle bag than I did fixing the p*****e.