The Updated Firsttimer's Guide - Part 4 Equipment

What to Expect at your first TransRockies PART 4 - Equipment

Let me make one thing perfectly clear. BRING A DERAILLEUR HANGER. No, let me revise that, BRING TWO DERAILLEUR HANGERS.

Okay, now that I've got that out of the way, let's look at the rest of the equipment that you might need. I'll divide this into the stuff you should carry on the trail and the stuff you might want to have in your duffle bag as a spare.

On the trail Essentials
Whether you use a hydration pack, or water bottles, jersey pockets and a seat bag; there are few things that each team will need to carry every day.

·        1 derailleur hanger per bike (They weigh next to nothing, only cost $20.00 or so and every day on the TR about half a dozen people break them. Just think of it this way, if you wanted to ride a singlespeed to Canmore, you would have brought one to Fernie.)

·        1 inner tube per rider (Even if you are going tubeless, a tube can be a lifesaver if you damage your tire or rim so much that it will not hold air.) This gets a little bit complicated if you and your partner are not using the same size wheels. For 2012 I’ll be on my 26” Rocky Mountain Element, while my partner will be riding her new 29” Rocky Mountain hard tail. I’m sure that we could make a 26” tube fit a 29” wheel, but it is not ideal.

·        1 inner tube patch kit (Multiple flats per day are not unheard of. Most people just throw in a new tube and stuff the old tube in their hydration pack, but by flat number 3 or 4 you and your partner may not have a usable tube left. A patch kit can mean the difference between a few minutes sniffing rubber cement and a long and miserable walk. Make sure that the rubber cement and patches are fresh or you may be in for a nasty surprise when it comes time to fix a flat.)

·        2 tire levers (They weigh next to nothing and make removing and replacing your tire a snap. Weight weenies will try to carry only one, but the realists will realize that two make fixing the inevitable flats so much faster and easier.)

·        1 pump (Well, duh. CO2 is fine for flat number 1, but I've heard of a few too many mishaps with CO2 inflators to not bring a pump.)

·        1 multitool with chain breaker (It is a 400 km ride. You never know what you'll need to fix, or at the very least tinker with over the 7 days.)

·        2 SRAM quick links (The SRAM quick link is one of the world's great inventions. With it you can repair your chain in a minute or so. They weigh next to nothing and will work with either both SRAM and Shimano chains.)

·        1 pair brake pads (While most people are running disc brakes and probably will not need to replace pads midday, if you are using V brakes carrying a spare sets of pads, or two, is essential in muddy weather.)

On the trail options
These are things that you may, or may not need. But they don't occupy much space or take up much weight. But each of them could save you hours if things go wrong or you get unlucky.

·        1 pedal cleat (Another light weight part that is insurance if things go horribly wrong.)

·        2 cleat screws (They weigh almost nothing, but if you lose a cleat riding is much less efficient and a lot less fun.)

·        1 shifter cable (I've been carrying one since my first TR in 2004. I've never needed it, but for the 30 or so grams it is really cheap insurance.)

·        A second inner tube (125 grams of insurance.)

For the truly paranoid
These items are for people who are intimate acquaintances of Mr. Murphy. You live under a blighted star and are convinced that whatever can go wrong will go wrong, and for you is probably already has gone wrong.

·        1 rear derailleur (This is the only part I have seen regularly damaged and/or destroyed on the TR. Every year, at least a couple of teams will manage to damage a derailleur beyond repair and be faced with a long singlespeed ride.)

·        1 tire (In 2009 on days one and two I met teams that had managed to shred a tire on the shale above Panorama and were out of action. As an Ambassador I carried a spare tire and was happy to shed the weight and help them on their way.)

In your duffle bag
The Bike Shop offers pretty remarkable service. In the middle of nowhere, for days in places with no power and little or no cell phone coverage, the mechanics are lifesavers. They work day and night and make sure that everyone can ride every day. For a bunch of folks who are rarely finished before midnight, they always seem to be in pretty good spirits.

But even though they come prepared for most things, they obviously can't carry every possible part for every make and model of bike. They'll have the obvious stuff like saddles, seatposts, stems, handlebars, chains, cassettes and derailleurs, but if your bike needs less common parts you should bring them.

·        1 derailleur hanger (There are hundreds of different models of bikes and dozens of different hanger designs. In addition to carrying a spare hanger with you every day, you should have an extra one in your duffle bag.)

·        3 spokes per wheel (Every wheel is different and while the mechanics may have the right size spokes for your wheel, if you bring along a few spares you'll be sure that a broken spoke won't put you out of action.)

·        2 pairs of brake pads (In muddy years the consumption of brake pads is staggering. The most remarkable story I've heard was of a guy who bought a set of XTR disc brakes to get a set of pads. And if you use a less common brand of brakes; Hope, Magura etc., there may be no pads available at all. Bring along some spares and save yourself a pile of grief.)

·        1 front derailleur (I know I said that the mechanics will have spare derailleurs but in 2007 I managed to damage my front derailleur and could not find a replacement at any of the bike shops. The odd thing about my derailleur is that it has a low clamp to fit around the suspension. All the available spares were high clamps and interfered with the suspension.)

·        Any special tools for your bike (I use Spinergy wheels. The spokes require a couple of odd tools. Lots of mechanics don't have them, and without them it is hard to change spokes and true the wheels. So, I bring along the two little tools just in case. You'll know what on your bike requires proprietary tools.)

·        1 tire (By the time you get to the TR you should have done a lot of training and be very familiar with your bike and how it handles. Changing to a different model of tire halfway through the race, especially to a tire than handles very differently from the ones you are used to, could be a problem. The tires that I've used since 2005, Hutchinson Pythons, are the same front and back, so 1 spare tire will do me for the race. That being said, you should start the race with new or almost new tires.)

·        1 seatpost shim (For the 2004 to 2009 TransRockies I used a bike that took an odd size seatpost, 30.8mm. When I bought the bike it came with a 27.2 post and a shim to fill the extra space. In 2007 I purchased a 30.8mm Thompson post and didn’t need the shim. But if, god forbid, I manage to break or damage my post I'm not sure if the Bike Shop will have a post that fits. So, I brought the shim along just in case. If you use a common size post; 27.2, 30.9 etc. this should not be necessary.

Oh, and don't forget the derailleur hangers.

PS In separate instalments I'll cover the food, water and safety items you need to consider.

The Updated Firsttimer's Guide - Part 3 Cycling Clothing

Cycling Clothing

You’ve committed to do the race, you’re training your buns off, you’ve found a partner and it looks like you won’t kill each other by day 2.

Now it’s time for you to dig into the back of the closet and pull out all of your cycling clothing and see what is suitable to make the trek from Fernie to Canmore.

There are a couple of things you need to remember, and unfortunately they are a bit contradictory.

1)     Since 2002 TransRockies, riders have had to deal with a baffling range of weather. From snow and hypothermia to blazing sun and heat stroke. You will be at high altitude in the middle of the Canadian Rockies. As the locals say, “if you don’t like the weather, just wait for 5 minutes”. You will need far more gear than for your weekend ride with your buddies.

2)     You have one duffle bag. The space is limited and you are going to have to cram it all in every morning.

So, your choices of clothing and equipment are going to have to offer the maximum flexibility in the minimum space.

7 pairs of shorts or bibs – After some experimentation I’ve settled on Garneau and Sugoi shorts and bibs. My first pair of bibs were from Garneau and they made me a believer. I’d never got back to short again. From Sugoi I’ve used everything from their entry level NeoPro shorts up to the very deluxe RS Flex bibs. Shorts, and chamois, are a VERY personal choice. Every model is different. The seams etc. are in different places and what works for you may drive me crazy. You need to make sure that your shorts are comfy 6 hours into a hot sweaty ride. If you want to sample Dr. Marty’s magic butt cream the best way is to wear your shorts for multiple days without washing them. The cream does work wonders, but you’ll be much happier if you never need it.

7 short sleeve jerseys – Ideally you and your partner will have matching jerseys. This both aids the esprit de corps, but also has another benefit. The rules say that you can be no more than 2 minutes apart. Matching distinctive jerseys make it so much easier to find one another in a crowd. Garneau offers a custom jersey program with pretty reasonable minimums. (http://www.louisgarneau-custom.com/products/categories.asp?categories=cycling) In my first years I tried long-sleeve jerseys, but the conditions can change so quickly that the inherent inflexibility of a long sleeve jersey makes it a poor choice. If you need warm arms, wear arm warmers.

10 to 12 pairs of socks – I’ve used both synthetic and wool socks. I’ve found wool socks to be great for days with river crossings, especially if the weather is on the cool side. Extra pairs mean that you can take a spare pair on cold soggy days. Warm dry socks make for very happy feet.

2 pairs of cycling shoes - Shoes will die. It is a fact of life. In the 2008 TR I had one pair where the upper separated from the sole. On my other pair I tore out a toe stud and it took a chunk of the sole. Take 2 pairs and make sure they are broken in and you can hike-a-bike in them without getting crippling blisters.

1 pair over booties – These are mainly insurance but have been almost a necessity on a couple of years. (2002, 2004, and 2010) If you can find some that leave most of the tread exposed it will make walking much easier.

1 pair waterproof socks – A waterproof/breathable sock is great for wet days with lots of hike-a-bike. They don’t offer the same warmth as over booties, but they do leave the sole of your shoes exposed for maximum grip.

1 to 2 pairs of leg warmers – The TR stages start in valley bottoms early in the morning. Out of the sun in a mountain valley it can be a bit nippy. By the time you’ve been riding for a while you’ll be pulling off the warmers, but for the first hour or so you’ll be glad of them. I bring one lightweight and one midweight pair. If they have zips in the lower legs it will make undressing so much easier.

1 pair knee warmers – A more flexible and less committing option than leg warmers, they still offer a bit of extra warmth for cool mornings and mountain passes.

2 pairs of arm warmers – The great thing about arm warmers is that it is so easy to pull them off while riding if you get a bit hot. Folded up in the pack they occupy almost no space, but if you are feeling a bit chilled they can make all of the difference.

1 lightweight jacket – On most days this will stay stuffed in a little ball at the bottom of your hydration pack, but if the temperature drops, or if you need to stop for a while to do some trailside repairs, you’ll be glad you have it. Windproof and highly water repellent should do the trick.

1 lightweight vest – I’ve started many days with this on. Along with arm warmer and knee or leg warmers a lightweight vest gives you a very flexible combination for all sorts of weather. You’ll probably take the vest off by the first aid station, but at less than 100 grams it is cheap insurance. (And in combination with a lightweight jacket the vest will cover the coolest weather you’re likely to encounter.)

1 waterproof jacket – When it rains/snow/sleets etc. you will get very wet and very cold very quickly. Lots of people bring along a PVC cycling jacket. A perfectly fine choice, and affordable to boot. In the past I brought a waterproof/breathable with pit zips. A bit heavier, but on long days a lot more comfortable. For 2010, I bought a new lightweight jacket, very similar to the Garneau Climate Grid 2. Waterproof and breathable, and compact to boot.

1 toque/beanie/ear warmers etc. – When it gets chilly in the Rockies you can freeze the old noggin pretty quickly. A light hat that fits under your helmet can be a real life saver.

5 to 7 pairs of gloves – I prefer all long fingered gloves, although some people prefer fingerless in hot weather. Either way, make sure that the gloves are broken in and you have a selection of gloves for all conditions. I brought along very light weight, mid weight, waterproof, and insulated waterproof. Your gloves will get wet and very dirty. I also bring along some surgical gloves to go under my cycling gloves in wet weather.

In future instalments I’ll cover the clothing and equipment that you’ll need for camp.