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preparing your bike for race day

Bob IrwinBob Irwin
in General Training Discussions
I may have been lax about this in the past.  I was wondering what everyone else does.  My normal routine is to:  get new tires and tubes before my last RR, clean and adjust everything, put new grease in the BB, and make sure the bolts are tight.  Wondering about such things as getting a new chain, new brake pads, or ??

Comments

  • Joe MatchetteJoe Matchette

    Bob - I normally put on a new chain.  And then after my last major bike ride, I wash and wax the bike.  A clean bike is a happy bike....and a happy bike is a fast bike.  image

    I haven't thought about new grease in the BB before: I will add that to my routine.

  • John WithrowJohn Withrow
    I don't put on a new chain, but I do clean my chain and cassette and give them a nice good oil job. I always put new tubes and tires on a couple weeks before my A-Race. I agree with Joe that a clean bike is a fast bike. I always swap my brake pads (but not necessarily new ones), but that's because my race wheels have a carbon braking surface. Charge my Di2 battery and all bike computers and watches. Also delete all your history from your Garmin as they are less twitchy when they have the full memory available. Also check all bolts, including the water bottle holders and the cleats on your shoes.
  • Al TruscottAl Truscott
    Chains and the teeth of chain rings/cassette sort of wear together. My LBS mechanic says his rule of thumb is new rings/cassette every other chain. I take my bike in bout 3 months before A races, and he measures the chain, checks brake pads, cables, etc. what he says,,I do.

    What i havent seen mentioned yet in this thread is getting your shifting tuned to perfection smooth shifting is critical. I guess thats not an issue with Di2image
  • harrastharrast
    Before a race about the only thing I do is oil my chain. This sounds cavalier but I take care of maintenance issues as they come up by monitoring chain stretch with a gauge, adjusting the derailleurs and replacing frayed or sticky cables, etc. My race wheels, complete with latex tubes, go on the bike a couple of weeks before a race and come off right after. I deflate them, put them in wheel bags and hang them up in the basement. I figure if a race tube needs to be replaced, it will manifest itself in the weeks leading up to the race by losing air faster than it should (yes--very subjective measure). In my race repair kit I'm a minimalist: I carry a can of Vittoria Pit Stop taped to the top tube and a multitool with a chain break. So far the Vittoria Pit Stop has failed twice when I have tried to repair flats, but I continue to hope it will work the next time:-D.
  • Joe MatchetteJoe Matchette
    Posted By Al Truscott on 19 Jun 2013 08:31 PM

    Chains and the teeth of chain rings/cassette sort of wear together. My LBS mechanic says his rule of thumb is new rings/cassette every other chain. I take my bike in bout 3 months before A races, and he measures the chain, checks brake pads, cables, etc. what he says,,I do. 

    That's the first I have heard of replacing chainrings on any sort of schedule....  I have no idea if the chainrings on my 2-yr old Ultegra crankset are replaceable.  Time to check.

    Just curious Al, how often are you finding that you are going through two chains?



  • Scott AlexanderScott Alexander
    Beginning of year (road bike), usually in Jan/Feb timeframe: tune up, new chain and all cables.
    Beginning of tri race season (TT bike), season start time varies: tune up, new chain and all cables.
    Pre-race T-1 or 2 months (usually with my RR): ride with race tires and tubes, and full race day set-ups (minus aero helmet). New batteries in all electronics.
    Pre-race T-1 week: I have my LBS mechanic fine tune the shifting, and do a general "once over".
    Pre-race T-1 or 2 days: Clean bike. cleaner is WAY faster, plus it's a ritual for me.
  • Al TruscottAl Truscott
    @Joe, NB, I'm reporting what the LBS wrench says. However, it is true that over time the "valleys" between the teeth get gouged out, taking on an eccentric shape. This is of course a small amount. As the chain stretches, and the velleys wear down, they sort of go thru that process together, and so shifting remains OK. Eventually, tho, if you keep putting on new chains without replacing rings and cogs, shifting willstart to skip or otherwise be less than optimal. So the LBS, which is trying to make $ of course, trys a bit of preventive maintainence psychology.

    So I'm just bascially warning folks that, along with chains, chain rings and cassettes do wear out, and should be checked at the time of chain replacement for how well they match up with the shorter distance between links in the new chain.
  • Coach RichCoach Rich
    +1 on the perfect tune for shifters, cables, etc. However, if you get new cables, do so 2-3wks before the race so you can have time to stretch them and then go in for a second quick adjustment.

    And if you fly/ship your bike, buy a six pack of beer on your way to your hotel, assemble the bike, and take it for a spin to confirm the tune. If it needs adjustment take the bike and your six pack immediately to a local bike shop. Beer = wrench lube. If tune is good, now you have beer to the help you relax through the race!
  • Bob IrwinBob Irwin
    Joe - I lube the bottom bracket because the sram maintenance instructions are to do it once a year - so I do it before my last RR for my A race each year.
  • robin sarnerrobin sarner
    Some ceramic bottom brackets require much more frequent greasing with a special grease.
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