Trail Side Repairs at the Cape Epic

[NotSoBigBen]

You can buy stuff at the tech zones, so the most important tool is your Visa Credit Card !!

From personal experience I also know that that is an expensive buy in the middle of the veld!

 

But was worth it to be able to finish I guess ....

[PP1549]

Personally I wouldn't go with the Schwalbe's for the Epic.  They don't handle our rocks well in terms of sidewall strength.  Seen far too many of them sliced open.  I know JHB guys love them, but they don't do well in the Cape.

What do you find works better/doesn't get sliced open as often, given the unique terrain (...or at least unique compared to Canadian rocks)...?

[Christie]

Had a ride this afternoon and one of the guys got a small sidewall tear - those are difficult to repair!

Mushroom plug. Tube + gaiter will also work, but the gaiter has shifted on some of my repairs, tube pushed through the cut a bit and psssssssssssh

Mushroom plugs work better imo.

[dirtypot]

What do you find works better/doesn't get sliced open as often, given the unique terrain (...or at least unique compared to Canadian rocks)...?

 

I've not had a problem with Maxxis (Ardent and Ikon combo) or Vittoria (Barzo and Saguaro combo).

[janbiker]

What do you find works better/doesn't get sliced open as often, given the unique terrain (...or at least unique compared to Canadian rocks)...?

So many tyres, so many stories. Basic: grip, tubeless and sidewall protection. Rode Epics with Schwalbe (2, rara-roro) and Conti's (1, King), all without any flats or other problems. If you are a top 50 racer, I can't help you as you probably choose riskier lines, rely on breaking harder and will prefer to run lighter tires. But in that case you should know what to run :-).

[Quagga]

All I'd add is a gear cable, pre-cut to length.

Strap a tube to your frame, and leave the sealant.

 

Not a good idea to pre-cut, as the cable end could split and then you can not get it into the housing.

 

Someone mentioned being “heavy” on your bike. This should not be under estimated. If you shift down halfway up the hill while standing and hammering the pedals you are bound to break your chain, deraileur or both. I lost count how many broken chains I have seen in races just on the other side of a dip in the trail ten metres or so up the other side. Look after your equipment and you reduce the chances of having trouble dramatically. Good luck!!

I totally disagree with this statement. Chains do NOT break because of weight or standing they break because of improper maintenance.

 

ANY amateur standing will not come anywhere NEAR what the pro's put out in terms of watts. Kulhavey(Spelling?) Does between 900and 1600 watts on a XCO track, now please do go and try achieve that while you are standing.....

 

Cavendish on the road goes 2000watts and does not snap a chain.

[Bonus]

Here's what I carry when I'm MTB Guiding. Best to be safe!

 

 

[Quagga]

Personally I disagree. The pros are consistent with their power. It is not like suddenly throwing a ton of petrol on a fire. It is like adding it consistently and the power is stable. When a 100kg plus guy suddenly stands on a crank it is tested to its absolute limits. The weakest link will break 6 out of 10 times I would have thought. This is simply my theory. That is why you see the big guys with broken chains a lot more often than the pros. Well that is what I see anyway.

Go watch Kulharvey's video on an XCO course hardly consistent from 150watts to 1900 in 1 sec.

 

I used to weigh 100kg and NEVER snapped a chain and when I step on it I used to get to 1000w. for 1 sec. 

 

But then again I maintain my stuff.

[PhilipV]

Not a good idea to pre-cut, as the cable end could split and then you can not get it into the housing.

 

I.

Use insulation tape to tape the tip. Sommer tape it to the rest of the cable when wound up.

[Jewbacca]

Use insulation tape to tape the tip. Sommer tape it to the rest of the cable when wound up.

Super glue or solder works better.

 

I don't use crimp ends, I cut and solder or cut and glue.

 

It's neat and you can use the cable again.. (He says with a whole industrial box of cables in his bike room)

 

OP, don't let these guys fool you.

 

You basically need to carry a whole bike shop plus at least a spare tire. The Epic isn't just 8 decent bike rides in a row. 

[Quagga]

Use insulation tape to tape the tip. Sommer tape it to the rest of the cable when wound up.

I would still not do it, all you need is to miss the cable housing once and that cable is a mess and you will spend a long time trying to get it into the housing. Not something I would want to fumble wiht on the Epic. I would rathe tape the extra cable after installing it or roll it up and tape it.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Go watch Kulharvey's video on an XCO course hardly consistent from 150watts to 1900 in 1 sec.

 

I used to weigh 100kg and NEVER snapped a chain and when I step on it I used to get to 1000w. for 1 sec. 

 

But then again I maintain my stuff.

chains break due to **** shifting practices, when the chain gets forced over a couple of cogs and twisted beyond its tolerances for flex. That's true regardless of whether you're kulharvey or a joe average. 

 

If you shift a bunch of gears on your way up a punchy climb with all your power on the pedals, your chain will most likely get caught on the edge of a couple of teeth, twist more than it can handle, and snap. This is true of new, old, well or badly maintained chains & drivetrains. 

[V12man]

Had a ride this afternoon and one of the guys got a small sidewall tear - those are difficult to repair! It was too big for a plug, so we tried installing a boot / gator but the sealant makes it difficult for it to stick inside. And once the tire / rim seal was broken we couldn't get it reseated anyway, even with CO2. So it seems like having a spare tube (which we didn't) is the way to go in cases like these.

And that spare MUST have sealant in it - unless you want to take thorns out of the tire before installing it.... I use a gator that is like a big patch - has glue on one side and holds a sidewall tear better than a standard parktool gator - and I also carry a couple of bigish mushroom plugs for smaller issues - resealing is still an issue.

 

And on the subject of thorns - some spare rim/duct tape too - in case you get a thorn through the tape at a spoke hole - for exactly that reason I now run rims without spoke holes (and no tape)

[MrJacques]

And that spare MUST have sealant in it - unless you want to take thorns out of the tire before installing it.... I use a gator that is like a big patch - has glue on one side and holds a sidewall tear better than a standard parktool gator - and I also carry a couple of bigish mushroom plugs for smaller issues - resealing is still an issue.

 

And on the subject of thorns - some spare rim/duct tape too - in case you get a thorn through the tape at a spoke hole - for exactly that reason I now run rims without spoke holes (and no tape)

 

I haven't had much luck with sealant in tubes, it doesn't seem to work as well as in a tubeless setup.

[Quagga]

chains break due to **** shifting practices, when the chain gets forced over a couple of cogs and twisted beyond its tolerances for flex. That's true regardless of whether you're kulharvey or a joe average. 

 

If you shift a bunch of gears on your way up a punchy climb with all your power on the pedals, your chain will most likely get caught on the edge of a couple of teeth, twist more than it can handle, and snap. This is true of new, old, well or badly maintained chains & drivetrains. 

 

Forgot to add that part, thanks for clarifying.....

[V12man]

I haven't had much luck with sealant in tubes, it doesn't seem to work as well as in a tubeless setup.

It doesnt work as well - but better than nothing.....