Useful Links:
Dear GB Athlete,
I have been GB team mechanic since 1997 and have attended over 40 championship races, including World Short and Long Course, both Triathlon and Dualthlon and was the home nations Mechanic for the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games around both as Age Group and Elite mechanic. I hope to share with you some wisdom I have collected over the years about some “do’s and don’ts” surrounding the mystery that is your bike.
The most important thing you can do for your bike is to ensure it is in top mechanical condition come race day. For those of you with good mechanical knowledge this process is easy. For those of you with little or no working knowledge on the maintenance front it is advisable for you to find a good dealer/shop and have your bike regularly serviced. If locally you do not know of a shop with a good reputation then ask a friend, or maybe a friend of a friend. Word of mouth with personal recommendation is always the best way to find a decent mechanic who will love and treasure your bike as much as you do. Remember, we all love the bike shops that sell all the expensive kit but that does not mean they will have the personal touch or appreciate what your bike means to you as an athlete.
Some of the best mechanics I know don’t even work in big shops; they are the small independent dealers who have built their reputation for honesty and high standards. Even if it means travelling that little bit further in the long run you will benefit.
In terms of time scale I would recommend one month prior to race day for your final service. This will give you time to bed in any new parts that may have been fitted. The only exception to this rule is your tyres. Come race day the better condition and newer your tyres are the less likely you will be to puncture. No tyre is guaranteed to prevent punctures but the better quality tyre you have fitted the less likely you are to puncture. For those of you who would like a recommendation I suggest Michelin Pro Race 3. I have always used Michelin and have travelled with them for over 10 years. They are a decent race tyre with good puncture protection and they are pretty easy to fit and remove. Ensure you travel with ample spares of tubes. In the days leading up to the race you will use your bike and inevitably some of you will end up with punctures.
For transporting your bike I would always advise a hard bike box. In recent years damaged bikes coming off of planes has become more common. I cannot emphasis strongly enough to ensure your bike is packed extremely well. Modern Carbon Frames do not like being dropped or having heavy loads piled on top of them. A soft bag offers no structural support to your bike! I would only recommend the use of a hard case. In all my years as team mechanic I have witnessed first hand the damage that can occur when you use a soft bag. I strongly advise you do not use a soft bag!
As bikes become more and more complex it’s worth thinking about travelling with some spares, especially if your bike is unusual or not that common. A major help for me as mechanic would be if you carried a spare breakaway hanger. This is the part of your frame that your rear mech bolts onto. It is called a breakaway hanger because in the event of you coming off and landing gear side down the hanger is designed to break away from the frame so as not to damage your frame (ouch lots of money) or your gears.
They are cheap to buy but you will have to order from your dealer or I use BETD. Once on the home page go to COMPONENTS and then DERAILLIEUR HANGERS. Then simply scroll down and see if they do one for your brand of bike. In the past few years this one item has caused many headaches before race day trying to repair or source a new one at short notice. Remember, where we are travelling to there may be many cycle shops but spares specific to your bike may be tough to come by.
