Advice needed please for Raid Pyrenees

[jellikins]

If you were supporting 6 riders to do the Raid in JUne, what spaers would you take to cover likely breaks and faults etc.

All on Shimano, initial list looks like this.

Please can I have some help and advice on what is missing and needed and the quanitities please.

So far we have.................

1 complete spare bike with shimano set and wheels.

4 Shimano spare wheels (not including the 2 on the spare bike)

6 x 10 speed road bike Chains

30 Inner tubes

Tyres x 12

24 x Spare sets of brake blocks

3 x rear brake cables

3 x rear gear cables

12 spokes for rear and front wheel

Plastic tyre levers

Large tube of grease

Spoke key

Spare chain links

Liquid chain lube (bottle not aerosol)

Track Pump x 2

Multi tools

 

[andrew_s]

It does depend a bit on what sort of state their bikes are in when you start. If they are in good nick, you likely won't need any maintenance over a 750 mile ride other than a dribble of chain oil.
As such, it seems like a lot of gear to take. There are bike shops in France. I'd rely on the spare bike to cover crash damage (provided your riders are near enough the right size), and use bike shops for patching up the damaged bike (pringled wheels, bent handlebars, replacement rear mechs, bent cranks, trashed pedals etc etc)

I'd tell them to start off on new tyres, and only take 2 or 3 spare. Similarly, newish brake blocks should last OK unless you get a lot of bad weather.
Chains, only a couple, but I'd take a spare cassette or two too (new chains can slip on old cassettes).
If you are taking spare spokes, you will want the wherewithall to remove the cassette so you can fit them - lockring tool, chain whip, plus large spanner if the lockring tool doesn't have a built-in handle. Similarly a more complete tool kit

Your riders will want to carry basic puncture-mending kit with them. If you follow on behind, the first rider could wait a fair time, and there's things like going on ahead to set up a lunch or 11s stop at the top of a col, food shopping etc.
Maybe CO2 inflators?, in which case you'd want a box of spare cylinders. A set of tyre levers each, a couple tubes each from your stock of 30.

 

[asterix]

Agreed, a well maintained bike should be ok on this ride.

I did the tourist version (800km, 28 cols, 10 days) of this in 2007 using a bike with Shimano stuff carrying me (85kg) and 20kg of gear. Nothing broke, only the brake pads needed replacing. I bought some en route and they were much better than the aztecs they replaced. Although there are indeed bike shops in France, there aren't that many on the Raid route.

Before the start I had serviced every moving part, replacing the chain and casette and had Spa Cycles check the wheels (which they had built 3 years earlier. The tyres were part worn as were the brake pads.

At the start of each day I would recommend checking the bike and making sure nothing is looser than it should be. After servicing, I suggest it's best to ride the bike a fair bit before going as a running in exercise.

 

[andrew_s]

If support is carrying a spare bike and several wheels, support can drive into Pau or wherever if necessary. You want enough spares that you don't have to drive for normal trivia such as inner tubes and brake blocks. The list is appropriate - it was just the quantities I was questioning.
I agree that any servicing other than swapping tyres is best done a couple of weeks beforehand. I remember re-spacing a rear axle half way between Seville and Cordoba on one tour because on an immediately pre-departure service the bike shop had managed to strip the axle threads by overtightening the locknut, allowing the cone to screw itself into the bearings and jam the wheel.

Another suggested spare - water bottles to replace those left behind on cafe tables.

 

[asterix]

If I was support I wouldn't want to be driving to get to the nearest bike shop in the Pyrennees. They are surprisingly few and far between, the roads are mostly mountainous(!) and therefore slow and quite dangerous. What's more, when you do find one, it's quite possible they will be rushed off their feet doing up bikes for a local club, as a companion rider found out.

No doubt the riders in a raid will also have little time to spare whilst support goes off looking for parts.

Much better to have everything to hand.

 

[andrew_s]

Much better to have everything to hand.

How much "everything" do you suggest then?
A second spare bike? Handlebars? Bottom Bracket (+tools)? Saddle? STI levers? Rear mech?
How much is it all going to cost?

 

[asterix]

How much "everything" do you suggest then?

I believe that was what the OP wanted to know, in which case knowing the availability of external support is important.

Your advice to take a more complete tool kit is all the more useful, including bottom bracket removers/tighteners.