A question I often get asked is what do you take along on the bike during each stage. Please remember that this is my opinion and is based around my abilities (how long I expect to take on each stage) and experiences gained over 5 years riding the epic.
I know that a popular theory is that "if you can fit a chainsaw into your camelback - take it". However considering the waterpoints and neutral service stations, I subscribe to the minimalist theory. Take as little as possible, without being "reckless".
For starters, I don't take a camelback. I have 2 bottle cages on my bike, so I take 1 bottle with water and another with powerade/energade. I then make sure I never leave a water table without full bottles. However if you know you're going to taking a really long time between water points or your bike only has one bottle cage take a camelback.
As far as spares are concerned, Mark and I decide on a list and then share the load between the 2 of us. We carry 1 x Spare tube, 1 x tyre lever set, 1 x tube of superglue, 1 x seatbolt (very NB), 1 x small square of sandpaper (lekka rough), 2 x car tyre patches, 1 x gator set for tubeless tyres (You know - those things you stick into the tyre with a big needle), 2 x bombs, 1 x bomb adaptor, 1 x small carbon pump (ours is stupidly light), a chainbreaker/multitool and a superlink. Looks like quite a long list but my share of the stuff I fit into a small "specialized" tubby bag. Mark carries the rest in his camelbak. Oh, yes we also take along a cellphone, credit card and R100 - for beers in the chillzone aftewards - which I carry in one of those waterproof pouches that I can hang around my neck.
This leaves my pockets open for food! I'll estimate how long a stage will take me and then take enough vooma's so that I can have 1evry 2 hrs. I also take a sandwich/roll (white bread with ham and butter, an apple danish (if I can find one) and then a few handfuls of raisins.
I'm a bit lazy right now so I'll post something later that contains a bit more about my nutrition. What I eat before, during and after each stage and WHY. Suffice it say at this stage that I'm a disciple of "The Paleo Diet for Athletes" by Joe Friel and Loren Cordain.
3 comments:
Stompie whatsup my Brother.
Firstly, Well done on the Epic gee, and well done on keeping us posted on this site. I loved it as much as I love "You know Who" (The opposite of your Dad)
I am very interested in your H2O bottle theory (no camel back)
Coming from road riding and very very little mnt bike riding this is just a question I have.
I have done some short mnt bike rides and on one of my 1st rides I had 2 H2O bottles on my mnt bike frame, just as I would have done if I was on the road. The only problem was every little bump and dropp off I did, my bottles would go flying (all the time) From then on I used a camel back?
How do you keep your bottles from flying off all the time.
Respect
Savage Sac
Get bottle cages as tight as your ass (Double J told me)
Interesting to know.
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