BIKE
Whilst we all love to drool over the latest and greatest in Titanium and Carbon, the cycleWell camp is not really the place for bike snobbery! All road bikes with drop bars are welcome (no TT or Tri bars though please).
Disc or caliper brakes again is a discussion to be had over a coffee and either are fine.
Our main request is that you bring a “well maintained bike” to the Camp. But what does that mean?
A bike in great working order will add to your enjoyment of the camp, so here are my tips for having your machine in tip top shape:
- Get your bike clean. I will give a demo in how to quickly clean and lube your bike at the Camp but before this, there are a heap of clips on YouTube to help you out. The GCN Channel provides great reference content for example. For a simple clean, I just reach for the Muc-Off and follow the instructions. I get the drive chain clean and dry and lube it.
- Check for worn parts. Tyres that are squared off on the top of the tread, cuts or worn/aged sidewalls are all signs a new tyre is needed. We all have our preference for tyres so if in doubt get new ones. There wont be spare tyres provided at the Camp.
- Get your chain checked. A worn chain can lead to gears skipping so have this checked out. The easiest way to do this will probably be to take your bike into your Local Bike Shop (LBS).
- Bar tape. It sounds silly to replace but this part of the bike gets covered in sweat and all sorts of muck so if its a little worn replace and check the level clamps for any corrosion.
- Frame and fork check. Have look over your frame and forks for any signs of cracks and if in doubt take it back to your place of purchase.
- Brakes and gears. Check the cables and if in doubt replace both outers and inners. If you are maintaining your bike regularly then there’s a good chance these are all working fine. Check the brake pads for wear and if the guides indicate they are worn too far then please replace them.
- Rear Light. It’s mandatory that anyone whom I coach MUST have a (working) rear safety light affixed to their bike and ‘on’ when we are riding in Victoria. It’s also a preference of mine (but not a legal requirement) that you have a front safety light. You will NOT be allowed to participate in our group rides if you do not have an operational rear safety light.
- If you’re riding an electronic geared bike. BRING YOUR CHARGER!
- Best practice is to book a service at your favourite bike shop the week or two weeks before.
- Bring a pump, inner tubes and your favourite chain lube and you may as well throw your tool box in your car if you have the space. We’ll provide basic mechanical support on all of our rides and we have plenty of mechanical ‘nous’ and experience in our team but we DO NOT do bike servicing for you at the Camp.
Apparel / ‘Kit’
We are going to be in the mountains and we need to be prepared. You will definitely need a windproof jacket and vest. A waterproof jacket is also a good idea should you have one. You’ll also need base layers to keep your trunk warm. Essentially, you need to bring kit for all types of weather. Our program is flexible and we will try to do our group rides in the best weather available on each day. We also have a support vehicle with us on every ride so you can pack kit for the climbs and put it back on for the descents! If you have them, bring over-shoes and of course a selection of gloves to suit varying conditions. It gets very cold at the top of the climbs AND on the descents so regardless of how good the weather forecast may look – you will need to pack for the cold.
I find in the mountains that I get by in cold with a base layer and roubaix material jacket. If the temperature drops further or rain comes then I throw over my rain jacket. For my legs I use leg warmers but it really depends on how hard I have to ride for the day. I always have full legged tights packed.
Helmet. Make sure it carries all the correct Aus/NZ Standards (label on the inside of your helmet). I am a Cycle Australia coach so I need to check these for best practice and duty of care. You will NOT be allowed to participate in our group rides without a fully certified helmet.
Bike shoes. You will need clip-less pedals and make sure your cleats are not worn. I recommend bringing spare cleats just in case.
We will also have the opportunity to do some gym work so bring some suitable workout clothes (shorts & T Shirt).
Our kit partner BABICI provides all cycleWELL ticket holders with an exclusive discount so if you are thinking you may need to purchase some new kit for the Camp, purchase your Ticket first and then ask us for our exclusive discount code to use on the BABICI website.
If you have read through all of the above and are in doubt or would like to chat please get in touch.
I’ll look forward to maybe meeting you at a cycleWELL camp soon.
Darren
