Rocky Mountain Cycling Club
The Club for People Who Love to Ride!

Self-support Essentials and Tips

Self-support Essentials and Tips
by Sheridan Garcia

Self-Support Training and Skills:

If you want to enjoy your self-support adventure, adequate training is necessary because each day's ride, at 70 to 100 miles, is longer than an average loop around the park. I recommend a base of 500 miles ridden with progressive increases in mileage during the three months before the tour.

To avoid being stranded, you must be able to change a tire and repair a puncture. 

Information on training and bicycle repair skills is available in the bicycling press, at bicycle shops, and from bicycle clubs. 

Self-Support Provisions:

The seat bag should have a capacity of at least 900 cubic inches.  I bought mine at the REI Flagship Store; the brand name is Details, and it has its own built-in seat post clamp. The bag and everything below will add about five pounds to the bike.  I recommend that all critical clothing be of high-tech fabric, no cotton.  Remember that you'll be wearing the majority of it while cycling.

• 1 long-sleeved base layer
• 1 short sleeve base layer
• 1 riding jersey - short sleeve or sleeveless
• 1 pair cycling pants
• 1 rain jacket
• 1 rain pants (optional; I use my legwarmers.)
• 1 windbreaker (full sleeve or vest)
• 2 pairs socks - one light, one thicker
• 2 bandanas
• legwarmers
• arm warmers
• 1 headband or ear band
• 1 riding cap
• 1 pair lightweight street shorts, for example, EMS style
• 2 pairs of gloves - one long, one short
• 1 pair glove liners (optional)
• 1 pair Teva-type sandals
• swim suit (optional)
• helmet
• sun glasses
• Toiletries: Buy the travel size, which will include deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, and shampoo. Add sunscreen and ear plugs. Anything else you'd take you'd need to transfer to little cylinder plastic film containers or Ziplocs.
• Bring cash, a credit card, and ID.
• 2 tubes with each in its own sandwich-sized Ziploc bag, which can be used between your socks if your feet get cold or wet
• 4 CO₂ cartridges  and/or bike pump.
• 1 patch kit. You also must know how to change and repair a flat.
• 1 multi-tool or equivalent tools
• 4 extra spokes
• 2 water bottles or camelback (personal choice)
• small plastic bottle of chain lube
• bungee cord

Tips:

• Every clothing item should be interchangeable, for example: 

When going out to eat in the evening, wear the street shorts or the bike shorts, long-sleeved base layer, sandals with socks if needed, and windbreaker. Wear your riding cap or bandana if your head is cold from wet hair; glove liners, if your hands are cold.  Yeah, you look weird, but so what's new?!! 

• If you need more clothing, waterproofing, insulation:

For the budget minded, find a used clothing store at that night’s destination where you can buy something for $2 to $5 for use only during the trip.

Go to a store, and buy a large garbage bag, or go to the local bike store, and buy an expensive item that you've probably got in your car or at home.

• If you need to clean your bike:

At that night's hotel ask the front desk for rags to clean your bike; they appreciate your not using their towels, and I've never had an occasion where rags were not provided.  They usually have a garden hose in the hot tub area for use.  Go to the local bike shop if you want degreaser; be sure to ride your bike there, so you can pump up the tires.

• Cleaning/drying clothes:

Most hotels have coin operated washer and dryers, or a Laundromat is close by, usually on Main Street of a small town.  You can always use the "sitting in the tub with everything on" method and hope your bike clothes dry by morning.  If the hotel bathroom has a heat lamp light on the ceiling over the tub, hang everything across the shower curtain rail, and keep cranking the heat lamp light.

• Riding provisions for the next day:

After your evening meal, buy Gatorade, prepackaged Fig Newtons, fruit, Powerbars, gel, or whatever you have depleted during the day's ride.  Do this that night because you'll leave early the next morning after breakfast and won't want to stop on the way.  At breakfast, save half of what you order or cannot eat then, and have them wrap it in foil or plastic wrap to take with you for lunch on the road.  Never throw away food on a self-support tour.

• Most importantly:

Have fun.