TCR 10, Transcontinental Race

Victor 4th segment time between cp2 and 3.

Abdullah's in Biga now, let's hope there's a bike shop. His dot is currently very close to a motorbike shop, but who knows if they can help him.

Beware the vulcanisers!

Rode from Romania to the finish with a slowly leaking front tyre after someone got a bit frisky with a pump and ripped the extender out of the rim. Another vote for shallow rims.

People running stupid spare tubes but not taking enough patches

I get the idea a lot of people think they are too cool for patches. Especially the type that need a tube of cement, ie the type that actually work when it's hot.

someone got a bit frisky with a pump and ripped the extender out of the rim

That sounds painful!

Too cool or they're noobs and don't know how to use them? I hate patching tubes but it works and I also hate just binning tubes - such a waste! Mostly try and get away with quick patches these days but in high heat and moist cold they've proven to be a bit shit.

I'm sure the photos were removed for violating Twitter policy.

Oh man, so sad for Abdullah. He must be all over the place on the sleep he has (or hasn't) had.

The clingfilm guy carries 13 innertubes.

wat?

Robin will be a great champion if he takes this, led from the start.

It said so in a story. He had like a ton of stuff taped under his downtube.

That's crazy. 13 seems like overkill.

Or maybe not. Strasser:

A cut in the tyre, 6 flats, only 4 spare tubes - these are the hard facts of the parcours earlier today. Was a tough one for the head. Nearly running out of food and water even if I was well prepared before the parcours.
Thankfully no crash. I survived this section and I am happy to ride on! This is TCR!

AZ: https://streamable.com/kg9vfc

"only 4 spare tubes"

I've never had more than 3 spare tubes. They're worried about losing time patching but then run out of options? Not heard of tyre boots?

I don’t really get on comments by cap 303 about TCR changing the rules to increases diversity … correct me if I am wrong but from their previous stories apparently she can’t rode at night because of safety issue in certain area/countries… how this safety issues can be address in a race that is 4K km long?

She wants to be able to ride with others when she doesn't feel safe. "It's stupid others don't want to ride with me for fear of being DQed."

It's the same person complaining about not being in the race anymore after her pair partner scratched?

But she has a point. If you could group up at night that would be safer, but there's brevets and touring if you want that.

A cut in the tyre, 6 flats, only 4 spare tubes

Too cool, or too sponsored, to use patches!

I've only ever carried two tubes, on the basis I have two wheels, plus loads of patches, plus something to make a boot out of.

The tcr makes its rules as clear as it gets. Either it's a race as a pair, or it's a race 100% on your own. No one puts a gun to anyone's head and makes them enter.

Seems to have got into a groove of complaining at the organizers about basic structural aspects of the race for social media engagement

Oh, you're lucky, I've never had more than 3/4 of a spare tube, I had to make up the rest from chewing gum. Honestly, kids today don't know they're born.

Good to see Abdullah's motoring again, hopefully not literally with something from the motorcycle shop. :) Will he re-overtake Strasser?

To be fair, he mentioned patching some tubes. But the main strategy is clearly "get all the tubes!"

https://calumonwheels.com/2024/07/17/a-permament-fix-for-stuck-broken-suntour-q-loc-suspension-fork-thru-axles/

At this rate the Balkans will be out of tubes after TCR has passed by.

Maybe the TCR orgs should add 'puncture repair kit' to their list of mandatory items.