MTB Stage Race Preparation (Part 1)

What’s inside today:
Trail Insider Guide to Race Preparation.
Race day(s).
Links to my favorite race essentials.

Trail Insider Essential Guide to Stage Racing.

This week will see two bonus editions of the TI newsletter (Monday and Wednesday), and next week our normal scheduled posts will resume. With the eye on the upcoming Wines 2 Whales in Cape Town, South Africa 🐋🍷, this is the opportune moment to give you some race prep guidelines.

Stage Racing is unlike other races, this is where endurance meets adventure, with a hint of masochistic joy. It's not just about conquering epic trails and long days in the saddle, but also about surviving the grind, bonding with your teammate and fellow racers, and testing your mental fortitude.
Each day feels like a saga: unpredictable weather, mechanical hiccups, and the sweet, soul-crushing burn in your legs. But therein lies the allure - every climb you despise, every descent that makes your heart skip a beat, becomes a story you’ll tell with a grin. It’s a test of resilience, teamwork, and pure grit, wrapped in the euphoria of surviving it all.

1. Training.

Honestly, it is too late now, even for panic training, W2W starts in a few days. The best thing you can do now is keep your legs loose, do a couple of longer distance rides at a moderate pace. I would recommend tapering for the last week and from around 3 days before the race, just take very low intensity spins, don’t push yourself, you can work in a few short sprints or short intervals, but no high intensity. At this point it is better to start the race well rested, than with tired legs from panic training.
For training though, we have a fantastic MTB coach lined up that will start feeding us tips and tricks over coming issues, to up your MTB game.

2. Practical skills that could save your race: Watch a video, learn a thing or two.

Fixing a chain:
A broken chain can stop you dead in your tracks. Fortunately a chain is an easy fix, provided you have a quick link and a chain breaker to take off any damaged links.

Plugging a tyre:
A puncture can happen anywhere and even if you have plenty of sealant in your tyres, could mean the end of your ride if the hole is bigger than the sealant can seal by itself.
A tyre plug is used to make the hole small enough that the sealant can do its job.

Dropping in a tube if you can’t fix a tyre:
Remember the old days when you had to fix your tubes? Yes, a tube can still save the day (see Nr 4 in the Packing List” below). If you have a cut or a leak that you can’t get to seal, take off your tyre, and try to clean the inside of your tyre (this is extremely messy, but by this point, you’ll do what’s necessary), then take out the tubeless valve and keep it. Check the inside of the tyre for any thorns or foreign objects that could damage the tube and remove them.
Finally, Insert the tube, tuck your tyre into your rim, and inflate back to desired pressure. It is a good idea to get your tyre fixed and back to tubeless setup as soon as you can get to a tech zone, since tubes are vulnerable to thorns. This fix has saved me from many a sad stroll.

What to do when a derailleur cable breaks:
If you have a spare cable with you (which is a good idea on long days out), it is a very quick swap, if not however…

3. Bike prep.

Please please don’t try to fit a new part or make any upgrades to your bike just before the race! This includes things like new pedals, shoes or anything that can mess with your bike setup and ride comfort.

If you need to replace parts, do it well in advance, so that you can iron out any problems before you head to the race. If your bike is regularly maintained and riding well, a good clean and lube may be all that’s necessary. If maintenance is a foreign word to you, this is the time to pull up your socks, as it could cost you the race.

Here is the Trail Insider cheat sheet to getting your bike ready for the big day!

1. Clean your bike. Wash it with a quality bike wash and make sure to clean out all old mud and gunk.
2. When last was your suspension serviced? This could make a huge difference in how comfortable you are for longer days and delay fatigue. So if you can’t answer this, consider getting your suspension checked and serviced.
3. When last did you reset your suspension settings? If your bike feels amazing, then don’t start messing with it. If however your bike handles like a wooden cart and your suspension is serviced, it is time to adjust your fork and rear shock air pressure and settings again.
4. Tyre condition. Tires are your connection to mother nature and important, check for tyre wear and potential weak spots (cuts etc.). Also consider if your tyres are the correct type and width for the race terrain. You don’t what to risk unnecessary punctures and problems.
5. Tubeless sealant. This is one we often forget about. Check it. Make sure you have recommended volumes in each tyre. Think 70 - 100ml per tyre for long days. And top them up after you’ve had a bunch of punctures that spewed out sealant.
6. Tyre pressures - Check your tyre pressures, and check it again before every start. 25 - 27Psi is a good place start if you are unsure what you should be riding.
7. Bolt check. If you don’t have a torque wrench, just go over your bolts and make sure none of them turn too easily. You don’t want to over tighten them, but you definitely don’t want one to go missing mid ride. If you’re not sure, ask for advice.
8. Drivetrain inspection. Better left to someone who know what to check for. Your LBS should be able to give you a very quick opinion op drivetrain wear. Chain, chainring and cassette - all very good to have in good working order.
9. Gears check. if your gears are buttery smooth, and your cables (if you are still running cables) are in decent condition, it’s good to go. If you hear grinding, skipping, clicking - have your LBS check them out and set them properly.
10. Brakepad check - wear on these often go unnoticed, so take some time to have a solid look at the wear on your pads. If they have 1.5mm+ left, that should be fine, but get some extras to take along. If they need to be replaced, now is the time.
11. Lube. If your bike is solid, Lube your chain properly, maybe lube your stanchions, then cycle it a bit and let it sit to settle.

4. The Trail Insider Guide to Packing.

1. Ear plugs: Good sleep = better day on the bike. Sleeping tablets work for some, but only try them if you are used to them, you don’t want to have a drowsy morning.
2. Chamois cream. Happy butt = happier day in the saddle.
3. Deep Heat, Arnica or Deep Freeze: Sore muscles = unhappy rider.
4. Meds - Spasmend, Dicloflam, allergy tabs: rather over prepare and not need, than need and not have.
5. “Booster”: I like a Slowmag in the morning before setting off.
6. Blister plasters: For blisters, obviously.
7. 50spf Suntan lotion: Prolonged sun exposure is part and parcel of long days in the saddle.
8. Nail clippers: You’d be surprised to find out how annoying a ‘slightly too long’ toe nail can be after a few hours pushing against a cycling shoe.
9. Bike tools: I normally pack like a bikeshop when going to a race. But by just taking some essentials, you can remedy a lot in the camp. Also ask around, mountain bikers are great people and more often than not, would go out of their way to assist you.
10. Power bank and phone / cycling computer cables: There are charging stations on race grounds normally, but I prefer to take what I need along.
11. Cycling Kit: Take more than you think you need, and prepare for weather eventualities.
12. Riding glasses: If you share the trails with a thousand other riders, you’re sure to run into some dust or tyre spray at some stage.

5. What to take on your person in the race

Between water points you need to be prepared to sustain yourself, and also sort out technical issues . Whether you use a fanny pack, hydration pack, frame/saddle bag, strap stuff to your bike, or stash it in your pockets; here’s what I would recommend taking along. *remember to split the load between you two, no reason to carry duplicates, or for one person to carry everything.

1. Check the weather - it may be worth it taking along a lightweight rain jacket, even if just to keep you warm or protected from wind.
2. If you take a phone or car keys along - put it in a zip-lock bag or waterproof pouch and make sure it is behind a zipper or securely closed pouch. Both would suck to lose.
3. Rennies or Cramp-eze - these help with cramps. I don’t know why Rennies works, but they do.
4. Spares:
-Chainlinks to suit your drivetrain.
-Derailleur hanger if you have something unique.
-1× 29” tube between you
-1x Tubeless valve 
-Spare shifter cable inner
5. Tools:
- Multi-tool
- Chain breaker
- Tyre plugger with extra plugs
- Co2 Inflation nozzle with CO2 cartridges
- Tyre levers
6. If you are allergic to bees, have Asthma etc - please carry the relevant inhaler, Epipen and meds with you. This should go without saying, but there - I said it.
7. ICE contact details. In Case of Emergency details - phone number for a spouse, partner or someone reliable. And give them your medical aid details, for when you can’t speak. Also share these with your team mate and save theirs.

6. Race strategy

First thing is this - this is a multi-day, team event. Ride at the pace of the weakest rider, especially during the first two days, even if you are going for a podium. If one rider is burning the candle at both ends, he/she will burn out and the remainder of the race will suffer.
I’ve seen friendships die, relationships and marriages break up and colleagues fall out because of being unequally yoked during races. I was fortunate enough to ride a few W2W’s and learnt that anything can happen during a stage race, some days you feel on top of the world and the next day your legs just do not check in for duty.

Ride within your abilities, and fitness levels. If you trained together, you should have a solid feel for one another’s abilities.
Race what you are good at and ride the rest as best you can, some people are strong climbers, some good grinders on long stretches, some excel on technical terrain and some are fast on downhills.

More than that, everyone has their own strengths and strategies, and it’s a good idea to find what works for you as a team.

On Wednesday 30/10 we will share Part 2 of the Trail Insider Guide to Stage Racing and get into Race Fuelling as well as evening bike checks after a day in the saddle.

Links to essentials:

Chain Lube
In-Bar Multi Tool
Multi Tool
Tyre Levers
Tyre plugger
CO2 bombs and airing adapter
Valve core remover + nut remover
50ml sealant to top up
Extra tube
32Gi Endure
Recovery Mix

About the author:
Hello, I’m Francoin, an Industrial Designer in the cycling industry based in Somerset West, South Africa.

Tools, lights, accessories and bicycle design is my daily graft.

This newsletter is to share some of the experience & industry insight that I pick up along the way, with fellow cyclists. If you are new to the sport, or been riding for many years, I plan to give you something of interest in every edition.

Thanks for subscribing and Happy trails!

FV

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