Steamboat Prep

I took Monday and Tuesday off of the bike and used the spare time to get my pit area stuff in order and to give the Flux a good once over. I will be self-supported for my 12 hour solo race but I think I have a good system worked out. The only pit stop that will be a bit slow is when I have to add the lights for the beginning the night riding.


Nothing makes a bike feel "new" like new shift cables & housing. Is the orange too over-the-top? I like the Jagwire Ripcord cable kit (similar to Avid's Flak Jacket system) because of the plastic tubing + needle nosed ferrules that help to shield the cable the way full-length housing does without having to drill out your cable stops. I typicaly just buy bulk housing but I am impressed with this system so far.

Tech tip: the black plastic tubing that runs between ferrules is very stiff & curly when you take it out of the packaging. Let it sit in the hot sun for a while or use a blow dryer to heat and then straighten it before installation. This makes the job much easier and looks sexy when you are done.

I have resisted the urge to try Co2 due to the numerous stories of failure and because most people I know carry both CO2 and a pump. Plus, there are so many devices to deliver CO2 to your tube that it's hard to decide which one works best without investing a small fortune and trying them all.

So I bought the Big Air kit that comes with a Big Air can and a tiny Microflate head. I also bought a 12g CO2 to practice with and a 25g CO2 to have in my pit as spare along with my trusty pump. The Microflate head relies on the screwing & unscrewing of the can to control the inflation rate. My first attempt with the 12g cartridge and a road bike tire was a success and seems straightforward. Ironically, the 40g Big Air can weighs less than the 25g traditional cartridge. My trusty Topeak mini pump will be in my pit area just in case.