Sorry guys, but.... what if you don't have an extra set of wheels but want to do a crit? What do you do and/or bring?
Thanks
Tim

Sorry guys, but.... what if you don't have an extra set of wheels but want to do a crit? What do you do and/or bring?
Thanks
Tim

Don't bring them if you don't have them. I'd guess that a minority actually bring wheels for use in the wheel pit. I wouldn't worry about them- especially if it is a first crit, which I'm guessing it is from your question. If you flat, you are out. Unless you have a teammate who will loan you wheels?

I flatted once during a crit and had a half mile walk to the starting area/wheel pit. I didn't bring an extra set of wheels, but I wouldn't have considered re-entering the race anyway and probably missed too much of it to matter.

Don't bring them if you don't have them. I'd guess that a minority actually bring wheels for use in the wheel pit. I wouldn't worry about them- especially if it is a first crit, which I'm guessing it is from your question. If you flat, you are out. Unless you have a teammate who will loan you wheels?

I flatted once during a crit and had a half mile walk to the starting area/wheel pit. I didn't bring an extra set of wheels, but I wouldn't have considered re-entering the race anyway and probably missed too much of it to matter.


Makes sense. Thanks.

Chances are you won't flat and won't need a spare wheel.

The free lap rules are often limited to only the first half of the race and even then, it's often tough to get to the wheel area, change the wheel and hop back on the train in a single lap in a short 4 or 5 corner crit. So take your chances and race without a spare set of wheels.

Make certain you have good tires on your wheels, a good tire is one of your best investments (next to clipless pedals). A good tire is one that has good grip in the corners, is fairly light for all the accelerations, and one with low rolling resistance. But probably won't have good wear characteristics (which is why a lot of folks have race only wheels and tires).

Sorry guys, but.... what if you don't have an extra set of wheels but want to do a crit? What do you do and/or bring?
Thanks
Tim

Grab someone else's wheels from the pit. Happens all the time, shake hands and say thanks afterwards. Remember to bring them right back after the race, okay?

Grab someone else's wheels from the pit. Happens all the time, shake hands and say thanks afterwards. Remember to bring them right back after the race, okay?

...preferably in better condition than when you took them!

M

...preferably in better condition than when you took them!

M

Remember also that it's a free lap AFTER you get back to the wheel pit, not from when you flat out or wreck. You have time to get back to the pit, change wheels, and then they'll put you back into the race. Don't run back to the pit, but hustle along. Change out, get pushed back in, and finish the race. You'll still be on the lead lap.

Remember also that it's a free lap AFTER you get back to the wheel pit, not from when you flat out or wreck. You have time to get back to the pit, change wheels, and then they'll put you back into the race. Don't run back to the pit, but hustle along. Change out, get pushed back in, and finish the race. You'll still be on the lead lap.
This is just wrong. The free lap counts from the time of the mishap. If a rider is lapped getting from the mishap to the pit, then the rider gets one free lap for repairs, but still losses the lap it took to get to the pit.

This is just wrong. The free lap counts from the time of the mishap. If a rider is lapped getting from the mishap to the pit, then the rider gets one free lap for repairs, but still losses the lap it took to get to the pit.

This is not true... Some crits are short, therefore it is impossible to make it from the area of the mishap (after you pick yourself up from the ground usually) so you get a free lap when you get back, or they change your wheel, and get you back into the race at the next possible moment. This is left up to the person officiating the race, and every single time I've gone down, flatted a wheel, and or had to use a free lap, this is what has happened to me. I've never been put a lap down, or more, in a crit. So if this has happened to you, I'd say get another official. They aren't being very fair.

This is not true... Some crits are short, therefore it is impossible to make it from the area of the mishap (after you pick yourself up from the ground usually) so you get a free lap when you get back, or they change your wheel, and get you back into the race at the next possible moment. This is left up to the person officiating the race, and every single time I've gone down, flatted a wheel, and or had to use a free lap, this is what has happened to me. I've never been put a lap down, or more, in a crit. So if this has happened to you, I'd say get another official. They aren't being very fair.
Officials are free to give a second free lap at their discretion for laps over 1 km. For laps less than 1 km, 2 laps must be given (3D5). That said, your original statement is still wrong. Free laps (1 or 2) are counted from the time of the mishap, not arrival at the pits. I wouldn't give advice to a new racer based on just your experience. The fact that your local officials may be generous in awarding laps does not guarantee that will be the case everywhere. Some officials are sticklers for the one free lap rule.

And to show how experiences differ, I've always been able to get back to the pit after a problem without being lapped by the field.

Also, make sure we're counting laps the same way. You come through the start/finish with the pack. Somewhere on the lap you get a flat and fall off the back. The pack comes through the start finish and some time later you pull into the pit. You're still on the same lap as the leaders. While getting a wheel change, the pack comes through. Now, your free lap has started. You finish the wheel change and wait for the pack. When they come through again (the second time you see them in the pit) you rejoin. At this point you would be one lap down (you finished the lap where you flatted and sat out one in the pit), but the free lap, puts you even with the pack. So the pack came through twice without you (once off the back with the flat, once in the pit) but you only sat out 1 lap.

If you look at a typical scoring sheet, it might be clearer. Say your number 204
19) 202, 243, 204,P,210,227,238 - one pack, 202,243,204 leading, 210,227,238 at the back
18) 202,243,219,P,210,238,227//204 one pack with 204 off the back (because of flat)
17) 202,243,219,P,210,238,227 - same pack but 204 doesn't cross S/F (in pit)
16) 202,204,219,P,210,227,238 - 204 back in front after wheel change but not a lap down