POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Floor Pumps and Chain
Lube
YOUR
FLOOR PUMP IS AS ESSENTIAL AS
YOUR HELMET TO
BRING WITH YOU
You
will need to bring your own floor pump, chain lube, and rags
with you to inflate your tires and lube your chain in the
morning. Our floor pumps, chain lube, and rags are for use
only in response to specific mechanic problems encountered
and will not be available for
general participant use
in the morning before the ride. First,
we simply do not have enough floor pumps, chain lube, or
rags
to
offer to all participants. Relying on us to provide these
items takes way too much time to
go around
and
be used
by
everyone in the morning, and they will inevitably
get lost or misplaced. All this when your number
one priority in the morning to get your
stuff together to be able to begin
the ride!
In addition, the inherent, unavoidable problem
with floor pumps is that they will break. Becuase it is extremely
important
to
maintain
working
floor pumps
for both
the comfort
and
safety
of all
participants,
we COMPLETELY
and ABSOLUTELY disagree in every way with other events
who provide common ones for general participant usage
in the morning before the ride. Whoever the stupid
clueless worthless idiot was
who first decided that participants did not need to bring their
own floor pumps to cycling events was wrong, dead
wrong, because it's simply too risky
for everyone to depend on common floor pumps. Not if, but
when a common floor pump breaks it affects EVERYONE - and EVERYONE
gets screwed.
It can be an absolutely horrible time keeping floor pumps in
operating condition because too
often participants either didn't know how to correctly
attach the pump nozzle to their valve stem or were too harsh
with
the pump and ended up breaking it. In addition, we unnecessarily
spend time
repairing it, we would also have to assume that any necessary
repair parts for the pump would not be available in town
in which case we would have to buy a new pump
if one was even available, which can't be guaranteed.
The more floor pumps and chain lube
available, the better, and the best way
to accomplish this is by having as many particiants as possible
bring their
own. If someone forgets to bring a floor pump or chain
lube, or if your floor pump breaks, there is always someone
else who has one available. In addition, everyone is will
be much more
careful
with
their own
floor pumps than ours, and know how to operate and maintain
them the best. And don't worry, we have PLENTY of extra room
in
our
baggage truck to carry everyone's floor pump!
On the road, floor pumps will be available
at every rest stop upon request for tire pressure top offs.
This is particularly
convenient
if you get a flat tire on the road and are unable to fully
inflate your tire with your hand operated frame pump or
CO2
quick tire
inflator. Pumps will be able to accommodate both Presta and
Schrader valve
types
and have
built in pressure gauges.
Participants may not operate our floor
pumps themselves to prevent misuse and breakage. Only staff
members are allowed to operate them. |