Bike Repairs

	Mechanics were available at all of the Controles, and basic competency at things like truing wheels, replacing spokes, etc. was evident. The biggest problem was that the tools we saw were pretty basic. High tech, odd, or non-standard size bike components presented a problem. For example, most mechanics didn't have a truing stand that would accept 160 mm tandem wheels, so adjustments had to be made on the bike frame. Specialized tools like a "hub brake turner" (large pin spanner) were not available. If your bike had English threads or non-metric screws, you could be in for an interesting game of "I can fabricate a tool that might fit, but this might take a few hours!". Needless to say, if you broke a spoke (or whatever they call them on composite wheels) on your Rolf or Spynergy, you were in serious trouble. At some of the controls there was a high demand for repairs, so waiting times of over an hour were a real possibility. What we learned was that, if you had a serious problem, the most efficient thing to do was to immediately take the bike to the mechanic area, negotiate what had to be done, then go and check-in, eat, shower, etc while your bike was being worked on. Simple spares (tubes, tires, rim tape, etc.) were generally available at reasonable prices.