What To Pack For A Cycling Event | Your Ultimate Gran Fondo Checklist!

Wondering what you need to take to your next big race? If you're unsure what to pack for an upcoming bike event, don't miss Conor's top tips in this video!
What do you need to take to a gran fondo? 0:00
Essentials checklist 0:32
Nutrition 1:42
Basic repair kit 3:34
Clothing 4:15
A proper toolkit for bike maintenance 5:04
Other bonus tips! 8:16
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#gcn #cycling #roadcycling #roadbike #bike #bikes #bikelife #bikeevent #race #fondo #sportive #checklist
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[@gcn]

What's on your bike event checklist? 🚴‍♂

[@stefanwagener]

I avoid maintenance or any changes right in front of an event. I might mess up the maintenance. So I rather do the maintenance at home, do a ride for checking if everything is ok. And if it is ok, I don't touch anything anymore until the event ... except for tire pressure.

[@endcensorship874]

spare batteries.

[@endcensorship874]

@@stefanwagener My rule of thumb is "no major surgery three days before an event."

[@larter_larter]

A happy mood 😊

[@john_7986]

Ibuprofen

[@user-np5dh8cu9p]

"Bring a small, ... maybe medium size bike shop."

[@gcn]

Small to medium actually 👀

[@user-np5dh8cu9p]

@@gcn I think Conor misses the team bus....

[@whatwelearned]

Pro tip for Conor: you'd have an easier time listing what you DON'T take, old chap 😂

[@gcn]

List: Kitchen sink ✅

[@JMcLeodKC711]

Having a chair!!!! That’s HUGE in a crowded parking lot. I would also have a plan for cleaning up afterwards. Not all of us have a team bus with a shower. Baby wipes, Chamois Butt’r Skin Wash is freaking awesome

[@gcn]

That's a great point! How do you clean up after long those muddy wet races? ☔

[@travisspuhler7065]

​@gcn Orange Mud transition 2.0 towels, and driving a Subaru. Basically, the Orange Mud towel is this neat thing you can fasten to change in the parking lot fairly modestly. Then there's a zip on a corner and you can lay it out on the driver/passenger seat of your vehicle. The Subaru... well, my family, like many Subaru owners don't mind a bit of mud getting tracked in occasionally.

[@simonwoodthrillerwriter]

I made my own checklist (because I did turn up to a century ride without my shoes). I also pack the car the night before so everything is sorted before so there's no faffing on the morning of. I do take a variety of clothes to cover off changeable weather. I charge everything the day before and I take the bike on a test ride a day or two before the event to make sure everything functioning.

[@thekevincurry]

Checklist is a must. I once drove 6 hours, stayed overnight and woke up at 5am to realize my front wheel was sitting at home in the garage...

[@billcodey1430]

Conor is such a great sport.

[@gcn]

Always a fun day filming 📽

[@mommamooney]

The flashback to Unbound made me burst out laughing. Scared the cat

[@MagicM66]

First, nice bike….i have three checklists…one to pack, one in the car, last on the stem. Things i have forgotten in spite of the checklists at grand fondos or group rides…..shoes, helmet, front wheel, socks, helmet, bike (yes, i drove off leaving it at home after packing everything else…which is why now there is a checklist in the car), helmet ( i now leave the spare in the car), and most recently track pump.

[@gcn]

We love this sort of organisation! 🙌

[@juansebastianvegabernal3120]

I usually just ride mi bike to the event... 🙃 The perks of not having a car.

[@gcn]

Nothing wrong with that! Sounds like a good warm up 🙌

[@neilwillis4694]

This is what I'm doing for Wessex Gravel EPic in a couple of weeks. Start is only about 5k from my house

[@miroslavbetak8308]

It’s also a good idea to have spare batteries for your powermeter, and probably a powerbank for your bike computer and lights, in case you’ve forgotten to charge them up 🙃 and chamois cream is a must have for some riders 😎✌🏼

[@miroslavbetak8308]

Oh and a Di2 charger…right Mannon? 😁😁😁😇

[@MartinMenky]

this video should have come out yesterday :D had my first race today and forgot a few things here and there!

[@gcn]

Ah, now you know 😉

[@inakilrg]

A folding chair, like the one you had in the video 😊

[@gcn]

A must have! 👌

[@seattlegrrlie]

I always have a full sized bike pump in my vehicle. You'd be amazed at how many times I've whipped it out and not just for myself.

[@a1white]

1:01 Conor even brings a spare Conor with him. He’s so prepared 😮

[@valejul]

Thanks for the video. Looks like to take everything there is in your garage!

[@sabbyo]

We need a checklist for fans going to watch a race. What would we need?

[@gavindempsey99]

Bag of cans...

[@jonathansprenkle8466]

Cowbell, beer

[@JMcLeodKC711]

No accident Conor said “shoes” first. IMHO, shoes would be the hardest to replace. When I have flown for a bike trip, the shoes are in my carry on.

[@john_7986]

See coment above, a front wheel is hardest to replace. Especially in front of your friends.

[@gcn]

Good point! You need those dancing shoes 👌

[@travisspuhler7065]

Nothing like rocking Etnies shoes with Assos bibs on a group ride 😂 (thankfully I wore the shoes, not my house slippers for driving that day)

[@Spicybangralover]

Shoes,pedals,helmet and one set of kit go in my carry on luggage in case bike doesn’t make it. you then have the necessary equipment to rent out a bike and continue riding

[@clp91009]

I must bring a roller to get warmed up in the car park before my weekly club spin 😂😂😂

[@gcn]

That might be overkill 🤣

[@JonCannings]

A checklist always helps until you end up with a massive bag that has a spare of everything that you will ever need. Yep that was me for over 25yrs.... A huge bag that was rarely emptied!

[@alasdairgardner3317]

Great video thanks, off to muc and mac 2 day gravel event this weekend. So will take what I can. Mobile pressure washer is amazing for cx races.

[@gcn]

Enjoy! You'll smash it we're sure 🙌

[@samuelkool3167]

Great video for me leading up to the Mudgee Classic in NSW this weekend. I will be bringing less with me though, as I unfortunately don't own an entire bicycle shop and hardware store like Connor clearly does!

[@sammcnamara-rv5ub]

see you there

[@sammcnamara-rv5ub]

it will be cold at the start

[@ebmike8]

Completed my first Gran Fondo for 2024 back in March. Have another in July and August! Also! Don’t forget Chamois butter!!! I forgot that twice last year and now I have three total tubes haha. Both times the Lbs at the event location only had 1-2 tubes left! Haha

[@johngammon2471]

Clinchers = spare tube vs patching, but take BOTH

[@fictionalreality1010]

I’ll watch this till the end! Beer 🍺?

[@n22pdf]

You missed out the kitchen sink 😊 great vid Connor 🚴🏻👍 Pete

[@benjamingaffey9976]

... and most importantly. Always try something new on race day😊

[@TreibAir]

It started with common sense stuff, ramped up to "bring the workshop", escalated completely to "oh, and bring your gym". If you made it beyond that point we returned to sensible stuff like head unit (why wasn't that listed at the beginning) and body temperature. Thanks for the the really complete list anyway.

[@TheAttyjace]

Ill be joing a duathlon on May 12 and i will be bringing everythin in my car. It is my first event 😊

[@uaproman]

Checklist of paranoid😆

[@gcn]

Failing to prepare is the same as preparing to fail

[@saxon1376]

No point warning up as you’ll be standing in a queue for half hour waiting for the off 🤷 Like I did last Sunday at the Loch Ness etape 🥶

[@johnflynn4923]

Had the exact same at the Neusiedlersee Radmarathon recently, bloody hypothermia nearly set in!

[@prakashnarismulu3332]

Mate you should come and do the Cape Town Cycle Tour 108 km or the Ride Joburg 98 km in South Africa 🇿🇦

[@nicemandan]

The Okanagan Granfondo is usually quite hot and the stations that have watermelon slices are a godsend.

[@gcn]

Oooo mid ride water Melon... where do we sign up 👀

[@geasy1000]

Bring everything your own and more to your next race

[@VictorElGreco]

Big event this Sunday. Trouble is, it will be *pouring* 😅 and we’re expected to line up at the start a full hour and a half before the gun goes off. Bring decent rain gear and a generous dose of Stoicism. 😌

[@Sarah2ill]

Thank You for using my music in your videos!!!

[@johnh9811]

Tie wraps (or string) in case the ties in the event pack aren't long enough.

[@michaelnewman4302]

Where's the link to the traveling with your bike video?

[@reoencarcelado5904]

I randomly ran-into this KZbin-video while I was randomly web-browsing videos on KZbin (not logged-in, of course. (To protect my privacy)). I logged-in on the KZbin-app of my mobile-phone to write this, so I hope it works. I saw the title of this KZbin video, and I felt compelled to reply to it. What I did for my Gran-Fondo was: I used the 38.8-pound “XC (ie. “Cross-Country”)”-type mountain-bike that John Cannings and Dr. Oliver Bridgewood claimed to be a [“]nice[”] (because it didn’t-have the tyre-valves aligned with the labels on the tyres). That’s the-only-bike I have. I’ve done 3 grand-fondos on that one. (2 on-pavement ones, 1 off-pavement one). Each gran-fondo was a total of 200 kilometres each. Plus the 150 kilometres I did after each and every ride, because the gran-fondo ended in-the-same-place: A 5-kilometre stretch-of-road that was a seaside causeway, where I rode my bike since I was a child. The seaside causeway (from one end to the other) was 5 kilometres in length, which means that, coming and going, 15 times, would net you 150 kilometres. (ie. (5+5) x 15). Plus 7 additional kilometres, to get home. (I rode my-bike from my house to the starting-line of the Gran-Fondo (a total distance of 7 kilometres), and I rode-my-bike back from the finishing-line_of_the_Gran-Fondo all the way back Home*). *(I know. I really-like riding my bike 😅). What I took on the ride was-just 2 water-bottles (2 Camelbak “Podium Ice” water-bottles) filled_up-to-the-brim with ice and then fill with water up-to-the-brim, (as well as: • left jersey-pocket had 3 protein-bars, a zip-lock bag with oreo cookies & chocolate-chip cookies & lemon-filling cookies & chocolate-filling cookies, and cookies made from the white-stuff that you scrape-off from the inside of coconuts. • middle jersey-pocket had my mobile-phone • right jersey-pocket had a small 1-pocket nylon-fabric&material wallet with my I.D.-card & Social-Security Card & Health-Insurance card), and platform-pedals. I didn’t-have clip-in pedals, I didn’t-have toe-clips, I didn’t-have any of that stuff. Just me, my ride (ie. the bicycle-ride I was about-to-do), and my bike. That’s-it 😄.

[@bleddynwilliams3113]

Given how long some rides are a small battery pack for recharging the head unit as you go.

[@wspmjw]

THE most important thing to pack is a winner's mindset and NEVER, EVER QUIT!!

[@MichaelLonetto]

Reminder about “bike”: if you remove a front wheel to put your bike on a roof rack, don’t forget the wheel. You will only do this once.

[@del4189]

Never put suntan lotion on your forehead, sweat and suntan lotion is hell on your eyes 😵‍💫

[@Spicybangralover]

Or you could wear a head base layer from castelli which would soak up the sweat and you wouldn’t need to wear sunscreen either

[@pansatsujin]

I always put a car in my jersey's pocket😄

[@immrsanchez]

Im presuming this grand fondo is a circuit race around a set track and you go past your car/repair area each lap? Otherwise how are you accessing all this kit on a point to point race? Im a firm believer that your bike should be tip top prior to a ride, if anything more than a dropped chain or flat tyre occurs you are getting in the broom wagon or catching the train back home

[@errolmckenzie1341]

Does Vatternrundan 315 count as a grand fondo? 315 kms in less than 20 hrs in June in scenic Sweden.

[@Daniel-ns3wt]

Should i use a bar bag or topbar bag for 175km sportive or just try and get everything in jersey pockets? Also will it slow me down much?

[@gcn]

tricky question, it comes down to personal preference and how much you decide to take. Whatever you do, even if you go for a short ride, try out the three options, loaded with contents and see what suits you best. You're going to want to be happy with the choice 👍

[@michelleharnett1351]

Jaysus, I thought packing for ultra marathons was complicated. Can't remember, did you mention a first aid kit? At least have one in the car.

[@gcn]

Another thing for Conor to add to his list!

[@Seamanatorrr]

Woah, was that Conor’s shorter evil twin? 1:02

[@jarenvaleriano2489]

🎉yeyy

[@abcdefg8134]

There’s less stuff on a pro tour mechanics truck than Conor’s bag

[@alogdad]

How about the trailer you will need for all that stuff?

[@gcn]

Just a really stuffed car 😉

[@JMcLeodKC711]

Bring some toilet paper. I MUST give Matt Stephens credit for that one back.

[@gangstreG123]

Better: wet wipes

[@drummerman122]

So where are you going to carry all that stuff?

[@gcn]

Car 😉 You can always reduce this list and ride the event too 🙌

[@MissMuffin-qc8fc]

Not that easy to get running water depending where you are, 2 6 packs at least. And its good enough for a rinse down.

[@endcensorship874]

I think the only thing I would add is this: No major surgery three days before your event. This is anything you do to the bike above and beyond adjusting the gears or fixing a flat. Anything else, I like to have two or three rides in; new tires and/or tubes, new chain, new cables and housing, new brake pads, repacking any bearings on the bike. I came up in the 80's, so I need to add in all the stuff we need to do with new bikes; brake bleeds, new pads or rotors, etc.

[@stevenh.9685]

Chapstick! Cycling gloves

[@gcn]

Nothing else? 😉

[@TomWhyard]

Water bottle, bike, helmet.

[@stevozrepto5558]

Shoes socks shorts licence jersey helmet 50 years racing

[@gcn]

Truly the essentials 👀

[@stevedrake6529]

What did Connor not take???🤔

[@gcn]

We have spoken to his wife but we believe that the kitchen sink has been left at home 🚰

[@peterallen2904]

Is it me? I’m too old and disabled now but I raced for many years. I didn’t have you tube videos to tell me what to take. Bloody common sense.

[@donball370]

The big ticket item for the checklist; "complete the event". Sorry Conor, blame Cillian

[@gcn]

Oooof! That one hurt 🤣

[@BillyJoeBob-tv6co]

Do a BONK TEST: A. Slug down all the Coca Cola you can handle plus water B. Stuff your face w/ any solid food of yoiur choice plus water

[@ishanfernando4041]

So just carry a second bike

[@ralphcole674]

Mobile pressure washer? Clean bike to take home? No. Just no.

[@buggen819]

Wtf is this

[@Afrikakorps68]

The way and constancy GCN presenters insert covert advertising in each video in embarrassing...

[@davidburgess741]

Censureship is a bummer. That'll be why I'm gone. KZbin no longer reasonable.

[@nelsonhibbert5267]

Gran Fondo? Stop pissing about and and get road racing.

[@gcn]

For those that don't want to race a Gran Fondo is great 🙌