Equipment and Safety

The Ultimate Ride Bicycle Centre

– our retail partner and sponsor of the event. They have a wealth of information and accessories / components to ensure your Redback race is not compromised because of your bike!

Their permanent shop is nearby at Unit 2/30 Stuart Hwy, Alice Springs. Phone: (08) 8953 7297. Shop opening hours: 9:00am – 5:30pm where they can provide full servicing, rebuilds and support for riders.

A temporary bike shop will be set up within the event hotel at the Double Tree hotel where they will be offering additional services and sales.

>>Precautions to Prevent Punctures – Read Here<<

Equipment for you and your bike

The following equipment MUST be carried with you for all stages (except Stage 2) from the start to the finish of the event as outlined in the race rules:

COMPULSORY EQUIPMENT

  • For the night stage you require front lights and a red light for the back of your bike
  • Emergency space blanket
  • A First Aid kit comprising: 2 x crepe bandages, 2 x non-adhesive wound dressings, 6 x steri-strip wound closures, 1 x triangular bandage and a pair of surgical gloves.
  • Mobile phone (please store the following mobile phone numbers for emergencies: John Jacoby (Race Director) 0408 035 261

A limited number of first aid kits will be available to purchase during registration for $20, or on the Merchandise Page online.

Random Checks – don’t risk a 1 hour penalty:

We will be conducting random checks for first aid kits and other compulsory equipment during all stages with any competitor found not having the required equipment at any point during that stage given a 1 hour time penalty. This will be strictly enforced (as it is for your own safety!)

We recommend that you also carry with you:

  • tyre patches (look for Park Tools sticky ones) in case you do get a hole in the side wall that is too big for the sealant to seal
  • bike computer
  • 2 bottle cages or a 2lt hydration backpack – refer notes below
  • sunglasses and a small tube of sunscreen
  • multi tool with chain breaker
  • spare tube (recommended to carry 2) – with either Slime or Stan’s inside – maybe even a spare folding tyre if you feel you’re particularly prone to punctures!

We will set up water points out on the course however you will still need to carry your own water for up to 2+ hours of riding. As such, we recommend that you carry at least 2 water bottles and/or a 2lt hydration backpack with you whilst racing.

Tyres – important read…

The riding around Alice Springs is truly exceptional with kilometre after kilometre of rolling single track and 4WD tracks set amongst the spectacular MacDonnell Ranges. But it can also be pretty harsh on your bike and particularly on your tyres if you’re not well prepared.

The guidelines below were prepared by Alice Springs rider Chris Ravenhall from The Bicycle Centre and in Rapid Ascent’s opinion, should be followed very closely if you want to make the most of your riding time during the The Redback.

“Most of the single track and 4WD tracks consist of sandy gravel and small sharp rocks on a firm base which makes for fast riding, but depending on summer rain, Tribulus macrocarpus (better know as catheads or four corner thorns) can be very prevalent thoughout the region and will cause havoc for riders who have not set their tyres up correctly or who are trying to save weight on tyres and tubes. So you should take all possible precautions to prevent puncturing…”

This is my (Chris Ravenhall’s) recommendation…

Tyres and how to puncture proof your ride

The locals ride and recommend the following set up:

  • tubeless tyres (UST) with a good amount of tread. They may be a little heavier but they have thicker side walls and are built stronger which helps prevent thorns getting through the tyre in the first place, and bigger rocks or sticks from puncturing the side walls. Be weary using low profile tyres or semi slicks (even if they are tubeless) as they won’t grip and are often not all that thick. Remember, you do not have to have tubeless rims to use tubeless tyres but that said, tubeless rims provide a better seal
  • no tubes but using a sealant (such as Stan’s No Tubes) inside the tyre. If you get a small puncture or thorn that does go through the tubeless tyre, a sealant will fill the hole that’s been created and seal it up. The sealant ‘sets’ or turns from a liquid to a silicon type rubber when it mixed with the air outside the tyre so often you don’t even know you have got a puncture as it fixes them automatically.
  • tubeless rims. Obviously these are more expensive if you have to change over but they provide a better seal for tubless tyres. You can use a normal tubed rim with a conversion kit with tubeless tyres which works quite well, but it is a bit more involved if you do get a puncture and need to put a tube in. They are also a pain to reinflate because the seal against the tyre is not so tight.

Other possible set ups…

  • tubes filled with some Slime and a tubeless or normal tyre. This is probably about the second best option, the Slime inside the tube helps fix the puncture as per a sealant inside the tyre, but it is heavier and Slime is not considered to be quite as good as Stan’s inside a tyre. It’s got to be a good quality tube (one that has been water cooled in production). It’s also not a bad idea to carry a spare tube filled with Slime (or even Stan’s) in it, no matter what set up you are running as they are pretty good for emergencies. (Just unscrew the valve and squeeze it in!)
  • normal tubes and a tubeless tyre. Not bad, but if you do get a thorn through the tyre, your tube will still get punctured and you will have to stop and fix it rather than letting the sealant fill the hole itself. Having a sealant in there is way preferred.
  • tubes and a tyre liner with a tubeless or normal tyre. OK, but the side walls are still a bit unprotected and once again, sealants are better these days.
  • a thorn proof tube and a tubeless or normal tyre. OK, but these tubes are very heavy and in my mind are still questionable as to how ‘thorn proof’ they really are.

There are of course many tyres to choose from and we’re not going to recommend any brands because everybody has different riding styles. What’s good for one rider may not be good for the another. However, I would recommend a tyre that has good traction in dry sandy conditions, with an adequate knobby profile rather than a minimalist racing flat. It’s also handy to get used to riding with around 25psi in your tyres as this keeps the side walls vertical (rather than all baggy under the wheel) as this will help reduce the risk of side wall damage.

These points are designed to get you around the course with as few punctures and problems as possible. You do not have to follow them and by crickey, it is possible that you could ride with tubes, on thin tyres for the 5 days and not get a puncture. Some locals might call it a miracle but it could be possible. But for the sake of spending a few dollars to get yourself set up right first time around and having a fast and fun race, we’d recommend following these points to the letter… and trust me, Sam and John learnt the hard way when they first came up!

If you want any local advice and instructions we’d recommend you give Chris Ravenhall a call from the Alice Springs Bike Centre Shop in Alice Springs. He knows all the ins and outs of tyres and bikes and will also be running a work shop and bike mechanic service at the event centre, [email protected] or tel: (08) 8953-7297.  

James Downing recommends

Our event ambassador James Downing has raced The Redback an amazing 6 years in a row (he really likes it!) so knows a thing or two about how to prepare your bike and yourself for the race. He prepared this series of informative videos in 2017 and in them he passes on some great race tips and insights.

VIDEO 1: Bike set up and what to carry

VIDEO 2: Race essentials and carrying tips

VIDEO 3: Tyres, trails and techniques

VIDEO 4: Packing list.