Travel and Race Checklist

Start early enough with your preparation to give yourself enough time to make adjustments, and to avoid last minute surprises.

• Head to your local bike shop and get your bike serviced, checked out and cleaned completely around 4 weeks before your event (or do it yourself if you have the skills). Keep in mind that many shops are booked out for service well in advance during event seasons.
  
  Click here to book your bike at your nearest Wolfi’s store.
• Ask your local bike shop or Wolfi’s to check the condition of all the parts because of your upcoming event so that necessary items, for example chains and tires, can be replaced.
• Arrange a bike travel case. Give yourself enough time to order online for delivery, buy from your local bike shop or speak to someone about bike rental case. Bike cases can take time to deliver and in peak season rental bike cases are in high demand, so don't wait until the last minute. Click here to view our recommended bike travel cases.
• If necessary, make a booking with a bike shop at your destination for reassembly and tuning of your bike. Order spare components specific to your frame.
  
  Click here to view our recommended essential bike tools and must have spares during your rides, races and travel.
• Check your tires for cuts and wear - if needed replace them. Check out this link here on how to check correctly your tires.
• Check the availability of your preferred nutrition brands. Make sure you can either buy them at your destination, or you are able to travel through customs with them. It is a good idea to stick to your preferred nutrition brands for the weeks leading up to your event. Last minute changes are always a bad idea and can lead to an upset stomach on race day. Click here to view our recommended nutritions.
  
• Are you planning to rent a car on your trip? You can look into buying a lightweight, compact, portable bike rack for ease of mobility. Check out our range of racks here.
  
• Ensure your clothing and accessories can fit into an appropriate bag. Check out our range of race day bags collection here.

Ensure your 4 week preparations are on track. Practice any necessary process and movement of your trip.

• Be sure to take photos of your setup, as well as making notes of key measurements of your position.
• Mark your saddle height and bar position before disassembly. Use a permanent marker, insulating tape or liquid chalk pen.
• Disassemble, package, and reassemble your bike in its case or box. This ensures confidence in the procedure, and that you are not missing any tools or vital parts. Take pictures or make notes of the tools you used. Check out Youtube for official videos from the bike bag/case brand for how to pack/unpack your bike. For example here is the video from Scion for the Scicon Aerocomfort Road 3.0.
• Ensure any spare parts ordered in Week 4 preparations have arrived and are packed and ready.
• Do a long ride shakedown of your bike for any mechanical issues following the packing and reassembly process. Does something not feel right? Is there a new noise? If you have issues, your local bike shop or Wolfi’s can explain what, why, and how to avoid them on your trip.
• Check your cleats are in good working order, if they need replacing then do it during this week as you want to make sure the setup is correct. We do not want to see cleats in the condition of those on the left in this picture.
  
  Click here to view our recommended essential bike tools and must have spares during your rides, races and travel.

Prepare your bike.

Final Check and Pack!

• We recommend you take the bike to your nearest and most trusted bike shop or Wolfi’s to get a final clean and check. This will help avoid customs issues, and your race mechanic will appreciate it. You can book your service here with Wolfi’s.
• Do a final check for the spare components.
  
  Click here to view our recommended essential bike tools and must have spares during your rides, races and travel.
• Confirm your booking at the destination bike shop if needed.
• Do your final ride before packing.
• Check your tires for cuts and wear - if needed replace them. Check out this link on how to check correctly.
• Check the weather at your destination, ensure you have the right clothing to match the conditions you will be riding in – Do you need a Gilet, Over Shoes, Arm and Leg Warmers, Base layers? - You are always better off packing more rather than wishing you had packed extra. Check out our clothing range here.
• Pack your bike, tools, and spare components.
  
• Photograph your bike packing job before traveling and have the photo available during your trip.
  
• If you are riding electronic shifting, be sure to include your battery (and a spare if you can) and your charger in your hand luggage. With those of you who are riding SRAM Etap or Etap AXS please remember to remove your batteries and place these in your hand luggage. This is to avoid them being removed by the airline when you check your bike in at the airport.