The wheel pit is where racers drop off spare wheels for use during the race. Wheels are loaded onto follow vehicles and given out to racers with flats or other mechanical problems. The wheel pit serves as a base of operations for dealing with wheels and follow vehicles.
Wheels are generally worth some money, so care must be taken to identify wheels and their owners. Wheels should be checked in on a sign in sheet when dropped off, and checked out when returned.
Wheels are not always interchangeable. You obviously cannot substitute a front wheel for a rear, but most front wheels are interchangeable amongst themselves. Rear wheels are less compatible, You must have the rear wheels marked and identified by the number of speeds on the wheel, 8 speed, 9 speed, 10 speed. You can interchange any 9 speed rear wheels and any 10 speed rear wheels, but you cannot put a 10 speed rear wheel on a 9 speed bike. The wheel pit crew is responsible for getting wheels marked appropriately, and loading wheels onto the follow vehicles so that like wheels are grouped together.
The wheel crew also can ride along on the follow vehicles handing out wheels to racers in distress. This is often a lot of fun.
It is also a good thing if the wheel crew takes charge of making sure follow vehicles and drivers are ready to go.
The wheel crew can do a lot of work in the race. As a veteran wheel pit chick, I want to know why it is that only podium girls get kisses? It ain't fair, I tell you.
If there are N races:
N+1 clipboards
>N+1 pens/pencils
N+1 permanent markers
Wheel sign in sheets -- 1 for each race plus some blank
ones for extras. Sign in sheets have columns for Number,
Name, Front (F), Rear (R), and Given to.
At very bottom spot to label race, # laps, start time.
Plenty of spare blank paper
3 staplers/lots of staples
Paper strips in 3 colors (to be stapled onto wheels for ID)
prelabeled: 9 speed (color 1) / 10 speed (color 2) / other (color 3)
would be nice.
1-2 Master Race Schedules to be posted up in wheel pit
Two way radio and instructions to use it to get ahold
of drivers or responsible party
Hand sanitizer
Sunscreen
Trash container
Folding table
Chairs
Bicycle Tool kit
"Hello my name is" tags for each volunteer
Water (for volunteers) (water jug okay)
Food (bananas/apples/oranges/pretzels for volunteers)
(cold soda in cooler would be very appreciated!)
Wheel pit organizer should clearly inform crew whether this is a neutral wheel pit or what (and what that means). Wheel pit organizer should go over instructions below with crew and drivers.
All wheels must be marked Number, Name, Race.
Rear wheels marked with wheel speed (9 speed/10 speed/other)
hopefully color coded. Thank those who have done this
in advance.
Sign each set of wheels in on appropriate race sheet.
Name/Number/Front/Rear should be recorded.
Group wheels by race, within race by wheel speed.
Make sure you have a truck and driver 15-20 minutes before
race start, if not get on the radio and call for help.
Load wheels onto appropriate truck keeping 9 speed together,
10 speed together, other together. Should have a set spot
for each. (9 speed on passenger side, 10 speed on driver side,
other at rear worked real good for us).
Do not overload trucks -- leave wheels back in pit if you
have too many.
Mark which wheels were given away (to whom -- ride along crew
should have been collecting #s see ride along instructions)
on sign in sheet when truck returns.
Unload wheels from trucks as trucks return. Keep wheels
in groups by race, but otherwise spread them out as much
as possible for easy identification/retrieval.
Check off wheels from sign in sheet as people pick them up.
Know how to use 2 way radio to call for help if
drivers/trucks are needed.
If you want to ride along, say so. Ask to swap with
those doing ride-along if necessary.
Hand up food/drink to those doing ride along.
If you have time, it is nice to ask racers how it went/thank
them for coming/offer good luck, etc.
Know where each wheel type is in your truck.
When a rider pulls over ask if he needs a wheel or
just stop whether he does nor not -- sometimes
they are mistaken, sometimes you can help them.
If rider needs a wheel, ask 9 speed or 10 (or front or other)
get wheel, remove id tag (keep) and hold bike while rider installs.
Note the rider # to put on id tag.
Mark rider # on the wheel tag when you get back on truck.
Keep tag to mark on sheet when you get back to pit.
Offer a push off to the rider if you'd like.
Don't forget to wish them luck!
If an official says s/he is riding along, and there is
not room for you and her on the truck, you should
nevertheless get on truck and stay with truck until the
official boots you to get on herself. (Sometimes
you won't get booted.)
Help driver with instructions as needed. Have driver
come back to wheel pit (NOT FINISH) on last lap unless
otherwise instructed by a race official.
You can get food/water from wheel pit if needed, and
swap with someone in the wheel pit.
When race is done:
Mark which wheels were given away (to which rider #) on sign
in sheet.
Unload wheels, keeping them in groups by race, but otherwise spread
them out as much as possible for easy identification/retrieval.
See instructions for Wheel Crew riding along above, just
in case you don't get crew!
Be available and ready to drive -- wait in wheel pit when in doubt.
Drive carefully staying ~2 vehicle lengths behind riders.
Pass stragglers carefully if a large gap develops.
Obey officials.
Try to give passing racers room to pass on right.
If conditions are marginal, do NOT pass riders.
Return to wheel pit (not FINISH) on last lap unless otherwise
instructed by a race official.
Helping wheel crew is appreciated.
Leave keys in the truck!
I liked having a crew of 2 people to stay in wheel pit at all times plus people to do ride alongs. Ride alongs and those in the pit should be free to trade off (and perhaps should trade off for variety and fun). Wheel pit crew should get an opportunity to do ride-alongs for fun, people can be traded off in the wheel pit so everyone who wants one can get a turn.