Stupid Question: What's the best way of pinning a bib ?

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joestralia
Posts: 34
Joined: Fri May 20, 2011 8:48 pm

by joestralia

I hate having to do it because I can't seem to get it right! The shit just flaps in the wind and slows my slow ass even more! Never mind the rattling sensation on your back as if I'm being attacked by a flock of seagulls. Tyvek was made to insulate houses or mail stuff in. It doesn't honor the shape of your back. Can anyone relate?

by Weenie


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AGW
Posts: 477
Joined: Sun May 27, 2012 2:11 pm

by AGW

^ if you want perma-residue all over you jersey :/

BikeAnon
Posts: 399
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 6:36 pm
Location: NY USA

by BikeAnon

You crumple the race number, then lay flay. Spray a light coat of adhesive (choose the repositionable adhesive). LET IT DRY.

Press it on to your jersey, add pins (pins are required). Ride drag-free.

If you end up with adhesive on the jersey after washing it.... oh well. You should have let it dry before applying, or you should have won the race.


BTW, if you spend any time using spray-adhesive, and DON'T win the race, you need to rethink your priorities of what your race-prep is. The race is won months before the star, not in the final seconds before the start (messing about with spray-cans).

Go watch the Team Time Trail of the Giro. All manner of guys who are looking for a tiny advantage. Lycra booties. Aero helmets. $10,000 bikes that are made specially for time-trialing..... none of them seemed hampered with the "flappy-race-number" problem.

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btompkins0112
Posts: 2635
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Location: Mississippi

by btompkins0112

Racer tape.....Google it

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kode54
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Joined: Tue May 23, 2006 9:39 pm

by kode54

someone makes super magnets for pinning bids. you position them where you want...no flapping.
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eric
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Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 9:47 pm
Location: Santa Cruz, California, USA
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by eric

Do not crumple your number. That makes it much more difficult to read. Do not fold the edges of the number under to make it "more aero". That also makes it harder to read. The whole point of having a number is so the officials can recognize your awesome finishing position. Making your numbers hard to read defeats that. Try working picking positions at a race finish and you will see how hard it is even with well laid out numbers and how much more difficult it is with crumpled or folded numbers.

Yea I know it sucks having a big ass number on there but I'm skinnier than you so it sucks more for me than it does for you. But I took time to figure out proper placement and pinning and that helps a lot.

Speaking of pinning, you can use all the adhesive you want but USAC says you need to use pins too.

Here's how I pin numbers on:

first, position. In my races the officials and cameras are on the side of the road so I position the number(s) on the side. Line the number up with a seam on the jersey. I put the number up close to my arm- when I finish I am going to be holding on to the bars and the number will be right there for the officials to see.

I drape the jersey over the car steering wheel or lay it on the bed in the motel the night before. That lets me get the material flat but be able to reach under it. Smooth the jersey out. It's going to stretch slightly when its on you so you want it close to that condition when pinning. The number doesn't stretch. If the jersey is wrinkled under the number the pins will pull out when the jersey stretches and the number will try to be an air scoop when the jersey isn't stretched.

Pick a corner by the seam and pin it. Pin goes through the number and jersey then back out through the jersey and the number. Do not use the holes in the number- pin through tyvek and jersey twice. Pin the other corner by the seam. I do up each corner, making sure the number is flat against the material and the jersey is flat and smooth under the number. When that's done, check that the jersey is flat under the number with no wrinkles and the number is aligned how you want it. Then the secret: pin the number in the middle of the the top and both side edges. That keeps it from flapping in the wind. Yes that's seven pins. You can use extra small ones if the weight bothers you. I pin the bottom as well if the number is large and the bottom is close to the pockets. That's so I don't snag the number when getting food out of a pocket.

Then be careful when putting the jersey on so you don't rip the number. Full zip jerseys make that easier.

My race gear bag has a bunch of extra pins in it for when the organizers don't have any or are only giving out four.

r_mutt
Posts: 412
Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 6:33 pm

by r_mutt

use 8 pins. 4 corners and midway between the corners. add 1 more in the center of the number if you're OCD.

Zoro
Posts: 352
Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2013 12:52 am

by Zoro

We crumple it well, then spray 3M contact (77 I think) on in, heavy on the corners and then wait about 5 min and put on when slightly wet. Sometime on a speed-suit a pin may be needed in a corner.

Goo Gone ( http://googone.com/Home.aspx ) will take the glue off - and the number off. It will also (I've read) dissolve the rubber in the kit. So we always wash right away. It works well. Been doing it for a long time.

Some races require numbers are returned. Some they are reused.

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Geoff
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Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2003 2:25 am
Location: Canada

by Geoff

I think I pioneered the whole 'spray-on glue' or 'tape' thing over 20 years ago (kidding), until more people started doing it and the Commisars cracked-down. It does work and, probably depending upon the brand you choose, washes-off without much residue (although my 6-year-old wanted to see some of my old Team kit to see what it was like in the 'old days' and I noticed that there was a gray-colored edge around where the numbers were...).

The real 'trick' for getting the numbers on perfectly (so they are tight whilst riding) is not to do it yourself. Have a teammate do yours for you while you assume a 'riding' position, then switch. personally, I liked to 'angle' the pins to face out away from the corners of the number.

I used to love pinning-on a race number. The feeling of building excitement before the race. The quiet time just before going to the start. Awesome. I can hardly wait to pin a race number on my boy for the first time...

mattr
Posts: 4671
Joined: Fri May 25, 2007 6:43 pm
Location: The Grim North.

by mattr

Geoff wrote:I used to love pinning-on a race number. The feeling of building excitement before the race. The quiet time just before going to the start. Awesome. I can hardly wait to pin a race number on my boy for the first time...
Try not to stab him with the pin. As one of my team mates used to do on occasion........ i had my revenge, don't worry.

Geoff
Posts: 5395
Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2003 2:25 am
Location: Canada

by Geoff

:D He's only six now, but sure loves cycling!

AGW
Posts: 477
Joined: Sun May 27, 2012 2:11 pm

by AGW

I saw someone pinning a jersey that had been stretched out over a pillow (for one of the Garmin riders). It looked like a good, idea, I might have to give it a try.

11.4
Posts: 1095
Joined: Tue May 23, 2006 4:33 am

by 11.4

First, we're not allowed to fold over the edges of our numbers at all. It's a DQ.

Second, some riders perspire so much that they mess up even a dry 3M Spraymount job. It just happens. Get over it.

Double sided carpet tape also does a nice job. Some people have bodies that just don't fit numbers well -- again, get over it -- and you have to figure out what works best for you. It's usually one side, like the top, and carpet tape is easy and clean. It's always a last resort too if your start is in 2 minutes and you just drove up.

By the way, in my class I'm issued a fabric number for the season so it makes this whole discussion a lot easier.

As for methods with the Tyvek numbers? 1. Pull the jersey or skin suit over your legs and stretch it out with your knees basically where your ass would be and the top of the jersey in your lap. It's easy and fast and you can make it look very good.

2. Have a coach/teammate/girlfriend apply it to your back while you're bent over in a riding position. That's what they're there for.

3. Always get better safety pins than the cheap ones they supply at registration. Go to Amazon and you'll find some nice ones that are very tiny and don't have rough edges (OMG, a rough surface on a race number safety pin could ruin your time!). They don't put holes in your jersey or skin suit as easily. And use plenty of them.

There are other approaches but they are mostly NSFW.

by Weenie


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ANV
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Joined: Mon Mar 17, 2014 9:01 am

by ANV


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