Support Vehicle Setup

When I first crewed for Tom Miller in the 2000 Furnace Creek 508, I knew little about ultra cycling or crewing. After that experience and crewing for a number of Furnace Creek 508′s and Race Across America (RAAM) I quickly learned that a well-configured vehicle can make a huge difference! During that time I met the master of crewing, Lee Mitchell. Each time I saw him at doubles, the 508, or RAAM I paid close attention to how Lee setup his van. Things I took particular note of:

* Lots of storage containers with everything having its place
* Placing everything within reach of a crewmember from their workspace

As I began to setup my own pace vehicle there where some things I really enjoyed about other setups and items that are simply required:

* Sound systems – It’s great to have the music there when you want it. I prefer using an external sound system on the vehicle rather than wearing earphones with an MP3 or similar player. With the
external sound system the crew can more easily communicate with me.
* Rear Lights – The rules state you must have two rear facing amber lights that flash independently of the emergency flashers.
* PA System – I find the PA as a great means to communicate with the rider. This allows the crew to stay behind the rider and provide instructions.
* Communications between vehicles for team racing

Storage

Organization of your pace vehicle can make or break your race. If your crew has to spend time searching for lights, spare parts, or any items you request it is very likely that you will loose time. My vehicle is a Nissan Pathfinder, which does not have a lot of room when you consider two crewmembers, seat for rider when being moved up course after exchange, and all things needed for rider. So, organization of the space I did have to work with was paramount.

For storage I used plastic stackable drawer storage bins. I had one drawer for clothing changes, one for cold weather gear, one for supplements and skin protection, one for lights and parts, and one for first aid. Be sure to Velcro the drawers shut or they will fly open when you turn.

Setup of my Nissan Pathfinder for 2002 FC508

I then used two old milk crates turned on their sides with the opening facing the rear passenger seat. If you look closely at the picture on the right you can see them next to the storage bins. In the top one I placed three 2.5-gallon water jugs (the squared off ones with a spout on one end). To hold them in place I put a bungee cord across the front of them. Being on the top allowed a water bottle to easily fit underneath. The bottom crate contained my powder drink mixes and Hammer Gel.

Water setup with drinks underneath

The seat next to the rear passenger was folded down to accommodate an ice chest and crew food. There was a second ice chest directly behind the rear passenger seat with bottled water behind that. Its important to note that the entire setup was designed so that only the driver had to exit the car on the traffic side.

Sound

I know that many people do not feel that external sound is necessary. For me, I find it helpful on long climbs and late nights to keep my mind from drifting to far off. I also wanted the crew to be able to provide directions and information to me over a PA system. During the race we heard from a number of crews and riders about how much they liked our sound system so, here is how we did it.

The system is really quite simple. I went to Wal-Mart and purchased a 250 watt Rhode Gear amplifier for approximately $65. I then wired the power just as one would normally wire an amplifier, or a professional would install it, except I did not connect my car stereo to the input. This meant that when my car stereo was on, the amp would be on. For the input to the amp I used a portable CD player, the kind designed for sports with skip protection. To wire this, I simply had an old pair of headsets that I cut the wire from and spliced in the appropriate input for the amplifier. Next I wired a pair of KLH 100 watt indoor/outdoor speakers that I purchased from Best Buy for $100 (these are used at home when not installed on the car) to the output of the amp and mounted them to my roof racks. And there you have it, a great sound system that I thoroughly enjoyed throughout my ride.

Sound System wiring

Lights

The rear flashing lights were very simple to setup. They consist of accessory lights for a trailer (Qty 4) mounted to my Yakima rack using 3/4″ conduit mounts. I prefer Yakima racks because the bars are round and facilitate easy mounting of accessories. The lights are wired together in series to a two pole turn signal flasher and to an on/off switch. I obtained the power from my trailer power plug which is wired to the battery. Alternatively you can wire them directly to the battery or a cigarette lighter plug, just be sure to use fuses. I added an inline 20 Amp fuse that is located just inside the back door to facilitate easy switching of fuses if needed.

Custom rear flashing lights wiring

PA System

The PA system is very simple. I purchased a CB with the PA feature and set it into a niche in the dash. Alternatively you can use Velcro to attach the CB to the carpeting in your vehicle. I also purchased a loudspeaker and mounted to my Yakima racks using the 3/4″ conduit mounts. Be sure to get the most powerful one you can as it can sometimes be difficult for the rider to hear over the wind. Then simply follow the wiring diagram that comes with the CB. I ran the wiring under the driver seat and up the post between the drivers door and rear passenger door. This kept the wiring out of the way.

In the image below you can see the two white speakers for the sound system and the loudspeaker in the middle.

Follow vehicle

Communications between vehicles (two person team)

Unfortunately I have not found the complete solution for this part. Forget trying to use a cell phones as most of the course does not have cell signal. I attempted to use CB’s but found that their range is not that great and at distance it is not clear, but are usable. If you are using the CB for PA as well, I found that it is easy to forget you have it switched to PA and thus cannot hear the other vehicle calling or even more entertaining for the rider you call the other vehicle over the PA instead of over the CB.

The best solution so far has been FRS radios. The main drawback is that they only get a two mile range, sometimes a little more. The crew liked them because they could carry them outside of the vehicles. I would like to try GMRS radios, but they require that you obtain an FCC license. The GMRS is supposed to have a 5 mile range.
NEW- Hitch mount bicycle rack

If you are doing a two person or four person team I highly recommend a hitch mount rack. I felt so badly for the crew as they had to take my bikes on and off the roof of the vehicle throughout the race. At one point, in the middle of the night, I was indecisive about what bike I wanted and James had to take the bikes off twice. With a hitch mount rack it is easier and faster for the crew.

Feel free to E-mail me: email the Onager