What would you bring in a SAG wagon?
 

Besides some basic tools (metric allen wrenches, chain tool, pliers, tire levers, etc) what else would be helpful? I volunteered to drive as SAG for one of the charity event rides locally. I've got tire patches, some extra 11 speed chain links, a roll of electrical tape, some zip ties, a couple of spare tubes, and even one of my old, but still useable, 700X25c tires. Two racks on the roof. What about a First Aid kit?
I'm SAGging for the 33 mile route, so I don't anticipate a lot of flats or breakdowns, but you never know.

First Aide kit if it is a group start.

Water.

Just the usual stuff, basically what you'd normally carry in your saddle bag but full sized workshop versions (track pump, flat repair kit, a few tubes, Allen keys, chain tool, etc).

Then a basic first aid kit, some food and water.

Anything more serious or time consuming than a puncture or broken chain on a 30-ish mile organised ride is going to be a trip back in the wagon.

Is floor pump or some sort of inflator in the "etc" part of your OP?.

Is a LBS one of the sponsors? They might be helpful to ask for info as to what you should carry with you. And might even have some stuff to loan to you.

Beer for the end of the ride.

Shrader-Presta adapter.

Oh heck. Carry a spare bike.

podium girls to congrats the non finishers.

At least a couple of repair stands, should be mandatory.

What's a SAG?

Oh, and 33 miles? Pffft! That's what I call a Wednesday.

There are stops on the route for snacks and water. I doubt anyone will die of thirst or hunger on a 30 mile ride. But yeah, I agree, if somebody tacos a wheel somehow, or strips out a pedal, it's time to take a ride in the passenger seat with the bike on the rack. And I just now went out and picked up a basic first aid kit to toss in the glovebox.

Yes, I have a good floor pump that will handle both Presta and Schrader valves. There is no official LBS sponsor, but I'm certain a visit to my LBS would get a full list of what I may need. I think I pretty much have everything already.

I would have links for more than just an 11 speed chain.

Definitely a full size floor pump.

An expendable set of old, clean towels and clean rags. I assume there's a chance you might pick up a rider that had a minor crash, maybe with some scraped skin. Or sagging in a soaked rider from a downpour. It would be good to dry off or sit on a clean towel. Or even just clean up the scrape if the rider wants to keep going.

Hand cleaner too. You may find a rider that's been working on their bike's flat or drivetrain problem.

A folding repair stand? Will you be allowed help work on bikes, or is that a liability problem? A stand would help a rider do their own drivetrain fixes, too.
It's always surprising to me that there's always a couple of breakdowns at the side of the road within the first couple of miles of a big event ride.

A SAG sign in the windshield would be nice. It's not always obvious that a car is a SAG driver, until they've actually passed by.

SAG: Support And Gear
Depending on the size of the ride (distance and number of riders) it usually provides basic mechanical support, somewhere to stash rain/cold weather gear(on long rides), you can also send one up the road to set up a rest / aid station, but the primary function most of the time is to pick up riders who are in distress or broken down and get them to an aid station/ rally point or the end of the course.

How much of which depends on how far you’re going and how many riders you’re supporting. If you’ve got a dedicated group of 50-60 riders doing 100 miles point-to-point for a week, you’ll be carrying more supplies (and probably an actual mechanic) , than say, a “30 mile local charity event”

In Bald Paul ‘s case, I don’t think he’ll have much to worry about, maybe help with a few flat tires, but primarily being the “broom wagon” making sure nobody gets left out on the course

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5795/...56837b87_c.jpg
DSC_2123 by R. Jeanette Martin, on Flickr

I do have a roll of disposable shop towels, but yeah, a full sized old beach towel or two (we have a lot of those, since we used to have an inground pool) in case of a shower is a good idea. Ditto on the hand cleaner. I'll pick some up.

I do have a portable repair stand, but really, if the bike needs one on a short ride, it's time to SAG in. SAG sign will be provided to me, so that's covered.

I only mentioned that because I have a couple short sections of chain from the ones on my bikes. That, and they are pretty common. Any others will either SAG in or finish the ride with a slightly short chain, and a warning about using big/big sprockets.

Thanks for the explanation. I haven't done an organized bike ride before. I've done a couple triathlons but I don't recall any kind of support vehicle. They were probably there, I just didn't know the drill.

it is such a short ride for SAG but generally I would carry something like Gatorade (or the new Gatorlyte) and some easy to digest snacks, as well as any first aid stuff especially stuff I knew how to use properly. For tools I would bring mostly basic stuff enough to get someone back on the road quickly. If they needed a larger repair they can get a ride in the wagon or wait for someone to pick them up. If it were a multi day ride I might take some common parts Shimano compatible brake pads or pads and shoes and some different chains and stuff like that but for something that short I might not maybe a chain link, maybe an emergency hanger but maybe not even that. Certainly a full size pump and a set of good hex wrenches and maybe a small torque wrench like the CDI one or the Park Tool one which has a few settings and some bits and probably tire changing tools and maybe a set of chain link pliers and possibly this: https://cyclingtips.com/2019/02/knip...s-cone-wrench/ but probably not even that.

It doesn't sound like you are doing NRS so you really don't need to worry to much, just have space in the car and a encouraging attitude and maybe some basic tools and a little nutrition and that is about it.

Zip ties and electrical tape. Both types of screwdriver heads. Bead jack.

Its a ride that needs a sag wagon for 30 miles, I'd bring 7,8, and 9 speed quick links before 11sp, half of them probably think 10sp means 2x5. Mostly 1st aid kit, water, and a small range of tubes. Probably presta and schraeder, 26, 27.5 and 700c. 15mm wrench for axle nuts, and a basic set of allen wrenches.

Serious question. If this is an organized ride, does the organizer provide a SAG wagon kit, or recommend the contents of one?

There are three options on this ride - 66 mile, 33 mile, and an 8 mile "Family Fun" ride. I think most of the axle nut bikes will probably be on the Fun ride route. I do have wrenches with me, though, as well as electrical tape and zip ties.

Yes, it's an organized ride. I've ridden in them before in prior years, but the club was in desperate need of SAG volunteers for some reason, so I'm helping out. I still get a T-shirt! :) I just found out there *may* be a bike mechanic from one of the LBS riding along with me.

Cooler of ice cold beer

It depends on what you have, or have access to.

I'd probably do a couple of different sizes of tires. Perhaps even a spare wheel or two.

The last organized century ride I did, one of the riders blew out a shift cable. It might be more than you'd want to fix on the side of the road for a 30 mile ride. But, for a longer ride, a variety of spares might be handy.

Certainly a few spare tubes.

Bald Paul Have the event organizers given you a general idea of what services you will be expected to provide during the event?

A mechanic might be driving SAG, but SAG drivers aren’t necessarily mechanics.

From the fact that you’re asking us, I’d venture to say that they probably just expect you to sweep stranded riders and get them to the aid station/ finish line. They asked for you to drive SAG, not as a mechanic. Any wrenching would be at your discretion.

That said, a case of water would be good to have, though the aid stations could probably supply you with one.
I’d bring my floor pump and some peel-&-stick patches to help get folks with flats back on their way, but I’d limit the actual repairs you do; SAG carries broken bikes to where the actual mechanics are.


Last tip: You don’t have to stay behind the las rider the whole time. If you have more than one vehicle, you can send one car up the road a few miles, wait for everyone to go past, then leapfrog back to the front. That way the support cars are spread out near as many riders as possible, and nobody is stuck driving 10 mph all day.
If the event has no fixed start time, you’ll probably be roaming the course all day.