What to Buy for a Granfondo

A Granfondo needs more than food and water for the riders. You also need supplies for registration, route marking, traffic control, bike repairs and the finish area. This shopping list covers the items that are easy to overlook, from spare inner tubes and bib holders to power banks and waste bins. Use the number of registered riders, volunteers and route posts to set quantities, then add a small reserve for late arrivals, damaged supplies and changing weather.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Party tentsqty 4
Foldable tablesqty 18
Folding chairsqty 80
High tablesqty 8
Bicycle racksqty 120
Waste binsqty 12

Equipment

Sound system
Microphonesqty 2
Speakersqty 4
Time registration system
Laptopqty 2
Card machinesqty 2
Extension cordsqty 8
Power stripsqty 8
Power banksqty 6

Sports equipment

Bib numbersqty 250
Bib holdersqty 250
Participant medalsqty 250
Bottle holdersqty 250
Spare inner tubesqty 30
Bike pumpsqty 8
Tire leversqty 16
Basic bike toolsqty 8
Water bottlesqty 300
Route mapsqty 250
Safety vestsqty 30
Whistlesqty 20
Traffic barriersqty 40
Route arrowsqty 80
Route signsqty 30
Barrier tapeqty 12
Conesqty 40
Ground anchorsqty 30
Cable tiesqty 500
Duct tapeqty 8
Spare batteriesqty 40

Tableware

Reusable cupsqty 300
Platesqty 250
Cutlery setsqty 250
Coffee cupsqty 120
Thermos flasksqty 12

Kitchen

Coolersqty 12
Serving plattersqty 20
Serving tongsqty 12
Cutting boardsqty 6
Chef’s knives and bread knivesqty 8
Jerry cans for drinking waterqty 10
Water jugsqty 12

Lighting

LED work lightsqty 8
String lightsqty 6

Cleaning

Cleaning bucketsqty 6
Floor squeegeesqty 4
Broom setsqty 6
Microfiber clothsqty 30
Rubber glovesqty 12
Hand soap dispensersqty 8
Hand sanitizer pumpsqty 8
Toilet paper holdersqty 4

Catering

Groceries
- Still water - 240 liter
- Sparkling water - 120 liter
- Sports drink lemon - 120 liter
- Orange sports drink - 120 liters
- Cola - 36 liters
- Cola Zero - 24 liters
- Orange juice - 24 liters
- Apple juice - 18 liters
- Coffee beans - 4 kilograms
- Tea bags - 250 pieces
- Black tea - 100 tea bags
- Herbal tea - 80 bags
- Milk - 20 liters
- Oat milk - 8 liters
- Sugar - 4 kilogram
- Sugar substitutes - 500 pieces
- Lemons - 6 kilograms
- Bananas - 35 kilograms
- Apples - 25 kilograms
- Oranges - 20 kilograms
- Grapes - 15 kilograms
- Dates - 8 kilogram
- Raisins - 6 kilograms
- Muesli bars - 500 pieces
- Energy bars - 500 pieces
- Energy gels - 500 units
- Currant buns - 300 pieces
- Wholemeal rolls - 300 pieces
- White rolls - 200 pieces
- Whole wheat bread - 20 loaves
- White bread - 12 loaves
- Butter - 3 kilograms
- Young cheese - 6 kilograms
- Hummus - 4 kilograms
- Peanut butter - 4 kilogram
- Jam - 4 kilograms
- Honey - 2 kilograms
- Chicken breast slices - 3 kilograms
- Cucumbers - 6 kilograms
- Tomatoes - 6 kilograms
- Lettuce - 3 kilograms
- Whole wheat pasta salad - 18 kilogram
- Chickpeas - 5 kilograms
- Cherry tomatoes - 5 kilo
- Feta - 3 kilograms
- Olives - 2 kilograms
- Olive oil - 3 liters
- Balsamic vinegar - 2 liters
- Salt - 1 kilogram
- Black pepper - 500 grams
- Paprika powder - 250 gram
- Garlic powder - 250 grams
- Mayonnaise - 3 liters
- Ketchup - 3 liters
- Mustard - 2 liters
- Paprika chips - 8 kilograms
- Plain chips - 8 kilogram
- Nut mix - 6 kilogram
- Rice cakes - 10 packs
- Dark chocolate bars - 120 pieces
- Cookies - 10 kilograms
- Vegetarian wraps - 250 pieces
- Gluten-free sandwiches - 40 pieces
- Lactose-free yogurt - 10 liter
- Banana bread - 12 loaves
- Ice cubes - 80 kilograms
- Ice packs - 60 pieces
- Paper napkins - 1000 pieces
- Baking paper - 4 rolls
- Aluminum foil - 4 rolls
- Plastic wrap - 4 rolls
- Bread bags - 500 pieces
- Food boxes - 300 pieces
- Stirrers - 500 pieces
- Teaspoons - 300 pieces
- Trash bags - 150 pieces
- Organic waste bags - 50 pieces
- Paper towels - 24 rolls
- Toilet paper - 48 rolls
- Dish soap - 4 liters
- Dishwasher tablets - 100 pieces
- All-purpose cleaner - 5 liters
- Glass cleaner - 2 liters
- Hand soap - 4 liters
- Disinfectant gel - 4 liters

Tips

Prepare one welcome pack per registered rider, including a bib number, bib holder, route map and water bottle. Order a few extra sets for replacements and late registrations.
Plan at least one bike pump, a set of tire levers, basic bike tools and several spare inner tubes at the start or finish area. A single repair point may be too far away for a long route.
Match safety vests and whistles to the number of traffic posts and route marshals, not just the number of volunteers on the day. Keep a few spare vests available for replacements.
Bring power banks as well as extension cords and power strips. Registration laptops, card machines and the time registration system can all be needed at the same time, especially before the start.
Buy or hire enough route arrows, route signs, ribbons and traffic barriers for every junction that needs marking. Count the route during a scouting ride and keep spare arrows for signs that come loose or get damaged.

Frequently asked questions

How many water bottles do I need for a Granfondo?: Plan one water bottle per registered rider for the welcome pack or start area, then add at least 5% extra for replacements and late registrations. If riders receive additional bottles on the route, count those separately.
How many spare inner tubes should I buy for a Granfondo?: A practical starting point is one spare inner tube for every 10 registered riders, with a minimum stock at each designated repair point. Buy more if the route is long, rough or difficult to reach by support vehicle.
How many bib numbers and holders are needed?: Prepare one bib number and one bib holder for every registered rider, plus 5% extra. Sort them before registration day so volunteers can issue numbers quickly and replace a lost or damaged bib.
When should I buy the Granfondo supplies?: Order custom or rider-specific items as soon as registration closes, and finish general shopping at least 3 to 5 days before the event. Keep drinks, catering supplies and weather-sensitive items in reserve until the final weather check.

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