Rescuing a stranded cyclist

ic.

I always slow to ask people if they have everything they need. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't

If they need something, I'll try to help, but what I won't do is give them my 'last' of anything. As in last tube, last patch or last CO2 cartridge. Whilst I'm happy to help, you never know what's round the corner on your own ride.

If I have a spare patch I'll happily help them out. One guy needed a tube, so I gave him a spare and took his home and fixed it and used it myself at a later date.

It's not my place to lecture people if they've winged it and come out without simple spares, but I will make a joke out of it to make a point in a nice way.

One thing though, I try to never actually get off my bike unless I'm certain of the circumstances. I mate pulled over to help a damsel in distress and leant his bike up against a bush. Next thing he knows his bike is being ridden off by a likely lad hiding behind a bush.

dennisn

I'll help IF he's physically injured. Otherwise I'm out for a ride and don't want to bother. Especially if it's a case of said rider not being prepared. I ride away.

Mikey23

The degree of numptyness is irrelevant IMHO. Another human being who shares my passion for cycling may or may not need help, the benefit of my experience or one of my spare tubes. Its a no brainer for me but may not be for you...

slowbike

drlodge wrote:

I agree its good to ask people if they're alright/have everything they need, but I do question why people would go out unprepared i.e. without a spare inner tube or a pump. Its just asking for trouble.

Just occasionally I've gone out without the right kit - I've forgotten my saddle bag or some key part within it - having removed it for some reason or other, I've forgotten a pump - heck, this morning I was on my way to work and realised I'd forgotten my gloves ... fortunately not a key component. ....

I've received assistance when my spare tube failed following a puncture and I had no patches or mobile signal ... but I suppose at least I'd looked like I was sort of prepared ...

mrushton

rickeverett wrote:

Having had only 1 puncture in 3 years I'm risking it every time now. :shock:

Find it a fag carting a pump around however I'm sure my luck will run out one day.

A £60 taxi ride as I once had will cure you of not taking anything with you

de_sisti

IC. wrote:

One thing though, I try to never actually get off my bike unless I'm certain of the circumstances. I mate pulled over to help a damsel in distress and leant his bike up against a bush. Next thing he knows his bike is being ridden off by a likely lad hiding behind a bush.

WHAT AN IDIOT!. Why didn't he make the repair to the woman's bike whilst he was next to his own by the bush? :roll:
That way, if someone tried to ride off on his bike, he'd be close enough to stop it. ....... The more I think about it,
the more I think it didn't happen.

chopchopchop

When I first started cycling I would never asked anyone by the side of the road who looked like they needed help.

I then had an issue at the side of the road and I was prepared and sorted myself out. Whilst sorting it out 3 or 4 people stopped to asked if I needed anything and it really hit home that's it's the right thing to do. In the last year I have asked everyone I see with an upside down bike (even if I'm in the car) and stopped twice when they took my offer up to borrow tools.

It's the right and decent thing to do!

cougie

Chris Bass wrote:

drlodge wrote:

cougie wrote:

He thought he'd pumped his tyres up - but as he hadnt undone the nut on the valve - no air had gone in. So the pressure in the tyre was a lot lower than the track pump was reading.

He must be a right numpty. Its pretty bl**dy obvious if the pump doesn't squeeze air into the tube!

+1

surely he would have not had any air in the tyres at all in that case?

The bike was a month old or so - so the shop would have pumped the tyres up - but it would have leaked over time.
He thought he was up to 100 PSI in a few strokes of the track pump - when really he'd just pressured the pipeline to the valve ?

If you ride a bike with very soft tyres - you'll crash on the first bend - so his weren't bad - just a bit under pressure - and there was almost a trench across the road that he had hit.

mattjc

Will always slow down and ask if they are ok, but as others have mentioned, if you are a regular cyclist not carrying a pump and tube is crazy

Also met a fair few number of friendly drivers offering to help out, 2 weeks ago whilst on a descent I had a blowout, half way through repairing it a guy in a van stopped to see if I was ok.

But last year I had a double blowout on both tubes 6 miles from the car whilst commuting back from work (ride half way cycle half way). Only carried 1 tube for those kind of distances, miles from home in a country lane, knowing nearest friends and gf were over 2 hours away, started walking back to the car in my socks, carrying cycle shoes (to slow to walk in them) and pushing bike. about 40 mins later a young women who had seen me previously whilst on the way to tending to her horses, pulled over and said she was concerned for me and could she help. Managed to squeeze my bike into the back of her corsa and she drove me back to the car.

Some lovely people out there.

Iamnot Wiggins

dennisn wrote:

I'll help IF he's physically injured. Otherwise I'm out for a ride and don't want to bother. Especially if it's a case of said rider not being prepared. I ride away.

Remind me never to go riding in Toledo, Ohio...

gimpl

De Sisti wrote:

IC. wrote:

One thing though, I try to never actually get off my bike unless I'm certain of the circumstances. I mate pulled over to help a damsel in distress and leant his bike up against a bush. Next thing he knows his bike is being ridden off by a likely lad hiding behind a bush.

WHAT AN IDIOT!. Why didn't he make the repair to the woman's bike whilst he was next to his own by the bush? :roll:
That way, if someone tried to ride off on his bike, he'd be close enough to stop it. ....... The more I think about it,
the more I think it didn't happen.

He may have been thinking about a different bush

cougie

On an american board one poster never took any kit out with him. Any mechanicals at all and his wife would drive out and rescue him. Sounds like a nob to me.

chris_bass

cougie wrote:

On an american board one poster never took any kit out with him. Any mechanicals at all and his wife would drive out and rescue him. Sounds like a doorknob to me.

On a couple of occasions i have stopped to see if someone needed help and even offered them a spare tube but they said they were just going to phone their wife instead. I bet she was thrilled!

cougie

I guess these guys just ride very close to home. If I didn't take kit I'd be waiting for hours whilst my wife gets ready and finds me. Thats if I can get a signal anyway !

drlodge

Be self sufficient or face the consequences...if I am really stuck like with a broken chain, I accept I will have to call a taxi to take me home, which could cost up to £100. Its never happened yet so low risk, but I accept it may happen one day.

chris_bass

drlodge wrote:

Be self sufficient or face the consequences...if I am really stuck like with a broken chain, I accept I will have to call a taxi to take me home, which could cost up to £100. Its never happened yet so low risk, but I accept it may happen one day.

i'm the same (although, chain splitter and missing link up on you by the sounds of it ) there arn't many situations i'll find myself in that my phone, a fiver and/or a bank card can't get me out of! (he says tempting fate just before leaving work!)

Mikey23

The start of a beautiful friendship!

Coachb

I always go for a xmas morning ride. If I am at home I ride the bridges over the thames. On the way back I stopped to help a very attractive young woman who had a flat but forget her pump. She was a Nurse heading to work on xmas day . I felt quite good helping a person who's job involves helping people get better. I was so pleased I stopped It was really a nice vibe to xmas day. Cheesy I know but it does feel good if you really can make a difference no matter how small. ahhhhhhhh

DiscoBoy

cougie wrote:

Last week I had a 'mare of a ride - lots of tyre problems - and not one cyclist asked if I was OK. (I was - but it's not hard to ask is it ? I know I always do).

I was at the side of the road earlier, trying to get my rear dérailleur to index properly and a group of 6 or so cyclist went past without saying a word. My immediate thought was "dickheads".

Mikey23

Much too busy chasing a strava segment...

bill57

Iamnot Wiggins wrote:

dennisn wrote:

I'll help IF he's physically injured. Otherwise I'm out for a ride and don't want to bother. Especially if it's a case of said rider not being prepared. I ride away.

Remind me never to go riding in Toledo, Ohio...

Just carry a tube of fake blood in case you see Dennis coming ............

Frank Wilson

When I was a lad people helped each other out without feeling the need to let the rest of the world know about it.

chris_bass

Frank Wilson wrote:

When I was a lad people helped each other out without feeling the need to let the rest of the world know about it.

in an odd kind of way you just let us know about it now

chris_bass

Frank Wilson wrote:

When I was a lad people helped each other out without feeling the need to let the rest of the world know about it.

in an odd kind of way you just let us know about it now

laurentian

drlodge wrote:

Be self sufficient or face the consequences...if I am really stuck like with a broken chain, I accept I will have to call a taxi to take me home, which could cost up to £100. Its never happened yet so low risk, but I accept it may happen one day.

Having done both, I would say its quicker and easier to remove a broken link (I carry a separate chain splitter but they are on many multitools) and insert a KMC quicklink than it is to remove tyre, change an inner tube, check tyre for sharp bits, replace tyre and pump up using small hand pump.

KMC quicklink is approx. £3.00, takes up no space and you're back on the road in no time.

drlodge

I do carry a quicklink and multi tool...found these Topeak resuce boxes just the job for holding it, as well as some patches and a folded up £10 note. I have 4 of these boxes now, since all bikes have different chains!

Old_Timer

That is a pretty slick tool and case there, drlodge, should be pretty handy out on the roads or paths.

Slo Mo Jones

drlodge wrote:

MacLeod113 wrote:

Ouch! £10 tubes? I feel a right cheapskate now getting 2 for a fiver at Decathlon or 4 for a tenner at Leisure lakes :-)

They're Continental Supersonic, very thin and weigh just 50g. Nothing wrong with "normal" tubes, I'd just rather spend a little more for the weight saving at the rim, and the better quality ride.

Do you mean the better quality ride that the reduced weight gives? Or are you saying that as well as the weight reduction the supersonic inner tubes give you a better quality ride?

drlodge

Slo Mo Jones wrote:

Do you mean the better quality ride that the reduced weight gives? Or are you saying that as well as the weight reduction the supersonic inner tubes give you a better quality ride?

The latter...better quality ride too, much like latex tubes I would guess.

Slo Mo Jones

drlodge wrote:

Slo Mo Jones wrote:

Do you mean the better quality ride that the reduced weight gives? Or are you saying that as well as the weight reduction the supersonic inner tubes give you a better quality ride?

The latter...better quality ride too, much like latex tubes I would guess.

How can one inner tube possibly give a better quality ride than another? The pressure is taken by the tyre carcass (and hence the tyre and tube's response to forces acting upon it are governed by the tyre carcass).