Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Bike roadside service (aka "AAA for bikes")

The thread about bike insurance has me wondering if anyone has experience with roadside assistance plans for bikes. Roadside assistance plans for cars are pretty common; in the US, the most common company is AAA (formerly the "American Automobile Association", but now they just use the letters as their name). If you get a flat, they'll send someone out to help you change your tire; if you leave your lights on, they'll jump-start your car, etc. You pay a fixed amount per year, whether you use them or not.

I've used a similar plan, "Motorcycle Towing Services", when I did frequent motorcycle tours. Came in handy, too -- I have stark memories of getting a tow from the side of Interstate 80 near Dubois, PA one afternoon when the engine wouldn't start and the sky was turning green...

But these days I'm likelier to spend a week riding my bicycle than I am to be on a motorcycle. I've heard of "Better World Club" -- they do roadside assistance for bicycles (including "towing"), cars, and motorcycles. As a woman who sometimes travels alone far from home, having a number I could call for a lift could be pretty reassuring.

Does anyone have experience with these guys? Or are there other companies that provide similar support that you could recommend?

I've never heard of that. At least not in this area. But what an awesome idea!

FYI, AAA has lobbied for federal funds to spent on improvements that benefit automobiles as opposed to improvement that benefit cyclists. Something to think about before you give them your money. And personally, I cannot imagine paying someone to change a flat.

I remember reading about one program and they did have a limit on how many calls you can make. They may have had exclusions for flats too. I think about total breakdowns far from home with no one to rescue me. I worry about that when doing long rides and try not to be more than 15 miles away from my car or home unless I have a way to have someone rescue me. It is a pita and I certainly would buy into such a program. Anyway, at the present time I have not found a provider in my state. I think the one program I read about was based in Oregon or Washington, but I could be wrong.

Better World has it.

I had their roadside bike plan for years, but never actually used it.

When I retired I went back to basic AAA because it was so much cheaper.

So Better Work offers up to 30 miles a year transport. Not impressed. Two service calls a year limit. I could live with that. My big beef is with the distance given that I ride rural roads.

I"ll think about it. Forty dollars a year. Twelve dollar sign up.

I wonder how long it would take them to rescue me in northern Minnesota?

So Better Work offers up to 30 miles a year transport. Not impressed. Two service calls a year limit. I could live with that. My big beef is with the distance given that I ride rural roads.

I"ll think about it. Forty dollars a year. Twelve dollar sign up.

I wonder how long it would take them to rescue me in northern Minnesota?



Check to see if it's even available there.

I have a brochure on this that I picked up from a company last year when I was at organized ride. I will try to find it. I talked with them for a while and it sounded great.

It would seem like a good business opportunity for Bike Shops in general. IMO, it could be a small nominal fee to call an 800 number and then refer to a LBS in the area for whatever service is needed from flat tires on up, with, perhaps a standard rate for the service.

Even if not a national service, this could be a good business opportunity for a LBS that might offer, say, service within a half hour or hour within, say, a 10 or 15 mile radius of the store for a standard fee. (the distance might depend on whether the store is in an urban, suburban, or rural area). And in return for piece of mind, the customer would pay some standard annual fee of, maybe $40 or $50 per year?

... And personally, I cannot imagine paying someone to change a flat.

If flats were the only problem that could ruin your ride, this would be a good point. Are you prepared for a busted spoke, 20 miles from the car and 150 miles from home?

Where I live, the best places to ride don't have cell phone coverage, so it's a moot point. But it's still a good idea.

If flats were the only problem that could ruin your ride, this would be a good point. Are you prepared for a busted spoke, 20 miles from the car and 150 miles from home?

Where I live, the best places to ride don't have cell phone coverage, so it's a moot point. But it's still a good idea.

Exactly right. You can't anticipate every mechanical problem. I imagine flats would make up 50 to 75% of all service calls, but so what? AAA gets calls to fix car tire flats, despite the fact that people should know how to change a tire on a car.

I know how to change a tire on my car but it doesn't mean I want to get all grubby doing it. When I'm dressed up all purty, I just call AAA and let them deal with it.

I know how to change a tire on my car but it doesn't mean I want to get all grubby doing it. When I'm dressed up all purty, I just call AAA and let them deal with it.

Changing a tire on a bike in the middle of a long ride can be just as much of a drag.

The insurance company I was looking at has roadside assistance among its' offerings:

http://spokeinsurance.com/

Having been a member of the broken spoke club.. I'd pay for a service that could help me fix the spoke, or give me a ride home as I often break them when I'm very far from home.

This sounds like a good idea...

I'd be interested in a service that would transport my bike and me to someplace reasonable if I ran into something I couldn't handle. By reasonable, I mean a place where I could lock the bike up securely until I could get back and fix it, and where there was access to some kind of public transportation (even a taxi).

I do carry an emergency set of tools, and I've handled everything from emergency wheel adjustments (I don't actually carry spokes, but I have a spoke wrench that I've used to get the wheel back into good enough shape to ride home), to chain repair, general tightening up and adjusting of things, and, of course, fixing flats. But if I ran into something I couldn't fix, I'd love to think there was someone I could call to get me to a place where I could get myself home and go back with my car.

I had to fix a flat yesterday in the near 90 degree heat ... That sucked. But I don't think that's the sort of thing I'd call someone for.

I'd be interested in a service that would transport my bike and me to someplace reasonable if I ran into something I couldn't handle. By reasonable, I mean a place where I could lock the bike up securely until I could get back and fix it, and where there was access to some kind of public transportation (even a taxi).

I do carry an emergency set of tools, and I've handled everything from emergency wheel adjustments (I don't actually carry spokes, but I have a spoke wrench that I've used to get the wheel back into good enough shape to ride home), to chain repair, general tightening up and adjusting of things, and, of course, fixing flats. But if I ran into something I couldn't fix, I'd love to think there was someone I could call to get me to a place where I could get myself home and go back with my car.

I had to fix a flat yesterday in the near 90 degree heat ... That sucked. But I don't think that's the sort of thing I'd call someone for.

Did you find some shade?

Did you find some shade?Yes, thanks, I did - a small cherry tree, but big enough to give me a little space to work in. And it didn't take very long to change. This is a new rear wheel, and it's really easy to get tires on/off it. If it had been the front, I'd probably still be out there... (The front wheel is the original from the 1970s, and it seems that rim is every so slightly bigger, which makes getting the tire back on a real PITA).

I'd be interested in a service that would transport my bike and me to someplace reasonable if I ran into something I couldn't handle. By reasonable, I mean a place where I could lock the bike up securely until I could get back and fix it, and where there was access to some kind of public transportation (even a taxi).

On that note, I'd love a shuttle service.

The insurance company I was looking at has roadside assistance among its' offerings:

http://spokeinsurance.com/

Currently they are offering their products in Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Hawaii. 25 mile transport limit per occurrence.

Check to see if it's even available there.

Here is what the Better Work website says about availability:

"We are currently quoting in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Washington DC, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa , Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Waiting List:

We're always in the process of upgrading our insurance offerings. In order to do so (it involves a new, more price competitive underwriter), we have been forced to temporarily suspend quotes in a number of states. If you do not reside in one of the states listed above, we appreciate your interest and hope you'll check back with us again soon. You can also send us an email (http://www.betterworldclub.com/contact/contact.htm) and ask to be notified when our insurance services are offered in your state."

The general info on their product: http://www.betterworldclub.com/bicycles/bike_assistance.cfm

Googling about, it looks like AAA has offered roadside assistance for bikes in Oregon and Idaho for the past two or three years: http://www.livestrong.com/article/413740-roadside-assistance-for-bikes/

Not sure on whether they have expanded it. Maybe to South Jersey anyway. Not to my part of MInnesota though. http://southjersey.aaa.com/RoadsideAssistance/EmergencyBicycleProgram

15 mile transport limit per occurrence, it looks like.

If flats were the only problem that could ruin your ride, this would be a good point. Are you prepared for a busted spoke, 20 miles from the car and 150 miles from home?

Where I live, the best places to ride don't have cell phone coverage, so it's a moot point. But it's still a good idea.

FiberFix spoke, spoke wrench in my fix kit. Unless it broke, jammed up, and threw me, I'm probably set. But I'm one of the rare ones in a case like that, I'm guessing. Having ridden with the Seattle Randos for a few years, I'm a belt-and-suspenders kinda guy when it comes to repairs and equipment. Comes in oddly handy carrying around all this weird shiz-naz...
At the Tour de Cure this year, a woman wiped out on a patch of gravel in a downhill turn. I stopped to see what was going on, her teammate had already called for the SAG Wagon, but her shorts were shredded down one side in the back where she slid on the asphalt. RandoMan to the rescue! I lent her the space blanket I keep in a pocket of my Carradice Pendle, and she was most appreciative to not be flashing everyone any longer.

If flats were the only problem that could ruin your ride, this would be a good point. Are you prepared for a busted spoke, 20 miles from the car and 150 miles from home?


Yes. I squeeze the brake lever on the affected wheel a little to take pressure of the corresponding brake release, push the release button with my thumb, release the brake lever, and finish my ride without rubbing.

After I get where I'm going I take the black Park spoke wrench off my key chain and true the wheel so I can close the brake release and have my brake lever in its normal position.

I can handle a broken chain (about once every 10 years I need to use my chain tool), shifter or cable too.

I was riding to work once and my free-hub seized up, locking the rear wheel, and shaving the tire down to almost nothing. How would you fix that without help, on the road? (I locked it to the nearest safe post, took a cab home, and drove to work.)

Problems that can come up are like bikes; they follow the N+1 rule, with N being the number of problems you're prepared to solve. I swear to god Murphy's law plays into it, too - you won't get as many flats if you have a spare tube, but that will just make the bike gods find other ways to taunt you.

What I'd really like is a shuttle service. I want to do some rides that are too long to take as a round trip, and, believe it or not, most of my friends have better things to do than drive me around. If I could get someone to drop me off with my bike in Winthrop, and meet me at Diablo Lake, or move my car there, it would be the cat's ass.

In this corner of the world we have had CAA (Canadian Automobile Association) Bike Assist for at least 3 years.

If you have a CAA membership (AAA in the US) bike assist is part of that service.
http://www.caasco.com/Auto/Roadside-Services/CAA-Bike-Assist.aspx

I'm sorry, call me old fashioned, pig headed, or just a plain old arse, but the day I feel as though I need to have roadside assistance for my bike is the day I quit riding.

Changing a tire on a bike in the middle of a long ride can be just as much of a drag.

Yeah, but I can fix a flat in 5 mintues, waiting for roadside service has taken up to 3 hours with AAA.:mad: I'd rather fix my own flat and continue the ride. Waiting for roadside service could turn a 6 hour century into an 8 hour centruy.:D

FYI, AAA has lobbied for federal funds to spent on improvements that benefit automobiles as opposed to improvement that benefit cyclists. Something to think about before you give them your money. And personally, I cannot imagine paying someone to change a flat.

I needed help to change a flat (on a car) about 2 months ago. I had my jack, my air-filled spare, and my crossbones wrench. What I didn't have was the strength to get the bleep'n lug nuts off after the shop that did my tire service put them on (as near as I can tell) with a pneumatic wrench! The service guy came out with his wrench and his upper body strength -- no go. Wound up needing a four foot long breaker bar!

And no, I can't see paying someone to change the tube on my bike for me. But if the tire gets shredded or the wheel gets taco'd, it might be nice to have someone to call.

I'm sorry, call me old fashioned, pig headed, or just a plain old arse, but the day I feel as though I need to have roadside assistance for my bike is the day I quit riding.

Why?

I want to venture further afield and often travel without my spouse. A few days ago I was on a trail that runs through a rural area of Minnesota. No taxis if there is a breakdown. Spouse was 500 miles south. My cousin, the closest person I know at about 30 miles away, was traveling. Spotty cell phone coverage anyway. I figure that a 15 mile walk is about as far as I dare risk. So I turn around and head back. I am not MacGver. I can change a tire. But for serious problems? I am going to be in trouble. I can certainly be pigheaded and old fashioned too, but I know my limitations.

I don't have a cell phone.

Drivers always stop and ask if I need a lift when I have a flat, lay my bike down to take a pic, or lay down in the shade to rest a bit.

I don't have a cell phone.

Drivers always stop and ask if I need a lift when I have a flat, lay my bike down to take a pic, or lay down in the shade to rest a bit.

I had a flat was when I was unprepared. I had my phone and my spouse had said he would pick me up if I needed to, so I went without tools. I got a flat, fortunately only three miles away. Spouse's phone was off. I walked the three miles with the bike as cars zoomed past. No one stopped. Not even other bike riders. Thank you Texas.

Our limitations are not the same...neither good nor bad, but true.

O'sh-- This has me thinking & it hurts. Now going to tear out the 'bike shop' page out of phone book and carry it with me.

I sent an email to Better World club to ask for more info. I got this in an email response:

Thanks for your interest in Better World Club! We are the only company offering 24/7 nationwide roadside assistance for bicycles. Here is a link to our Bicycle Membership benefits: http://www.betterworldclub.com/bicycles/bike_assistance.cfm . The only change (which I have just requested be corrected on that link) is that we now cover up to 30 miles of transportation per service call instead of 30 miles total, annually. So, basically this is a transportation service for you and your bicycle should something happen or malfunction. We will also be introducing actual bicycle insurance in the very near future to cover medical, liability and option theft/damage. Please let me know if you have any additional questions.

I think that I will give them a call. I like that the 30 miles is per call, not per year, though I likely would only use them for serious issues, not for things like flats, so the odds of using them are pretty low. At least this could extend my comfort zone on long rides.

Our limitations are not the same...neither good nor bad, but true.

For sure! That is why my stubbornness and stinginess has to yield to risk assessment.

I needed help to change a flat (on a car) about 2 months ago. I had my jack, my air-filled spare, and my crossbones wrench. What I didn't have was the strength to get the bleep'n lug nuts off after the shop that did my tire service put them on (as near as I can tell) with a pneumatic wrench! The service guy came out with his wrench and his upper body strength -- no go. Wound up needing a four foot long breaker bar!

And no, I can't see paying someone to change the tube on my bike for me. But if the tire gets shredded or the wheel gets taco'd, it might be nice to have someone to call.

I had a flat on the freeway in downtown Minneapolis. I was very happy to have AAA which was there in about ten minutes. I did not want to exit my car!

I don't have a cell phone.

Drivers always stop and ask if I need a lift when I have a flat, lay my bike down to take a pic, or lay down in the shade to rest a bit.Wow! There are really great things about where I live, not the least of which is the fantastic view of the NYC skyline I have from every window on one side of my apartment. But friendly people who proactively offer to help isn't one of the great things about living around here.

The first time I had an issue was the first ride in what turned out to be an abortive attempt to start riding again a couple of years ago. I was obese and 57 years old, and I decided to take my first ride when it was 94 degrees and sunny out. It was tough, but sort of ok until I came to the top of a small incline - not even something you'd call a hill - and hit a red light. When I stopped, the world started spinning, and I couldn't hold the bike up. I got to the curb, laid the bike down, and collapsed against a lamppost. I was right under a traffic light, and at least 100 cars stopped at the light over the 10 minutes or so that I sat there on the ground. You have to picture this - a fat, 57 year old man, panting, face so red that it probably would have glowed in the dark... A bunch of people looked, even stared. But NOT ONE even cranked down their window to ask if I was ok.

That's pretty normal for around here. I've broken down (mostly flats) a bunch of times, and the biggest challenge is not getting hit by drivers as they whiz by, obviously annoyed that you're taking up space by the side of THEIR road.

BF member ScottStr drives a taxi here in Fort Worth. If I break down and can't get a hold of a family member, he's my next call. Even if I pay him normal fare, it's cheaper than subscribing to a service.

I've used a similar plan, "Motorcycle Towing Services", when I did frequent motorcycle tours. Came in handy, too -- I have stark memories of getting a tow from the side of Interstate 80 near Dubois, PA one afternoon when the engine wouldn't start and the sky was turning green...


I've been in one of those storms...not fun. Dodging hail along with sticks and branches while fighting the wind just to get home after getting dropped off by the school bus (about a mile from home too) was never fun. Thankfully, I learned to hide from the wind on that day. :D

One or two of the shops near me have vans, no idea if they do pickups or roadside repairs though.

I usually just call my wife and ask her to come save me...

More info from Better World:

For bicycle service we dispatch from the same network of service providers as we do for automobile roadside assistance. We have over 40,000 providers in our network. This allows us to provide 24/7 bike coverage throughout the US and Canada, even in very rural areas. It is possible a tow truck will rescue you, but usually a smaller vehicle from the provider’s fleet will be sent (i.e. pick-up truck). If you are on a trail, we do require that you return to an accessible road so our service providers can locate you and assist.

great info Gold. Thank you!

I don't have a cell phone.

Drivers always stop and ask if I need a lift when I have a flat, lay my bike down to take a pic, or lay down in the shade to rest a bit.


I had a flat was when I was unprepared. I had my phone and my spouse had said he would pick me up if I needed to, so I went without tools. I got a flat, fortunately only three miles away. Spouse's phone was off. I walked the three miles with the bike as cars zoomed past. No one stopped. Not even other bike riders. Thank you Texas.


I've walked ~15 miles, twice, without anyone stopping to ask me if I needed help.

One time I got a huge blowout, 1/2 a mile from my apartment after a 40 mile ride. A guy stopped and demanded that he drive me home and wouldn't let me say "no" until I literally pointed to my apartment and said that's where I live.

lol. Just luck, ya know.

That being said, ever since I turned cyclist I believe if I ever run across a struggling fellow velocipede I would like to think I would offer my vehicle to exeunt him from his predicament.

I've walked ~15 miles, twice, without anyone stopping to ask me if I needed help.

One time I got a huge blowout, 1/2 a mile from my apartment after a 40 mile ride. A guy stopped and demanded that he drive me home and wouldn't let me say "no" until I literally pointed to my apartment and said that's where I live.

lol. Just luck, ya know.

That being said, ever since I turned cyclist I believe if I ever run across a struggling fellow velocipede I would like to think I would offer my vehicle to exeunt him from his predicament.

I have done the same. And walking in road pedals suck!!!!!!!!!!!

I carry a tube, air, patch kit and levers with me in my truck so if someone needs help, I stop and help out. I ask as well.

More info from Better World:

For bicycle service we dispatch from the same network of service providers as we do for automobile roadside assistance. We have over 40,000 providers in our network. This allows us to provide 24/7 bike coverage throughout the US and Canada, even in very rural areas. It is possible a tow truck will rescue you, but usually a smaller vehicle from the provider’s fleet will be sent (i.e. pick-up truck). If you ar
e on a trail, we do require that you return to an accessible road so our service providers can locate you and assist.

Did you get this yet Gold?

Did you get this yet Gold?

No. I am going to sign up in the next few days though as I am going to be alone for the next few weeks with rescues difficult. Thanks for reminding me!

It would seem like a good business opportunity for Bike Shops in general. IMO, it could be a small nominal fee to call an 800 number and then refer to a LBS in the area for whatever service is needed from flat tires on up, with, perhaps a standard rate for the service.


A few better bike shops in metro areas do actually offer the service -- one near me will come pick you up for free, although they ask that you have a genuine repair need and that your call not just be for a flat or something you can fix yourself.

For those who live in metro areas, you might check with bike clubs or a well-regarded LBS to see if they do offer it. Better shops, especially those that sponsor teams, do.

I worked on a design for an app that would provide a community oriented form of this. Essentially, someone would pay about $50/yr for transportation if they need it. When they need it, they'd click a button on the app (Emergency, Need Transportation, etc.) which would put out an alert to the cyclists in the local area. A large portion of the dollars paid would go towards a person picking up and transporting the cyclist where they need to go.

The emergency button of course would be an instant way to dial 911 as well as sending an alert to anyone in the local area running the app.

For android, this type of app is actually pretty easy as it could hook an intent to the receipt of SMS messages and that would make it incredibly good on power. Plus, SMS messages are carried in a side channel and not on data lines so even when a person has no data they'd be capable of receiving and responding to the alerts.

Hey, just found this thread.
I've been a Better World member for 5 years, including the bike coverage since its inception. I haven't had to use the bike coverage but we have used the auto service a couple times in those years and they've been great. They just started the bike insurance program this month at no extra charge for the Primary club member

This car+bike+bike rider insurance comes to $140/year for two cars/drivers and one bike rider. Additional bike riders are $17/yr.

Chuck

Kinda sounds like something that could be integrated into warmshowers but that's just a idea