General Cycling Discussion - People Are Cheap!

I was out riding last night and came across a man on the trail who had broken off his presta stem while pumping. I slowed to see if he needed help and he asked if I had a spare tube. I did. So while I dug the tube out of my bag, this guy gets out a $10 bill. He held it out, and said, "I hope you have change". I didn't. The guy continued with "I'm not paying $10 for a $6 tube!" So I stuffed the tube back in my bag and continued my ride.
What the heck is the matter with people? If the roles were reversed, I'd gladly pay extra, and would likely refuse change for the convenience of not having to walk home.

Tubes are $8, out here, now.. so the 2 bucks difference, is even less of an issue..

I was out riding last night and came across a man on the trail who had broken off his presta stem while pumping. I slowed to see if he needed help and he asked if I had a spare tube. I did. So while I dug the tube out of my bag, this guy gets out a $10 bill. He held it out, and said, "I hope you have change". I didn't. The guy continued with "I'm not paying $10 for a $6 tube!" So I stuffed the tube back in my bag and continued my ride.
What the heck is the matter with people? If the roles were reversed, I'd gladly pay extra, and would likely refuse change for the convenience of not having to walk home.

I don't know about you, but I have given away tubes to friends and to total strangers. In fact, I have refused payment from strangers for a tube. My only caveat to them is to "pay it forward."

I've had my kindness repaid, in spades, when I needed it.

What goes around comes around.

I hope he enjoyed his walk.

If I was stranded (miles away from home), an extra $4 wouldn't be much to me so I could get home. If I was just a few blocks and someone came-by and offer, it may not be worth it. Either way, I would have thanked you for stopping by and offer.

You could of giving him the tube in good faith though.

He should call a cab and have it deliver him a tube. I'm sure that's much cheaper. If you go riding without proper equipment, be prepared to walk or pay. Can't depend on the kindness of strangers.

I was out riding last night and came across a man on the trail who had broken off his presta stem while pumping. I slowed to see if he needed help and he asked if I had a spare tube. I did. So while I dug the tube out of my bag, this guy gets out a $10 bill. He held it out, and said, "I hope you have change". I didn't. The guy continued with "I'm not paying $10 for a $6 tube!" So I stuffed the tube back in my bag and continued my ride.
What the heck is the matter with people? If the roles were reversed, I'd gladly pay extra, and would likely refuse change for the convenience of not having to walk home.

I would just give the man a tube and say "pay it forward". Most of the time I have 2 tubes anyway as I'm riding with the girl.

I dunno if anything is wrong. I've paid for the opportunity to hike (walk), so I don't really see an issue with someone choosing to walk and save money.

I carry extra tubes. The last two stranded riders I came across had called their wife and mother to come and get them.
I offered the tubes, but they refused.

I carry extra tubes...
I offered the tubes, but they refused.
Same here, 10W. ( sometimes I think they're embarrassed to admit that they don't know how to change it )

I was out riding last night and came across a man on the trail who had broken off his presta stem while pumping. I slowed to see if he needed help and he asked if I had a spare tube. I did. So while I dug the tube out of my bag, this guy gets out a $10 bill. He held it out, and said, "I hope you have change". I didn't. The guy continued with "I'm not paying $10 for a $6 tube!" So I stuffed the tube back in my bag and continued my ride.
What the heck is the matter with people? If the roles were reversed, I'd gladly pay extra, and would likely refuse change for the convenience of not having to walk home.

I am sure this guy gives nice tips at restaurants too. Not!

I would have been embarrassed to have asked you for change. He was not only cheap; he didn’t have any pride either.

I was out riding last night and came across a man on the trail who had broken off his presta stem while pumping. I slowed to see if he needed help and he asked if I had a spare tube. I did. So while I dug the tube out of my bag, this guy gets out a $10 bill. He held it out, and said, "I hope you have change". I didn't. The guy continued with "I'm not paying $10 for a $6 tube!" So I stuffed the tube back in my bag and continued my ride.
What the heck is the matter with people? If the roles were reversed, I'd gladly pay extra, and would likely refuse change for the convenience of not having to walk home.

Curious situation. I wonder if this guy would refuse to pay over the odds for a bottle of water in the middle of the desert. But whatever, his choice, and presumably he either walked home or got someone to come out and rescue him.

I don't think any of us like paying over the odds, it's just a question of accepting that in some situations the modest extra money is worth it to avoid the alternatives. For myself I'd rather pay $10 for a tube that would cost me $6 at the LBS than have an extended walk. Of course the flip side is that if you sell him your tube you're now potentially cycling without a spare, leaving you vulnerable if you got a flat.

I don't know about you, but I have given away tubes to friends and to total strangers. In fact, I have refused payment from strangers for a tube. My only caveat to them is to "pay it forward."

+1, and I'd gladly offer $10 if I were on the receiving end. But, it sounds like the recipient maybe developed an attitude, possibly unsolicited, that might change my reaction.

If I offer a tube to someone, I don't expect them to pay me for it, just pay it forward when someone else needs help. Tubes are cheap. However, if the recipient offered to pay for the tube he received, it was just poor form to expect change.

If I offer a tube to someone, I don't expect them to pay me for it, just pay it forward when someone else needs help. Tubes are cheap. However, if the recipient offered to pay for the tube he received, it was just poor form to expect change.

+1

What the heck is the matter with people?

Yeah, why didn't you just give him the tube? You're cheap!



Alternate reply: "It may be a $6 tube, but there's a $4 delivery charge." ;)

I was out riding last night and came across a man on the trail who had broken off his presta stem while pumping. I slowed to see if he needed help and he asked if I had a spare tube. I did. So while I dug the tube out of my bag, this guy gets out a $10 bill. He held it out, and said, "I hope you have change". I didn't. The guy continued with "I'm not paying $10 for a $6 tube!" So I stuffed the tube back in my bag and continued my ride.
What the heck is the matter with people? If the roles were reversed, I'd gladly pay extra, and would likely refuse change for the convenience of not having to walk home.

This is absolutely hilarious, but can you tell us if you agreed on a price before he dug out his $10. If so, I can understand why everything went down the way it did, but if he offered to pay a certain amount without being asked to pay at all then expected change, it would be a bit presumptuous.

You should offer to show a website on your smart phone where he can get tubes delivered in the middle of nowhere instantly. Tell them it's cheaper to get on line.

I was out riding last night and came across a man on the trail who had broken off his presta stem while pumping. I slowed to see if he needed help and he asked if I had a spare tube. I did. So while I dug the tube out of my bag, this guy gets out a $10 bill. He held it out, and said, "I hope you have change". I didn't. The guy continued with "I'm not paying $10 for a $6 tube!" So I stuffed the tube back in my bag and continued my ride.
What the heck is the matter with people? If the roles were reversed, I'd gladly pay extra, and would likely refuse change for the convenience of not having to walk home.



Karma IS a ***** !!!!!!

Yeah, why didn't you just give him the tube? You're cheap!Beat me to it.

Keep seeing ads for a credit card reader to put on your smartphone..
to bill thru the bank.. perhaps another use for that..

Keep seeing ads for a credit card reader to put on your smartphone..
to bill thru the bank.. perhaps another use for that..

You don't even need the reader. You can set up an account at a website where you key in the CC number and it bills the account. I bought a picture from a guy at an art show that way.

If I offer a tube to someone, I don't expect them to pay me for it, just pay it forward when someone else needs help. Tubes are cheap. However, if the recipient offered to pay for the tube he received, it was just poor form to expect change.

Just give them the tube. I've been looking for someone to give one to for several years now -- a rider stopped and gave me one. I had one with me, but somehow it was the wrong size -- in the meantime I still looking . . .

You don't even need the reader. You can set up an account at a website where you key in the CC number and it bills the account. I bought a picture from a guy at an art show that way.

I'd rather use paypal than enter my credit card on someone else's computer/phone, but that's just me.

I'm thinking there's more to this story than the OP is telling us.

You saw the black helicopters too, huh?

While I personally would have offered the tube for free, you are certainly under no obligation to give things away to random strangers nor can they expect you to. Why should you be down about 5 bucks for the tube you gave him, when he is unwilling the same amount extra to get it.

I live in an area where cycling is very popular. It seems to me that everyday I see someone with a flat tire. If I gave away a free tube to everyone it would cost a few thousand bucks a year.

Personally I think there should be an individual mandate requiring all cyclists to buy tube insurance so we all dont get stuck with the cost of flat tires.

The guy with the flat tire learned a lesson in freedom.

He is free to carry an extra tube with him if he wants.

The OP is free to charge whatever price he wants for a tube.

Cyclist is free to accept or deny that price.

OP is free to sell or not sell.

Cyclist is free to ride home or walk home or get a ride home.

Freedom and liberty is great. (when its allowed)

I'm thinking there's more to this story than the OP is telling us.

+1

I was out riding last night and came across a man on the trail who had broken off his presta stem while pumping. I slowed to see if he needed help and he asked if I had a spare tube. I did. So while I dug the tube out of my bag, this guy gets out a $10 bill. He held it out, and said, "I hope you have change". I didn't. The guy continued with "I'm not paying $10 for a $6 tube!" So I stuffed the tube back in my bag and continued my ride.
What the heck is the matter with people? If the roles were reversed, I'd gladly pay extra, and would likely refuse change for the convenience of not having to walk home.Two lessons to be learned here:

1. Avoid using presta valves, as they are more susceptible to damage.
2. A proper pump like the Road Morph would have greatly reduced the odds of damaging that valve in the first place.

I'd never sell one of my spare tubes. Most of them have at least 1 or 2 patches on them anyhow. I'll give them away on a "pay it forward" type basis.

I've had someone refuse a free patched tube because they "never use patched tubes."

Then again I live in a city were a bike shop is never more than 7-8 blocks away. It's not a far walk/push.

Two lessons to be learned here:

1. Avoid using presta valves, as they are more susceptible to damage.
2. A proper pump like the Road Morph would have greatly reduced the odds of damaging that valve in the first place.

Well ****, you cannot fit a schrader valve on some rims.

Two lessons to be learned here:

1. Avoid using presta valves, as they are more susceptible to damage.
2. A proper pump like the Road Morph would have greatly reduced the odds of damaging that valve in the first place.

Well that pretty much rules out anyone with a 700c tire. The world is apparently just a bit larger than your narrow minded section of it.

Well that pretty much rules out anyone with a 700c tire. The world is apparently just a bit larger than your narrow minded section of it.

Uh.. I have schrader valves and a 700c tire.

Well that pretty much rules out anyone with a 700c tire. The world is apparently just a bit larger than your narrow minded section of it.


Uh.. I have schrader valves and a 700c tire.

I have one of each on my city bike...didn't want to offend anybody... :roflmao2:

In reality it is because I rebuilt the front wheel to accommodate a dyno hub and just haven't gotten around to getting a matching rim laced up for the rear. :P

Aaron :)

New technology scares me...

Presta is like those iPhone things. In a few years nobody will be using them any more.

New technology scares me...

Presta is like those iPhone things. In a few years nobody will be using them any more.

I can't find the link, but Presta predates Schrader by about 30 years.... ;)

Aaron :)

It's been a number of years since I had a road related flat, and after reading this thread, I should give away the tubes that I've been carrying all this time, and purchase some new ones. If I ever do give away my old new tubes to some cyclist, I'm going to ride like the wind away from there.

It's been a number of years since I had a road related flat, and after reading this thread, I should give away the tubes that I've been carrying all this time, and purchase some new ones. If I ever do give away my old new tubes to some cyclist, I'm going to ride like the wind away from there.

I was kind of thinking that same thing... I went to put a new tube in a hybrid that we are giving to an relative to ride. I pulled one out of a seat bag and got to thinking about how long it had been in there...

With the advent of kevlar tires my flats have gone way down compared to previous years.

Aaron :)

While I personally would have offered the tube for free, you are certainly under no obligation to give things away to random strangers nor can they expect you to. Why should you be down about 5 bucks for the tube you gave him, when he is unwilling the same amount extra to get it.

I think that is the core of the interaction. The other riders attitude. I'd generally give the tube away and often change the tire for them (depending on attitude, for sure for someone who did not know how and was willing to learn actually the times I get to change someone from a dependent rider to one who can at laast change a tire make it a good day). But for someone with that kind of attitude is bye bye.

I can't find the link, but Presta predates Schrader by about 30 years.... ;)

Aaron :)

And Schrader requires a larger hole in hte rim. A big issue on a narrow rim.

I try and rotate my tubes when I change tires.

I change the tires on my regular city bike 2x a year when I go from slicks to knobbies for "snow season" and use this as an opportunity to inspect the rim, rimstrap, tubes, and the like for any damage or wear. It's been a couple of years since I got a flat on the road (I really shouldn't even type that out in words as I'm probably going to jinx myself) so the only time the spare tube in my "flat kit" is when I rotate it.

My flat kits are all in repurposed parmasean cheese shakers. Those give plenty of room for a spare tube, some peel-n-stick patches for roadside use, a real patch kit, a pair of tire levers, a 14/15 combo wrench, a presta/schrader converter, a schrader stem tool, an extra schrader stem, some silk cloth to use as a boot or as a rag to clean my hands, and a moist towlette package or 3. All of this fits in the parma shaker and I mark the top with the side of the tire the kit is aimed at. I've got 559, 590, and 700c kits on each appropriate bike/s.

Most of my bikes have frame pumps onboard -or I'll carry a smaller packable hand pump.

Yes, I'm a preparedness freak.

If it were someone that I ride with and thus knew I was going to get a tube back, I'd have no problem giving it up. If the person was in trouble (didn't prepare and had no good way to get home) I would give them the tube if they didn't have any cash.

However, if I was offering someone a tube and they refused to fork over the $10 because they felt they were just getting a $6 tube, I'd say have a good ride and leave them. It's not fair for you to take a $$$ hit nor is it your problem that they didn't have the correct change. I'd add it up as merchandise of $6 + express delivery = a fair charge of $10.

They aren't adding in the convience factor of you giving them a tube, the time you spent in buying the tube, and the time you'll spend in buying a new tube to replace the one you just gave away.

I think we need more information. If I thought the guy was poor or broke I'd give him the tube. But if I was poor or broke, I'd ask for $20, if I thought he was well off. If the guy was polite, I'd give him the tube. If it was a charming girl, I'd give her the tube and insist on helping to fit it for her. There are a million and one different ways to behave in this situation. You would have to be there.

I'm quite sure the guy would find plenty of like minded riders around here. Plenty of cheapskates on the forums. bk

They aren't adding in the convience factor of you giving them a tube, the time you spent in buying the tube, and the time you'll spend in buying a new tube to replace the one you just gave away.

... or the fact that if you give them your tube you're now vulnerable to flatting and finding yourself without a spare tube ...


I think we need more information. If I thought the guy was poor or broke I'd give him the tube. But if I was poor or broke, I'd ask for $20, if I thought he was well off. If the guy was polite, I'd give him the tube. If it was a charming girl, I'd give her the tube and insist on helping to fit it for her. There are a million and one different ways to behave in this situation. You would have to be there.

It's really pointless trying to second guess whether The Other Guy is penniless or a gazillionaire. Ultimately the value is the value regardless of whether it means the other guy has to go without food that evening or has to use his solid gold lighter to light his Cuban cigar that evening rather than using a $20 bill because he can't be bothered to find the lighter.

That said, when it's your tube and the other guy is wanting help then you get to make all the decisions regarding whether the tube is available at all, and if so at what price.

Some people are arguing what's legally required. Others are talking about what's the right thing to do.

You aren't legally required to do anything so that's easy. It's also cheap.

What's the right thing is always harder. It doesn't sound to me like the OP and the guy with the flat tire had a very friendly exchange. I wonder how that unfriendliness got started. Without knowing that (and we have only one side of the story) I have no way of determining what would have been the right thing and who's being cheap.

Just like I had feared when I posted earlier in this thread yesterday about not flatting in a couple of years, I had a flat on the way home from Critical Mass last night. I was even talking about this phenomenon during the mass with a fellow BF-er who I hooked up with during the ride. It was inevitable!

I actually like getting a flat as it is a challenge to see how fast I can pit on the side of the road, change it, and get back moving again. 4 minutes flat even with the slight pose to pull out the camera, pose the bike, and take a picture.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-pqL08oLDK6I/T-5WnCs1bpI/AAAAAAAAFeM/ms6KQ7F0vU8/s549/2012-06-29_20-23-16_909.jpg

But just talking about it tends to jinx yourself. Now I'l probably get yet another one for posting about the first one so I need to get this tube patched and put back into my kit before I ride again today!

Same here, 10W. ( sometimes I think they're embarrassed to admit that they don't know how to change it )

I'll bet you are correct. Recently a guy told me that he'd just walk home. Next time I'll remember to ask if they need help changing the tube as well.

I suppose there are actually people who don't know how to change a bicycle tire but it sort of blows the mind.

Although I've seen a few cargo bikes and other full-chaincase bikes that I'd hate to deal with out on the road. The first time I helped a friend change the tire on her Madsen I sort of boggled at how involved that was.