Just_Nigel

Riding down the local River Trail (SART for those who are around this area). About 20 miles from my truck I get a flat. Pull off at a local golf course and get ready to change the tube.

Meanwhile there is this guy (electric guitar in hand) telling me that I can't be on the course. I ignore him because the next few words out of his mouth are about how he's going to blow up the gold course. The whole time I'm fixing my tire, he's going on about this and that so I'm keeping an eye on him..

A few riders come by and nicely ask if I have everything I need. I say yes because I believe I do. Get the tube in, get the tire on. Reach in to get my air cartage and realize it won't fit and I have no pump.

A couple ride by and I ask if I can borrow their pump. They stop and he pulls his last air cartridge out and fills my tire, mounts my wheel, and when I tell him I wish I had some cash to give him...he tells me I don't owe him anything.

I thank them both and get ready to take off but decided rather than continue toward the beach, I better get home since now I have no air and my last tube is being used.

I get about 1/2 mile down the trail and I have another flat! This was more my fault than anything else. When I changed the first flat, I felt around the inside of the tire, found nothing. Felt around the outside of the tire and didn't see the small piece of glass...

Now I'm in a spot! So now I'm walking and thinking of whether to call my wife or a cab...

Guess who pulls up next to me and (probably thinking...what has this Fred done now!!) asks what happened.

I tell him what happened and now he pulls out his own tube and mounts it and uses his last bit of air from an old can of sealant. It worked and I made it home...

They took time out of their ride to stop and help a total stranger and I am greatly appreciative of their help..

Allen55

There are still some good ones out there. Now, just pay it forward one day.

Nusince

When I started road riding my good friend who has been on road bikes and on again off again racing as long as I have known him said one of the most important rules is that you always check to make sure a fellow rider on the side of the road is ok and if they need it help how you can. Sure you should always be self sufficient and have what you need at all times but the reality is that sometimes things happen that are beyond your control, and somewhere, some time that person stranded could well be you.

Mondo734

Thats great that you were able to get helped like that. Here its not uncommon for someone to ask me if everything is ok if I am on the side of the trail/road. That being the case I am always more than happy to ask others if they need help. Out of about 100 people I have asked only 1 has actually needed help. Like you he needed a patch and air. Just remember to pay it forward.

TrojanHorse

Yeah, I had a similar tale on the Ballona trail one day... flatted, patch kit was all dried up and spare tube was dry rotted (bah!).

Walked about two miles back towards the beach and some kind soul gave me his spare tube... which was also dry rotted.

Walked another mile and some guy from Triathlete Zombies (bike shop in Santa Monica) saw how miserable I was, flipped my bike upside down, whipped the tire off with his bare hands, put his new tube in, pumped 'er back up and wouldn't take a thing.

So naturally, I always ask too.

Had a flat last Saturday and about 200 people asked if I was ok (organized century)

Had a flat the following tuesday... tons of cars, pedestrians etc. walked by and nobody even looked over. Go figure.

Mr. Beanz

Thats why I like a real pump. You can fill the flatted tube with air and locate the puncture. Of course everybody knows to line up the valve with the label on the tire so locating the debris in the tire is easy.

I usually carry a full size frame pump but even a small cheap azz pump like the one I carried on the C&A GMR ride is more reliable than CO2. Just ask Photo Joe.

Mr. Beanz

Guess who! ...Who**********?

Just_Nigel

Yup lesson learned...Pump is on the list and a couple extra tubes

Just_Nigel

Richard and Kim. Didn't ask for last names, just an email/mobile that I can send replacement cash.

Just_Nigel

I got in the habit of asking when riding motorcycles. Most of the time they had it covered but ya never know.. I was riding between Tuscon and Phoenix and got a rear flat on the interstate. The only person that stopped was the highway patrol. Thank God for mobile phones...I was about 90 miles south of Phoenix..

Mr. Beanz

I was wondering what you meant by Guess Who?...since you said the tandem people gave you their last cartridge of air. Then Guess who came by and gave you their last bit of air. I was wondering if it was the same people or maybe you were going to tell us it was Trojan Horse?.

dscheidt

A patch kit is a good idea too. Doesn't weigh much, or take up much room, but it fixes lots of flats. I carry a spare tube and a patch kit (and a pump, of course.) First flat gets the spare tube, second gets patched. I flat about three times a year these days, so I don't need the patch kit much. At home and work, I keep a big box of Rema patches, and a jar of vulcanizing cement, and repair the flatted tube, and put into rotation.

TrojanHorse

I should realy get a mini pump... I prefer CO2 because those mini pumps stink for filling tires but CO2 REALLY stinks for filling tires when you run out.

I usually carry 3. The most I've used is 2.

contango 

What I found rather ironic is the number of times people have asked if I'm OK when I've just stopped to take a breather, but the one time I was in trouble (I flatted, my wife had the patch repair kit and my spare tube turned out to be faulty) cyclists whizzed past in all directions and nobody gave me a second look.

Mithrandir

I highly recommend this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Topeak-Road-Mo...dp/B000FI6YOS/

PhotoJoe 

Hey, why should I buy a pump or use my CO2? Beans has a pump....and if you work it just right, he'll even pump the tide up for you. BTW, I do now have a spare with the right length stem. Seems to work much better!

Mark Stone

But . . . but . . . did the guitar guy blow up the golf course??!? I'm on the edge of my chair here . . .

Murphy's law states that if you have spare tubes, a patch kit and a cool pump, you stop having flats.

Just_Nigel

Yeah, it all made sense in my little brain until I retread it It was the same guy who happen to find an d can of sealant.

ZmanKC

+1

I've got this pump and have had to use it a couple of times. Worked like a champ.

Just_Nigel

Golf course was still there today... but didn't see the guitar man! Replaced my tire with a Continental Gator and a mounted pump. The Topeak looked really nice but if I wanted to get a ride in today, I needed a pump and tire.. so a trip to the LBS...

New tire and pump...

RichardGlover

Spare tube: check
Patch Repair Kit: check
Real pump: check
Puncture-resistant tires: check

10k miles without an on-bike flat: Priceless.

the_tool_man

I still use tire savers:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/speedpl...57625772165078

No flats in 29 years, except for one instance where I was run off the road and caught a sharp rock against the sidewall of the tire. Tire was ruined, so no spare or patch would have fixed that.

Or, maybe it's becuase I carry a spare tube and a pump all the time, as Murphy's law indicates.

Pamestique 

Funny... my friends and I just had this discussion - between CO2 and a pump... I can't tell you how many stories I have about CO2 and why I now only carry a pump. I know, I know, CO2 is "lighter" yeah sure but in a bind, the pump is always going to work.

I always carry several tubes and I will give them out to others (I will take money for the tube if offered since they aren't cheap). I always think it funny, when my pals and I see someone "down" with a flat, we stop (not just ride by and ask) and ask if they need anything. Alot of times we will get the comment "you know, a lot of guys just rode by but it was you gals that actually stopped to help out!". I just pray and hope someone stops for me when the time comes.

Other lesson I learned: Never panic fix a flat. If I get a flat, I make myself comfortable and take my time. I am less likely to miss the culprit that caused the flat and do it all right the first time.

And yes my pump is a Topeak Road Morph - best small pump out there.