JohnBrooking

Anyone tried out this outfit? They're like AAA, but more environmentally friendly, and they offer roadside assistance for bikes, standalone or with the car coverage. I don't think it's cost effective for my puny 11-mile round trip commute, and I can always call my wife if I need to. But for those of you with longer commutes and/or carless, might be a good thing to consider. Anyone have any experience with it?

Platy

Interesting marketing gimmick, positioning themselves as some sort of green alternative to AAA. Apparently most of what they offer is auto services.

It would be more interesting if they offered alternative transportation services. Liability and uninsured motorist insurance for people who don't own their own cars but occasionally drive other cars ("non-owner liability policies"). Bike tour planning and maps. A single nationwide 800 number to call for a taxi. A directory of hotels on public transit lines. Bike and transit guides for different places. Funded bicycle advocacy.

I guess bike roadside assistance is a start. At least that's something AAA doesn't have. I think I saw that it can be used only two times a year and for a maximum of 30 miles.

lala

I'm a member. I think the bike assistance is rather limited: I want to be picked up 100 miles from home. It also seems pricey.

Because they are so small I can understand why their customer service is not 24/7. They are new and their customer service folks can use some work, but I think I may rejoin. Coverage recently expired, but I do want to take some road trips (by my kinda junky ca)r...so I may re-up. I don't want to be thinking of using the auto, and the bike cover is so limited. I guess it will depend on the finances.

lilHinault

For a lot of us, roadside assistance is other helpful riders who happen by. And we pay them back by helping out riders in need ourselves. Fortunately around here there's a railroad running centrally through the area, so if I can walk the bike to a train station, I'm good. There are also cabs, buses, etc.

Bike assistance may be more of a reality when there are a lot more bike riders as gas becomes less affordable.

Platy

How right you are. I received such roadside assistance a few months ago. I had a flat with my new bike (turned out to be a spoke protruding through the rim tape). Stoopid me, I hadn't put together a blowout bag yet ("I'll get around to it real soon now.") I was walking it to a bus stop but a generous rider stopped to help. He had just finished riding the 100 miles from Waco to Austin. The best I could do in return was to clue him in about where to stay for the night. I'll have to pay the favor forward to some cyclist in distress at a time still to be determined.