Originally Posted by Rowan

There is an old adage in cycling that few really take notice of:

Ride your own ride.

It effectively means you have to look after you (ie, have your own repair kit), because you simply can't rely on (a) someone else stopping to help you or (b) anyone actually being around where you have the problem or (c) them also having the stuff to do your repair.

Having said that, it is a rare occasion when I have had a problem, that a cyclist of any level hasn't slowed to ask me if I am OK.