+100 . People who can cook probably can't fix bikes. I can't cook. If you can do both, more power to you.

This is an excellent point. However, the carefree attitude may not necessarily be a personality trait but due to lack of confidence.

It is wise to have, at the very least, the knowledge to repair a flat. This is typically the issue one would encounter most (yes, I know, someone will chime in and say that they've busted spokes or cables more often than flatted).

At the risk of sounding sexist, I mention this as an interesting fact:

In the bicycle safety courses I give, we cover the basics of bicycle maintenance; flat repair, gear adjustment and brake adjustment, in addition how to safety-check your bike, know the parts and identify a problem.

Women are more incllined, than men, to take a safety course (because men obviously know everything) :rolleyes:

But when it comes to maintenance in those safety courses, I more often than not hear from the women;
"I have a husband for that"
"I have a cell phone"
One lady even said, "I'll just sit on the side of the road and cry until some guy stops to fix it for me."

This seems to be a combination of a lack of interest in maintenance and a lack of confidence.
I often have to step in and shut the males up (because the issue often goes off on a tangent) to allow those ladies to learn the particulars.

Admittedly, when I first started teaching, I had to learn to see the issue from their perspective. In general terms, females often lack the hand strength to get a tire back on over the rim, for example, so we have to discuss ways to do this.

So, maybe carefree, but perhaps for other reasons than is obvious.

You are not the problem we are discussing here as you don't expect someone else to bail you out due to ignorance or selfishness. You take care of yourself but on your own schedule.

A couple more comments if I may. Yes a few times I have stopped to help someone, they did have a new tube, but really didnt know how to use it.

Then as to carring a spare tube. ONe time when I flatted, I patched the tube, but the presta stem broke off when I was inflating the tire. I of course replaced the tube, and used my CO2 cartridges to inflate the tire. Now I always use the CO2 and just carry the mini pump as back up. BTW I have had at least 2 mini pumps fail. For Christmas I have a mini pump with a small hose and gage on my list so as not to stress the presta stem. I will still carry CO2 mainly when riding with a group for faster repair so as not to hold up the ride.

That sounds like just a series of "Murphy's law" moments to me and it happens.

But the OP question is why don't people try to learn some of the basics of repair or carry the basics? If you're never alone when riding, then sure, "get your husband to do it." But many ride alone, get a flat, and have no clue what to do.

A gave a tube to a guy once who DID know what to do, but didn't have any of the items needed to fix it his flat tire.

I also came accross 2 kids (14ish) on their mountain bikes, and fairly higher quality mtb bikes to boot. One of these kids was riding around with a rear flat tire. When I had taken off the tire to fix it, I counted 17 patches! I patched it (by using another 3 patches). I couldn't give him a tube as I was on my road bike.....

These same types of people drive motor vehicles...and we let them.

+1

What do you do with the alcohol? Drink it when the repair goes horribly wrong perhaps.? ; )

jolly

The acohol is mainly for cleaning dirt and grease off my hands, or the other person I have stopped to help. Altho it would sting like hell it could be used to clean road rash in a pinch.

Not exactly on point but last week I went on a ride with a guy I'd never rode with previously. About a mile short of our 34 mile ride I noticed he wasn't behind me any longer so I backtracked and found him lying on the path next to his bike. He was suffering from leg cramps, after a 10 minute break we finished.

4 riders (about 50%) slowed to asked if we needed any help or if he was in trouble. Pretty cool if I may say so. Bicycle riders rock!

I've found that pretty common if someone is stopped along side of the road for any reason. I do it for others myself and have been asked if I need help even if I just stop to look around or remove/put on a jacket.

Other than in town, I can't remember coming across a rider who did not have what they needed to patch a tire. I have helped out those that had more flats than they were prepared for, helping with CO2, tubes, patches, etc. Almost every time I slow and ask a stopped rider doing repair if they are ok, I get an OK or a thumbs up as a response.

Now traveling on my motorcycle, that is another story. Very few carry tire patch gear and I have repaired my share of others tires on the road.

Personnaly, I do not like to carry tools with slight exception. I recall a long time ago back when I was racing Junior category I was on a training ride and stopped to adjust the height of my saddle. I did not NEED to adjust it but I wanted to and that was facilitated by the fact that I had some tools to do it in the pouch under my saddle. I wound up snapping the seatpost binder bolt in half and had to ride about 30 miles home standing.

Since that day the only tools I carry when I ride are tire levers, a pump, spare tube, a small patch kit, and a $10 bill.

The $10 bill serves double duty as emergency funds and tire boot if I need it.

My philosophy is that repair and maintenance work should be done at home not during a ride. The side of the road is not the ideal place to true wheels, adjust headsets, etc. Of course there are unforseen circumstances that can render even the best maintained bike unridable unless fixed...my thoughts are that when this happens it is time to call home/a friend/a taxi for a ride home or back to the car. My philosophy is the side of the road is not the place to make major repairs...If the bike suffers a mechanical failure bad enough that I need tools to fix it then either I have either not been properly maintaining the bike or the mechanical problem is too great to be doing road side repair and I should be looking into alternate means to get back to my point of origin.

Granted I only apply this philosophy road cycling general training/pleasure rides. Loaded touring and venturing into the woods on a mt bike are different beasts all together and require a different type/level of preparedness.

-j