Stopped to help a cyclist
04-10-09, 06:39 PM
#51
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Learn one thing. How to use a chain breaker and turn your bike into a single speed. Not a fun way to get home, but with that one trick as long as you can keep air in your tires you can limp home, but at least be riding. 5 miles in the 'wrong' gear may suck, but not nearly what walking 5 miles does.
04-10-09, 07:12 PM
#52
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You didn't do it for him. You did it for yourself... feels good to do good. That's the right-now reward. You also planted a seed. In time, days, weeks, months, decades, but in time, he will start to wonder what kind of person carries around a spare tube and tire-irons just in case they meet a cyclist in trouble. Then he will start to wonder if maybe he's that kind of person... and maybe, perhaps, go buy a tube and a set of irons to keep in the glovebox.
Then when he helps someone who's truly grateful and gracious, they will be thanking you every inch as much when they thank him. Paying it forward works.
Then when he helps someone who's truly grateful and gracious, they will be thanking you every inch as much when they thank him. Paying it forward works.
04-10-09, 07:21 PM
#53
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Chain breaker is always good to have, if you change a chain keep the extra links, a 35mm film can is a good place to put them. If you snap a chain you can take out the bad link and put in a spare link, and within 5 minutes your bike is good as new. A length of florist wire can also be handy, break a dérailleur cable, just wrap the wire around the end of the cable, where it goes through and you can keep the dérailleur in whatever position you like. You can also get a spare cable of each, and keep those on your bike. Another emergency item, get a spoke that is longer then any you need, cut off the flattened end where it goes through the hub. When you break a spoke, remove the broken bits, take your spare and measure for length, bend the end into a J shape, cut off the excess. hook through the hub and attach to the nipple, tighten until it makes a similar sound to the other spokes, reinstall the rim tape, tire and tube then ride on. Replace with a proper spoke at your earliest convenience. Because of the hooked end, you can get this spoke behind the cassette/freewheel without removing it.
Nice thing about bicycles, there are few show stoppers that you can't fix on the road, that are not the result of a crash.
Nice thing about bicycles, there are few show stoppers that you can't fix on the road, that are not the result of a crash.
Thanks, Wog
04-10-09, 08:16 PM
#54
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Yup, along with a few links of chain..... It's one of the problems now that digital cameras are so popular, it's harder to find many of the film cans, although labs that still do film, often have a good supply.
04-10-09, 09:42 PM
#55
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Yep - I don't have a single film can lying around anymore. What I DO have is plastic pharmacy bottles from my blood pressure meds.
04-11-09, 07:00 AM
#56
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You mean those annoying bottles with the adult proof caps, that only a kid can seem to figure out how to open, that are not water proof? Which BP med are you on?
04-11-09, 10:32 AM
#57
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I'm on 10mg Norvasc...also taking Crestor. If I could manage to eat a little better I'd probably be able to jettison the meds, but I loves me some ice cream...and cheese-steaks...and chips...and...well, you get the idea...
04-11-09, 03:25 PM
#58
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I'm going to update my conduct when stopping to help.
1) Ladies get all the help they need. This might sound sexist, and it is
.
2) Casual riders get all the help they need. If they want to learn, I'll coach them, but I'm not sure everyone really wants to learn.
3) Guys on better road bikes will get just enough help to get them back on the road. I will ask to look at their supplies, and will avoid using mine. I will coach and keep my hands clean. If they are reluctant to do & learn, I might just keep moving.
Michael
1) Ladies get all the help they need. This might sound sexist, and it is
.2) Casual riders get all the help they need. If they want to learn, I'll coach them, but I'm not sure everyone really wants to learn.
3) Guys on better road bikes will get just enough help to get them back on the road. I will ask to look at their supplies, and will avoid using mine. I will coach and keep my hands clean. If they are reluctant to do & learn, I might just keep moving.
Michael
__________________
When I ride my bike I feel free and happy and strong. I'm liberated from the usual nonsense of day to day life. Solid, dependable, silent, my bike is my horse, my fighter jet, my island, my friend. Together we will conquer that hill and thereafter the world.
When I ride my bike I feel free and happy and strong. I'm liberated from the usual nonsense of day to day life. Solid, dependable, silent, my bike is my horse, my fighter jet, my island, my friend. Together we will conquer that hill and thereafter the world.
04-11-09, 05:08 PM
#60
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I'm not sure everyone really wants to learn.
it always feels good to help someone out...and comes back at ya.
04-11-09, 06:16 PM
#61
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As far as taking the wheel off -- maybe he intended to carry just the wheel and lock the rest of the bike up until he could return with a fixed tire ?
I am one of the relatively clueless but at least I carry a tube, irons, CO2. The last time I changed a flat 15 years ago it took me over an hour and I got pretty greasy and dirty. It feels like sacrilege and I'm sure it slows me down, but I put tire liners and durable tubes into my Dura-Ace wheels. The last flat I ended up walking 2 miles then had a friend SAG me home after work (bike stayed at work, flat, overnight). There was noplace safe to change the tire where it flatted anyhow.
I am one of the relatively clueless but at least I carry a tube, irons, CO2. The last time I changed a flat 15 years ago it took me over an hour and I got pretty greasy and dirty. It feels like sacrilege and I'm sure it slows me down, but I put tire liners and durable tubes into my Dura-Ace wheels. The last flat I ended up walking 2 miles then had a friend SAG me home after work (bike stayed at work, flat, overnight). There was noplace safe to change the tire where it flatted anyhow.
04-11-09, 08:17 PM
#62
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As far as taking the wheel off -- maybe he intended to carry just the wheel and lock the rest of the bike up until he could return with a fixed tire ?
I am one of the relatively clueless but at least I carry a tube, irons, CO2. The last time I changed a flat 15 years ago it took me over an hour and I got pretty greasy and dirty. It feels like sacrilege and I'm sure it slows me down, but I put tire liners and durable tubes into my Dura-Ace wheels. The last flat I ended up walking 2 miles then had a friend SAG me home after work (bike stayed at work, flat, overnight). There was noplace safe to change the tire where it flatted anyhow.
I am one of the relatively clueless but at least I carry a tube, irons, CO2. The last time I changed a flat 15 years ago it took me over an hour and I got pretty greasy and dirty. It feels like sacrilege and I'm sure it slows me down, but I put tire liners and durable tubes into my Dura-Ace wheels. The last flat I ended up walking 2 miles then had a friend SAG me home after work (bike stayed at work, flat, overnight). There was noplace safe to change the tire where it flatted anyhow.
