Roadside Repairs?
 

I've noticed a lot of comments in threads about being prepared for flats, repairs, etc.
It's all common sense... but in winter??
There is no way on Gods white earth I'm doing roadside repairs on my commute in the dead of winter. I figure that's what cell phones are for. I have a friendly arrangement with a co-worker with a Ford Expedition to bail me out if needed. Fortunately studded tires are bomb proof and I haven't need help so far.
Yet, I'm curious. Do you guys really repair in extreme weather? I'll bet there are some stories to tell here.

My commute is 30km down a trail and usually I don't have a choice but to fix flats, broken chain ect. It would take longer to walk to the nearest road, call someone and then wait in the cold until they came to pick me up. Fortunately I'm pretty quick when it comes to flats.

I'd like $1 for the people I've stopped for on a warm summer day that didn't even know how to fix a flat, much less be caught dead on the MUP in the wintertime :).

But yeah, I carry full tools and fix my own. Only time this year I've walked was last week when I went down twice on black ice.

-Roger

Fortunately, the only repairs I've ever needed to do in really cold weather were flat tires - not really a hard job and all that was required was a tire lever, spare tube, and a pump.;) I keep a couple of those heat packs in the bottom of my pannier for such an event.

I think if I broke a chain I might be tempted to call for a pickup, but my advice is to carry the tools anyway. Better to have it and not need it etc, etc...

The snow is supposed to hit us here in Seattle this weekend. You betcha that I have to do my own repairs in the snow. The Girl's car won't fit her walker and my bike, and it's highly unlikely that she's going anywhere when the roads are covered.

Princeton Tec Quad on my helmet so I can see what I'm doing along the streetlight-less stretches of my commute.
Section of Tyvek housewrap to use as a work mat in the snow. (folds down to almost nothing, weight is insignificant.)
If I'm wearing big gloves, then I keep a pair of shooter's gloves in my bag for repairs (the gloves with the flip-top fingers).

I don't stop for roadside repairs in winter or summer, unless they're truly trivial. I just lock the bike, hop the subway, and deal with it after work.

Last winter I had to change in a flat in the and with freezing rain. I kept screwing up, went through two tubes, so it took like 30 minutes and absolutely sucked. On the other hand I've changed flat in cold rain in five minutes.

I think if you can do it confidently and quickly, most roadside repairs can be done in subfreezing temperatures and nasty conditions. If you're not sure about your abilities to do it quickly, then yeah, a bailout or just taking the bus is probably better.

This has crossed my mind as well. Five mile commute, worst I will have to do is push the bike 2.5 miles and fix the flat comfortably at my starting point or destination. Cell phone backup as well.

I try to be prepared for whatever-- I carry a cell phone, and my bike folds up, so if I need to bail I have options. But I also carry some tools. If something goes wrong, and I have to call my wife for a ride, I'll be waiting a minimum of 20 minutes anyway; so if I can fix the problem in 20 minutes, I might as well. Of course if it's freezing cold, and it's dark out anyway, it may take me 20 minutes just to open the tool kit.

Same here, there's a subway line parallel to most of my route.

I got a flat last month at the tail end of my commute from a splinter of glass (this was before the studded tires went on). I just walked the bike the remaining 1/4 mile to my office and patched it there.

I am prepared to but have never really needed to fix anything on the road in winter. Normally I just try to limp where I am going by pumping up a tire with a slow leak ect.

Hi Guys,
New to the list. I commute 12 miles every morning from a island in the Detroit River to my Bicycle Shop. Been doing this since April. Had a few snow rides this month but ZERO flats. Working in a bike shop for 38 years I am sure I can do it, But these new tires are pretty good. I am riding a inexpensive Schwinn World GS. Has fenders, rack, etc. NO break downs this year.
peace,
Bicycledon

I've never had a flat in the winter, but sure, I'd fix it.

its 66 degrees outside, not a cloud in the sky. just a cold wind. i'd be happy to go outside and do hours of bike matience or fix a flat. either way if i'm on the way to work, oh i got a flat...aside from stop, checking it i'll call work and say i'll be a bit late got a flat. if i'm a training ride and my pump breaks then i'll call for a taxi

I had my freewheel fall apart halfway home in a 35F rainshower on a day when I forgot my cellphone. I walked the bike to a freeway overpass to get out of the rain. I managed to rig it up as a fixed gear by using a multi-tool as a lever to pry parts around. (Off topic: IRD freewheels are MUCH nicer than 25 year old NOS originals).

I only had one flat on the road in 2008 (knock on wood). Usually when I get a flat, it's a slow leak and I don't notice it until the next day when the tire is completely flat. Even in this case, it was a slow leak come to think of it. I was 30 miles from home and chose to just stop and put air in the tire every 10 miles or so rather than bother to fix it on the road. So I guess I never really fixed a flat tire away from home this year.

I generally carry a spare tube, multitool, spoke wrench, patch kit, pump, spare batteries, spare light bulbs, and raingear when commuting. On long rides, I usually carry a spare folding tire and food as well.
I only had to call for a sag once in 2008 (again, knock on wood). That was when my key broke off in my bike lock late at night. I had to get a ride home from my wife to pick up a spare key then drive back to retrieve my bike.

roadside repairs in craptacular weather definitely pushed me down the road to expensive tires.

I have fixed flat tires in sub freezing weather in the past but only by replacement with a spare tube, patching the tube must wait for above freezing temperatures - the glue freezes at some point below 32F. Luckily, good tires and reasonably clean roads have made roadside flat tire repairs while commuting a distant memory of at least 11 years ago.

Yes. Glass went right through my studded tires. They might look tough, but they have no kevlar belt. Further, fixing it may well be the fastest way to get warm again. Otherwise you're roadside, sweaty, and waiting. Consider that.

Thankfully in the deep cold dark winter I haven't had to fix a flat yet, but I am always prepared to.

Truth be told, I think I'd make a call first and if I thought I'd get picked up relatively quickly I'd go that route. But that is not a guarantee, especially on a snowy rush hour day it could take someone an hour to get to me. So I stay prepared.

Oh yeah. Forgot about the lock backup solution. Lock it where you broke down, walk/drive/bus/train away, come back for it later. Therefore, even if you have secure storage at work, always have a lock with you on your commute?

Leisurely fixing a flat on a sunny, warm, slightly breazy day is one of lifes pleasures.

IMO cold weather field repairs are preferable to summertime field repairs during gnat season. You just have to let them bite you in order to get moving again- torturous to be sure!

I would rather do a roadside repair and get moving as soon as possible, rather than sit in the cold waiting for a ride to show up.

The only winter, cold fix it I had to do, was melt the ice build up off the large chainring. That ice kept pushing the chain off the small chainring. Add a lighter to your winter repair kit list.

Argh! Black Ice! I have a left shoulder that is still buggered up from a patch of that stuff a few days ago. Of course the shoulder will heal. The left brifter won't, but it still works. I figure I will wait until spring to replace it. No sense destroying another one in the same winter.

Interesting responses!
Looks like most of you are ready and able. My old fingers have a hard enough time getting the studded buggers on the rim, even with thawed indoor fingers. I guess the key is to have a plan. (I'd make the cell call and start jogging the bike toward the direction of the ride).
My hat's off to you that want (or need) to be able to take care of business right there and get going.