Are you 100% self sufficient on your present ride and or commute?
01-25-18, 05:13 AM
#76
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Before setting up a home office, I bike-commuted (10 miles one way), year-round (through MN winters). I typically needed less than one SAG wagon ride a year. In most cases, I called Lisa for a ride because of tight schedules, if time wasn't a factor I could address the problem and get to work/home.
Thinking back on the last 12 months (6,000 miles), I called for a ride twice:
Earlier this month I had a flat coming home from a race; I could have walked the rest of the way home if needed, but it was -5F and I was tired.
In June, I called for a ride home from a race, after 70 miles into 25 mph headwinds, temps over 90F with high humidity, and running out of water, I bailed on the race (my first DNF).
To be blunt, I don't expect myself to be 100% self-sufficient, I know there are other people around that can help if I'm totally screwed. And as a fan of karma, I offer help to other people with bike issues all the time.
Thinking back on the last 12 months (6,000 miles), I called for a ride twice:
Earlier this month I had a flat coming home from a race; I could have walked the rest of the way home if needed, but it was -5F and I was tired.
In June, I called for a ride home from a race, after 70 miles into 25 mph headwinds, temps over 90F with high humidity, and running out of water, I bailed on the race (my first DNF).
To be blunt, I don't expect myself to be 100% self-sufficient, I know there are other people around that can help if I'm totally screwed. And as a fan of karma, I offer help to other people with bike issues all the time.
Apparently, I need to add an Emergency Medicine doctor to my tool kit.
I have been able to help others a number of times - it’s kind of nice to see the look on someone’s face who is staring at a flat, 2 or 3 miles from the next trail access, no tools, and I stop and have a spare tube, patch kit, hand pump/CO2, etc. Makes them suddenly a lot happier.
01-25-18, 07:21 AM
#77
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01-25-18, 07:57 AM
#78
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01-25-18, 08:00 AM
#79
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I recently told Wifey & kids, as we were getting ready for an annual trek out of state for Christmas: "the longer I have to wait for you guys, the more emergency stuff I'm gonna go get"
01-25-18, 08:01 AM
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I love these threads that border on survivalist/prepper. But... I don't actually know why, as I am neither. But a former Boy Scout, soldier, and current old man... I like the idea of being prepared. Heck... I still carry change... even though I don't really know why. I have stopped wearing a wrist watch (but now I digress).
I found myself hesitant to ride in the cold winter months. I sometimes misjudged the weather and wore too little clothing to stay warm. And sometimes I wore too much and got sweaty. I added a rack and trunk bag on my winter bike... to take along that extra polar fleece. Or a place to store the extra layer I didn't really need. But I replaced that winter bike with another... and needed a rack that would work with disc brakes.
Wanting to be prepared for maybe a little adventure cycling... (something I have my eye on). I moved up to a heavy duty rack... and "small" panniers. OK... I still don't carry anything like fire making materials (or even a lighter). But I've got plenty of room for a darn nice poncho... that I know could be used as a make-shift tent (if the SHTF).
I found myself hesitant to ride in the cold winter months. I sometimes misjudged the weather and wore too little clothing to stay warm. And sometimes I wore too much and got sweaty. I added a rack and trunk bag on my winter bike... to take along that extra polar fleece. Or a place to store the extra layer I didn't really need. But I replaced that winter bike with another... and needed a rack that would work with disc brakes.
Wanting to be prepared for maybe a little adventure cycling... (something I have my eye on). I moved up to a heavy duty rack... and "small" panniers. OK... I still don't carry anything like fire making materials (or even a lighter). But I've got plenty of room for a darn nice poncho... that I know could be used as a make-shift tent (if the SHTF).
01-25-18, 08:50 AM
#81
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I love these threads that border on survivalist/prepper. But...I don't actually know why, as I am neither. But a former Boy Scout, soldier, and current old man... I like the idea of being prepared
Wanting to be prepared for maybe a little adventure cycling... (something I have my eye on). I moved up to a heavy duty rack... and "small"panniers. OK... I still don't carry anything like fire making materials (or even a lighter). But I've got plenty of room for a darn nice poncho... that I know could be used as a make-shift tent (if the SHTF).
Wanting to be prepared for maybe a little adventure cycling... (something I have my eye on). I moved up to a heavy duty rack... and "small"panniers. OK... I still don't carry anything like fire making materials (or even a lighter). But I've got plenty of room for a darn nice poncho... that I know could be used as a make-shift tent (if the SHTF).
Apropos of your desire as a current old man…wanting to be prepared for maybe a little adventure cycling, you may find this past thread amusing, "What do you find hardest about cycle touring now we aint spring chickens any more?."
…While I would still enjoy riding about 50 miles a day for an extended trip, the thought of the uncertainty of finding a place to stay for the night was unsettling. (Our previous tours were all self-supported and self-guided).
If I/we were to resume touring, it would at least be a credit card style, if not an organized tour. On that honeymoon though, finding a place to stay was a memorable part of the adventure.
I guess 30 years of a stable, predictable cycle-commuting lifestyle erodes that exhilaration of the uncertainty.
If I/we were to resume touring, it would at least be a credit card style, if not an organized tour. On that honeymoon though, finding a place to stay was a memorable part of the adventure.
I guess 30 years of a stable, predictable cycle-commuting lifestyle erodes that exhilaration of the uncertainty.
Last edited by Jim from Boston; 01-25-18 at 08:54 AM.
01-25-18, 09:11 AM
#82
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I found myself hesitant to ride in the cold winter months. I sometimes misjudged the weather and wore too little clothing to stay warm. ... Wanting to be prepared for maybe a little adventure cycling... (something I have my eye on). I moved up to a heavy duty rack... and "small" panniers.
I sometimes misjudge clothing too, btw. Easy to do in winter when one is wanting to start out cold, and then overshoots the mark.
01-25-18, 09:43 AM
#83
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…I found myself hesitant to ride in the cold winter months. I sometimes misjudged the weather and wore too little clothing to stay warm. And sometimes I wore too much and got sweaty. …
01-25-18, 09:53 AM
#84
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Alexa...Make this thread funny again.
01-25-18, 09:55 AM
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Through my experience I have established that six-tier chart of what to wear in ten degree Farenheit increments.
01-25-18, 09:58 AM
#86
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Thanks.
01-25-18, 11:59 AM
#88
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Yeah. One of the great things about road cycling is how good it is for my arthritic back. I wonder what a little tent camping might do for/to my posture.
01-25-18, 12:06 PM
#89
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Thanks. I bought it a year ago... I wanted to try out the new "gravel bike" stuff, big tires, disc brakes, etc.. It instantly became my bad weather bike! Great in wet/rain/bad roads.... whatever. I 've been experimenting with different saddles, pedals and such. I think it's turned out to be a great bike for errands too.
01-25-18, 12:24 PM
#90
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01-25-18, 12:41 PM
#91
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01-25-18, 12:59 PM
#92
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So I'm sure they thought of that in advance. Those guys think of everything.
01-25-18, 01:05 PM
#93
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My most likely, and feared emergency is a flat tire on a frigid commute; otherwise I'm set for most possibilities. My commute is urban, and sometimes on a cold day early in the AM I consider a commercial street route rather than a residential one, so I could enter an enclosed bank ATM office to change the tire, without having to walk too far.
I'll take the frigid commute if it's during the daytime. My most feared emergency is a flat tire at darn near midnight (no matter how hot or cold) in the undeveloped part of my route. My plan for that is to hide in the trees and call my husband. If he's out of state visiting family, I'm going to hide in the trees and call the police non-emergency number and ask if a police officer can sit with me while I change the tube.
Thanks, guys.
01-25-18, 01:21 PM
#94
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Informative BC Fish and Wildlife black/grizzly bear identification warning sign.....
Grizzly Bear Warning Sign | Outdoor Oddities
Grizzly Bear Warning Sign | Outdoor Oddities
01-25-18, 01:57 PM
#95
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During my cross-PA tour in September I came nearly face to face with a HUGE black bear as I was leaving camp early one morning. Were staring at each other from about 18'. Here is the damage he had done earlier to two dumpsters, and there was a pile of scat maybe 50' from my tent. My awesomeness was enough to scare him off.
01-25-18, 02:24 PM
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My most likely, and feared emergency is a flat tire on a frigid commute; otherwise I'm set for most possibilities…
I'll take the frigid commute if it's during the daytime. My most feared emergency is a flat tire at darn near midnight (no matter how hot or cold) in the undeveloped part of my route…
Nonetheless, I was grateful for the credit you once gave me for IMO a clever nested quote,
01-25-18, 06:05 PM
#99
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You should see the winter emergency kit in my car. You know what Midwest winters can be like, when things go bad they go bad in a hurry!
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01-25-18, 06:19 PM
#100
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