Yeah, i usually only try to help people that would complete the circle.
If it is obvious to me they are the type to do the drive by stare ,i return the favor...
otherwise i will always stop if possible or return to check out the persons individualism.
If they don't seem to me to be the type to complete the circle , i don't waste my time.
Some instances i would even do the work for them if need be.
On your last example, i would have stopped,apolligized & made sure you were alright being it would have been partially my fault.

Which reminds me of another thing. I read an article in the latest mba about going to bike shops and making sure they are good enough to fit a bike to you. So last time I went into the bike shop I kind of overheard the guy helping customers coming in. I must say, this guy has little bike knowledge. Wasn't very friendly, and one of the biggest rules (according to mba) is if they ask how much your willing to spend you should walk right out the door. Any thoughts on this?

I don't think that is an unreasonable question to ask. Why would the salesman want to waste their time or the customer's showing them bikes out of their price range?

I think Im wording it wrong, one sec Imma find the magazine. But my question is, you guys notice anything about the people in a certain bike shop that kinda hints to you they may not be very experienced.

There are a lot of indicators. One of the biggest turn off to me is when the customer has been shopping around and lets the sales person know this. The sales person then goes on to bash all of the other products that the customer has been looking at.

(I had it real wrong)

Act dumb- when walking into a bike shop act dumb. If the bike shop employee asks if he/she can help you you say yes. Then a good bike employee will shower you with questions about where you ride, where you live, how often you plan to ride. If the employee doesn't ask these things, chances are he wont be able to find a bike fitted to your body. You should give your target price range(don't know why I thought they said not to). But yea, in a month or two when I have the 1000 for my bike Im going to try this, see what happens.

Weee! That's wacky!
I do crazy rides rigid, but on a slightly better bike.
Waterfall looks very cool to ride, I like rocks...big ones!

That just looks like a fun trail ...

I like rocks too, but I generally like them surrounded by dense forest

Now where were we?

I offered Friday morning, you wanted Friday afternoon, and now you want to beg off until next week so you can recover from a debilitating sprain.

What day next week?

I've done this a few times, and it really separates the pearls from the swine. I'm totally biased, as I used to sell bikes for a few years. The "investigatory" approach is my style for anything I might sell to anyone. It's all about the needs assessment, baby...

WRT the OP, I always give an "Everybody okay?" when I ride by somebody stopped beside the trail. If they need help, I stop. The exception is if a bear is behind me on the trail. Then I just keep riding until I'm past them and then scream "BEAR". Bear takes the hindmost...

OOOOOooo! *grabs popcorn again*

Don't forget to send me that paypal info.

Yes, I would offer to help. Hell, I'm just stoked to see another person riding. In 5 months of riding I'v seen 4 other riders.

Where is this crack at? It looks like a blast.

If they ever get a time situated.....hey! Grab that chair over there and sit with me. And would you get the Pepsi out of the fridge, please? Here - have some popcorn!

After doing some research it looks like the quadra gets about 50 mm of travel. I believe the 30 mm you are refering to is the stanchion diameter.

Forget the Pepsi, this one deserves an ice cold beer.

NoF3ar, go for it. It'll be a great opportunity to ride with someone who has more riding experience and who knows, you guys might even get along in person!

I woke up this morning and my ankle feels bruised, it hurts walking on it so I think it would be best for a few days wait. Whatever day next week you want, preferrably later in the week so I can get a couple rides in before we race.

yeah, i think so too. that would be a very very good attitude.

about the helping on the trails thing, well where i ride i rarely see people because the trails are not trails perse just old riverbeds etc i find here and there, the actual trails are about an hour or so worth of a drive away from me. but well i do see people now and then. and i am, or atleast i like to believe that i am, generally a pretty okay guy, and have helped strangers on indian trains and in other situations before, so im sure if i saw somebody in trouble id stop to see if i could help. but, well, on a purely hypothetical situation, if i saw somebody on a trail that needed a tool or help with fixing a bike, or water or money or something, thats a different thing, but man if i am carrying one tube only, and this guy needs an extra tube from me, i dunno, i would be loathe to give it, to be honest. i mean i probably would but only because im a stupid sucker like that, but i wouldnt enjoy doing that service, i can tell you that.

i mean, i do expect people to go out on their bikes ready for normal things such as a busted tire or a little brake service, chain trouble etc. twice on a ride i have had to change the entire tube because once i had too many punctures at once to be able to fix in a jiffy, i think four holes or something. another time i was just buffing the tube with sandpaper and the goddamn tube just tore off. no kidding. like a clean cut, as if cut by a knife. i was using some light weight kenda tubes or something. never again man.

anyway, thats my rant. its nice to be able to help people, but riders should be responsible enough to carry equipment with them that a very normal everyday riding situation could demand.

Well as far as the helping people thing, I always make sure folks are OK on the trail. It's the right thing to do and we will all need a little help every now and then.
Siu and Lowcel,move over and I'll take a Monster with my popcorn. It's kinda like pro wrestling, just a bunch of hot air anyway.

Wednesday at 10:30 am. I'll be parking on Higgins. Meet at the gate at the end of the street.

You get to bring the pizza. Don't forget to bring Girlscout.

i would never help. never know who has a gun or who is waiting to ambush you you while you help the "innocent " person. call the police or roadside assistance with your cell is about the best thing

Let's face it. Someone does not need to devise an elaborate "trap" to take down a MTBer riding along on a trail. Nor does said MTBer need to have stopped in order to be attacked.

Ok, I park at the end of higgins aswell. Ill be there.