iareConfusE

This goes for new and veteran riders.

Let say you have a major mechanical problem, and have absolutely no way of fixing this problem (out of tubes, CO2 cartridges, crankset gets ruined, etc) and you are stranded without anyone to call.

If a shop was willing to offer to drive out to your location and pick you up (assuming you were relatively local) and drop you off 30 miles from the pickup point, would you take them up on it? How much would you pay for a service like this if you were allotted two service calls per year?

I'd like to hear the pros and cons of such a program.

cshell

interesting....

ScarcelyAware

Wouldn't this be the same as calling a cab?

I wouldn't pay more than I would for a cab.

jrobe

Absolutely not. My wife provides this service (and I have never had to use it in 20 years of cycling).

grahny

$5 max if I'm paying in advance with slim chance of actually needing it. That would cover gas to pick me up. I'd expect a refund or rollover to the next year. I want my $5 to go a long way

Otherwise, I'd call a cab too for the very off chance I'm in a non-limpable situation. I do tend to make sure I have what I need to avoid this though.

Phantoj

Don't fool yourself - you're paying for it!


Seriously, most people have friends/family who could help them out.

urbanknight

Although I have yet to need it, I've been told my AAA Platinum card is good for taking me and my bicycle home, and would count as a tow under my covered services.

JohnKScott

No

Tsuru

Yeah, as interesting as it sounds, I would not use it. I'd walk, first, if too far, call my wife, friend, or coworker, if no one is reachable, call a cab.

WCroadie

This

Velo Vol 

I don't imagine any shop around here would generate enough revenue from such a program to be worth the hassle of running it.

looie

This would not be useful to me.

umd

No

mihlbach

knobster

Yep, we have it here in Oregon as well. It didn't raise my fees so I'm ok with it.

Samwiches

Not likely.

What's described in the original post is a cab ride.

What would be more interesting is roadside assistance like AAA/Napa, but then a ride to the nearest bike shop is more practical.

Psimet2001 

yea-no.

estabro

About $20.

dennisa

If the shop offered a discount on the repairs that were needed to get you back on the road again It might be worth while

jungovox

Yep - a lovely Wife and a cell phone -

neil

A national network geared for touring cyclists (who don't have nearby family to call) might work. I'd probably be willing to pay $10 a year or so for pickup insurance. A pay-per-use thing, I'd want it to be in line with hiring a taxi (probably a van taxi, since cabbies usually have too much crap in the trunk to fit a bicycle). Just for biking around one city...meh I can walk, take the bus or phone a friend.

PaulRivers

I cannot figure out what their prices are, but I know a local bike shop here (Minneapolis, MN) recently started such a service:
https://freewheelbike.com/page.cfm?PageID=471

Can't seem to find their prices on their site.

surfengine

maybe so, but for me I would have to call 411 to get a number for a cab company and the last time I called a cab like 10+ years ago (my truck was towed and had to go pick it up) it took the cab 2 hours to get to my house.

Instead of the ride, however, I recommend they arrive quickly and fix my bike so I can continue my ride.

GirlAnachronism

Doesn't Toga in Nyack, NY do something like this?

I heard someone busted their derailleur on a club ride last Sunday and Toga came and picked him up...Might be more popular in/around big cities where most folks don't have cars. I know exactly 0 people who own cars in NYC.

NickDavid

I would probably not use this type of service. Thanks to cell phones, I can typically make a call to just about anyone for help. If I have no phone, I would never hesitate to stick out the ole' thumb and get home that way.