blknyt

Ok, so yesterday morning, for the first time in about 10 years of cycling, I flatted twice on the same ride. I carried only one tube this time (having given one away a few days earlier). I was riding back from a circuit that ends coming thru Santiago Canyon, and was a little frustrated and just decided to wuss out and call my wife to pick me up. It took only about 15 minutes for her to get me.

However, the frustation of flatting 2x was far exceeded by the pleasant experience of having so many fellow cyclists check in on me as they rode by. It was a beautiful day in the canyon and there must have been 30-40 people who asked, "you all right?", "need anything?" "you good?".

Thanks to all of you chivalrous and kind folks who turned a frustrating ride into a beautiful one!! Confirms what I already believed: cyclists are some of the most decent folks out there....

jmX

I carry a simple patch kit from Park Tools for this reason. I only carry one tube, and unless there's some disastrous blowout I just patch the tube on the road and then continue on. Before you put a new tube in you've gotta find out why you flatted, so since you're doing that you'll know exactly where the hole is on the tube and it's only a minute to patch it. I've used the self-adhesive type patch for butyl tubes, and for latex tubes I use the vulcanizing type.

Anyway, I too ask if people need help - or at the very least I slow way down to see if they wanna flag me down or say something. Cyclists gotta stick together out there.

idoru2005

I was on a group ride several weeks ago. I want to say there were about 7-10 of us. We rolled by two 20-something girls - one was walking a beach cruiser, and the other was walking a road bike. I saw that the road bike had a flat. We rolled on for about 1/4 mile (going slow through a semi-residential district). I was last in line and slowing because I thought "I should turn around and help". Our ride leader looked around for me and I told her about the girl with the flat and told her "I'm going back to help".Our ride leader stopped the whole group and we all went back to assist. Two other guys in the group took over the repair job. I never saw so many guys willing to assist a flat repair!

TrojanHorse

I always slow down and ask because I have benefited from the kindness of strangers in the past myself, including twice on one lousy ride on Ballona creek a long time ago.

I agree - it's a nice feeling.

I would also like to report that for every jackass in a beater pickup who yells or buzzes me, there are usually 20-30 cars who are excessively kind about waving me through an intersection or giving me tons of room.

GP 

I always stop if an attractive woman has a flat.

rooftest

I bummed a tube off a guy near GMR a few years back when my spare wouldn't hold air. A guy gave me a CO2 cartridge in Orange County a while back too when I found that my pump had disassembled and jumped from my jersey pocket. If you guys are out there; thanks!

I always ask "are you ok?" of stranded cyclists - even after some mountain biker in Orange County answered with F**K YOU!

009jim

They don't have to be attractive for me to stop.

CommuteCommando

I get this a lot, even if I just pull over for water, or to answer the phone. I'm fat, ugly, and not even a woman. Remember-thumbs up is the universal "I'm OK" sign.

Rick@OCRR

Actually CommuterCommando, thumbs up may not be universal . . . it's good on Earth, true, but the universe is a very big place and honestly, we just don't know. It could be a very rude gesture on other planets . Oooops, a smiley face may be even worse!

That said, in my 45+ years of cycling, I have helped a lot of other cyclists stopped by the side of the road, and I have been helped by lots of cyclists passing by.
Keep up the good work cyclists!

Rick / OCRR

calamarichris

I've paid 3 tubes forward to stranded riders over the years. It feels good to help people, and it sucks to be stranded and walking in cleats or socks.

Seems like we only hear about the muggings, bike thefts, rattlesnakes, and malicious drivers anymore, so thanks for the refreshing thread!

volosong

Happened to me just this past Saturday. I was on the return leg of a century when I flatted about a mile outside of a town. Swapped tubes, pumped it up best I could at the time, and limped into town to where I knew there was some grass and shade trees. I was going to stop and really pump the tire up real good because I still had 25 miles to ride back to the car. In town, heavy traffic and the signals resulted in a traffic tie-up and I came upon a truck with about four bikes on the back. Passed them and got to my shade tree/grass whereupon they pulled in and asked what I was doing. Offered me a CO2 cartridge and any food I wanted. Good fellows. Turns out they live in my area and invited me to ride with them.

Thank you, High Desert Cyclist club, for offering to help. I really was "okay" and didn't need anything. And, "No", you can't swap my bike for a cartridge. It wouldn't have been a fair trade ... for you.

MicheleC

Was this out in Palmdale or Lancaster area? I'm in the AV High Desert Cyclists. We are definitely a helpful group of folks and a lot of fun to ride with. I hope you will ride with us soon if you haven't already. We are having a ride over Munz Rd this Saturday, July 28th. It starts at 0700 at Ralph's shopping center on Ave L at 20th St West.

lesiz

Years ago I was driving down Cummings Skyway when a heavy rain started. And there was a kid on a bike getting all wet. Stopped, popped the bike in the back seat and took him to his home.

Motorists by and large are more courteous to cyclists than they are to other motorists.

I've been given a CO2 and I helped a rider with a chain jammed between the cassette and the dropouts.
My favorite is the guy who lives on Stunt Road in the Santa Monicas who installed fountains in his front yard for the benefit of passing cyclists. I will attempt to post a picture below:

volosong

Thanks for the invite. I was planning on riding GMR/GRR tomorrow, and if I feel energetic, might assault the ski lifts. Not sure because I got a BG Pro fit today and might want to test the new fit. Also, my new TT bike came today and I might try to assemble and adjust it tomorrow.

My flat last week was just before Fillmore. Your group also passed me on South Mountain Road, but we took different routes from Santa Paula. I was invited to your bar-b-que, but misunderstood the location.

MicheleC

Ah! That was our Beach Ride. We had 3 groups. One set out from Palmdale to Ventura, another from Santa Clarita to Ventura, and the last group drove to the beach in Ventura and rode from Ventura to Ojai and back. And, then, of course, we had the BBQ at the beach. My husband drove SAG and provided water and fruit for everyone. We had a great time.

Are you doing the Fall Century in October? There's a lot of climbing!

steam master

I once rode from the Santa Monica pier to Torrance on a rear flat tire on the bike path. Not a single person asked if I needed assistance. I did however have about 100 people say "hey, you know you have a flat tire?"

HBxRider

That's pretty awesome of him.

volosong

Haven't given it much thought. I check the HDC web site from time to time, but it is rarely updated. It would be nice to see the routes. I know when riding here and there, that there are the three colored, painted arrows on the streets, but without a route sheet or a RideWithGPS route, they are impossible to follow.

My next big ride is the Cool Breeze double-metric century.

alicestrong

Hi Michele...