For the people that live in the US(only area I know for sure) that AAA covers bike break downs? We got our policy after we paid the bill and my wife was sitting on the couch reading it…says they will pick you and your bike up and transport you to a safe location! Never used it and probably never will. But we do have the coverage currently as we kept it while the kids were away at college just in case. Im doing the Erie Canal soon and Im prepping for longer rides as I have recently retired. Thought it might be useful information for somebody if needed.

I am curious of any first hand reports of using the service.

I haven't owned an automobile since 2001. However, I used to have AAA because I was bike touring often enough that I was getting motel discounts more than my membership cost. I stopped doing that when I was old enough for AARP and could use their discounts instead.

At the time AAA was just starting to roll out bicycle coverage. It wasn't in every state/location and there were other limitations. However that is long enough ago that it shouldn't count as current - but still does make me curious.

It doesn't happen often but I've rarely had a breakdown I couldn't get further under my own power but do recall:
1. a pedal stripping out of the crank near Paris TN. I waited until next day and rented a car from local auto dealership the next day to bring my bike to a shop
2. A hub stopped working between Rawlins and Medicine Bow. I got a ride to Medicine Bow. Next day I hitched a ride with hotel staff to Laramie, rented a car and retrieved my bike
3. A hub stopped working in NZ. Hitched a ride with two Samoans returning to Napier after they were returning from delivering fruit.
4. A hub stopped working in Thailand. Hitched a ride on a shared Songthaew with bike on the roof. From regional town took a train.
5. Distance/heat a bit much one afternoon in Surinam. Made a deal with locals to pay them to bring me to my destination.
6. Crank arm snapped south of Junction TX. Walked for over a hour, got a ride to Junction. Took Greyhound home, rented a car and retrieved my bike.
7. Derailer ripped off on the Dalton Highway. Walked, got a ride with German tourists in their camper to Yukon River. Stashed my bike behind the lodge. Got a ride with tourist van doing Arctic Circle tours. Rented a car and retrieved my bike.

Most other times, I was able to get to a bike shop under my own power or alter routing to make things work (e.g. picking an Amtrak station). I don't know how many of my US-based examples would have been covered.

I would expect in more densely populated areas, Uber/Lyft might now be alternatives and in rural/remote areas I am fortunate that while traffic could be less, people are helpful.

This reminds me of my Erie Canal trip a couple of years ago. Drove to Buffalo, reassembled the bike and turned in the rental car. Rode to Lockport and just past got off onto NYS roads to ride to the campsite and “bam” got a flat. Some debris on the road shoulder. Slashed the tire and tube. I’m quite self sufficient so got to a big shady spot, booted the tire and installed a new tube. That night I surfed the internet for bike shops where I could buy a new tire. Ziltch! Either ride back to Buffalo or pick one somewhere along my planned route. Ziltch. Even if I locked the bike somewhere and used an Uber there was no option I could recover from (schedule limits). Rochester was too far on a sliced and booted tire. I figured it out but it’s worth noting.

I had one other “ breakdown” - shift cable pulled out of the FD. Walked to a shady spot and reattached it. I carry basic tools for that. So

A) be quite self sufficient. And B) the AAA coverage may be nice but ensure there are no limits such as “only within 20 miles of xxxx city boundary”.

CAA here in Canada as roadside for bikes as well

https://www.caa.ca/driving-safely/cycling/bike-assist/

Did not know this. I'll check our policy and maybe make a call for clarification. Thanks

Read the “fine print”:

https://cluballiance.aaa.com/membership/bicycle

A few things I notice:
1. There seem to be regional clubs/affiliates.
- The member guide for AAA Texas has nothing about bicycles - https://www.ace.aaa.com/content/dam/...emberGuide.pdf
- The pages for Colorado AAA does have the bicycle page - https://www.acg.aaa.com/aaa-membersh...e-service.html
2. Colorado covers situation where the bicycle is disabled but not necessarily rider issues e.g. fatigue or physical inability to continue the ride
3. If you had Colorado coverage, it would cover the "auto club group territory". There is a map of states covered (and for some states not all counties), see rough map below.
4. The coverage distances match your AAA coverage distance, e.g. basic coverage is 7 miles.

So I'm not sure I would get coverage in Texas and if I had Colorado coverage I'm not sure it would cover the Erie Canal.

So this is why I am curious about testimonials from those who have used the service:
- when you called did the local providers know what to do about a bicycle call?
- if you weren't in your "home" AAA club region, did the coverage reimbursement go smoothly from your coverage to the local service provider in the other region or were you out the costs?

the cluballiance link locks up wanting a zip and then membership info.

For those in Australia, RAC Victoria offers something similar. I am not sure if it is Australia-wide or if it is offered through the various state organisations.

The Wikipedia page for AAA explains: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americ...le_Association

1. AAA is owned by a group of 42 regional clubs and then these regional clubs group together into larger confederations. cluballiance is one of those clubs and getting the zip code seems to be a way of getting you to the right club. If that locks up for your particular zip code, you might also be able to get there looking things up on the Wikipedia page and going directly to your club or doing a web search with aaa and your location.
2. Not all those club pages have the bicycle page. Hence, this is why when I found the Texas club page (which is also part of the Auto Club of Southern California Enterprise), I looked up their specific policy document to see what it covers.
3. These clubs have reciprocal arrangement with each other. So if you are in a different region, and you need service covered by your policy the right payments flow so the service provider gets reimbursed.

The cluballiance group and the confederation that includes Colorado have pages describing bicycle service, e.g. https://www.acg.aaa.com/aaa-membersh...e-service.html is the Colorado page.

On the Colorado page it has a form so you can get reimbursed for services provided outside the coverage area. On the Texas page, I can't find any mention of bicycle service and their detailed policy description doesn't have the word bicycle.

So I can see how this can work best for bike rides in your local area, where it is clearly covered by the AAA pages and you don't have to apply for special reimbursement for services provided elsewhere. I am a little more skeptical if I am in a region like Texas where it is a lot harder to find on the local club pages. Will I be the first person the tow company hears of with a bicycle issue? Will they believe it is covered? Will my local chapter believe it is covered? Will I get reimbursed if I am touring elsewhere and try to submit a claim to AAA of Texas? That is why I was hoping for testimonials of people who have actually used this touring...

Make sure you have good camping gear. Last time someone I know used AAA on road, they were stranded for 3 days. This was in a car just outside of Columbus Ohio. I think I could have figured out something else in that amount of time. Not exactly the middle of nowhere.