Accepting Gifts from Strangers

[Alien8]

Cycling home today I noticed some guy ahead walking his bike. He had a rear flat but refused to take a spare tube from me. We were both heading to the same destination about 1.5/2 miles away. I guess if I were less than ten minutes from home I would be tempted to walk but I thought this was stretching things a bit. How close would you have to be from home to walk it rather than fix a flat there and then?

 

[GrasB]

2 miles minimum... by the time you've faffed about etc. I reckon I take about 30min to get a tyre on & off without risking a pinch, the colder & wetter it is the further out I'm willing to walk but on road shoes I'm much more likely to swap tubes than in off-road shoes.

 

[fossyant]

Less than a mile TBH - I ain't pushing me bike.

Happened 3 times - twice on the way out on a training run - just half a mile from home, same place - blooming big pot hole - hit it the hole the second time whilst looking for it. Punctured on way home once, about a mile from home - just fixed it as I'd have to do it when I got home anyway.

 

[BentMikey]

30 min to change a tube? No way, not even for me and I'm slow.

 

[PBancroft]

I would accept the tube no matter the distance - they offered in good faith, and it seems kind of rude to me to turn them down. I would ask for their address and send a tube in the post. Never been in that situation though.

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

I offered a fellow cyclist a tube when I passed him walking home, but he shouted back saying he only had 10 mins, but for me, even if I was only 10 mins frm home and I had no tube, and was offered I would take it.

Thought of walking home in cyclng shoes don't do it for me, plus its only 5 mins for me to change a tube.

 

[Jonathan M]

For me,it would depend on what shoes - MTB shoes I'd probably walk, roadie with LOOK cleats I'd probably say yes. But return the favour to the person by getting a replacement tube to them.

 

[Tynan]

15 minutes tops and that's being careful, I set a new record on the way to the last fnrttc

I'd always fix it unless it was really close, not like you get off fixing it by pushing home, nice to do it in the warm sure but it's hardly a labour of hercules

 

[Archie]

Depends. If it's today then I'll walk, thanks. If it's pissing down or freezing then yes please!

Edit: I'll answer the actual question now, today I'd walk two miles.

 

[Crankarm]

That's why it's better to carry two or more spare tubes least you have to give one away.

At the weekend my tyre exploded just under 25 miles from home. I must have picked up a sharp stone leaving a village going past an entrance to a large house/farm. Only one driver out of about 10 cars passing me by the side of the road stopped to see if I needed any help. 4 lots of MTBers just road on by, didn't even say hello. One roadie stopped to make sure I was ok. I patched the tyre with several layers of card from the Schwalbe tube box then put the new tube in. The tyre didn't look too good but I pumped it up as hard as I dared for fear of the tube coming through the hole in the tyre which looked pretty messy with webbing protruding. The side walls were ok which seemed to be stopping the tyre kinking big time.

So I rode home gently, intently scanning the road infront for stones, anything sharp whatsoever so I wouldn't ride over it. I got home ok.

I would give another cyclist a tube if they needed one. I'd see if they could mend theirs first. I might give hints about them being more prepared and perhaps next time they should carry two spare tubes so if they encounter some one in difficulties who needs a tube they can give up one of theirs. I figure if you help some one, then when you need help, some one will help you. But I always try to be prepared and self sufficient so I can deal with most stuff that might happen out on the road.

 

[Perry]

I work for London Underground, quite a few times I've used my P kit to get riders out of the sh1t.

 

[Wheeledweenie]

A good samaritan stopped once when I was about three miles from home with a flat. To my shame I had all the kit but wasn't sure how to do the repair so started walking when he asked if I was ok. I explained my problem and said I wasn't far from home but he got off his bike and did the repair, showing me how to do it as he went along.

Now I've done my own repairs several times and other people's when they're stuck. I nearly didn't take his help and if I'd let pride win I still wouldn't know how to do a repair. Always take the help if you need it I reckon.

 

[hackbike 666]

I walked two and a half miles home a few years back when I had all sorts of probs with inner tubes and knackered pumps.Couldn't be helped.

I walked from PC World Mile End to Leyton Bakers Arms with bike when it snowed also a few years back.

Going home doesn't bother me too much but being late for work doesn't do much for the career.

 

[J4CKO]

I would take a tube gratefully and bend over backward to repay my debt and make sure that my gratitude was conveyed, I will provide another cyclist with a tube and if I dont get one back, I just do it for the Karma, that said, bloke at work took one and faithfully said he would return one to me, ample opportunity and mentioned it a couple of times in passing, never did, its only 3 quid which is nothing but it irks me as it doesnt fit with the cycling ethos. I personally dont like taking the mickey or being beholding to anyone.

 

[GrasB]

30 min to change a tube? No way, not even for me and I'm slow.

Well with the Ultra Sport 700x23c (awful tyres for punctures) I was losing about half an hour all in if i got a puncture. Most of that time was taken finding & extracting the source of the puncture from the tyre & getting the last 4" of tyre on the rim. The latter seems to take a lot longer mid-ride than if I'm changing a tube at home once nice n' cool.