Been stranded on your bike?

[Supersuperleeds]

I'm lucky in that our lass can come and rescue me, which she had to do last month when my chain snapped 47 miles into a 100 miler. She didn't mind driving a round trip of nearly 30 miles, but she was a bit surprised when we got home and I jumped on another bike to finish the ride.

@Mo1959 I would be very surprised if a taxi wouldn't come get you if you told them up front they needed to get a bike in the car as well.

 

[Shortmember]

I use a folding bike for longish rides. If I ever have a major problem, such as a snapped chain, then I can call a taxi or catch a bus.

 

[vickster]

Thanks to punctures, I've had to call my brother and a friend to pick me up. I've also had to walk back a little way with the bike. These days I have a better pump and tube with me often, but I'm still not sure I'd manage a roadside repair on my own (being a bit crap at such things and all)

Generally, if riding alone, I stay local and I'm never very far from a railway station or LBS in these parts. I always carry some cash and a credit card. I guess I'd call / hail a taxi if needed

 

[cd365]

I phone my wife or children, then I would start to call my mates!

 

[DWiggy]

Yup, I was testing a bamboo frame for a friend a few years back during the winter, I noticed the frame had a bit of excessive flex but carried on, we got about 20 miles out after a fast decent I got back on the peddles and the down tube cracked free from the carbon wrapping at the head tube, ended up walking a few miles in clipless shoes in near freezing temperatures before our lift picked us up...it was fooking freezing

 

[derrick]

The other half had to get a cab for the last 10 miles of a 60 mile ride, the freewheel hub gave up the ghost, we managed to nurse it along for about 10 mile but then it gave up completely, we had to find a cab firm in Epping with a people carrier, did not take long, I did offer to tow her using a inner tubed but she did not like that idea.

 

[Levo-Lon]

Im a bit of a Dont like to ask anyone for help type Mo.
but the way to look at it is you out on your own so if you do have a major mechanicle then you need to get sorted quite quickly as getting cold is the problem when cycling in proper cycle gear.

the wooly jumper and jeans little pootle cyclists are fine as a walk is ok but for the 20 30 mile rides? No walking home plus spd shoes etc

Call a taxi and bike either goes in car 'wheels off " or lock it to a tree or hide it "your in a rural area",
lady out on her own ? Dont take silly risks .

 

[Racing roadkill]

I tend to carry enough kit to get myself out of bother if the 'technical' isn't too bad. In the event of a show stopper, or a crash which finishes the bike, I find the nearest 24 hour supermarket / petrol station, and leave the stricken bike there. Then I make my way home without the bike, and go and pick it up with my car the next day. There are also services that are a bit like the AA for bikes where they will get you to your destination if it all goes a bit PT. Look on the British cycling site, they have links to such companies.

 

[Katherine]

Luckily I've only needed to ring home once when I was too far away to walk but there isn't always someone available so I was lucky that time. I've got better at changing an inner tube on my own and I carry tools that I could offer to anyone who might stop to help me with anything else.
I think I would try a taxi firm who could fit a bike in but I have thought about hitching a lift from a passing van or lorry.
I have recently starting to join a cycling group for some longer rides but it's a 9 mile ride to their start point. The furthest from home I've been on my own is about 11 miles but I can make that into a long ride with side roads and by doing a big loop.

 

[Moodyman]

Good maintenance and well chosen components will virtually eliminate most ride- terminating mechanicals.

the only concern I have when I go remote (Yorkshire Dales) is my own health i.e having a cardiac up steep hills. The only thing you can do here is listen to your body and taking it easy.

 

[Ian H]

Most things can be bodged to get you home.

 

[cyberknight]

A recovery service may help ease your concern, https://www.eta.co.uk/breakdown/bicycle/

I had a look at them , not sue they would work out of town and find a taxi firm who will take a mucky bike

I tend to carry enough kit to get myself out of bother if the 'technical' isn't too bad. In the event of a show stopper, or a crash which finishes the bike, I find the nearest 24 hour supermarket / petrol station, and leave the stricken bike there. Then I make my way home without the bike, and go and pick it up with my car the next day. There are also services that are a bit like the AA for bikes where they will get you to your destination if it all goes a bit PT. Look on the British cycling site, they have links to such companies.

I could walk all the way home first, no 24 hour anything my way

 

[Fnaar]

Good maintenance and well chosen components will virtually eliminate most ride- terminating mechanicals.

Yes, but... Once, I accidentally rode over a small brach/big stick that had fallen off a tree into the road. It came up, adn ripped my derailleur clean off, slamming it into the spokes, taking a few of those out too. Complete accident/my inattention. Thankfully, it was on the flat, just at the top of a hill, so I wasn't going fast. I was only 5 miles from home, and the missus came and picked me up. But I would have walked that one if nec (very quiet country roads, hardly ever any traffic).

 

[Fnaar]

We should also bear in mind what people did before mobile phones, and the option of phoning someone from the middle of nowhere.

 

[Fnaar]

I've heard of some very inventive workarounds, like cramming a tyre with grass (if no tube to hand)