Bike Rescue Insurance ?????

[mr_cellophane]

Apart from ETA which has already been mentioned, there was a stand for one at last months Bike Show.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

ETA appear to be the only one that covers breakdowns from punctures.
All the others specify catastrophic breakdowns excluding punctures sadly.
They all only apply to road use as well. So those who breakdown on a bridlepath or converted railway track or an off-road section of a NCR are going to have to get themselves to a road!

 

[confusedcyclist]

The beauty of a bicycle is their mechanical simplicity, there are not many eventualities that you have to cover and most can be solved with a flick through youtube. Why pay for a breakdown service when you can just hop on a bus or in a taxi and sort out later?!

 

[jim55]

But how du get your bike on a bus ( if it's not a folder

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

The beauty of a bicycle is their mechanical simplicity, there are not many eventualities that you have to cover and most can be solved with a flick through youtube. Why pay for a breakdown service when you can just hop on a bus or in a taxi and sort out later?!

not all of us can just jump on a bus - recumbent trike and round where I live finding a bus will take longer than walking home assuming that you can actually walk that far. not everyone is able bodied.
Also some people are not mechanically minded or carry enough resources with them to repair a broken gear cable on the way to work or for that matter know how to bodge it to get a useful gear.

 

[jarlrmai]

Hmm this is why I have a girlfriend with a car

 

[si_c]

Hmm this is why I have a girlfriend with a car

I use Dadcabs, but the principle is the same

 

[steveindenmark]

I pay a similar premium for my motorbike. I have only ever used it once but it is worth every penny for the peace of mind it gives you.

Its alright having a girlfriend with a car but if your in the highlands of Scotland and she is in London. She is not much use to you.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Hmm this is why I have a girlfriend with a car

he works for a living, so limited hours available for call out

 

[byegad]

The beauty of a bicycle is their mechanical simplicity, there are not many eventualities that you have to cover and most can be solved with a flick through youtube. Why pay for a breakdown service when you can just hop on a bus or in a taxi and sort out later?!

If you can blag your way into a bus or taxi with my Kettwiesel you could persuade a one legged donkey to win the Grand National! The thing will roll into a fair sized hatchback or estate, if you fold the seats down but I doubt many taxi drivers would take take the trouble to load it.

 

[confusedcyclist]

If you can blag your way into a bus or taxi with my Kettwiesel you could persuade a one legged donkey to win the Grand National! The thing will roll into a fair sized hatchback or estate, if you fold the seats down but I doubt many taxi drivers would take take the trouble to load it.

The recumbent is a fair point, though I would imagine standard bike frames with the wheels off would fit nicely in the luggage pen of a bus, in a taxi or even in the back of small hatchback with the seats down.

With the exception of catastrophic frame/wheel failure you should be able to limp home after most repair jobs. I've gotten home with broken fenders, rear mech and spokes no problems (albeit with struggles on hills with just one rear gear!). As long as you carry all the appropriate tools, you can dig yourself out of most holes.

I have taken all sorts in taxi's before and find if you are upfront about the job, they don't typically mind. Had a sick and bleeding dog in the back of a cab once, he was a top driver, so don't see a problem with broken bicycle. Naturally it comes down to the individual so is a bit hit and miss I admit. Worst case scenario, you waiting for the next cab, bus, or taxi and trying your luck again.

It hasn't happened to me personally, but I have seen people stranded with broken chains, so it's a good idea to carry spare chain links. Aside from a serious crash, I can't see much stopping me at the side of the road (assuming bike is well maintained and is not already falling to bits).

For those that use recovery services (for cars), if you have ever broken down during rush hour you will know you can wait 2-3 hours, despite their claims to arrive within 1 hour. In this time, you could probably walk your bike home. I don't expect bike services to be any better!

 

[srw]

Yep, I just joined ETA. Not used it yet and hope not to, but when you are as crap as me at fixing bikes, £18 a year is a bally bargain. The terms are clear on the website. You have to pay for any parts used, for example

Crikey. £18 a year, including puncture callouts, and 90 days cover in Europe. I'd love to see Ageas's pricing model where they hope to make a decent profit out of that.

 

[CopperBrompton]

Crikey. £18 a year, including puncture callouts, and 90 days cover in Europe. I'd love to see Ageas's pricing model where they hope to make a decent profit out of that.

They are only promising to get you to the nearest bike shop or train station. Average fare probably a fiver or so.

 

[srw]

They are only promising to get you to the nearest bike shop or train station. Average fare probably a fiver or so.

Not where I ride, and I'm in the densely populated south-east of England.

Even if you're right, they promise up to three call-outs per year. They need to be paying out at most £9 per policy to turn a profit once you account for internal expenses and commission to the ETA.

 

[CopperBrompton]

How many times a year have you been left stranded with your bicycle? They might have to pay out a few quid for a cab maybe once every ten years.