Very disappointed..........

[sidevalve]

Ride a m/cycle if you want comradeship - ride a bicycle if you want to be alone. Sorry but half the posts here just confirm it. I have helped and been helped by crotch rocket pilots - patch club dudes - angels and classic types, but on the cycle - nobody.

 

[Tizme]

The last time I stopped to help someone with a problem, chain jammed well and truly, was on a Sportive. I felt I couldn't just cycle by (as many had), so my son and I stopped, even though the female cyclist had a male companion with her - neither had any tools or know how to sort the problem. I had the tools but not the know how After about 10 minutes I was absolutely plastered in oil from her chain and it was still jammed solid and had to admit defeat and told her to wait for the broom wagon. I then had a another 20 or so miles to go trying hard not to ruin my bar tape or jersey, the rag kept in the tool kit had been unable to cope with the amount of oil over me!

 

[Deleted member 35268]

I just passed a geezer on my lunch ride. He was changing a tube. It took no effort to ask "Need any help?".
He replied, "No thanks".

Win win.

 

[Lonestar]

I find comradeship comes comes during the crisis times like the 2005 incident when the cycle courier showed me the backstreets from Aldgate to South London when a lot of London was in lockdown.

 

[Levo-Lon]

Ill help anyone but i never expect it in return..i go prepared..ive had people offer help which is nice..
i always stop for motorcyclists if they look like there stranded when im in my van..i carry fuel and basic tools..and a phone..

i never lend people money unless im happy to lose it..pub mates etc..

 

[Milkfloat]

I always offer, most of the time there is no need to stop - a simple, 'do you need anything?' suffices. I have handed out tubes a couple times, but don't ask for them to be returned.

So far only one person has given me assistance, as the spotted me hunting for something to cover a spoke that was protruding through rim tape and making 2 tubes go pop. They had a spoke key, so I was able to sort the wheel first.

 

[Dave7]

. In that time (about 15 mins) I counted 7 other riders pass me, and just blank me. Before anybody says it, I KNOW THEY DON`T HAVE TO HELP, but come on, if I ever see anybody fiddling with their bike on the side of the road I stop and ask if they are ok or need any help. I`ve lost count of the number of times I`ve done this. It wouldn`t hurt if somebody just returned the favour, just once.

This really pissed me off, as I thought we were all enjoying a common interest and maybe looked out for one another, how wrong was I? Makes we want to just ride on the next time I see somebody in trouble, I won`t because it`s not in my nature, but I certainly am tempted

TBH I don't think I have ever stopped, even for a break, when at least one cyclist hasn't asked "are you OK"? And similarly I always make a point of asking it it's the other way round.

 

[alvintc]

I had my life* saved only the other week. Recipient of the event that shall not be named... I had a tube with me but someone had recently relieved me of my pump, walking along someone (walking their dog) asked if I was OK told him the story, he told me to stop while he nips home to get his pump, I started the change, he pulled up 5 minutes (in a car) later with said pump and off I was.

On the off chance he's on here - top man!

*a 5-and-a-bit mile walk with the bike

 

[Subotai72]

First time I had a flat when out riding, I'd just bought some of those puncture repair foam canisters so I thought I'd give them a go and didn't take an innertube. I didn't attached the nozzle to the valve correctly and ended up covered in foam at the side of the cyclepath on a cold Sunday monring cursing. Just at that moment 5 lads on fancy carbon bikes appeared, stopped and asked me if I needed help. I tried muttering something about being ok (too embarrassed to admit my folly) and before I knew it this one guy had my wheel off and changed the tueb with one of his spares. He wouldn't even take any money. Since then I've always got 2 tubes and I always ask if anyone needs a hand depsite the fact that I'd probably more of a hinderance than help!

Twice recently I've been had either mechanical or flat and cyclists have quite literally appeared from nowhere offering assitance. 3 when I had the flat on a road I'd never passed another cyclist on before!

 

[lukasran]

Dont sit in a bus stop. Proceed to the end of the strava segment where people will be more inclined to stop.

 

[speccy1]

As per usual, I`m sorry I mentioned it

 

[Drago]

Here's some people stopping to help a cyclist with a puncture...


View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=S1FoOWceJmE

 

[Deleted member 35268]

Dont sit in a bus stop. Proceed to the end of the strava segment where people will be more inclined to stop.

So so true.

 

[Deleted member 35268]

As per usual, I`m sorry I mentioned it

So you should be.

 

[jefmcg]

It's interesting that we have a vast difference in our expectations of strangers. One person regards a LBS who helped him back on the road when he needed it as going above and beyond and deserved a public thank you. Another feels that a Halfords branch not doing so as reason enough to speak out against the whole chain.

Set off home tonight with a loose left crank, and the only Allen key not in my kit was the 8mm required. Couldn't bodge it with a normal key either(!)

So thanks, shame I couldn't buy an 8mm key, but thanks for tightening up for me and saving me an extremely taxing 26miles on one crank!

(they wouldn't even let me borrow a chain tool to fix my bike outside there shop, and when i asked if they would do it instead they flat out refused).

(I don't really believe in karma, but despite calling out to almost every cyclist I've seen in trouble, and the occasional driver and motorcyclist, if I did believe in karma I'd be heavily in debt, for the people that have reached out to me in various extraordinary ways)