When last did you help/needed help on the trail

[DR ◣◢]

On Sunday we had a flat that needed a plug. Unfortunately I didn't have the thin bacon strips on me and the slug plug was too big for the size hole that had to be plugged. 

 

A huge thanks to the guy that stopped and shared two strips with us. He even stuck around making conversation while I repaired the tire. 

 

I always stop and offer help. I only carry enough spares with my for my own bike but I'm always willing to pass on a tool or help a damsel in distress with repairs. (Even to the point where I took the tube out of my own bike to help get her back on the trail.)

 

I'm also super impressed seeing the amount of riders who do ask if you're ok when you are stopped next to the trail. 

 

Karma really is alive and well I believe and in recently years more and more people offer help. 

 

If you don't offer help it's ok though. No one is obligated to either. 

[The Ouzo]

On Sunday we had a flat that needed a plug. Unfortunately I didn't have the thin bacon strips on me and the slug plug was too big for the size hole that had to be plugged. 

 

A huge thanks to the guy that stopped and shared two strips with us. He even stuck around making conversation while I repaired the tire. 

 

I always stop and offer help. I only carry enough spares with my for my own bike but I'm always willing to pass on a tool or help a damsel in distress with repairs. (Even to the point where I took the tube out of my own bike to help get her back on the trail.)

 

I'm also super impressed seeing the amount of riders who do ask if you're ok when you are stopped next to the trail. 

 

Karma really is alive and well I believe and in recently years more and more people offer help. 

 

If you don't offer help it's ok though. No one is obligated to either. 

It used to be very common on the road too, you could not stop to take a little rest without every other cyclist asking if you need help, these day its few and far between.

I can partially understand why though, security is always a concern.

 

I mostly ask if everyone is ok when I go past, have only needed to stop a handful of times to assist though.

[DR ◣◢]

It used to be very common on the road too, you could not stop to take a little rest without every other cyclist asking if you need help, these day its few and far between.

I can partially understand why though, security is always a concern.

 

I mostly ask if everyone is ok when I go past, have only needed to stop a handful of times to assist though.

 

Almost feels like it reversed. More MTB guys asking and less road guys asking. 

 

I don't know what it is like outside of trail parks though.

[Jbr]

about a week or two ago at conties a dad asked us if we had a spare tube for his son who punctured. I gave him one. half an hour later he found me at the coffee shop and gave it back to me, I wasn't even expecting to see it again haha. I wish helping others was this easy everytime, usually no good deed goes unpunished for me (I expected to puncture minutes after handing him my spare tube, with my usual luck !)

 

I didn't know that a 29er tube would work in a 26" tyre, I even learnt something !

Edited October 28, 2020 by Jbr

[Jbr]

Almost feels like it reversed. More MTB guys asking and less road guys asking. 

 

I don't know what it is like outside of trail parks though.

I usually always ask weather I'm on the MTB or the road bike, but most of the time when you see the guy busy on his bike you know he doesn't need help.

 

It's mostly the guy waiting next to his bike that left home without spares and is looking for someone to hand him a tube or a pump    .... Or the one who emptied his CO2 cartriges and pinched his tube, I've been that guy when I first started cycling. Now I've learn't from my mistakes and would insist of changing the tubes on my newbies friends when we're out on the road, to avoid losing too much time doing these mistakes        

Edited October 28, 2020 by Jbr

[The Ouzo]

Almost feels like it reversed. More MTB guys asking and less road guys asking. 

 

I don't know what it is like outside of trail parks though.

On Sunday out on the Rietlvei trails we came up to a guy slumped over his bars, he was rather surprised when I asked if he was ok.

 

I always think of what would happen if something were to happen to me, I'd be extremely grateful is someone stopped and assisted.

When my dad was knocked off his bike even though he was able to stand up there was no way he was making it back home on his own, thankfully my moms physio recognised a person in distress and stopped to help.

[Blokeonabike]

I had one of those "I always carry my tools but never need them, so I'm going to leave them at home today" moments last year and ended up walking my bike on Botha ave past Groenkloof in Pretoria. (I know, stupid me)

 

Never in my life have I felt more vulnerable. Luckily a friendly, older gentleman came past and asked if I needed any assistance.

 

I remember him saying that he has no idea how to use any of the items he carries around but never leaves his house without them.(Yes, I did feel like an absolute moron)

 

Since that day I have my samurai swords, 2 bombs/adapter, a tube and chain links with me (haven't needed them since then though ????)

 

I do always stop or make an effort to see if the "stranded" riders needs help. Good Karma is a thing. Die wiel draai

Edited October 28, 2020 by Blokeonabike

[DR ◣◢]

about a week or two ago at conties a dad asked us if we had a spare tube for his son who punctured. I gave him one. half an hour later he found me at the coffee shop and gave it back to me, I wasn't even expecting to see it again haha. I wish helping others was this easy everytime, usually no good deed goes unpunished for me (I expected to puncture minutes after handing him my spare tube, with my usual luck !)

 

I didn't know that a 29er tube would work in a 26" tyre, I even learnt something !

 

You just roll it inside out onto itself until it fits. Super handy trick. 

 

When I took the tube out of my own bike to help the damsel I had a spare with me. She needed a presta valve and my spare was a normal car valve. Since my rims were drilled for both I could help her out. 

 

Little did I know that my brand new spare had a couple of choice holes in it... I pushed the last 6km back to the car. On the way back we ran into a group of riders chilling in the shade for a bit to ask directions. They didn't ask if we needed helps. Maybe between the 10 of them they didn't carry spares. 

 

What nearly broke my heart was what I experienced a little further on. We met a group of kids at the pump track and asked if they had a patch. They immediately helped and the kid even patched my tube for me. This happened to be 3 kids just having the best day on bikes older than me. Torn saddles and smooth tires. They had very little in life and yet they shared it. 

 

I couldn't reach them again after that to thank them properly. I would have donated all the spares etc that I had gathering dust at home to get their bikes to be in better condition. We ride the same trail twice a weekend and every time I look out for them. One day our paths will cross again. 

[TNT1]

Does trouble on tar qualify?

 

About three weeks ago, three punctures, no more tubes or patches, fiancee in zoom call, I ubered home. The uber driver held my wheels while I loaded the bike in his boot so that helped.

[The Ouzo]

I had one of those "I always carry my tools but never need them, so I'm going to leave them at home today" moments last year and ended up walking my bike on Botha ave past Groenkloof in Pretoria. (I know, stupid me)

 

Never in my life have I felt more vulnerable. Luckily a friendly, older gentleman came past and asked if I needed any assistance.

 

I remember him saying that he has no idea how to use any of the items he carries around but never leaves his house without them.(Yes, I did feel like an absolute moron)

 

Since that day I have my samurai swords, 2 bombs/adapter, a tube and chain links with me (haven't needed them since then though )

 

I do always stop or make an effort to see if the "stranded" riders needs help. Good Karma is a thing. Die wiel draai

I always used to ride with 2 spare tubes, 2 bombs, a pump, multi tool and a few other things for years, I then changed bikes and switched to tubeless, I feel so vulnerable and unprepared now with no spare tube on the bike.

[Jbr]

On the MTB I always take a spare tube/lever/2 CO2 bombs and on the road I usually take the same thing, but since I went tubeless on the road, and had a few punctures that sealed right away, I think I'm gonna go for a repair kit (just the strips/inserter) + bombs and not carry tubes anymore (maybe only on the road first).

 

On the MTB I must have been very lucky, but I never punctured (touching wood). 

 

I also never broke a chain, (not in a way that I could have repaired it on the go at least), so I stopped carrying links with me, because that also means carrying a heavy multi tool with a chain breaker everytime, and that's a pain. I never ever use a multi tool during a ride, I look after my bikes on a daily basis so chances are low that I need to tighten something during a ride anyways, and so far it's working out for me...

Edited October 28, 2020 by Jbr

[TNT1]

Almost feels like it reversed. More MTB guys asking and less road guys asking. 

 

I don't know what it is like outside of trail parks though.

No way. I only ride on road and road riders (I am pathologically adverse to the shitty term roadies) always ask a person stopped at the side (be they on a road bike or an mtb) if they are ok and if they need help.

[Red Robin]

I have not had many punctures but when I did I always found guys always stop to offer to help even when I punctured in a race, maybe it is good manners and chivalry perhaps?  

 

If I see someone with a problem, I always stop and offer stuff  as truthfully I can't offer much physical help, I carry bombs which are the only thing I know how to use,  puncture kit, another little box with something in, metal tool thingy,  hubby optimistically packed  it all for me. Guess I really should learn properly 

Edited October 28, 2020 by Red Robin

[Jbr]

I have not had many punctures but when I did I always found guys always stop to offer to help even when I punctured in a race, maybe it is good manners and chivalry perhaps?  

 

If is see someone with a problem, I always stop and offer stuff  as truthfully I can't offer much physical help, I carry bombs which are the only thing I know how to use,  puncture kit, another little box with something in, metal tool thingy,  hubby optimistically packed  it all for me. Guess I really should learn properly 

If someone stops to help you, they'll be happy to have tools to help you with 

[Red Robin]

 

I remember him saying that he has no idea how to use any of the items he carries around but never leaves his house without them.

 

 

 

So I am not alone then 

[Schnavel]

There are certain tools on my mountain bike, such as my chain breaker, which touch wood, I have never used, but I have stopped to help others who needed them.

 

Pay it forward - one day you will be the one stuck on the side of the road / trail.