do you stop?

qclabrat

qclabrat

Well-Known Member
ran over a broken bottle and punctured my rear tire this weekend
was not concerned as I packed an extra tube and had a frame pump
everything seemed to go fine until my pump head broke and wasn't able to fix it
As I was trying to repair the pump for over an hour, several cyclists passed on both sides of the road, but none asked if I needed help. I wasn't able to fix the pump but fortunately the guy whose house I broke down in front of had a pump with presta head I could borrow.

whenever I've had bike trouble on the trails, almost every time, follow riders have offered help. Is this one of those roadie prick things, or am I over reading into this as a one off?

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roadies are pricks, they were just glad they passed you.
I picked up a guy walking in road shoes this month. Drove him to the bike shop of his choice. I couldn't pass a guy walking when I had a roofrack on my car.
 
always ask if i can offer any assistance/supplies. Seems the decent thing to do...even if it is just slowing down enough to get the answer.
 
on a ride home from work one day i stopped to help a guy who seemed stranded on his road bike. he had gotten a flat tire, had a whole tube and repair kit. but didnt know how to use it. he had no phone on him so he couldnt call his wife to pick him up. he was pissed that no cars were stopping to help him.

i changed his tire for him and tried to teach him in the process but he didnt seem very interested. wierd guy.
 
whenever i see someone on the side of the road/trail and it looks like they might be having a problem, i always ask if they're ok... at the very least, i can offer my phone for them to call for help if i don't have a tool or something they can use.
 
axcxnj said:
i changed his tire for him and tried to teach him in the process but he didnt seem very interested. wierd guy.
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That's a bit odd, who needs to know if someone is just going to stop and fix it for him?

I always slow down, give the "you ok?" and wait for an answer.
 
Always stop briefly and ask if help is needed. Seems to me to be the right thing to do.

Some ppl do get weird when asked - almost insulted, but I always figure its better to ask than leave someone stranded.
 
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I would've stopped. I always do. It's always good advice to carry a back up to your pump, like a small inflator.


Two is one and one is none
 
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I always ask if people need help... and not once has anyone actually needed assistance.

I would say 50% of the time someone passes me I am asked if I need anything.
 
Like most, we always slow down when we see riders on the side of the road or trail for no apparent reason and inquire, "Everything OK?". Its by no means a roadie or MTB thing, its just common courtesy. We have been extended the same courtesy in many instances. What goes around, comes around!
Ed and Pat
 
I always ask on trail and road. I see a lot of people struggling with their bikes but get the impression most people don't want to burden someone else with their technical.
 
wife was out of town so no one to call, started to pack up for 5 mile walk home, when the good samaritan offered help
I had on touring shoes so the walked wouldn't have been terrible. I've also stopped while driving to offer help a number of times, though I was in a fancy part of town, guess the folks there with their Cayennes and Teslas, were turned off by my steel bike.

A couple even passed me twice in their comfort bikes, so not necessarily a roadie prick scenario, just pricks?
going to order some extra micro pumps and backup CO2 inflaters now
 
No it isn't a roadie prick thing.

I always ask but don't stop to just chit chat. If they respond "no" to "you ok?" Then I stop.
 
Someone stopped and helped me out with a chain tool a few years back so now I always ask a stopped rider if they are ok. You know, pay it forward, right?
 
funny timing on this post... Yesterday at Splitrock, my chain got jammed between my cassette and spokes and ended up walking out... So, I'm carrying my bike and a guy rides by and doesn't say a word or slow down.. unless he had a cassette tool, he couldn't have helped, but that's not the point... I have always stopped and at least offered help and will continue to 🙂
 
Always at least ask if all is fine, last week on a ride with my wife I ended up patching some dudes tube that saved him a 4 mile walk...
 
I often ask if they need something if they look like they are in need of help. By your photo, it appears obvious that you were dealing with a mechanical.

I will say that for each person I help there is another that I wish I just rode right past. I once stopped to help a guy that was on the side of the road on his phone. He rudely said he didn't need any help. Apparently, I was just interrupting his phone conversation.

I also helped a guy by changing his flat for him. Used one of my CO2s and explained what they are. As I'm wishing him well for the rest of his ride, he says he had already called for a ride and will just wait to be picked up. I wanted to punch him.

So, if you want help, look like you are in need and ask people as they go by. I'm more than happy to help but don't head out looking to see how many people I can help during my ride.

I once offered a ride to a beautiful woman who was walking a bike with a flat tire. I drive her home and she promptly introduced me to her boyfriend. Damn! 🙁
 
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