Bad inflator + no apathetic cyclists = short ride

[mayanorange]

Well maybe this should go on the daily ride thread, but I am a bit ticked off, so going to rant. DH and I went over to Needham to try the 42 mile CRW route. We got about 4 miles and I got a flat. I had all the stuff I needed- new tube, levers, couple co2 cartridges, and the ProFlate Innovations inflater thing. Well I guess it was a slight newbie mistake, but I'd never tried the ProFlate thing, but how hard could it be? Very straightforward design, had a push button to regulate flow. Except it eats Presta valves. So I couldn't get any air into the tire. DH decided to ride back to the car to rescue me and I was still attempting to get the darn thing to inflate in the meantime. Nope. Evil inflater.

The other thing I need to point out is that about 40 cyclists passed me once DH took off. Guess how many were polite enough to ask if I was okay? One. We did the shorter version of this heavily traveled route a couple weeks ago and I saw a guy with a flat and offered my help. Not that I know what I'm doing, but it's the way I was raised. Makes me a bit wary that if I had been by myself it could have been much worse. Granted I didn't flag anyone down, but it takes a second to ask 'You ok?'. I'm a bit disappointed in the cycling 'community' today.

Anywho, I'm done ranting. I'm going off to the LBS to find the most idiot-proof inflater that exists.

[Mr. Bloom]

Guess how many were polite enough to ask if I was okay? One.

Come to Indiana...you would have been overwhelmed with the assistance offered

[mayanorange]

Come to Indiana...you would have been overwhelmed with the assistance offered

Maybe that's why I expect to be overwhelmed with help- my parents are midwesterners.

So I solved the inflator issue- works perfectly fine if you use a schrader adapter. All these things that say they work with both valve types just lie...

[Ana]

So what is the proper etiquette for asking others if they need assistance?

I am a relatively new rider and do not go more than 7-ish miles away from home. Oftentimes, I do not usually take a frame pump and sometimes I forget my multitool. I usually remember my extra tube but I am not sure why I would take that but not a pump....

Aside from my dangerous optimism about flats and other mechanical disasters, I feel that the knowledge and equipment I possess in regard to those stopped at the side of the road is minimal at best (i.e. watching them repair their bicycle or calling for assistance).

In addition, as a young woman who rides alone, I hesitate to stop sometimes...if I never made it home, it would take my housemates at least a couple days to figure out I was missing...

Is it polite to ask the people stopped at the side of the road (who usually have nicer stuff than I do) if I can assist them even though my knowledge and equipment is limited?

[MartianDestiny]

Sorry to hear that Mayanorange.

You weren't in the Bay Area where you? When I got run off the road I got passed by 40+ cyclists with one offer of help as well. My front wheel was obviously flat and damaged (I had everything I needed except duct tape to do a temp repair on the sidewall that had shredded), brake levers obviously torqued (just needed someone with the strength to fix them), and obviously limping with a trail of blood...

I lost faith in humanity for 2.5 of the 3 mile walk home that day until someone finally stopped. When he couldn't fix it he offered to ride the 5 miles to his house, get his car, drive back, just to drive me the last .5 miles home. I declined, but he emailed me the next day to make sure I'd made it ok (turned out we worked together!). There are good people in the world!


Ana:
What I tend to do if I see someone that may have a medical or mechanical issue is slow down a little and ask "ya ok?" or "need something?" as I'm approaching. Most times people have it covered and simply say "good, thanks" and wish me a nice ride.

I have passed people in odd, poorly lit, poorly traveled areas because I just didn't feel safe about it being alone and a girl. Normally though I don't feel unsafe about it. Obviously if you aren't comfortable in the situation don't put yourself in it.

[mayanorange]

I just realized I confused apathy with empathy... happens to the best of us I suppose!

Boston area, which is relatively rider friendly... I thought.

[Crankin]

Gwen, I am sorry that happened to you.
I have been on that ride and they were not too friendly. When I realized I couldn't keep up, my husband turned around and waited for me, to go with the group doing the shorter ride. They sort of told him he was being silly...
I like riding with the Wednesday Wheelers, because they keep everyone together and it is social, but I do not like CRW rides on the whole, even though I belong. Last year we did the Spring metric and there were sooooo many ill mannered and unsafe riders. I crashed because someone stopped short in front of me, causing the woman behind me to crash, too. She was injured and her bike was messed up. The guys kind of laughed it off; if I hadn't had my "leader" first aid stuff in my bag and Steve hadn't had his tools, she would have been left there.
I always ask, "Do you need anything?"

[Tri Girl]

I had that happen one time. I was cycling around our big lake where LOTS of runners/cyclists/walkers/rollerbladers go and I had a flat. I didn't have what I needed- my CO2 pump broke mid-pump, and it was obvious that I needed help (had my bike upside down, waved at a couple people to stop but none did) and only one person asked if I needed help. She was old and on an old, cool steel bike with no repair supplies.
At least she asked.

Humanity is good. You just chose a bad day where only the selfish were riding.

[indigoiis]

I think it's so beautiful here today, that people were drunk on the weather.

Usually I find Mass/RI/CT riders to be pretty helpful and friendly... I'm sorry you had a bad experience.

If I had ridden by ya, I woulda stopped.

[Ana]

only one person asked if I needed help. She was old and on an old, cool steel bike with no repair supplies.
At least she asked.

I think I'd stop if it was a woman I hardly see any women on my rides though

[withm]

I carry 2 tubes, 2 cartridges, and both a pump and CO2 inflator, and a patch kit. Because you just never know what is going to work, or if you are going to run out of tubes on an especially bad day. Or in a fit of benovelence you give a tube or cartridge away to some other unprepared cyclist.

And for anyone who has not actually used the CO2 inflator- its a very good idea to sacrifice a cartridge to learn how to use it in the comfort of your living room. Otherwise you'll be likely be sacrificing that cartridge when you really really need it. When it's cold, or getting dark.

[Fujichants]

To be honest, sometimes I ride by people who are on the side of the road and i'm not quite sure if they have a flat. I usually realize too late and by then it's too late to turn back. I passed a group of three girls once, and one clearly had a flat, but for some reason it didn't register in my mind to ask if they were ok...I just looked and kept going. I didn't mean it though! Sometimes the wheels keep rolling and I just space out.

[shellkay1212]

Mr Silver:

Where in Indiana are you??

[Mr. Bloom]

Maybe that's why I expect to be overwhelmed with help- my parents are midwesterners.

How ironic...by Bostonian cousins used to try teaching me how to be rude

Mr Silver:

Where in Indiana are you??

I commute between the Evansville area (where Silver lives until the kids graduate) and Bloomington. So, I have windy, flat corn fields on the weekends and serious hill training during the week.

[mayanorange]

Cranklin, we weren't on their official ride, just using the route (which everyone and their uncle does on saturdays)

Fuji, I could see that, but when you're standing there holding your rear wheel with tubes and stuff strewn about you, it's more obvious.

Withm, Yes, I should have played with it at home. I did have 2 cartridges, but blew the first one figuring out how it didn't work! The second one I got rigged up correctly and did eventually prove that it worked at home once I slapped a schrader adapter on. Now I know!