Good Samaritan

[Grog]

I gave a tube to a guy once. I rode past him and his friend, they were stopped on the side of the road on a rainy day (winter in Vancouver) and I asked if they needed anything. They said they blew about four tubes between the two of them in their ride (winter in Vancouver, bis) and patching was an issue in rainy weather. I happily gave them one of my spare tubes (I ride with 3 spares in the winter) and hoped they would be fine. The guy wanted to pay me for the tube, I asked that he just give one to the next person-in-need instead. He was happy with that. Pay it forward.

I don't like giving CO2 to a person who's blown their tires off already, means they might not be very skilled at using it. Maybe I'd offer to do it myself. But I'd rather take the frame pump (mine is not that bad). If I feel the person knows what they're doing I wouldn't hesitate handing them a cart.

[tulip]

DDH, alot of bike shops offer basic maintenance classes. It is useful to be minimally self sufficient on rides. It's also safer.

Check out your LBS to see if they offer a class. If you have an REI near you, they normally do offer such classes.

[DDH]

Oh Tulip, you are so sweet. No worries, my hubby knows it all and I mentioned to him last night that he needs to teach me so I am not one of those irresponsible riders. I would hate for anyone to think ill of me. Quite honestly, I just never even thought about it until I saw this post, because of the fact that DH has always done everything for me.
That was fine I guess when we always rode together, but I'm not sure that is going to happen very often now.

[tulip]

Private lessons are even better!

[spokewench]

I'm not really very mechanical and never will be, BUT Ladies, please learn to change your tires. That is one thing you don't want to leave to chance or wait for your husband, or friends to do. It really is NOT that hard. Most bike shops will show you how.

Then go home on a cold winter's night (or a hot humid night) in your living room and both tires on your bike at least twice. This includes taking them off the bike and putting them back on the bike!

It is not safe to ride around by yourself without your supplies to change a tire and then be sitting on the side of the road stranded having to rely on a stranger to change your tires!

PLEASE, learn to change a tire!

[li10up]

Thanks for the input. I would never leave anyone stranded. But I was curious...since I had a mini pump AND a cartridge should I loan him the mini pump or give him a cartridge.

[Geonz]

li10up

What's important, helping the guy or following some unknown code? He asked for a cartridge... and therefore, if you say "here's a pump," maybe he thinks "oh, she's too cheap!" ... pshaw. First off, he probably doesn't (given the choice, he went for the pump) and second... if you need help, it's cheesy to get that picky about your helper. "Oh, excuse me, not a mini-pump - don't you have a road morph?"
Besides, there's that whole weird thing about the CO2 leaking out of the tires faster.
And what if somebody else had a flat tire three blocks down the road?