[Closed] bastards

The fellowship of the wheel is slowly dissappearing.

For what it is worth I would of shouted out to see if you wanted help, I would have also donated a tube (hopingyou would rreimburse me at some point)

That's pretty lame, if there's someone stopped I always ask if assistance is needed, generally they're all good but you never know. Were the people passing 'cycling enthusiasts' or average joe pootling on an Apollo or something similar?

Thats Strava for you 🙄

Must be the new school of cyclists. I always ask if someone has a mechanical at the side of the road/trail. I'm always willing to give an inner tube and have actually received a few in return when I have had problems. All about good karma 'innit?

I would say that nearly all of the folk that passed me were cycling enthusiasts, with a couple of lycra'd roadies and two almost certain STW candidates, one on a green Cotic roadrat.. (if that was [i]you[/i] then hang your head in shame)

Which is why I was so disappointed..

I did have a tube FWIW, but that's not the point

I always stop to see if someone needs a hand or a patch. People think i'm mad most of the time, but if I was stuck miles from home with no repair possible I would appreciate the gesture!

What did you expect them to do? I wouldn't dream of giving my spare tube to a stranger - why on earth would I risk finding myself marooned to help someone that's gone out ill-prepared?

That's pretty lame, if there's someone stopped I always ask if assistance is needed, generally they're all good but you never know.

This

Ive given away about 10 tubes in the last 6 month, always happy to help a fellow cyclist out. I do get odd looks when i offer to help stopping on the trails etc..

I like to think someone would help me out, and tbh when i was stuck at afan a couple of riders did help me out when i split a rear tyre, and had already used my spare tube. Put it down to karma, its good to help another and on the trails sometimes you get a free cake at the end of the trail.

Which is why I was so disappointed..

I would be too, I guess there's some pretty selfish/rude people out there..

I usually slow and ask if they're ok.

I actually fixed a guys puncture once. Middle aged guy, expensive road bike and lycra who didn't have a clue how to fix a puncture 🙄

Also given directions\their current location on a map to some lost looking people out in the forest before too.

Well.. exactly

It's the done thing to stop to enquire if there is anything that you can do to help isn't it..?
I always do

Obviously Shibboleth wouldn't but it's a well known fact that the shibmeister is an utter cock and will get karma'd into a nailed down packing crate and set adrift in the Atlantic before too long 😀

one of the by-products of the rapid increase inpopularity of cycling is the incremental increase in the number of anti-social egoes doing it .

Obviously Shibboleth wouldn't but it's a well known fact that the shibmeister is an utter cock and will get karma'd into a nailed down packing crate and set adrift in the Atlantic before too long

Yes, but I get to keep my gleaming white bar tape clean and my spare tube remains reassuringly coiled up in my back pocket. 😉

I always stop and check if people need help. I'm always disappointed at the number of people who are shocked that I've asked.

I'd hate to be ignored if I had a mechanical and was stuck, what goes around comes around.

If I see someone stopped or pushing a bike I always stop and check that they're ok. Most people would around here.

I wouldn't have stopped either.
You might have wanted me to give you something for free.

Seriously, you guys are such a bunch of martyrs! What the hell can go wrong with a bike that needs 2 people to fix?

Riding without a spare tube and patches is just irresponsible. Riding without the knowledge to repair a mechanical is irresponsible. Why the hell should one person's ineptitude and laziness spoil or jeopardise another cyclist's ride?

fair enough, if I saw a rider who had crashed, I'd stop to help - I have on more than one occasion. And if a rider asked for help, I'd stop. But I've got better things to do than get myself covered in oil because some numpty doesn't know how to put his own chain back on!

Will someone think of the children...

Personally if there were children involved I would have stopped to see if I could have helped BUT taking your dependants on a bike-ride a couple of miles from home without the means to make basic repairs to your mode of transport is bad enough in itself but then whinging on here cos the "bastards" didn't come to your rescue is just out of this world.

Yer a star yunksy baby you really are.

I've had two strangers give me their spare inner tubes, and I would definitely do the same for someone else. I always stop and check, it takes no time at all and you feel good abut yorself after. Win win!!

singlespeedstu - Member
I wouldn't have stopped either.
You might have wanted me to give you something for free.

and we all know how averse you are to that kind of thing don't we you notorious miser..

OP - Just out of interest why didn't you have tube etc? I always have tube, patches, multitool, levers and a pump with me.

I would have stopped and checked you were alright but you'd have gotten a self adhesive patch rather than a tube.

Having stopped and helped a few people out before, some have been pretty ungrateful...

and we all know how averse you are to that kind of thing don't we you notorious miser..

On a side note.

I once went out with only one spare tube and had a double puncture. front a rear wheels both running over a bit of wood with a nail sticking out.
As I was putting my one spare tube in another biker came past.
I gave him some cash for his spare tube and off he went.
I then fitted his spare tube to find it had an even bigger hole in it than the one i'd just removed...

My solution.
Just convert all your bikes to tubless. 🙂

Yer a star yunksy baby you really are.

It was 15 miles from home thanks and you are clearly so busy trying to stop your spotty white knees from jerking that you haven't got time to read what's written.. 🙄

wipe that froth from your mouth sonny jim, you're scaring the children 😀

OP - Just out of interest why didn't you have tube etc? I always have tube, patches, multitool, levers and a pump with me.

Oh I did, I did...

It says so a few posts down from my first.. It was just more practical under the circumstances to get a lift home from the better half..

As cycling gets more popular the sense of community gets lower IMO, I may not give you my last tube (but I probably will if needed) but ill stop and give you a patch and show you how to do it if needs be, but many wont..
Cyclings the new Golf don'cha know, with all the 'oim considerably [s]richer[/s] better than yow' attitude that goes with it...

So you just couldn't be arsed changing your puncture, you'd already decided to call the missus for a lift, and these guys are bastards for not wasting their time by making an offer of help that you didn't want???

Jeebus... And I thought I was hard work... 🙄

It says so a few posts down from my first.. It was just more practical under the circumstances to get a lift home from the better half..

Maybe they thought you were just having a rest. 😉

No I think he was just bemoaning the fact that no-one stopped to see if they were ok or needed help. Only takes a moment to ask someone if they're ok.

I usually give a shout but was it obvious you needed help?

It's not uncommon to see people pushing up a track with a child seat. Maybe people assumed you were knackered?

The thing that bugged me though, as I pushed the heavily loaded wagon up the track, was 8 or 9 cyclists that passed without even acknowledging us, let alone enquiring to see if we needed assistance..

When I used to cycle to work I got a puncture one morning. I didn't have a spare tube so I was pushing the bike to work. There's an absolute oddball weirdo that works in the same building as me but for another company that cycles to work. He cycled up behind me, paused and looked at me pushing the bike then shot off without even offering any help.

Prick.

i'd have stopped, most folks would. But I wouldn't expect them to, and I definitely wouldn't call them a bastard for not.

Shibboleth - Member
What did you expect them to do? I wouldn't dream of giving my spare tube to a stranger - why on earth would I risk finding myself marooned to help someone that's gone out ill-prepared?

If you crashed I'd pee on you 🙂

I always ask if someone is OK when they are pushing a bike. And what would you have said, anyway? You had the means to repair but decided not to. I've been in that situation out on the tandem with two kids in rural Oxfordshire. You just get on with it, All part of the adventure for my two boys.

Oh, and get some Schwalbe Marathon Plus. I have two 20" brand new ones going spare. Half list price to you if you want them?

What did you expect them to do? I wouldn't dream of giving my spare tube to a stranger - why on earth would I risk finding myself marooned to help someone that's gone out ill-prepared?

I stopped on the NY Moors when I saw a couple of people stopped by the side of the trail.
They had punctured and had everything they needed to repair the puncture (tube/levers/pump etc)

Apart from a way of getting at the spare tube that was tightly zip tied to the seat post.

Luckily my super masculine Leatherman manicure set scissors came to the rescue 😀

(They literally couldn't have had a more under prepared person stop though, I don't carry any tools or spares at all. The only reason I had my super masculine Leatherman manicure set was because its clipped to my car keys !)

But I wouldn't expect them to, and I definitely wouldn't call them a bastard for not.

I think maybe that was my problem, I'd already got the polite and friendly rebuttal forming on the tip of my tongue.. the cheerful grin was already in place..

It seems that I just need to lower my expectations of the world and it will become less disappointing.. Whoulda thunk it!

I will always enquire if someone needs assistance 9 out 10 times they're ok... we came across 3 yoofs at Swinley the other weekend who had managed to rip the derailieur off and bugger the chain on one of their bikes and had no bike tools at all between them. Fortunately we did and split the chain and removed the dangler so they could at least coast and push back to the car park... we only let ourselves down when it came to trying to give them directions... they might still be trying to find their way out now !!! 😉

I would have asked if you needed anything

however I wouldn't be surprised if I was trying to fix something and people cycled past me, unfortunately

I'd have asked too.

But, in a sense, this reduction of "cycling community spirit" can be seen as a positive. In the past, cycling was so niche that there was a real sense of community. Now, there are so many more people doing it that that simply isn't the case so much. It's a shame that the community aspect is fading but it is because cycling's much more popular now.

Or to put it another way, I wonder if you'd been in Amsterdam if people would have stopped. It'd be a bit like a pedestrian expecting other pedestrians to stop because their shoelace had broken (maybe and I'm sure there are better examples 🙂 )

I always ask, I did last Saturday whilst out on the road bike. People are so underprepared is quite funny.

Love the look of appreciation when they can get going again

Marvellous

FWIW it's worth, I'd have stopped and I always offer assistance!

I always at least slow down and ask people if they're ok. I have very rarely been asked the same though, only a handful of times out of the probably hundreds of cyclists passing me over the years when fixing a puncture or mechanical. I get the impression though that the vast majority don't carry spares/tools or have ever even fixed a puncture themselves before.

I deflate my tyres intentionally and wait at the trailside for do-gooders to come along and give me their spare tubes.
I then sell them on ebay.

I drove past a lady who was pushing her road bike along a back road near here last week. Thinking she might have a problem I stopped and asked her to which she happily replied "yes I'm completely f***ed!"

Didn't know how to assist with that one! 🙂

I'd have stopped to ask if you were ok.

I'd respectfully ask all these ****s on their high horses to keep off the cycle paths. 🙄 😛

spotty white knees

Bit prejudicial of you that intit yunks. There's no place for prejudice on here, etc...

AND you said "a couple of miles" but meant 15, a couple is 2 (or thereabouts). But if it was 15 then you're a bigger nugget than I first thought.

Give the man a star.

There was a guy who had a chain snap on a cheap hybrid as he pulled away at a junction in front of me. He looked so dejected at this and when I asked how far he had to travel he said he was on his way from work and still had five miles to go. So I put a speed link in his chain for him. He was grateful but looked a bit bewildered that this was even possible.

Do you think I should have made him pledge me his firstborn?

If someone was off and pushing and/or obviously had a problem, I would stop. Thing is, you run the risk of implying they are an idiot, a numpty, who as said above, can't even put a chain on or who goes out unprepared.
I've taken offence when others have pounced on me, just because I've stopped and put my foot down, I often wonder if some of the over eager go out in the hope of 'rescuing' someone, to satisfy their crutch of cyclist superiority.
once, I was laid in the grass by the canal, enjoying the sunshine and a can of pop. This old boy rolls up, jumps off his bike, "right, what's the problem? puncture?, not brought any tools, eh?". "er...NO, I'm enjoying a can of pop, the sunshine and some peace and quiet!, (now **** off)".

Yep, you're right. If there's anybody worse than people who don't want to help, it's those who do. The utter [i]bastards[/i].

Must have been roadies..in my experience always rude and focussed on the average speed and cadence! Such boring a**e holes!

Then theres the roadies in London who ignore traffic lights & pedestrian crossings, I just step in front of them and shout now to scare them, one day one will get so close I can push them of!

But if it was 15 then you're a bigger nugget than I first thought.

you don't read too good innums bey..? 😆

I never bother taking a tube or levers with me as I find them uncomfy in my jersey pockets.

You've just got to use your initiative - last time I got a puncture 15 miles from home, I managed to wave down a passing cyclist. Had a quick chat/stern word with him about the cycling brotherhood, and eventually persuaded him to hand over his inner tube and lend me his tyre levers.

Managed to change the tube in about 10 minutes whilst he just stood about looking awkward! He wouldnt tell me where he lived either, so I couldnt drop a spare tube round. He seemed a bit of a weirdo really, but I shook his hand and off I went. Not sure how he got home without his tube, think he said he was going to phone his son to come and pick him up.

must agree that there is something in what Banana ^^^ says but as a rule, I would at least slow down & ask if you were okay.

& yep hands up to being a bit over zealous in the helpfulness dept, but as the past & present owner of aging italian motorcycles I know from experience that it is nice when people at least stop & inquire rather than just riding on by

Perhaps you had your tats on display ?

It will indeed be a sad day when DT stops posting on here 🙂

zilog6128 - Member
Yep, you're right. If there's anybody worse than people who don't want to help, it's those who do. The utter bastards.

about a year ago i was working around oxford, when i came across a chap pumping up his roadie tyre with a hand pump, he looked quite shocked when i pulled up in my white van and handed him a track pump.

but back on topic,you really should be prepared to fix a puncture especially if your out with children.

But what kind of lesson are you teaching your kids here? Phone mummy to come and get you when things get a bit difficult rather than be self-sufficient?

I've seen your mugshot on here yunki, you look a bit scary tbh...On that basis I would deffo have avoided eye contact, dropped a couple gears and mashed my way into the horizon 😉 😀

But, in a sense, this reduction of "cycling community spirit" can be seen as a positive.

+1.

Why would anyone give special help to someone who happens to do the same sport as them? Fellowship of humanity would be better 🙂

I've been offered help by non-cyclists and also offered help to non cyclists and cyclists when in a car, or walking, or just generally.

In short, let's all just be nice 🙂

It takes seconds to ask if someone needs help,who cares if they are a newbie or badly prepared .

Random acts of kindness and all that.

I punctured on the way hope last night (must have been that last kerb hop), and one person stopped and offered a patch. I was fitting my spare tube so it wasn't needed but the other 5 gazzillion cyclists who passed me couldn't have known!

I always stop and have had help twice myself with mechanicals

one bloke - commuter going the opposite direction from me when i was 8 miles from home wanted me to remove both his wheels give him both my spares tubes and then pump up his tyres.
he seemed shocked when i declined.
I offered to sell them as i could pick up some from merlin about a mile away he told me I was taking the piss
i told him they fixed punctures at £10 a time and dont do callout and then left.Gave someone a 10 mile lift once in my car and then paid for a new mech as he had no money ..he sent me the money next week and a tenner to say thanks

I once stopped to help a young lad on a road bike who was with an even younger lass, mebbe 14-15. They were on a group ride with some 'adults' & his rear mech had turned to separate bits so I shortened his chain & made him SS at the back. I wouldn't expect youngsters to have the knowledge & tools to cope with that usually. I was more astounded at the rest of the group that had vanished ahead.
I can imagine the tale later, 'My shiny road bike broke & a mountain biker fixed it for me' 🙂
I always ask if anyone needs assistance.

Thanks to developments in technology / the bike industry expoiting cyclists* (delete as applicable) the sharing of tubes out on the trails is getting a bit harder these days. Do you need a spare tube? Sure, you can have mine. Ahh, your wheels are a different diameter, never mind.

I drove past Ed Oxley the other week, on Long Causeway.

He was stopped at the side of the road with another cyclist, but not obviously in trouble.
I turned round and went back, just to see if they needed help, but they'd both started riding, so I kept going without stopping.

Given the fact that I once knocked on his door by mistake when going to a client's house (it was the house next door), I'm a bit worried that he thinks I'm stalking him. 😐

[i]*shakes head sadly at Shibboleth*[/i]

I always stop and ask. It is simply [i]the right thing to do[/i], irrespective of whether you think they were ill-prepared or not.

I remember helping one guy (decent bike, far from home) that had a puncture, and a little repair kit, but he didn't have the foggiest how to use it 😕

To be fair, even if he had that secretive and arcane knowledge, he would have been rather hampered by the fact that he had no glue in his kit. Or a pump. 😆

Cycling to work one morning a cyclist in front of me decided to cycle off the pavement onto the road. I was on the road about 20m behind him. He was looking over his shoulder as he did it - he then fell off in a bit of a heap on the road. I stopped to ask if he was ok and positioned myself to shield him a bit from the traffic. His reply was for me to 'F*ck right off'. Charming. Kind of put me off assisting others. I guess he was embarassed but even so.

Riding on my own in Ae a few years ago, I spotted a couple at the side of the trail, so slowed down and asked if everything was okay.

Him: "We're fine, thanks"
Her: "No we're ****ing not"

Not sure what had gone on, but she looked ready to kill him.

I didn't stop.

I always stop and ask. It is simply the right thing to do, irrespective of whether you think they were ill-prepared or not.

I second that. I stopped to help a young lad the other day; his chain had fallen off because his rear mech cable had gone and the limit stop screws were too far out. This was on a busy canal path, and loads of cyclists were out. He was really grateful, and amazed anyone had stopped at all. He'd been there for over half an our apparently, obviously struggling. Took 5 minutes to sort him out, and he rode off happy.

I just find it a bit sad that no-one else had bothered to stop to see if he was ok. Maybe they were all like Shibboleth.

Or maybe it was because the lad was black.

you don't read too good innums bey..?

It's your medication time again i see...

Soooo then the burning question is why didn't you take the means to perform the most basic of repairs?

If you use a public toilet and there's no toilet-paper do you shout out for someone to come wipe your arse?

I always stop and ask. Have given many a tube away or helped out. I also stop sometimes if out driving and once gave a chap a lift home(Bike racks are always on the roof) who was in mechanical difficulty as it was getting dark.

Saw a larger gentleman pushing a BSO along the path the other day, looking rather red in the face.

I slowed and offered my standard question in this circumstance:

"Do you need any help or are you just knackered?"

He says: "I've just got a puncture"

Me: *stops* "Okay, do you need a patch or a tube?"

Him: "Got one thanks. But my grandson has the pump" [i]*vaguely motions up the trail where I haven't passed anyone for miles*[/i]

Me: "Well I've got a pump here..." [i](slowly realising that his tyres look absolutely fine)[/i]

Him: "Erm.. no, you're umm.. alright.. I'll uhh.. just walk... thanks.."

Me: "okaaay then", [i]*thinking, you could have just said "Knackered" mate[/i] 😀

I guess it depends if it was obvious you had a puncture/mechanical. If I see someone stopped and faffing with the bike or it's upside etc. I'll always ask if they're OK. But if I just saw someone pushing a bike with kids in tow and didn't notice the puncture I'd probably just assume the guy was walking for a bit of a rest.

Thats sad to hear. I had the complete opposite experience in Northumberland, while on Holiday. On a "Quick" road ride I got a puncture, went to repair it and both my (Naff) levers broke. Next cyclist passing immediately stopped to help not even knowing that my levers had broken. If he hadn't I would have had a long journey home.

Thanks to you mystery Geordie helpful bloke.

Did the OP look like he needed assistance, or would he have just looked like a bloke out with the kids pushing his bike and trailer along because maybe it was too heavy?

I pass loads of people pushing bikes, but I don't always look for flat tyres. Generally its quite hard to see those details at the kind of speeds that I'm hitting 😯

Riding round Tatton Park a few months ago, I saw a guy pushing an SS CX bike, stopped to ask if he was OK.
He had a puncture and although he had a tube, pump etc, he'd left his allen keys at home so he had no way of removing the wheel. He said he'd been fixing his kids bikes and forgotten to put them back in his bag. I leant him my multitool and helped him fix the puncture. He said I was the only rider out of about a dozen who'd passed him to stop and offer assistance.

I'm happy to do that but I would draw the line at giving away my only tube.

A mate once made up a big cardboard sign which he carried on his night lap at Mayhem, it said "I'm fine, I'm just sleeping, please leave me alone". He explained that he'd tried stopping for a powernap during his previous nightlap but every other rider had stopped, shaken him awake and asked if he was OK - presumably thinking he'd crashed and knocked himself out cold!

patriotpro - Member

It's your medication time again i see...

Soooo then the burning question is why didn't you take the means to perform the most basic of repairs?

If you use a public toilet and there's no toilet-paper do you shout out for someone to come wipe your arse?

gaaaaah, what is it with people not reading posts before commenting!

In summary:

> Yunki was out for ride with his littlun'
> Yunki unfortunately punctured while still several miles fromhome.
> Yunki WAS equipped with tube and pump but being some way from home, with a deadline and hungry/tired mini-Yunkis, he decided to ring his other half for assistance.
> While pushing bike to his chosen extraction point he was bemused by the number of other cyclists who passed him by without offering assistance or checking he was OK.

I would have offered help, as would most of the other riders I know, it's just the done thing and basic kindness.

Lost count of the amount of times I've helped an unfortunate out with a mechanical over the years, rarely need it myself but would hope if I did someone would offer.

FWIW I always stop and ask too.

I always stop to see if people are ok. It is indeed the right thing to do. I carry spares and tools and have the skill to sort myself out but it's still very nice to have the moral support of someone stopping.

Can Shibboleth please post a picture of himself? Then I will know not to stop and help him if I ever see him in trouble. Of course, I have tattoos, so he probably wouldn't accept my help anyway 🙂