Simply put… would you help out a riding buddy who gets a puncture but isn’t himself prepared to a spare tube, patch kit, pump, or multitool?

There’s a guy here who doesn’t / won’t carry spares, and although the situation’s not occurred yet, I do find myself wondering how many beers I should charge him him for my spare tube should he get a puncture – maybe it’s a function of distance back to home / car?

It’s not as if the situation hasn’t been pointed out to him – several people have mentioned it, but he laughs and passes it off as he claims to never get punctures etc.

I’m pretty sure that should the situation occur I’d hand over the tube with nothing other than a piss take, but was wondering What other peoples thoughts are on this…

I’m pretty sure that should the situation occur I’d hand over the tube with nothing other than a piss take,

I’d do this. Once.

Depends if he’s a mate or someone you know and ride with.

If it’s a mate, of course…

I’ve given tubes to completely random strangers so it wouldn’t bother me at all.

I’d give him the tube but only after massively taking the piss out of him for saying he never gets punctures.

yes I’d hand it over and then sit by and critically assess with sarcasm every aspect of his mending procedure.

It’s ok the STW gods tell us that nothing goes wrong with a well maintained bike and you can ride for 3 days on the dew from grass and 2 jelly babies 😉

Is he a roadie …

I’d do this. Once.

Same here. I’d help anyone who was caught out regardless but if they were deliberately unprepared my patience wouldn’t last long

I’d assist someone truely stranded with a whole tube.

But in that situation i’d hand over a puncture repair kit.

If someone routinely refused to take anything with them, then I’d certainly be grumpy about it but as none of my friends would be such arses, it’s never happened.

If it was just a case that someone had forgotten a tube, or brought the wrong size, then of course I would help if I could, but I would repair rather than replace, otherwise I’d be putting myself in the same situation.

As a note, I’ve started carrying Conti Lightweight tubes – I run tubeless so very, very rarely need them and realised that I was carrying around a hefty, cheap-ass tube when I could easily be carrying something that was half the size in the jersey pocket. Maybe worth thinking about if you’re wanting to get your kitbag down to the smallest size possible…

I’d do this. Once.

Yep, this. After this I would hand over a puncture repair kit after taking the tube out and not handing it to him.

Been there. Done that..once. After the tube had been handed over I had a real go as it wasn’t as if the lack of spares hadn’t been mentioned before. He brought a tube along after that.

After being the recipient of a donated tube recently, I’d hand one over too! In my defence that was after a tubeless tyre split enough not to seal, then I went through the 2 tubes I had with me as back-ups….

I carry a tube containing 2 thorn punctures precisely for this scenario. Upon request I will hand over the tube and my puncture repair kit. Then at the end of the ride I reclaim my fixed tube.

Then at the end of the ride I reclaim my fixed tube.

Really ? You’d make someone deflate their tyre and take the tube back ?

I do carry one these days but always feels pointless as I’ve never punctured in over 30 yrs

I do carry one these days but always feels pointless as I’ve never punctured in over 30 yrs

In one ride with my family (4 bikes) we managed 9 punctures and in the end, I wrote off 4 tubes and still had flat tyres when we pushed back to the car. Tempers were fraying that day, I can tell you, particularly with the farmer who trimmed his thorn hedge by the bridleway…

Really ? You’d make someone deflate their tyre and take the tube back ?

Yes – its mine isn’t it
and how else are they going to learn?

ndthornton – Member
Yes – its mine isn’t it
and how else are they going to learn?

They give you a new tube the week after ? Or a fiver…

I used to ride with someone who was a premier league cockrotter and helped out a couple of times but he was of the mindset that *someone* would always help ergo he didn’t need to bother ever.

No problem with genuine people who have bad luck on a ride although I do draw the line at the tracksuited scallys around Cannock who are always begging for tubes/pumps/hex keys etc. I don’t like yellow and I’m not the AA

I’d fix their puncture… and then whisper in their ear “you’re my bitch now”

They give you a new tube the week after ? Or a fiver…

I’m not a monster! – I gave you a knackered tube – I am not going to demand a brand new one back

I’m not a monster! – I gave you a knackered tube – I am not going to demand a brand new one back

I’d re-puncture it before giving it back to you 🙂

I’ve given tubes to completely random strangers so it wouldn’t bother me at all.

+1
Even though both my regular use bikes are 27.5 I still carry 26er tubes so that they can be of use to more riders.

This has got me thinking of course you should take you own spare tubes etc… but why do we ride around in groups and all carry Pumps and multi tool. I guess its just easy to all have your own stuff.

I’ve leant tools and given 1 tube, received a couple but I carry what I need now. The times I have taken is when I’ve gone through mine by bad luck, and leant those who were also prepared. You’re not getting my only tube if you carried nothing.

scottfitz – Member
This has got me thinking of course you should take you own spare tubes etc… but why do we ride around in groups and all carry Pumps and multi tool.

Kayakers will often pool spares on a trip. Someone taking break down paddles, someone a survival shelter etc, etc.

It never seems to work with biking. If I take things out my bag one trip, I never seem to remember the next, so they stay in my pack always. Only have to remember my pack then.

I ride with a few who don’t carry pumps etc. A puncture only happened once if I remember so I begrudgingly handed over my pump with excess huffage and piss taking. Didn’t change owt.

This has got me thinking of course you should take you own spare tubes etc… but why do we ride around in groups and all carry Pumps and multi tool. I guess its just easy to all have your own stuff.

On normal XC rides, this is all I carry now in my jersey pocket:

(usb stick for scale!)
Inside there is:

…and inside the TipTop box is the normal array of patches, chain links, spare pads cable ties etc.

My (lightweight) spare inner tube is typically taped to the back of the saddle.

Frankly, I prefer to know that I have the tools I need rather than depend on someone else and for a kit this small, it’s hardly worth leaving it behind.

and your special USB Stick??

and your special USB Stick??

Purely for scale in the photos, I’m afraid. Nothing clever 🙂

Probably got the instructions on it 😯

I’ve no problem helping out folk stranded at the side of the trail through no fault of their own, last winter on a trip to Gisburn I topped off the karma tank by: helping a couple of lads with a plastic pedal that had come loose on their Halfords special. Gave one bloke a tube, and helped another out when his chain snapped.

If some-one who boasted that they never get punctures suddenly gets one, I be pretty tempted to hand over the puncture repair kit though… 😆 Although if it’s a mate I’d have to hand about while he fixed anyway, so I reckon a pint after the ride is the least he could do in return.

I reckon that for every chain link I use, I give away 3 on the side of the trail. After realising this, I now give them my email address and ask that they buy me a replacement when they get home They’ve always been so grateful that I’ve stopped and helped that not one has failed to do so to date 🙂

That’s some interesting ideas…

I’m with joshdavies and lunge – I like the idea of just handing over the repair kit (the first time), and letting him faff about with that – hopefully “that’ll learn him”

The reason that it bugs me so much is the fact that he’s deliberately unprepared rather that someone who’s been unfortunate for whatever reason.

Slight aside but for those of you using CO2 canisters have you got any recommendations? I’ve never had/used one but reckon they’d be handy in certain scenarios….

cockrotter – lol. see also “Lord WipeMyArse” on account of getting everyone else to do the work 🙂

Just don’t stop if he gets a flat.

Tough love.

I learnt the hard way earlier this year…

Hadn’t had a puncture since ~2009, then got one riding to LBS to get carbon fork fitted on rear Marathon Cross, but still insisted on commuting without any kit.

Then <6 weeks later, got my first commuting puncture in years on the rear G-One, fortunately ~5mins walk from work… But then a ~60min frog-march of shame at home time.

Ever since, I usually always commute with a tube, lever and mini pump in my gillet pocket (not had to use so far). Plus on my leisure rides where I plan to ride anywhere but very local.

Just say I thought it was your tern to bring the tube and ride off. Then creep back and see if you can scare the begibis out of them.