referencing today.
2 chaps looking lost and asking where the visitors centre is-not knowing the name of the centre. We where about 4 miles from it.
The reason why?
one of their party had a puncture and not one of them was carrying a pump,tube or tools to fix even this simple problem and they had left him without being sure of exactly where he was.

We decided to help and took the diversion to find him, fix the problem and ride on.

I do wonder what would happen if the weather was worse, no one was around etc etc.

Should there be highly visual information regarding what to carry before riders find themselves away from help and in trouble?

Na, just leave ‘natural selection’ to work it’s magic 😉

Darwin applies,

In answer to the question, no. Carry what you like, if only because everyone’s idea of a basic kit is different. I can’t gety head round why some riders have to take huge camelbaks with them.

Mind you seeing the number of riders who have to fiddle at the beginning of a ride because that don’t bother checking the night before might be why.

IMO, you should try to be self sufficient. Even on a short visit to a trail centre etc.

I always take my camelback and it always has a tube, pump, multitool, money, food/water, basic first aid. Don’t see the point in not taking it really. Sod’s law says that if I left it at home then I’d need it anyway!

Should there be highly visual information regarding what to carry before riders find themselves away from help and in trouble?

Nope. You’ve got to work on the premise that adults are responsible for making these decisions.

Plus if you go down that path you will end up with a ridiculously long list of things on the info sign, as if you leave anything off the list you’re implicitly saying it’s not required.

In answer to your question, no.

Do you queue at the start of the trails to have your kit inspected, could you imagine it! Trail centres are pretty sanitised anyway and you’re never too far from help even if something unusual breaks beyond an informed persons usual “safety equipment”.

For goodness sakes, people will be giving trail centres acronyms next… 🙄

I don’t take tubes, tools, first aid to trail centres, what’s the point, you can always run/walk out. If I didn’t take something I needed, I would ask others to help me out.

Broke my wrist at one a couple of years back, I got myself in to that situation so my responsibility to get myself out, so just rode and pushed back to the car.

The other week I went out in the Dales by myself, about 25 miles from my car, and pretty remote, so took a tube and emergency bivvy bag.

anybody using the acronym mamat should always….repeat always … carry safety equipment

I don’t take tubes, tools, first aid to trail centres, what’s the point, you can always run/walk out. If I didn’t take something I needed, I would ask others to help me out.

I would find it really dull to walk back due to not having a tube. If I didn’t carry anything I’d feel like very cheeky git asking for one.

Sorry typing error on phone I WOULDN’T ask others to help.

I usually have all my gubbins for leading in my rucksack, so I always look like I’m moving house 🙂
It’s good training having that on your back lol. However I am liking the liberation of saddlebag with a tube and bits and a water bottle these days.

All trails are man-made by definition, aren’t they?

Except SHET (sheep trails) and DERT (deer trails). All good but you need to carry a tool to extract stones from your cleats… 8)

4 miles? In midsummer. What were they thinking.

I think rule #83 crosses over into MTB for this purpose.

I don’t take tubes, tools, first aid to trail centres, what’s the point, you can always run/walk out. If I didn’t take something I needed, I would ask others to help me out.

Point is to continue to enjoy the ride you have presumably traveled to after making the time available to do so. With a young family and very demanding job, the opportunity for a spare morning and / or afternoon to dedicate entirely to riding does not come around very often. I’d hate to bail a much anticipated ride because I didn’t take a few spares. Likewise I’d be less than chuffed if I wasted time helping someone who couldn’t be arsed to take the basics. Helping someone in genuine need is a totally different matter.

What about BADMADETs (badger made trails)? they’s the most awzumest

I do not think anyone should be ‘required’ or forced into carrying anything. What is the worst that could happen there? (a walk home in the cold).
Now that is very different from taking responsibility and having gear.

I blame the UCI!

Seriously, in the past, mountain biking was recognised as a discipline where you were supposed to be self sufficient – when they changed that, then you knew that we were doomed to a future of scalextric track trail centres. we’re all roadies now donchaknow!

Bring back OS maps!

(point of interest, I’ve worked support on road sportives in the UK, where people turn up without a pump or tube for a 100 mile ride – thats a killer of a walk back in roadie shoes!

Seriously, in the past, mountain biking was recognised as a discipline where you were supposed to be self sufficient – when they changed that, then you knew that we were doomed to a future of scalextric track trail centres

When did they change ‘that’? I didn’t het the memo.

Come to think of it I never seen the memo to say mountain biking had been recognised as discipline to be self sufficient.

op, where?

is was swinley wasnt it? on the green?

(point of interest, I’ve worked support on road sportives in the UK, where people turn up without a pump or tube for a 100 mile ride – thats a killer of a walk back in roadie shoes!

I thought that was part of the entry fee…

Drac:

http://velonews.competitor.com/2004/09/news/tech-talk-ucis-new-outside-assistance-rule-is-counter-to-spirit-of-mountain-biking_6962

Anyone issuing that acronym should be bludgeoned to death with the track pump that they will be forced to carry.

That’s great ninfan but I don’t use the UCI when I got our for a ride so can’t see how that effects anything at all.

Drac, thats like saying that the TDF doesn’t influence the mindset of road cyclists

(looks out window at bunch of MAMIL’s in sky kit riding carbon road wheels with 23mm tubs and not a single one of them carrying a spare)

lol at Ninfan’s link, what goes on in WC XC racing has very little bearing on what goes on around UK trails. It’s gets bugger all coverage on TV and not much press coverage if you don’t go hunting it out.

It’s more that more and more people are buying bikes (C2W anyone) with no idea of how they work. I see people taking a bike to a shop to get a tube changed or a new tyre fitted.

However I do reckon the UCI are responsible for global warming, harsh winters and the amount of dog eggs in parks.

Drac, thats like saying that the TDF doesn’t influence the mindset of road cyclists

Ermmm! No it’s not at all. You’re now talking about the world’s most popular cycling race not a governing body effecting people popping out for a Sunday jaunt on their bike, a massive difference.

If I’m riding fairly late or in bad weather, I take a survival blanket in the camelbak. I think the phrase “you can always walk out” is a misnomer, because if it goes really bad, you can’t.

Tsk, trail centres, eh ?

I don’t ride trail centres. Or carry any tools, as all my routes are carefully planned, so that at no point am I more than half a mile away from a pub. In case of emergencies. I have been known to slash my own tyres on a sunny day, to justify bailing out and spending the afternoon in the beer garden, before giving the missus a bell to come and pick me up

binners – Member
…all my routes are carefully planned, so that at no point am I more than half a mile away from a pub…

binners has it in an emergency improvise on kit but always have a plan and work the plan™

OK, morality check… I’ve never usually got a problem giving away tubes to people in need, but sometimes, when it’s someone out on an expensive flash bike with all the kit, I do think “Nah, **** you, you’re an idiot, you’re not getting my tube” Is that wrong?

Yesterday I was stopped at the side of the track fixing a flat, a feller on a Glory came down with no pack or anything, pushing as he had a flat. “Have you got a spare”. You know what? I’d been carrying my kit all race while he was getting the benefit of riding light, no way was he getting any help off me. In the event, I only had 1 anyway so I didn’t have to make the call. Again, right or wrong?

ninfan – Member

Seriously, in the past, mountain biking was recognised as a discipline where you were supposed to be self sufficient – when they changed that, then you knew that we were doomed to a future of scalextric track trail centres.

South Park
“Who are “they”?”
“You know, “they”
“They’re bastards!”

The mysterious They who psionically implanted in everyone’s heads the idea that they didn’t need to be self-sufficient, are presumably the same They that ripped up all the natural/non-purpose-built trails and force everyone to only ride trail centres, aye?

If its a puncture I think the minimum is that you can fix it at the road side, that is a repair kit or a spare tube. If its mechanical maybe a different matter. I take everything on most rides, multitool, space blanket(you never know what you come across).

If someone doesn’t even have the basics depends, I would probably help but advise them too get some spares.

Saying that I had a disaster the other week. Tried 700×28 and got a snake bite first day that I couldn’t fix and snapped the valve on my spare tube. Had to ring Doris while I sat and had a pint, unfortunately it happened right outside the pub. Next day same route and another puncture but had used my spare so had t walk a mile or s to a place Doris could rescue me as I had used my spare tube and was really not in the mood.

Anyone want to buy some 700×28 Conti 4 seasons.

I believe the correct procedure for this sort of situation is the “Ned Beatty Treatment”.

I always ride with tools but then again i met my riding mates on STW 😉

I think I would probably stop and help but lecture them all the way through fixing it so they never want to experience “help” like that again- thinking more the puncture thing than lost.

Northwind i once met a commuter who I had seen many times on my commute [ went in opposite directions] who had two punctures and no tools and though I was an arse for not giving him mine – I was about 10 miles from home. I offered to sell them as i could have gone home via Merlin [ about 2 miles away] and the thought i was taking the piss..he literally wanted my tubes for nothing..I would have taken payment the next day/whenever.

He still scowls at me but he has a seat pack now

I think someone wanting your tube for nowt is an arse. They aren’t magic bits that appear in your kit. I buy a load in so I always have stock. I always carry 2 tubes (if both go your having a bad day!), if they can’t be bothered to sort their own admin out, sod them 😀

Can’t see the point in not carrying a tube , patch kit pump
Takes up so little space.

Bike, check.
Natty racing shoes, check.
Rapha top, check.
Oakleys, check.
Strava, check.

Lickle wee tube and Co2, not very pro tour peloton is it.

When my club started i was dishing out tubes left right and centre, my pump became known as the ‘Club pump’ One bloke even threw his punctured tube into the woods, the big C. Only one fella ever returned a new tube. Went back to Co2 and never help anyone anymore.
That said today I gave a stranger all my food and water as he was struggling and I was only ten miles from home.

acronyms’ ahoy!