delbiker1 

Definitely not heroic, kindness, sure, but mostly just the right thing to do. I came upon a gentleman in a wheelchair sitting in the east bound lane of a 2 lane road. I stopped and asked him if he was okay. His response, "not really". His electric powered wheelchair had run out of juice. He had a cell phone with him but there was no reception. He had a stroke at some point in time and was mostly paralyzed on his left side and also could not communicate very well. To shorten the story, I wound up calling 911 to get assistance for him. I waited with him until a state trooper appeared on the scene, making sure that vehicles coming by would stay clear of him. I had gotten some info from him, his name was Darell, and communicated that to the trooper. The trooper was able to get on his computer and get an address for Darell, and, after considering options, he called an ambulance to come and get Darell. At that point, with the trooper staying and waiting for the ambulance, I headed on my way. I came by that way maybe an hour later and Darell and his wheelchair, and the trooper, were gone. One of the more bazaar experiences I have had on a bike. I am glad I was able to help.

shelbyfv

I was recently called "genius" for providing an individually wrapped wet wipe after a dropped chain fiddle.

Nachoman

Not heroic, but on my last organized charity ride a left turn sign was missing, right at the bottom of a steep downhill.
Everyone in front of me missed the turn.
I got off my bike, stood at the intersection, signaling for everyone behind me to make the unmarked left turn.
After the ride about twenty people offered to buy me a beer!

Kedosto

As a multi decade rider I've committed many, many acts of heroism. From run of the mill flat fixes, to assisting the lost, to mechanical breakdowns, and damsels in distress. Far too many to count, actually. One of my proudest contributions to a civilized society is that considering my substantial size and strength, I have unwaveringly resisted the urge to pull some Jacktard out of their car and beat them into a bloody pulp for doing something dangerous or stupid (usually both) that threatened my health and safety. And frankly, that's pretty damned difficult sometimes.


-Kedosto

Reynolds 

My wife did the same some years ago. We were swimming at a quarry when a guy said calmly to nobody in particular "Take him out, he's drowning!". My wife looked and saw a guy floating motionless, face down. She feared a prank, but lifted the guy's head by the hair and he was indeed drowning. She took him to the edge (about 1.5mts away) where he coughed, spit water and eventually recovered. Turned out the first guy was his friend, he told him "You *******, what would I say to your mother if you drowned?". She didn't like being called "the Baywatch girl" after that.
Now to keep on topic, never did an heroic deed while cycling, but countless times helped others with flats, mechanics, etc. And once towed a VERY cramped cyclist about 30kms to where he could take a train home.

wipekitty

I just read a very cute story in a cycling discussion group...A woman and another regular commuter were 'racing' to work, when the woman noticed a small furry animal at the edge of the road and slowed down. It turned out to be a sick kitten. She safety pinned it in her jersey pocket and dropped it off at a veterinarian on the way to work, where it was treated for dehydration and reunited with its owner.

I cannot imagine riding five miles with a kitten scratching up my back, but it's a very nice happy ending!

mrt2you

not really heroic but i helped fix a 4 flat tires with my own tubes, co bottles and patches this year. i do most of my riding on paved well used trails so i interact with a lot of other riders..
the best one is i ran across a 25yo smoking hot mom with her young 6yo son on a bike ride. sons bike had a flat and mom had 2 really low tires, i patched and pumped up the sons bike. i filled the 2 tires on moms bike. i also adjusted the rear derailleur on moms bike because the chain was always falling off when shifting to the big gear in the back. mom thanked me wanted to pay me but i refused payment and rode off.

lmtada

Little kid (4 or 5), lost control of his tricycle. He hit me accidently. His chain fell off. He thought his bike was broken. I fixed his bike on the spot. He thanked me!!

I was riding in Italy (I don’t speak Italian). I came across a stranded motorcycle rider. He could not start his motorcycle. I pedalled by him, he seemed frustrated. I knew the bike had dead battery. I said to him (English)let’s push start the bike. He didn’t understand. I said let the clutch out, when we get the bike moving. I Pushed bike about 20 yards, while he sat on it. The bike started up. We were both happy ��. He thanked me.....Best part I knew, the problem and acted..

Mel_bikes

Found a guy walking down the local rail trail carrying a parachute. Missed his landing and had no cell service. Told him to continue to next intersection while I got my car and gave him a ride back to the airport

Arthur Peabody

I always stop to help. I'll pick up discarded tubes & tires (though not non-bike trash). Once a TSA guy recognized me as the guy who stopped to help him.

There used to be half-page comic-strip ads for a speedometer/odometer. The kid saw an accident (or the like), rode to the nearest police station, could tell the cops exactly how far down the road the accident was. I didn't buy.

burnthesheep

Man, two pages and zero mention yet of the most famous cyclist hero ever? Gino Bartali?

Italian multiple winner of the TdF and Giro Italia?

In his spare time training would cross enemy lines to obtain falsified documents and smuggle them in the tubes of this bike back over. These documents would help local Jewish citizens held in monasteries to avoid being taken by the Germans. If he had been caught, he'd have likely been executed on the spot.

There was a decent Netflix of Amazon Prime documentary piece about him.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gino_Bartali