Seattle Forrest

I drove my bike to the Chamonix of the NW with a plan to ride a maze of dirt roads to a hiking trail I want to do, and see where it's closed (by snow). Can't find anything online, and it's a gorgeous place to ride.

Eventually - after exploring double track, cursing bona fide gravel - I flatted just before I got back to the pavement. And I couldn't get the tire off the rim. I tried swearing at it. While I was wrestling with the tire, I remembered movies that depicted hell as reliving your worst memory in a loop, and I wondered if this was it?

I gave up and started the walk of shame. After a few miles, a lady walked down her driveway to meet me, and said cyclists don't usually walk their bikes down hills. I told her about the tire. She told me the horse needs to go to the vet, I should get off my feet, have something to drink, and meet the family while they get the horse in the trailer. We talked about the area for a while and then they drove me and the bike back to my car.

It's been 7 or 8 k miles since my last flat. They're so rare and the tires I like are so tight, I might be better off carrying light shoes instead of a tube.

wipekitty

That's a great story - it's amazing the people that you'll meet while struggling with a bike issue!

From the title, I was halfway expecting you to say that you got a ride with the Amish

Cyclist0108

I am deeply concerned that this approach was not effective, as it is the only way I can manage to get through life.

The rest of the story would be even more compelling were this not a G-rated, family website.

Finally, have you considered getting some crappier less expensive wheels that don't keep a death-grip on your tires? Were you running them tubeless? What sealant?

indyfabz

If I stop by the side of the road for a rest during a tour I often get asked if I need anything/am o.k. One day I left camp before dawn because I had a long, hard day ahead of me. After maybe a mile I stopped because I was worried that I had left something in camp. Still straddling the bike, I bent over to open my right, front pannier. Some guy coming along in a pickup truck on the otherwise dark, empty road stopped to ask me if I was o.k. Bent up straight and told him what I was doing and thanked him. After a few minutes it occurred to me that my position probably made me look like I was about to pass out or was puking.

TakingMyTime

That's a nice story. It's nice that they were willing to help.


Sort of inline with @indyfabz story and a bit off topic... I will usually check with a broken down rider with a "Need Help?" shout out but the answer is usually "No". The roads I am on are so heavily traveled by cyclists that if you break down you'll usually get asked that question about a million times. I was relaxing mid-ride the other day and there was a guy up ahead about 30 yards working on his bike. As I sat there for 3 minutes there must have been at least 5 people ask him if he needed help. Nowadays, unless someone is looking around and appears frustrated, I will usually not ask.

seau grateau

I thought this thread was gonna be about centaurs...

berner

So long as some people show concern for the portion of the population that appears to need a helping hand, there is hope for the human race. Actually, it much more encouraging than that. Bad news seems to sell better than good news. At the same time many cyclists ride vast distances, even around the world. For the most part they are welcomed with warmth and many locals will go out of their way to render assistance. This has been my own experience also in sailing to a foreign land.

79pmooney

Thanks. You've given me convincing reason to stay tubed. The idea of getting flats that cannot be roadside repaired is to me, like the idea of un-clipping and having my foot come off the pedal riding a fix gear downhill at 40 mph. Unacceptable outcome. (I ride all my fix gears with toeclips. The many falls I've done at a standstill are perfectly OK as long as I never do the nightmare.)

I used to ride sewups and may well go back to them. Carried a sewup patchkit and used it roadside once far from home and rode the repair back just fine. Going off-road, it seems to me the stakes are a lot higher. If your bike doesn't work are you prepared to spend the night?

Ben

canklecat

People are pretty okay when they're not killing each other. I've also had offers of assistance and even a ride home after flatting when I forgot my pump.

I try to remind myself of those folks when one of the psychopathic one-percenters nearly clobbers me.

OldTryGuy

WAY COOL !!!!!

A few weeks ago my solution to a rear 26 x 1 3/8 flat when 5 miles from home after coming out of Publix following some food shopping was to.......

Load items in front basket, pull valve stem through rim and tuck into the tire, make sure tire is inside the rim and SLOWLY RIDE THE 5 MILES BACK HOME. New tube installed and still riding on the tire.

TimothyH

I have nothing to profound to add to this thread but just wanted to post a photo from my ride today.




-Tim-

Riveting

I crashed hard once, 27 mph downhill, and had an off-duty paramedic witness it while she waiting at a stop sign 30 yards away. She was out of her car and at my side with a first-aid kit before I even had a chance to fully sit up and collect my scattered sunglasses and water bottle. She then put my bike in the back of her SUV and drove me home, about 5 miles away, and then offered me a big bud of marijuana as a get-well gift. Afterwards I called her my Colorado Florence Nightingale.

Seattle Forrest

I mostly posted this because I thought of a funny title.

I had a lot of time to think about dumb stuff walking back towards my car.

TiHabanero

Seattle Forest, you need to learn to cuss like a sailor not a civilian. I learned the difference in the Navy and it does make a big difference! I offer lessons at 50 bucks an hour if interested. Usually 4 or 5 lessons and you are swearing like a seasoned old salt.

Wilmingtech

Once you get out of Seattle people are actually quite nice.

Seattle Freeze