People don’t learn (myself included), and even the best of us have our bad moments. I used to roll up on motorcycle accidents on a regular basis, most involved sport bikes. It used to amaze me that someone would get on a sport bike wearing nothing but a t-shirt, shorts, and sneakers, and then go out stunting on the highway. Falling off a bike at 100 kph or faster with nothing but a little cotton between you and the asphalt is an effective way to remove tattoos, but skin grafts and silver oxide ointment are much more expensive than proper protective clothing, provided you are lucky enough to survive the fall in the first place.
I’ve known how to patch tubes since I was 8. I became a “serious” cyclist at 12 when I completed my first century. I worked as a mechanic in a bike shop between high school and joining the Army, I raced internationally in my late 20’s. Have I been caught with a flat out on the road without a patch kit or spare tube? Yes I have. Sometimes I have forgotten to put these things in my car, or left my kit on another bike. But I would rather play with the odds than cancel my ride.
Last edited by 50PlusCycling; 08-21-22 at 06:32 PM.