I Appreciate it mate but I’ll walk...

[ChrisL]

I never had someone walking their bike refuse a hand until today. Tri geek walking his bike about 2 miles from the trail head.  I asked if he needed anything and he said in a heavy Aussie accent I’m good mate. Sure? I’m riding with my wife we have 2 of everything?

I appreciate it mate but I’ll walk... OK my man, have a good one and off I went.

His cleats are gonna be toast by the time he reaches the parking area but his call...

 

 

 

[Wilbur ★]

I have had that several times over the years, especially women.  I saw a lady once who had a flat.  I asked if she needed help and she gave  me a sharp "NO! I will call my husband".  Ok, have a great day!  My ride was an out and back and I saw her still there about 90 minutes later.  I had to stop and ask again and this time she asked if I would look at it.  Her read tire had cord showing all the way around and a hole in it.  No spare tube and no husband.   I offered to ride home and grab a spare tire and she agreed.  When I got back I pulled the tire out and she asks what this is going to cost.  I said "Nothing, do something for someone else one day".  Then she saw it didn't match her Bontrager and refused it.  I said ok, you can put some paper money and a new tube in there and maybe get home.  She didn't like that idea and said she will just wait.   I didn't argue.  Bye!  

[Zealot]

Self sufficiency can be a matter of pride with many.  

[ChrisL]

10 minutes ago, wilbur said:

I have had that several times over the years, especially women.  I saw a lady once who had a flat.  I asked if she needed help and she gave  me a sharp "NO! I will call my husband".  Ok, have a great day!  My ride was an out and back and I saw her still there about 90 minutes later.  I had to stop and ask again and this time she asked if I would look at it.  Her read tire had cord showing all the way around and a hole in it.  No spare tube and no husband.   I offered to ride home and grab a spare tire and she agreed.  When I got back I pulled the tire out and she asks what this is going to cost.  I said "Nothing, do something for someone else one day".  Then she saw it didn't match her Bontrager and refused it.  I said ok, you can put some paper money and a new tube in there and maybe get home.  She didn't like that idea and said she will just wait.   I didn't argue.  Bye!  

I helped a new rider recently  who didn’t have a tool bag. He offered to pay me for the tube/co2 & I told him just go to a LBS & spend about $40 on a bag, 2 spare tubes (one for you and one to pay it forward) and a basic flat kit.  

The look of relief when I got him rolling was payment enough.

[Zealot]

16 minutes ago, ChrisL said:

I helped a new rider recently  who didn’t have a tool bag. He offered to pay me for the tube/co2 & I told him just go to a LBS & spend about $40 on a bag, 2 spare tubes (one for you and one to pay it forward) and a basic flat kit.  

The look of relief when I got him rolling was payment enough.

This^^^

 

Ive also assisted folks who offered payment.  Like you, it is payment enough simply to help. And there are time when I’ve been assisted as well. 

[Randomguy]

People are nuts.  I have helped people maybe a dozen times, and had a few turn it down.  

34 minutes ago, wilbur said:

I have had that several times over the years, especially women.  I saw a lady once who had a flat.  I asked if she needed help and she gave  me a sharp "NO! I will call my husband".  Ok, have a great day!  My ride was an out and back and I saw her still there about 90 minutes later.  I had to stop and ask again and this time she asked if I would look at it.  Her read tire had cord showing all the way around and a hole in it.  No spare tube and no husband.   I offered to ride home and grab a spare tire and she agreed.  When I got back I pulled the tire out and she asks what this is going to cost.  I said "Nothing, do something for someone else one day".  Then she saw it didn't match her Bontrager and refused it.  I said ok, you can put some paper money and a new tube in there and maybe get home.  She didn't like that idea and said she will just wait.   I didn't argue.  Bye!  

Wow, batshit!

[maddmaxx ★]

Fear of strangers?

[shootingstar]

1 hour ago, maddmaxx said:

Fear of strangers?

Maybe. However if it's not in the woods for cryin' out loud, there's nothing to be afraid of.

Chris' experience with the Aussie cyclist, just seemed abit weird that the guy refused help especially when he was on cleats.

[Zealot]

2 hours ago, wilbur said:

I have had that several times over the years, especially women.  I saw a lady once who had a flat.  I asked if she needed help and she gave  me a sharp "NO! I will call my husband".  Ok, have a great day!  My ride was an out and back and I saw her still there about 90 minutes later.  I had to stop and ask again and this time she asked if I would look at it.  Her read tire had cord showing all the way around and a hole in it.  No spare tube and no husband.   I offered to ride home and grab a spare tire and she agreed.  When I got back I pulled the tire out and she asks what this is going to cost.  I said "Nothing, do something for someone else one day".  Then she saw it didn't match her Bontrager and refused it.  I said ok, you can put some paper money and a new tube in there and maybe get home.  She didn't like that idea and said she will just wait.   I didn't argue.  Bye!  

Yeah, this is nuts.  I am usually very tentative about offering help to women.  Even on the road when they have car trouble.  If my wife is with me, I’ll offer assistance. But if I am alone, I probably won’t. It’s sad, really. 

[Further]

I have accepted and given help many times.

I have had women tell me no their husband was on the way.

I totally ran out of go while commuting, 12 miles each way, a very hot, hard, day at work, hot ride home, I ran out of water & go about 2 miles & 3 hills from home. I was hanging off the handle bars when a guy in a pickup pulled up and asked if I was OK. I said yeah, he asked where I going, I told him, he jumped out of the truck & said "I'm going right past there, toss this bike in the truck and I'll give you a lift"

So he loaded up my bike, turned 180 degrees, & gave me a ride home  

Probably saved me a torn muscle, I was hurtin. 

[Zealot]

9 minutes ago, Further said:

I have accepted and given help many times.

I have had women tell me no their husband was on the way.

I totally ran out of go while commuting, 12 miles each way, a very hot, hard, day at work, hot ride home, I ran out of water & go about 2 miles & 3 hills from home. I was hanging off the handle bars when a guy in a pickup pulled up and asked if I was OK. I said yeah, he asked where I going, I told him, he jumped out of the truck & said "I'm going right past there, toss this bike in the truck and I'll give you a lift"

So he loaded up my bike, turned 180 degrees, & gave me a ride home  

Probably saved me a torn muscle, I was hurtin. 

Restores one’s faith in humanity, no?!

[Further]

1 minute ago, Zealot said:

Restores one’s faith in humanity, no?!

I have been bailed out of tough situations so many times that it is hard to be cynical    

[Razors Edge ★]

I've helped quite a few folks in my time. And been helped once as well (patch glue was dried out).  I've never been turned down by a lady, either.  I have, though, had a problem so catastrophic that no help could be given and walked/coasted several miles home.

Many, many, many dudes on the side broken down have assured me they were "okay" and didn't need help.

[MoseySusan]

When my rear derailleur hangar failed midway up a four mile hill close to nowhere, I had no choice but to walk it back two miles to a place with a phone. Sucked. My cleats were useless after that. 

A few cars passed, but no offers. A few cyclists who offered help initially and sympathy when they learned the problem. No one had a cell phone. It was just one of those days.

[Ralphie ★]

3 hours ago, roadsue said:

When my rear derailleur hangar failed midway up a four mile hill close to nowhere, I had no choice but to walk it back two miles to a place with a phone. Sucked. My cleats were useless after that. 

A few cars passed, but no offers. A few cyclists who offered help initially and sympathy when they learned the problem. No one had a cell phone. It was just one of those days.

I would have offered you a ride!  

[sheep_herder ★]

Fellow I use to ride with had a problem near Glasgow, MT, which is near the Milk River.  He had some type of problem late one afternoon on one of his cross country jaunts, and turned down a ride to wait on the support vehicle.  After the ride had left, he remembered how vicious the mosquitoes were in that part of Montana.  Yes, he wished he had taken the ride to town.

[shootingstar]

On 8/4/2019 at 7:29 PM, Razors Edge said:

Many, many, many dudes on the side broken down have assured me they were "okay" and didn't need help.

So many of these same dudes would take the problem to the bike shop...that is, if they couldn't solve it after an hr. 

[Indy]

I've had more decline than accept.

In fact, I've only had one accept and man where they surprised.  Had my bike specific toolbox in the back, they were walking from a flat.  They ended up leaving with a new tube, derailers adjusted, brakes adjusted and chain lubed.  Maybe I have a tendency to get carried away, but that was one happy dude.

[Razors Edge ★]

1 hour ago, shootingstar said:

So many of these same dudes would take the problem to the bike shop...that is, if they couldn't solve it after an hr.  

Hard to tell.  Most are seemingly flat tires, so either you have the necessary stuff (new tube, patch kit, CO2, pump) or you don't.  If you don't, you're likely accepting help.  Other stuff could be as simple as a dropped chain, an indexing adjustment, a saddle height issue, something rubbing/creaking, or a busted spoke.  Most of those can be remedied or ameliorated enough to complete a ride, but also don't need any extra help or special tools to fix.  Something more challenging is also something most would not need help from a passer-by because it can't be fixed easily on the shoulder - the broken DR hanger, a detached crank arm, busted/taco'ed rim, etc..

I think most folks will accept help if they need it, but sometimes, if you roll up on them before they have had time to assess the root cause, they will wave you past.  They might regret it once they figure out what the problem is, but likely are not willing to have someone stop while they first troubleshoot the issue.  I know when I got a springtime flat a few years ago, I waved a couple cyclists by thinking I was good to go with my flat repair kit in my saddle bag. I was wrong, since the patch kit glue had dried up over the past year or more.  Luckily, another rider asked AFTER I was aware of my predicament, and I was able to get a patch in place for the ride home.

[Zealot]

2 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

Hard to tell.  Most are seemingly flat tires, so either you have the necessary stuff (new tube, patch kit, CO2, pump) or you don't.  If you don't, you're likely accepting help.  Other stuff could be as simple as a dropped chain, an indexing adjustment, a saddle height issue, something rubbing/creaking, or a busted spoke.  Most of those can be remedied or ameliorated enough to complete a ride, but also don't need any extra help or special tools to fix.  Something more challenging is also something most would not need help from a passer-by because it can't be fixed easily on the shoulder - the broken DR hanger, a detached crank arm, busted/taco'ed rim, etc..

I think most folks will accept help if they need it, but sometimes, if you roll up on them before they have had time to assess the root cause, they will wave you past.  They might regret it once they figure out what the problem is, but likely are not willing to have someone stop while they first troubleshoot the issue.  I know when I got a springtime flat a few years ago, I waved a couple cyclists by thinking I was good to go with my flat repair kit in my saddle bag. I was wrong, since the patch kit glue had dried up over the past year or more.  Luckily, another rider asked AFTER I was aware of my predicament, and I was able to get a patch in place for the ride home.

This ^^^

[ChrisL]

At what point do you guys ask if someone needs help?  If I roll up on someone actively repairing a flat or if they have people with them I keep on going.  If they are walking or sitting there looking dejected with a busted bike I’ll offer.

[Razors Edge ★]

18 minutes ago, ChrisL said:

At what point do you guys ask if someone needs help?  If I roll up on someone actively repairing a flat or if they have people with them I keep on going.  If they are walking or sitting there looking dejected with a busted bike I’ll offer. 

Varies widely.  If someone is solo, I almost always ask. If two or more folks are standing around, I'm less likely to check in.  If any are making eye contact or looking towards me, I always ask.

I also notice if someone I passed going out is still there when I am coming back. That's a big red flag.  It's pretty rare, but if they still are having issues after a bit of time has elapsed, then they might need some help to finish the fix.

[Wilbur ★]

23 minutes ago, ChrisL said:

At what point do you guys ask if someone needs help?  If I roll up on someone actively repairing a flat or if they have people with them I keep on going.  If they are walking or sitting there looking dejected with a busted bike I’ll offer.

I just ask if they have everything they need.  If they say yes, I keep on riding. 

[Parr8hed]

I will take help from any of you any day. 

[Kzoo]

40 minutes ago, ChrisL said:

At what point do you guys ask if someone needs help?  If I roll up on someone actively repairing a flat or if they have people with them I keep on going.  If they are walking or sitting there looking dejected with a busted bike I’ll offer.

I'll ask if they are stopped.  If they're actively working on it, I'll still stop to ask if they need anything.

Daughter#2 has not learned how to fix a flat yet (and she has had a rash of them this year).  She was riding a MUP just a couple of miles from my house on the 4th of July and flatted.  She called and I jumped in my car with a patch kit.  As I was rolling up to her next to the trail I noticed 2 roadies had rolled past her right before I got there.  I asked if they stopped to ask if she needed help.  No they didn't.  This kind of people give the rest of us a bad name.  She didn't need help but how would they know?  I made me mad.

I still think back to a time a couple years ago I drove through a large apartment complex (shortcut to a few stores) and a teenager was pushing a bike with a flat down the apartment complex drive.  I had nothing to help with so I kept going.  I got to the end of the street and thought - I only live a couple miles away, in 5 minutes I could be back and help make that kid's day.  I turned around and couldn't find him.  I was mad at myself for not stopping the first time.  I'm guessing that apartment dwelling kid had no resource to fix that flat.