I've got a bike, you can ride it if you like

[topaz]

Scene from a Thursday:

+	Got new Kevlar tires on Tuesday!
-	But I was too lazy to replace the tubes, which were almost as ancient as the tires.  At about 9:15 I got a flat in Lexington.
+	I had a spare tube!
-	But, stupidly, no pump.
+	An incredibly helpful fellow biker stopped to lend me one!
-	My spare tube turned out to have a Schrader valve.  The rim for my rear tire will only take Presta tubes, and the larger valve wouldn't fit.
+	Incredibly helpful fellow biker had a patch kit for the busted tube, and helped me patch the leak!
-	We were overeager about inflating the patched tube and it sprang a valve leak.

Pluses: 4
Minuses: 4
Result: SUCKAGE

EDIT: and then, saving the day;

++++ keyne cancels a doctor's appointment, picks me up in Lexington and drives me all the way to the office. Whew!

The lesson for the future is that being half-prepared is little improvement over not being prepared at all. Armed now with two spare Presta tubes, a glueless patch kit and a mini-pump, I remain yours ---

Comments

(frozen) RIM. It's called a Rim.

[(Anonymous)]

The rear RIM will only take presta tubes, not the rear tire.

You damn cycle-commuters. The most ill prepared, ill-riding, and most poor bike handlers! Enjoy your hybrid, or mtb with slicks!

(frozen) Re: RIM. It's called a Rim.

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

Uh, right! That's why I said "the rim for my rear tire will only take Presta tubes." Maybe I should have said "my rear rim will only take Presta tubes" for the benefit of those who don't understand subordinate clauses?

[folkmew.livejournal.com]

You know what is cool about my Better World Club (http://www.betterworldclub.com/bicycles/index.htm) membership? They have a bicycle assistance program!!

Maybe we'll get to use it once we get relocated to MA. Never bothered here because we mostly haven't had a chance to use our bikes that much. (which is too bad since it is lovely for biking in VT!)

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

Yes! I totally want to join the BWC, for all kinds of reasons. The bike roadside assistance would just be a nice perk. :-)

Now that you mention it I seem to recall that BWC will give credit for unused AAA months? If that's correct we should be able to convert at any time and not wait until our AAA is expiring.

MA is a really lovely place to ride. I've only done a little riding around the Andover/Tewksbury area but some of those roads are really nice. Boston gets a (justly) bad rap for having terrible drivers and even worse roads, but the areas around Rt 128 and 495 can be excellent.

[dancingwolfgrrl.livejournal.com]

Oh no! I'm glad it worked out in the end -- and Kevlar tires totally make you badass.

[pyrzqxgl.livejournal.com]

Eep! Some days ...

[inseriatim.livejournal.com]

I once got a flat on my way through Worcester. I had brought a pump, but no patch kit or spare tube. I don't know what the hell I was thinking. After trying to repair the tube with duct tape, I wandered all over town looking for a bike shop, and got to Boston five hours later than planned.

Now, of course, I carry tubes, patch kit, tire levers, and pump everywhere. No wait, what am I saying? I don't have any of those things with me. Thanks for the reminder -- I will stock up tomorrow!

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

I am completely psyched to have an excuse to buy the Kevlar tires, after years of "please give me the cheapest thing you have in the shop -- duct tape and rubber bands are fine."

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

I suffer that you may live.

[ceo]

This is reminding me that I should make sure my emergency kit is fully stocked.

[folkmew.livejournal.com]

I think they do maybe give you a discount. They seem to be good people. When we needed to renew right before a "big trip" they bumped the effective date up a week for us. Bless them.

I haven't had to use them much but the couple times I did I didn't notice any worse service than I ever had from AAA (which, to be fair, was always good). The only AAA perk I miss is the free tourbooks and maps. Better World Club limits you (partly because of trying to save paper but also probably because they aren't rollin in dough the way AAA is). Still - they sent me perfectly nice maps for our big trip this spring.

Good luck!

[keyne.livejournal.com]

+ Your saintly spouse canceled a doctor's appointment, rescued you in Lexington, and drove you to work.

That's two minuses and three pluses, no? :-)

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

Eeek! You're absolutely right. Edited!

[awfief.livejournal.com]

AAA is $50 for a year....are you really going to balk at having a duplicate of what, $25, to join BWC? Plus you can likely get a refund from AAA.

[keyne.livejournal.com]

AAA is $50 for a year

Only if you're single. We pay $72/year.

[awfief.livejournal.com]

True, I believe I pay $24 extra for Tony. The point is still valid; it's an order of magnitude.

Let's say it's $120. That's $10 per month. Is it worth $60 for 6 months for forfeited service?

[keyne.livejournal.com]

Not to me, because (a) we're cash-poor at the moment, (b) AAA is a known quantity and BWC is not, and (c) I try not to throw away money on things I'm not going to use.

If BWC will credit or AAA will refund and both pro-rate, that's a different story.

[awfief.livejournal.com]

So the answer to "are you really going to balk at it?" is "yes". That's OK.