Whereas biking in Aruba just lately, I got here throughout a bunch of younger Dutch boys standing in the midst of the street with a confused look upon their faces.
Once I approached the group of 5, one of many taller boys got here in the direction of me and stated one thing in Dutch. I don’t know precisely what he stated, however I knew what he wished.
He and his buddies had determined to exit on a motorbike experience and never a single certainly one of them had thought to deliver a pump, patch package, tire levers, or spare tube. One of many boys had a flat tire they usually wished to know if they might use my instruments to attempt to patch up the deflated tube.
Fortunate for them I had come alongside at simply the precise time.
I gladly handed over my pump, patch package, and tire levers. I’d have given them a spare tube had I had one that might have match inside their 26-inch mountain bike tires.
For the following ten to fifteen minutes the boys labored on the flat, making an attempt to restore the injury… however had been in the end unsuccessful. I attempted to assist them with the patch job, however was assured that these younger Dutch cyclists should know a factor or two about patching tubes themselves, so I didn’t intrude.
Ultimately, the boys had to make use of their mobile phone to name a buddy to return and choose them up in a automobile. They gave me 10 Aruban Florins for my hassle and snapped photographs of me as I rode off on my unusual wanting folding bike.
The rationale I inform this story is as a result of I’ve obtained some criticism from different bicyclists up to now as a result of I at all times go away on tour with at the very least two spare tubes in my possession.
“Why carry so many tubes when you’ll be able to simply patch up the tube you’ve acquired?” they are saying.
Nicely, I’ll let you know!
The rationale I at all times carry at the very least two spare tubes is as a result of I don’t need to the be the one stranded out in the midst of nowhere with a flat tire and no approach of fixing it. On prime of that, I merely hate making an attempt to patch up a bicycle tube. I’d a lot fairly seize a model new tube and throw it in my tire and be down with it. Patch jobs make me nervous… and the final assume I need to be when out on my bicycle is nervous!
Over time I’ve come to the rescue of many cyclists who left house and not using a spare tube and located themselves with a flat tire and no approach of fixing the flat or changing it with a spare. Fortunate for them, I at all times carry a pair spare tubes, so I used to be joyful to assist once I may.
The purpose I’m making an attempt to make is that with one thing as necessary as your tires, you don’t need to probability being caught out in the midst of nowhere with no different choice however begging for somebody that can assist you.
An necessary a part of bicycle touring is that you simply do all the things in your energy to be as self-sufficient as doable. To me, being self-sufficient means having a backup plan. And backup plan on any bicycle tour includes carrying at the very least 2 spare tubes.
A minimum of that’s what I believe anyway……..
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