I get a lot of flat tires riding my bike around San Francisco. Often the culprits are stray staples or nails that have been left on the road from construction sites. Out of necessity, I’ve become proficient at patching things up in 5 to 10 minutes. But, it’s a hassle, and since I’m not great at it, I always end up pretty greasy afterwards.
I started looking around for a “AAA” for bikes. But so far, I haven’t been able to find one.
Like getting a flat tire in a car, I have the tools necessary to fix it with me, but I don’t always want to be the one doing it. For example, if I’m going to a meeting, I don’t want to show up with my hands all greasy. I’d prefer to call ahead and explain that I got a flat tire and that I’m going to be a little late, like I would if I were driving.
Right now, if you get a flat during business hours, you can probably walk a couple miles to a nearby bike shop and have them patch things up. But, if it’s after hours, you’re out of luck and will have to get creative about how to get your bike home. On top of that, finding time to get your bike fixed up, if you rely on it for your commute, is a pain. It’d be simpler to just deal with everything right then and there.
If you know of any companies that offer road service for bikes, let me know and I’ll sign up.
If you’d be interested in a service like this, please leave your email below. I’ll let you know if I find anything or can convince some friends to start offering this kind of service.
Update: It looks like AAA in Washington, Minneapolis, Southern New England, Oregon, Colorado, and parts of Idaho offers this type of service. Click here to learn more.