Car preps (or lack of)

[Nurseandy]

Normally I have a camping stove,food,water, blanket in the car. Today however, I took it all out to transport rubbish to the local tip (about 10 miles away). Guess what day I broke down?
Still, during our two hour wait for recovery service (could've walked home in that time) we wandered the verges with Richard maybe's "food for free" in hand so at least it was a learning experience for my teenage daughter.

[Yorkshire Andy]

It's always the case isn't it

Renewed my green flag over the weekend good for another 12 months .... Oh you've had no call outs . Nope .. despite the wife's car breakdown in tescos 2 weeks ago I got it going and home to be sorted (battery had died)

Hope the cars not going to cost you too much to get going again

[Frnc]

Always worth having some warm clothes in the car in winter in case you break down. I speak from experience! Waited ages in a freezing car park one time. My girlfiend insisted on coming out (which took about an hour), but she couldn't jump start it so then I had to wait for the AA.

I do the same with my push bike in winter. I could get a flat or something. I don't carry a warm top to be honest, I probably should add a fleece, but I do carry gloves, hat and waterproofs.

[deckard]

For me it's inevitable whenever the tools come out the car\off the bike something happens. Still every so many years I take a chance.

Last week I nipped to the shops; only a 20 minute ride, so I removed the tools I've carried every day for 20 years; it'll be quicker I told myself; more room for shopping. That's the day my derailleur breaks. 10 minutes of head scratching and serendipitously finding a 47uf capacitor at the bottom of my pannier and using it for a makeshift repair I was on my way, but it's still annoying.

[Frnc]

For me it's inevitable whenever the tools come out the car\off the bike something happens. Still every so many years I take a chance.

Last week I nipped to the shops; only a 20 minute ride, so I removed the tools I've carried every day for 20 years; it'll be quicker I told myself; more room for shopping. That's the day my derailleur breaks. 10 minutes of head scratching and serendipitously finding a 47uf capacitor at the bottom of my pannier and using it for a makeshift repair I was on my way, but it's still annoying.

I wouldn't dare leave my bike outside the shops. I was walking past Sainsbury's once, and there was a bloke using an angle grinder on a lock! Could have been his bike of course, but the security guard hadn't noticed, and no one was stopping. I have too many bits attached as well, two racks, ISM noseless saddle etc.
I always take one rear pannier out, has tools, gas, tube, first aid kit etc.

[deckard]

I'm always a little nervous whenever I leave it, but I lock it up as best as I can and just get on with things. I've only a rack on the back and the panniers and lights always dismount and come with me so there's nothing else to detach without tools, then I lock it twice through both wheels and the frame.

Besides, my bike is like triggers broom, it's a solid bike but doesn't look appealing. Doesn't mean nobody will nick it but best defences an all. It also has it's "little issues" that come with 6k miles of wear a year - I know what they are, but anyone else riding it would get what they deserve.

On the lock cutting note, many years ago when I was a student I locked my bike up in the morning where I always did, at University outside the Security office, got pissed and lost the keys to the lock. I had to cut the lock off with a hacksaw, and security just sat and watched me do it.

[Frnc]

Speaking of locks, I do have a gold standard folding lock that's quite light. I keep it strapped to the underside of the down tube. It's a Trelock. I just keep it there for emergencies.

[Yorkshire Andy]

Thebsold secure ratings are about as much use as a chocolate fire guard.

Cycle locks they don't even attack them with a standard hacksaw at gold level was an article in a cycle mag a few years back :/

[jansman]

Thebsold secure ratings are about as much use as a chocolate fire guard.

Cycle locks they don't even attack them with a standard hacksaw at gold level was an article in a cycle mag a few years back :/

My cousin was a cycle courier in London back in the 90’s. The go- to lock was Kryptonite then. Until the scum used plumber’s nitrogen spray and a hammer! He had a top- end fixie,and he sprayed it to look crap with masking tape all over,and just lean- locked it with a cable at drop- offs.

[Yorkshire Andy]

Thebsold secure ratings are about as much use as a chocolate fire guard.

Cycle locks they don't even attack them with a standard hacksaw at gold level was an article in a cycle mag a few years back :/

My cousin was a cycle courier in London back in the 90’s. The go- to lock was Kryptonite then. Until the scum used plumber’s nitrogen spray and a hammer! He had a top- end fixie,and he sprayed it to look crap with masking tape all over,and just lean- locked it with a cable at drop- offs.

Then in the early 2000's the humble bic biro would open many of the kryptonite locks to the point they replaced 1000's free of charge