this post was submitted on 17 Jul 2024
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Bike Commuting
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Genuine question but why do you need one? I've cycle commuted for around 10 years now and have never needed to carry a pump on me.
Some people (myself included) like having a pump in addition to a couple CO2 carts just to be prepared
But why carry excess weight and lose valuable bag space everyday taking unnecessary things with you. If you are commuting by bike then you need your bike to be reliable which means you should invest in good tyres.
If you are getting punctures then you either need to get an armoured tyre if you are using tubes (I've used specialised crossroads and marathon plus) or invest in a proper tubeless setup.
I just don't really understand why you'd carry a load of crap you don't need for the sake of being "prepared" rather than investing in the mode of transport you rely on to get you to work every single day. No one wants to be trying to fix a puncture in the pouring rain knowing you still have to also work a full shift for the sake of not just investing a small amount of money into tour setup.
I haven't had one puncture in all my years of commuting which I put down to being prepared in terms of getting the right gear for the job in the first place. Regular maintanance and cleaning to keep your bike running well is all you need, the only tool I've ever carried is a small multi tool and I've not once used that even.
I'm glad your experience has been idyllic, but oftentimes things happen to people. Not unreasonable to carry an item the size of a banana to get out of a jam. Something I have used 4 times over the last 4 years riding in an urban setting. Really saved my butt out riding with my kid. Why sound so shitty on people? Different people experience different things.
I'm not sounding shitty, I'm trying to understand why people would want to fight with pumps and tubes and all that shit by the side of the road rather than preparing themselves not to have that situation.
Riding with your kid isn't cycle commuting and is a different case entirely so isn't really relevant for the conversation.
You don't sound shitty to your own eyes, but I'd wager others take it different. It reads as dismissive and combative.
People do it because no outcome is a lock; you can prepare all you want but you may get a flat.
And see? You dismissed me out of hand. Be kind. You don't even know what kind of riding I'm doing, how long, where, or with what kind of child seat. I ride a lot in places that one could be commuting, to many different businesses/parks. The technical difference in my purpose makes little difference in how my bike physically interacts with roads/sidewalks.
Be cool man, if bikers in a bike forum can't at least be chill we have NO chance against the cars.