We got a lot of feedback about my article on AAA’s bicycle roadside service in last week’s issue. Several readers pointed out that AAA clubs operate independently, and not all of them offer this service. If they do, it might not be at the same level (10-mile maximum delivery range, for example, for one club vs. 200 miles for another). The moral of the story is, check with your local AAA club for details. —J.M.
Following are two of the more succinct and informative posts that capture the essence of this, along with a decent-sounding alternative:
John, Nice posting about AAA offering Roadside Assistance for bicyclists as a member benefit. I’ve been following this for some time and just got an update from the AAA Federation of PA. Your readers should be aware that not all AAA Clubs offer this service. Each club is independent and must consider the availability of service providers and cost of including this benefit. In Pennsylvania, only four of eight clubs have this now. That may change, but its not universal for all clubs. —Joe Stafford, Executive Director, Bicycle Access Council
For those who can’t get (or don’t want) the AAA bike service, another road service club Better World Club started the whole bike service deal. I’ve had their premier bike+car service covering my whole family for 14 years now. Have used the car towing aspect but haven’t needed the bike service (yet) as I can fix most things on the road and really only got it in case the frame breaks or a wheel totally goes. I know most people say, “I’ll just call my spouse for a rescue,” but when your spouse is on the tandem with you, you need a backup plan. —Greg
I have the service thru AAA NYC and used it one when I got myself into a jam riding with my wife on a hot summer day. We went over some reasonable hills an I bonked. The prospect of getting back over those hills wasn’t possible. AAA gave me a lift to the gas station on the other side (my wife pedaled there!). I got some cold drink with the sugar I needed and finished the ride. Only constraint I see is you only get 2 service pickups a year.