Was I right? (not offering 'advice' to an unknown rider)

As most of you will know, yesterday I was "sent home" from work early yesterday. Mainly so I could play in the sun on the bike

Whilst I was out playing, I came up on the back of a bike (I forget what bike it was now - but it was sports/sports tourer, not off road), first thing I notice "blooming hell that's a loud rattle!" (and at this point I'm a good 15ft from the back of him/her).

As we're riding along enthusasitcally, I'm trying to work out if this noise is their bike or mine. Then I see it. The bike in front's chain is jumping around like crazy, pretty obviously VERY loose IMO. This is what the rattling noise is, which I confirm by keeping an eye on it. The rattle disappears when the chain isn't under load, and increases with acelleration.

I thought about pulling along side to have a friendly word, but then I also figured that if I can hear it from 15ft away (with plugs in!) I'm sure that they're aware of it! It's also a different bike, so chain tension will be different, and it could be perfectly normal (but I doubt it should rattle).

In the end, I decided no, I wouldn't bother.

What would you of done? And how would you of felt about another biker raising that issue about your bike?

Can't do anything about it now, but just for future reference...

Well even if you come across as nosey or interferring then if there was a problem, you could haveprevented something nasty. Thats the way I look at it anyhooos

[Rich]

I duno, i'd have atleast gone over and said "i think your chains loose", then if they say thats how it is just let them get on with it. Sounded abit dodgey to me. Cud be bad news for that rider though, it's down to everyone to check their own bikes though so i wudn't worry too much about it!

[northwind]

There was one like that in a car park on the AR... I told the owner, she got bad tempered at me. Apparently faults only dangerous after someone points them out to you.

Originally Posted by 1RichSV650

I duno, i'd have atleast gone over and said "i think your chains loose", then if they say thats how it is just let them get on with it. Sounded abit dodgey to me. Cud be bad news for that rider though, it's down to everyone to check their own bikes though so i wudn't worry too much about it!

Problem is that neither of us were stationary at any point. I could of pretty safely pulled along side him on one of the straights, but this was an enthusiastic ride in the countryside, and there's always that chance that he thinks I'm trying to race him.

I do take the point about everyone having to make sure their own machine is safe though, that's why I made the judgment call that he's likely to know better than I, since its so damn loud. I was also trying to think of ways to explain it politely to them whilst concentrating on the road, so I decided to be selfish & put myself first, just gave some extra room incase it jumped off the sprocket right infront of me, and we parted further down the road.

Just figured I'd see what other folks thought

[Luckypants]

A friendly - 'your chain looks loose' would have been in order. I never know what's right with chains and tend to have mine too tight, so what do I know?

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Baph

Problem is that neither of us were stationary at any point. I could of pretty safely pulled along side him on one of the straights, but this was an enthusiastic ride in the countryside, and there's always that chance that he thinks I'm trying to race him.

I do take the point about everyone having to make sure their own machine is safe though, that's why I made the judgment call that he's likely to know better than I, since its so damn loud. I was also trying to think of ways to explain it politely to them whilst concentrating on the road, so I decided to be selfish & put myself first, just gave some extra room incase it jumped off the sprocket right infront of me, and we parted further down the road.

Just figured I'd see what other folks thought

Thats fair enough Baph, if you didn't have an opportunity to say anything then what can you do, as you said it was loud enough!

I'd of probably followed them for a bit (at a safe distance) then once stopped at traffic lights/somewhere similar, told them "I think your chain might be loose mate." Wait and see if they pull over and if they do, offer to help (if you're able). If not, oh well, at least you told them.

I can understand them being a bit miffed if you pulled in front of them/pulled them over when there wasn't a problem. I can't see anyone really taking offence if you mention it while stopped at lights.

You were right to hang back though. A while back I was in the car and a bike (making a bit of a racket) overtook me. 2 miles later, I see the chap stopped in the hard shoulder. I check he's okay and he is, but his chain has indeed come off.

I think the right thing to do would have been to try and tell them. But thats easy for me to say in hindsight. If I were there in your position thinking the same thoughts as you, 'should I pull alongside' etc chances are that I would have left it too. Sometimes you know the right thing to do but it's not always that easy to do it, doesn't make you a bad person IMO. Had you both stopped at a junction or caught in traffic I'm sure you would have told them.

Don't feel bad about it some people wouldn't have even considered trying to help and they say its the thought that counts!

i was following a 900 hornet round Wandsworth 1-way system the other day, at a fairly brisk pace. As we pulled up at a set of lights i motioned to talk to him. He was looking all chipper, think he was expecting me to say something like "wow you're so quick on that mr hunky biker". Instead he got "by the way there's sparks coming off the back end of your bike"

Funnily enough he did seem grateful that i'd mentioned it, and even asked for clarification as to whether it was when he went round corners or at other times as well. However he didn't stop to check it out and instead pulled off at speed and went on his merry way home

tbh i'd always tell someone if there was something dangerous - it may be that they didn't know much about bikes or hadn't noticed the fault