Starting on this May Day, AAA members in Iowa will be able to take advantage of a new type of service.
The auto club’s Gail Weinholzer says if you’re out bicycling anywhere in the state and have some type of mechanical trouble, you’ll be able to call for a tow truck. So, why is the auto club getting involved with bicycles?
“We all use multiple modes of travel,” Weinholzer says. “Yes, we’re an automobile association but a lot of our members bicycle and a lot of our members would appreciate this type of service.”
The service technicians won’t change your bike tire for you if you have a flat, but they will give you and your bike a lift back to your car, home or — if necessary — to a bike shop.
“While we will try and fix cars on the roadside, we will not attempt to fix bikes, but we will tow you for however long your membership is good for,” Weinholzer says. “If it’s a Classic membership, we’ll tow you up to five miles; a Plus membership, up to 100 miles; and a Premier membership, up to 200 miles.”
If your two-wheeler leaves you stranded on a bike trail, you’ll need to get to the nearest road. “We have to be able to access you via our tow trucks and they’re not off-road vehicles,” Weinholzer says. “If you’re halfway climbing up a mountain on a mountain bike, you’re going to have to walk the bike down the hill.”
Whether riding for sport, recreation or exercise, she says it’s important for cyclists to know bicycles are considered vehicles and they’re now covered under a club membership.