[Filthy_McNasty]

Since i'm a mountainbike enthusiast i believe that mountainbikes would be a most excellent alternative to gas-operated vehicles in a shtf or bug-out scenario for a variety of reasons. There's enough street construction currently happening around here that gridlock is guaranteed in the event of an emergency [not to mention we have THE worst drivers in the entire world right here!!], and the [unlikely] possibility of gas shortages. I could see myself rolling past all the sheeple gridlocked in their cars on I-55 trying to make their way out...

I was thinking about attaching a deer gamecart or a kiddie-carrier to haul supplies behind the bike. They're both lightweight enough to carry a great deal of supplies, and are rugged enough to ride off-road trails with.

I've also got two sets of rims; one with off-road tires, and one set with baldy street tires. Both are able to be swapped in under three minutes depending on scenario.


If you don't have a MB, good ones are available for around $500▬avoid department store bikes


Any other thoughts or suggestions would be warmly welcomed

 

[sarge912]

I could see myself rolling past all the sheeple gridlocked in their cars on I-55 trying to make their way out...

I think I would try to avoid the angry, gridlocked people. The tendency is to take out their anger on the guy on the bicycle that is rolling past them.":
It is surely an option to be considered if you can stay off the beaten path.

 

[Varmit]

A couple of mountain bikes definitely sounds like an excellent investment.
I used to bike semi-frequently a few years ago, but gave it up because
the weather here just isn't all that condusive to make biking a reliable
part of a workout routine. But you sure can cover some ground on a
bike, compared to walking. :thumb:

Have you considered using airless tires?
http://www.airfreetires.com/

A couple of mountain bikes is one of the items on my list that
I haven't gotten around to acquiring yet, but hopefully soon.
I've considered upgrading the tires to the airless kind.

I suspect the ride quality may be compromised a bit, but
at the trade-off of most likely not losing a tire.

I'm definitely not a mountain bike expert, so any input positive
or negative on the airless tires would be appreciated.

 

[ApeMan]

I purchased a Trek kiddie trailer at a yard sale for 25.00 to use for that purpose. A mountain bike is an extremely good alternative mode of transportation.
I have been checking out bikepacking sites to see what some of those people are doing for survival ideas.
I have just the basics but feel much better equipped than having no bike...
spare tires, water reistant light for night, rear trunk bag, mini pump etc.
My only modification is buying two extra water bottlers to mount to the front fork with zip ties if I needed to. I have two mounted now so I would have a total of four. i was thinking about taking the end cap off my climbing bars and stuffing paracord and fishing line and hooks in there so if I ever needed to drop the trailer for whatever reason, i would still have that.
Most situations I would hunker down at home, but if I ever needed to leave my bike is coming with me.
(definatley not driving by everyone on the highway though-remove from vehicle and head straight in the woods as much as possible)

 

[elgin]

Since i'm a mountainbike enthusiast i believe that mountainbikes would be a most excellent alternative to gas-operated vehicles in a shtf or bug-out scenario for a variety of reasons. There's enough street construction currently happening around here that gridlock is guaranteed in the event of an emergency [not to mention we have THE worst drivers in the entire world right here!!], and the [unlikely] possibility of gas shortages. I could see myself rolling past all the sheeple gridlocked in their cars on I-55 trying to make their way out...

I was thinking about attaching a deer gamecart or a kiddie-carrier to haul supplies behind the bike. They're both lightweight enough to carry a great deal of supplies, and are rugged enough to ride off-road trails with.

I've also got two sets of rims; one with off-road tires, and one set with baldy street tires. Both are able to be swapped in under three minutes depending on scenario.


If you don't have a MB, good ones are available for around $500▬avoid department store bikes


Any other thoughts or suggestions would be warmly welcomed

I'm thinking the same thing.

I bought a new bike last week and by Friday my Golden Eagle bike engine should arrive. It's a 35cc gas engine good for 26 MPH & 200 MPG.

www.bikeengines.com/index.htm

My 55 gal drum of gas should be good for 10,000 miles of local running in a bug-in situation, and if I pack a 21/2 gal can of gas when I get out of dodge, I could travel 700 - 800 miles.

And when the last drop of gas disappears, I'll still have the pedals.

elgin

 

[Filthy_McNasty]

I think I would try to avoid the angry, gridlocked people. The tendency is to take out their anger on the guy on the bicycle that is rolling past them.":
It is surely an option to be considered if you can stay off the beaten path.

LoL
I added that as a visual .. It's not something i would do

Those airless tires that Varmint posted looks promising considering inner tubes are one of the weaker points of bicycles.

 

[riorust]

I was riding in the park last weekend and got run into a lamp pole. The driver did not stop and I woke up a couple of hours later... no one stopped.. I hate LA!

I got very lucky... no broken bones... no head damage.. just a mild concussion... I am too old for this.. I did get my first black eye in 50+ years!

Bikes are an easy target..ride with care and caution.

 

[Cryptkeeper]

this is what you need instead of a game cart. you just hang 2, 40LB backpacks off the sides :thumb:



http://www.trail-a-bike.com/

or

http://www.trail-gator.com/

http://www.bicycletrailers.com/morgan-cycle-shadow-aluminum-bike-trailer.pro

http://www.rei.com/product/774425

 

[emclean]

I was thinking about attaching a deer gamecart or a kiddie-carrier to haul supplies behind the bike. They're both lightweight enough to carry a great deal of supplies, and are rugged enough to ride off-road trails with.

the trailer would be much wider than the bike, so you could be gettign hung up on obsticals. a single wheeled trailer would reduce the chances of that happening.

 

[OhCanada]

Bikes are an option and anyone saying differently doesn't know survival at all.

An option is something that can be used, every option has it's pros and cons but survival is all about options, not just locking on to the best of any one thing.

If you are healthy enough to ride a bike you would be well covered if you had one in good condition with extra parts EVEN if you own a car. If you own a bike as a secondary option make sure you ride it at least one a month (once a week is better) so that you will be aware of any maintence that it requires.

No, just because you have a tuned up bike that you never ride sitting in your garage does not mean you are covered; things mechanical things tend to fall apart at the worst times when not being used. To prove my point, I took out a MSR stove that has been sitting on my shelf for a year and when I tried to light it the fuel linked because the O-ring dried in storage.

 

[corndogggy]

http://www.bobgear.com/trailers/

 

[corndogggy]

If you actually want to use a bike as an emergency vehicle, then you need to know how to fix basic things while away from your garage and on the road or trail. Need to know how to fix a flat at the minimum. Tubeless tires with sealant would be best, but spare tubes and tire pry bars need to be carried everywhere.

Also an often overlooked issue is your chain. Mess up your chain without having a chain breaking tool and spare pins and the knowledge to use them and you're screwed, totally dead in the water.

Alan wrenches ought to be carried too... it's easy to have a wreck and have your bars or saddle or whatever get all jacked up and turned sideways and who knows what else.

 

[sluggyslugworth]

Bikes are excellent bug out veichles in my opinion. I mean you can either ride on them with your gear or... put your gear on said bike and easily roll it. Not to mention bikes are a breeze to fix compared to cars.

 

[Paddy]

sounds good man! in was thinking that mainly cuz i dnt have a car

 

[erikm]

Good idea and, as said, get a bicycle trailer to haul stuff. You should consider dropping the baldy tires for a good set of urban/city tires. Not as fast as slicks but they've got good rain treading and damage resistance without been as knobby as offroad tires. Look out though because (in my experience) city tires tend to be uni-directional against rain. Also, if your bicycle doesn't have one, get a good rear luggage carrier for it.

Thankfully I live (and commute by bicycle) in a country with excellent bicycle facilities. Bike safety starts in primary school and gets repeated a couple of times before the end of high school. Doorings are rare here.

Oh, if you want to go over the top for urban cargo hauling, you could always get a bakfiets. My stepsister has one to haul the rugrats and groceries around. Pack of brats not included.

-E

 

[onestep]

Here's mine.

10 year old Full suspension Trek Y3.

I camo wrapped it, painted everything I couldn't black or olive.
I do use it hunting as well, better than walking.
Added a couple of LED flashlights to the front bar as well. I still need to do a few more things to it.

 

[C.O. Jones]

A very good choice for a BOB is an old English three speed, or the newer bikes that imitate them. They have an upright seating position that makes them very comfortable and easy to ride. They have fenders and a chain guard so you don't have to worry about getting your clothes wet or muddy. The tires, which are very puncture proof, are narrow enough to ride on the streets with low rolling resistance so you can get up to speed, but they also work very well in dirt roads.

But the drive train is really what makes them great. A Sturmey Archer three speed internal gear hub gives you a fairly wide gear ratio and is almost indestructible and maintenance free. All you have to do is put a few drops of oil in the old ones a couple of times a year, and the new ones are sealed and don't even need oiling. There's no external gearing so you don't have to worry about babying any finicky, fragile derailer and chain system.

It's a workhorse of a bike that is probably the most popular style of bike in the world. Most of the Chinese, Indian and Dutch bikes are copies or variants of English three speeds.

 

[GrizzlyMI]

Mountain bikes make great BOV IMO. I have been mountain biking for about 15 years now. I have also become a pretty qualified bike mechanic. I own most of the specialty tools(chain breaker, bottom bracket tool, rear cassette removal tool etc.).

My current rides are a Gary Fisher Marlin from 1999 that I have upgraded heavily the last year and a 2006 Specialized Rockhopper. The Fisher is my main crosscountry rig and the Rockhopper serves as a daily commuter and BOV.

Feel free to shoot me PM or post any questions in this thread regarding anything bicycle related.(service questions or advice, what should I buy, parts etc.)

 

[hedley]

My 55 gal drum of gas-lol

And you will haul this how?

The most efficient bikes are recumbents with a windscreen (3 wheels). They are also the most comfortable and have full chair style seating sytems. With an ecospeed they haul ass!

I plan on putting an electric motor on mine but the price is out of my range right now ($2K-USA made 5.5lb motor, and $1500 for one ~11lb LiFePO4 battery which does not include install).
I have a gary fisher advance mountain bike and they make setups for both mountain and recumbents at http://www.ecospeed.com/. NO pedaling required!
~100 mile range with excellent charge times & state of the art indicators.

Here's a cool bike trailer that simply clips to your seat post, folds up, or can be used as a dolly of sorts.
http://www.uncrate.com/men/gear/transportation/burley-travoy-bike-cargo-trailer/

Anything with an engine (gas?) requires a license etc. and I am not going to pay homage to the fed govt nor an oil company with a bicycle EVER.

If your serious about a bike I would suggest looking into the 29r's which use 29" wheels and need a somewhat larger frame.
Here's kind of a cool seatpost I want as well. I just bought a brooks saddle and my frame has no shocks other than the cheesy forks it came with:
http://www.thudbuster.com/products.html
Tires? Look no further than schwalbe marathon xr's. ~$110-120/pair

 

[GrizzlyMI]

I am in looking into building a 29er bike using a Sette frame set up as a single speed for a more reliable BOV. Avid BB7 disc brakes and going to try to keep it very light. No gears would keep the failure rate lower and mechanical disc over hydraulic disc for the same reason. I am going to stay away from a tubeless setup just because of the low pressure hassle's of popping the rim seal.