Unlike horses and other farm animals, bicycles do not require
any food, or water, or pasture, or daily care. They also don’t generate
any garden manure and that could be either a plus or a minus depending on your
situation.
And a bicycle is ready to go the instant you need it, even if an EMP blast
disables other modes of transportation. A bicycle can be stored for decades
with just a little oil on its chain and on its other moving parts. In the
event of a serious worldwide catastrophe, a bicycle may become extremely
useful in two important ways: (1) transportation between locations, and (2) as
a pack mule.
TRANSPORTATION: Depending on the type of worldwide catastrophe, transportation
may or may not be necessary or even desirable. However, if it is necessary
and automobiles are not available for some reason, then a bicycle will enable
a person to cover distances easier and faster than walking. A person can walk
about 3 miles per hour but a bicycle can easily cover between 10 to 30 miles
per hour, depending on the road conditions (hills, etc.) and the physical fitness
of the rider.
PACK MULE: When forced into service as a pack mule, an adult human male can
carry about 30 pounds and still be able to walk 2 or 3 miles per hour. However,
most bicycles will allow the rider to add about 20 pounds to the front wheel
and about 30 pounds to the rear wheel for a total of about 50 pounds plus the
rider. If the rider is willing to walk beside the bicycle
and push the bicycle, then a typical adult bicycle could be
loaded with 200 to 250 pounds of supplies
and equipment strapped to the metal frame of the bike. [JWR Adds: When
doing so fro more than a short distance, it is useful to lash a stout broomstick
or a 5+ foot length from a sapling
on to the handlebars, to provide a solid surface to push against with equal
pressure of both hands, as well as leverage for keeping the front wheel pointed
in the desired
direction.]
Or a bicycle trailer could be attached to the rear of the bicycle and the rider
could add about 100 pounds of supplies onto the bicycle trailer. You could
purchase a special bike trailer or you could convert a two-seater child trailer
into an equipment trailer by replacing the children’s compartment with
a large lockable waterproof plastic storage box securely mounted between the
two trailer wheels. If you use a rear mounted bike trailer to transport supplies
and it is not lockable, then you need to be very careful when you travel through
an area where there are other people. People will steal things off your rear
bike trailer when you aren’t looking or while you are being intentionally
distracted by one of their associates. This type of theft can be prevented
by using a locking waterproof plastic storage box bolted to your trailer instead
of just strapping things down to a
basic flatbed trailer.
Even if you are walking and pushing a fully loaded bike, you can still occasionally
stand with your RIGHT foot on the LEFT pedal and lean the bike gently away
from you at a slight angle to maintain its balance, and then coast down a hill
or incline while operating your hand brakes to keep the bike at a safe speed.
A bicycle will allow you to cover more ground with more supplies and equipment
with less fatigue, and this could make a significant difference in your chances
of survival. Even if you do not anticipate the need for transportation during
a worldwide catastrophe, a bicycle would still be a good investment in the
event you were forced to become a refugee for some unexpected reason and your
automobile was not available. Anyone could be forced into the life of a refugee
due to events beyond his or her control, such as forest fires, or floods, or
drought that results in dry wells, or enemy soldiers with heavy artillery who
are destroying all the homes they find.
Two or three-hundred pounds of supplies and equipment is not a
lot but it could keep one person alive for one-year (or longer) depending on
how wisely you
selected your items and how successful you were at supplementing your food
supplies with hunting, trapping, fishing, foraging, and growing simple vegetables
from seeds such as corn and beans and tomatoes. Growing pinto beans or kidney
beans is a lot easier than searching for wild edible plants. For some additional
information on seeds, please see my article entitled “How
to Harvest, Process, and Store Vegetable Seeds”
BICYCLE CONSTRUCTION
Bike Style: Any style adult bicycle is acceptable. This includes mountain bikes
and road bikes. I recommend a bike with a fixed rigid rear wheel as opposed
to a spring mounted rear wheel. The advantage of a spring mounted rear wheel
is that it helps to absorb road shocks and not transmit their full force to
the saddle. The advantage of a fixed rear wheel is that you can install
a more substantial rear luggage rack over the rear wheel.
Folding bikes are also nice and eBay has
them for $200 or less. However, unless you really need a folding bike, a normal
fixed frame bike is probably a better
investment and it will probably last longer before needing repairs.
All bicycles need roads or paths or trails or some other relatively smooth
unobstructed surface to ride on. Therefore don’t buy a mountain bike
simply because you think you will be riding through wilderness areas. If you
are in a thick forest, you will be walking beside your bike and picking it
up and carrying it over obstacles, such as fallen trees. Almost any type of
bike works fine when you are walking beside it.
Price: You can purchase a bike at a specialty bike shop or at a store such
as WalMart. If you make your purchase at a bike shop you may discover you are
paying a premium for the bike because bikes, bike accessories, and bike repairs
are the only source of revenue for the bike shop. However, a store like Walmart
has a standard markup on most of its items and their profit on bicycles is
not that much different from anything else in the store. At Walmart you can
usually find a really nice selection of good bikes for under $200. If you look
carefully, you can also find several below $100 and a few below $75. If you
go to a bike shop, the bikes usually start at $200 and quickly jump to $300
or $400 and some are even priced at $800, $1,200 and $2,000. The final decision
on how much you wish to spend on a bike is up to you, but I think you could
get a very, very nice bicycle for less than $200. (Note: I have a $59 ten-speed
bike that I purchased 10 years ago from Walmart and I am still very happy with
it.) Many, but not all, of the accessories mentioned below can also be purchased
at a very reasonable price at stores such as Walmart. However some items must
be purchased or ordered through a specialty bike shop or purchased off the
Internet.
Gears or Speeds: A bicycle with three or more speeds is highly desirable. A
bicycle operates the same way an automobile does. If you only had ONE gear
in your car, you would NOT be very happy with the performance of your car.
With three or more gears in your car, the car can shift gears as you gain speed
and improve the performance of your car. If you encounter a really steep hill,
the car can shift into a lower gear. The same principle applies to bikes. Many,
many years ago there were only single-speed bikes. To demonstrate the advantage
of the newly invented three-speed bike a simple road test was conducted. An
adult male racing champion was allowed to ride his favorite one-speed bike
but a petite female was given a three-speed bike. The race was over a typical
course involving some hills and some decent stretches of level ground. The
young lady literally beat the socks off the professional male bike racer because
she had three gears to pick from. She could pick the best gear for climbing
a hill and a different gear for maximum speed on level ground. The professional
bike racer only had one gear and he couldn’t keep up with the lady even
though he had substantially more strength in his leg muscles. That simple two-person
race resulted in the end of single-speed bicycles in professional bicycle races.
The Optimum Number of Speeds: Any number of speeds between 3 to 21 will yield
good performance. The total number of speeds is not as important as a person
might expect.
A three-speed bike has one front gear and three rear gears. All three speeds
work just fine.
A ten-speed bike has two front gears and five rear gears for a total of ten
combinations. However, each front gear works best with the three (or four)
gears closest to it on the rear. So the RIGHT front gear works best with the
three RIGHT gears on the rear wheel. And the LEFT front gear works best with
the three LEFT gears on the rear wheel. Therefore, even though the bike has
ten possible speeds, somewhere between six to eight speeds are used most often.
The reason is chain crossover. If you use a front gear on the far right with
a rear gear on the far left, then the chain is at a bad angle and the chain
undergoes excessive tension and chain wear and other chain problems are more
likely, such as chain breakage. Therefore, most bike riders use the three or
four rear gears that are most closely aligned with the front gear currently
in use.
A 21-speed bike has three front gears and seven rear gears for a total of 21
options. However, based on the previous discussion, somewhere between 9 to
12 of those options are high quality combinations that minimize chain wear.
Therefore, a three-speed bike has three good gear combinations, a ten-speed
bike has about six really good gear combinations, and a 21-speed bike has about
nine really good gear combinations. In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with
a good ten-speed bike. I have a ten-speed bike and I really like it. I also
have a 21-speed bike and I like it too. I suggest that you select a bicycle
based on factors other than the number of “total” possible speed
combinations.
Brakes: Hand operated braking systems are really nice. Rubber brake pads and
disk brakes both work well in my opinion. Don’t let a bike salesperson
talk you into a bike with disk brakes unless that bike also has all the other
features you really need. You should also purchase a spare set of brake pads
for your front and rear wheels. There are two basic sizes so look at the ones
on your bike before you purchase your spare brake pads. Bicycle brakes will
wear out before the other parts on your bicycle, just like the brakes on your
car will wear out and need to be replaced several times during the life of
your car. Spare brake pads cost between $4 to $6 for a set of two rubber pads.
Tire Size: A 26-inch tire is a very good choice for adults. Some individuals
prefer a 24-inch tire and that is also a very popular tire size. A 27-inch
tire is also an option but in a disaster situation it may be very difficult
to find replacement parts for a 27-inch tire.
Tire Design: Any standard tire design will be okay. Smooth tires and knobby
tires each have certain advantages but your choice of a good bike should probably
be based on factors other than the design of the tire tread. All the different
tire designs work reasonably well in most situations, although some are superior
for specific applications.
Bike Comfort and Riding Fatigue: When selecting a new bike there are two related
issues that should be considered: (1) comfort, and (2) riding fatigue.
Most of us grew up riding a bike and we already know what feels right and what
doesn’t. To evaluate a new bike you should sit on the seat and then lean
forward slightly and put your hands and some of your weight on the front handlebars,
with your arms slightly bent at the elbows. If you feel comfortable in this
position then the bike is worthy of further consideration. Remember that the
seat height is adjustable and if you need to move the seat up or down to improve
your comfort then that is really easy to do on today’s modern bicycles.
Don’t let a thin skinny bike seat influence your decision about comfort
because you can easily replace the seat for about $20. It is the rest of the
bike that can’t be easily modified. The seat design issue will be discussed
in more detail below.
Some individuals, such as professional racers, prefer a really low set of handlebars
so they can lean forward to an almost horizontal position to minimize wind
resistance. However, in this position you must tilt your head and neck backwards
so you can see ahead. This position is not comfortable for many people.
When you are standing upright astride your bicycle with both feet on the ground
the center bar should not make contact with your groin area.
Most new bikes have the adjustable seat in a low position so the prospective
customer can sit on the seat and put both feet on the ground to stabilize the
bike. This is the seat position from which most of us learned to ride and it
is the way we teach our children to ride. It is very easy to start and stop
a bike if both of your feet can touch the ground when you are stopped. There
is nothing wrong with this seat position and it works well for short riding
distances when there are frequent stops. However this low seat position will
result in your becoming tired more quickly if you are riding a long distance.
To find the best seat height to minimize long distance riding fatigue you will
need to sit on the bicycle seat and extend one leg straight down to one of
the pedals in its lowest position. When you are sitting on the seat the pedal
in the down position should allow you to fully straighten your leg. This means
you will have to get OFF the seat when you stop so you can put your feet on
the ground and keep your bike upright. To minimize fatigue and maximize power
while riding your legs need to be straight when each pedal is in the full down
position. Adjust the height of the seat by trial and error until you find the
optimum seat height that is just right for you. However, unless you anticipate
long distance bike rides, there is no need to raise the seat and you can leave
the seat in a low position so both your feet can touch the ground when you
are stopped.
Seat or Saddle ($20): If your bike comes with a standard slim style racing
seat, I suggest you consider replacing it with a Wide Bottom Gel Seat. Your
rear end will be spending a lot of time on this seat and those thin seats are
not comfortable for an extended ride, in my opinion.
Kickstand: The kickstand should be long enough to support the bicycle in an
almost vertical position when on level ground. If the kickstand is too short
then the bicycle will fall over when a front wheel luggage rack and saddlebags
are added as an accessory.
Pedals: Most bikes have good pedals and you will probably not need to replace
them. This is one area where an upgrade is definitely not recommended.
Gasoline Engine or Battery Power: I have looked at adding either a gasoline
engine or a battery powered motor to my bicycle many, many times during the
past five years. Each time I decided not to invest in either option. Their
range is usually 30 miles or less and their speed is usually 30 mph or less.
Both types of motors take up space and weight behind your seat that could be
used to store other more useful items. Instead of motorizing your bicycle,
I suggest that you use the power in your legs unless: (1) you are unable to
do so, or (2) you intend to use your bike for daily commuting back and forth
to your current place of employment to save a little gas money.
BICYCLE ACCESSORIES
Bike Tool ($13)): The bike
mega ultra-tool is a special bike tool that includes
all the tools and accessories needed to perform minor (or major) repairs to
your bike if it should require service while you are on the road. At a retail
price of about $13 this tool is a real bargain.
Tire Patches ($2): For emergency repair of a flat tire.
Air Gauge ($3 to $25): A dial gauge is usually more accurate than a stick gauge.
However, they are also more expensive. If money is an issue, a simple automobile
tire gauge will do the job. A bicycle tire requires a LOT more air pressure
than an automobile tire because the surface area of the tire that actually
makes contact with the road is very small.
Small Storage Bag That Fits Under the Seat ($7) (or attach it to the front
handlebar): Use it to store your special bike tool, a Leatherman type tool,
a 6-inch adjustable crescent wrench, an air gauge, tire patches, a small can
of Three-in-One oil inside a small plastic freezer bag, a small LED flashlight,
a good folding stainless steel pocket knife, a butane lighter, a small good
quality first aid kit, and any special tools such as little hex wrenches that
come with any accessories you install on your bicycle.
Air Pump ($8 to $25): A necessity, in my opinion. The hand pump model that
attaches to the side of the bike frame is really nice. I also have a smaller
more compact air pump but it does not work as well as the mid-size air pump
that attaches to the side of the bike frame. Some bikes have predrilled threaded
holes for attaching the special air pump holder and some bikes do not. If your
bike doesn’t have the predrilled threaded holes you
can attach the air pump holder to your bike using two Velcro straps.
Rear Luggage Rack ($20 to $35): My suggestion is to avoid the rear luggage
rack that mounts ONLY to the seat post. However, if you have a spring mounted
rear wheel bike then this may be your only option. My preference is a rear
luggage rack with TWO downward metal supports on EACH side that attach to the
frame of the bicycle just above your rear axle. It will support more weight
than a seat post mounted luggage rack. These luggage racks can be mounted to
the rear frame of most bikes using the pre-threaded holes just above the rear
axle. The holes are generally either 5mm or 6mm and when you add a lock washer
they eliminate the need for an inside nut to hold the luggage rack to the rear
frame. An inside nut could get in the way of the chain when it tries to make
contact with the outside rear gear. If your bike has a rear hole that it is
not threaded, then you can add threads by purchasing one or two extra bolts
of the correct diameter and screwing them into the opening to thread the hole.
This may damage the threads on those bolts but if they are extra bolts then
you can simply toss them in the trash when you are done. Or you could use a
tap and die set to thread the holes. Luggage racks can be purchased at your
local bicycle shop or they can be purchased over the internet.
Front Luggage Rack ($15 to $30): Adds about 20 pounds of extra storage capacity
to the front of your bike. It can be used for any item, but it is best suited
for bulky light weight items such as extra clothing and a blanket or a sleeping
bag and a small pillow. Do not put too much weight over your front wheel or
you may find your bicycle difficult to steer. Some bikes have mounting holes
just above the front axle. Neither of my bikes had those holes so I used 3-inch
long predrilled braces to mount the rack on the front of each bike. (Necessity
is the mother of invention.) If you are looking for a new bike then I suggest
that you examine the front fork to see if it has the predrilled holes just
above the front axle for installing a front luggage rack. After you mount your
front luggage rack and put a few things onto it, you may discover that your
bicycle falls over. This is because the kickstand that came with your bike
is too short. Install a longer kickstand and you will solve this problem.
Luggage Rack Design: The front and rear luggage racks are each uniquely designed
for their specific application and you should not buy two of the same type
in the belief that you can simply turn it end to end and make it fit on the
opposite end of your bike. It won’t work. Each rack has it own special
mounting hardware designed specifically for one end of the bike. You
will need one rack for the rear and a different but similar design for the
front.
Saddlebags or Panniers ($30 to $200 per pair): Bicycle side saddlebags are
called panniers. I have three different brands, including Jandd and Ortlieb.
Ortlieb was the most expensive of the three brands and I bought a pair of them
due to their most excellent reviews on the internet. However, they are NOT
my favorite panniers. My personal preference is the Jandd Economy Pannier.
The Jandd Economy Panniers have good quality workmanship and materials, they
attach quickly, easily, and securely to either the front or the rear luggage
racks, they have a zipper closure, they are rain proof, they are really easy
to open and close, and their design makes it easy to store and remove items
from the panniers. If I purchase any more panniers they will all be the Jandd
Economy Panniers. Panniers can be special ordered through your local bicycle
shop or they can be purchased over the Internet. The
Jandd Economy Panniers can be purchased at this web site:
Bungee Cords and Cargo Nets ($2 to $6): Saddlebags can be used to store items
on both sides of your luggage racks. However, you can also secure items to
the top flat surface of each luggage rack using elastic bungee cords and/or
cargo nets. They also make specially designed panniers for use on top of these
racks, but I prefer the flexibility of being able to secure my own personal
survival backpack onto the top of the rear luggage rack and my sleeping bag
on top of the front luggage rack.
Water Bottle (Optional): Attaches to the frame in the center of the bike. I
bought one out of curiosity but I only bought one. In a refugee situation the
small amount of water in the bottle would NOT last very long. A person would
be far better off with a quality water filter such as the Swiss Katadyn Pocket
Water Filter. It will process up to 13,000 gallons of water for drinking purposes
and it is about the same size as the water bottle designed for bicycle mounting.
If you should become a refugee, then one of your most important problems EVERY
day will be a fresh supply of safe drinking water. The Katadyn Pocket Water
Filter will easily solve this problem for several YEARS. There are LOTS of
other cheaper water filters available that are advocated by a wide variety
of individuals, but they will only process a few hundred gallons of water before
they wear out. If you should become a refugee, then your family will be depending
on you for EVERYTHING, and water should not be one of your daily problems.
In my opinion, everyone should become as educated as possible about water and
its importance. I suggest you review the information available on my web site
about “How to Find Water
and Make It Safe to Drink.
It is a very long read but it contains information that could save your life
one day.
Speedometer: I prefer a non-electric speedometer. However, the one I purchased
would only fit on one of my bikes. Although a battery-operated speedometer
would have worked on my other bike, I decided I really didn’t want one
of those. You need to make your own decision on whether or not you need a speedometer.
Shoes: Most bike shops sell special bicycle shoes. You may buy a pair if you
wish. However, your normal walking shoes will do just fine if they do NOT have
a flat smooth sole. Your normal walking shoes should have ribbed or tread type
soles for traction while walking. This type of sole will also make positive
contact with the pedals on your bike and prevent your foot from slipping off
the pedal when in motion. Since you will not be riding all the time, a quality
set of footwear will need to function as walking shoes in addition to riding
shoes. Your shoes are a VERY important consideration because the shoes you
are wearing when you first become a refugee will probably be the only pair
of shoes you possess for several years. I suggest you research the shoe issue
very carefully and purchase a really good pair of quality walking shoes instead
of an expensive pair of high performance bicycle shoes.
Helmet: If you like the bicycle style helmets, then buy the one that appeals
to you. However, a motorcycle helmet is a better investment, in my opinion.
Just walk over to the automotive section and they usually have nice motorcycle
helmets for $90 or less. During the past 50 years I have had occasional rare
accidents with bicycles and motorcycles and, in my opinion, a helmet is an
absolutely NECESSARY piece of safety equipment.
Other Safety Equipment: You may invest in other typical bicycle safety items,
such as elbow pads, knee pads, and gloves as you believe appropriate.
Rain Gear: A good rain suit is a nice thing to have. It consists of a waterproof
upper, usually with an attached hood, and a waterproof pair of pants. You will
need waterproof pants if you intend to ride your bike in the rain. If you already
have a good waterproof jacket of some type, then waterproof pants will complete
your outfit.
Bicycle Lock: Always take your bike INSIDE wherever you happen to be and lock
it securely so it can’t be stolen. If you leave your bike outside, even
locked to a bike stand, you will eventually discover that there are some people
who will intentionally disable your bike or steal stuff off your bike. You
really don’t need those kinds of problems.
Headlight: I have a battery-operated halogen headlight on one of my bikes.
It uses two standard C cell batteries. I was NOT impressed with the headlight
so I did not install one on my other bike.
Oil: I normally use whatever I have available, such as motor oil or Three-in-One
oil. I put a little oil on the chain, the gears, and the axles before I put
the bike in storage. This consists of hanging the bike on a bike hook from
the ceiling of the garage. This may not be the best way to store a bike but
it has not caused me or my bike any problems for over ten years.
Child Carrier Seats: There are several different types of child carrier seats.
Let’s look at three different models.
The first
child seat ($40) mounts behind the rider’s seat and it replaces
the rear luggage rack. Therefore I don’t recommend this type, unless
you have two small children and for some reason you must install Two child
seats on one bike. If you have two children then the third option
below is a better choice.
The second option is a child seat ($45) that mounts between the front handlebar
stem and the rider’s seat post. This puts the child where you can see
the child at all times and it positions the child so the child can see where
you are going, regardless of whether you are riding or walking beside the bicycle.
The third option is a two-seat
child carrier ($110) that attaches to the rear of the bike.
If you are forced into a refugee situation and you have small children then
a bicycle would allow you to travel relatively quickly with your young children.
Young children cannot walk very far before they become tired and they need
to be either carried or transported. Carrying children is not a good option
if it can be avoided.
The best solution would be to have one front mount child seat per adult or
teenager bicycle. However, in an emergency, one adult could transport up to
four small children on one bicycle and the adult could either ride or walk
beside the bike. One child could go in the forward child’s seat (mounted
between the handlebars and the rider’s seat), one child could go in a
child’s seat mounted behind the rider’s seat, and two small children
could fit in a child trailer attached to the rear of the bicycle. If one person
had to transport four small children using one bicycle then there would be
very little space left over for food, supplies, and equipment, but your primary
responsibility in this type of emergency situation would be the immediate safety
of your children.
If you perceive a situation where you would need to transport several children
on one bicycle, then you should also consider installing a
quality set of heavy duty children’s rear training wheels on each side
of your bicycle to help keep your bicycle upright at all times.
Conclusion
Different bike enthusiasts have different opinions about the advantages and
disadvantages of every possible type of bicycle and bicycle accessory. I am
not a bike enthusiast. I am just an ordinary person who has ridden bicycles
for more than 50 years, beginning with a single-speed bike, and then a three-speed,
and then a ten-speed, and then a 21-speed. The above is just my opinion and
it is nothing more than my opinion. Before you invest in a bicycle you should
research this topic very carefully and collect a variety of different opinions
and then make your own decision based on what is best for your particular situation
and your anticipated riding conditions.
Before you spend any money on a bicycle you should first make a list of the
different bicycles that are available along with their prices, and a list of
the different options and accessories you wish to purchase for your bike. Then
add up the total cost and determine whether or not you can afford it. If not,
then reconsider the bike, the options, and the accessories based on need and
not simply desire.
Finally, I strongly recommend the purchase of the following book: “Bicycle
Maintenance & Repair,” 5th Edition, by Todd Downs. I suggest you
place this book inside a two-gallon plastic freezer bag and store it inside
one of the rear saddlebags on your bicycle. Bicycle maintenance and repair
is not complicated if you know what to do. A typical bicycle
has a variety of different simple adjustments that can be made and knowing
the correct sequence
of adjustments is very important. This book, plus your bicycle multi-tool and
your Leatherman type tool and your 6-inch adjustable wrench, will help you
keep your bicycle operational until it eventually wears out from old age.
One place where you can begin to acquire additional knowledge about bicycles
is Sheldon Brown’s
web site.
His web site contains a lot of information and you should read the articles
that are of interest to you. When you are finished reading you will be able
to make a superior choice about the type of bicycle that is just right for
you.
I truly hope you will never need your bicycle except for recreational purposes.
However, if world events should unfold in an unexpected fashion, then your
bicycle would allow you to take your most important survival possessions with
you if you were suddenly forced into becoming a refugee and your car was not
available for some unexpected reason. In my opinion, the best option would
be not becoming a refugee, if it is avoidable. However, if
the choice were between certain death or life as a refugee, then I would select
the life of
a refugee. A good bicycle would significantly improve a person’s chances
of survival in that type of situation. Respectfully, - Grandpappy