bug out bicycle?

[jamoni]

I got to do another S24O this weekend, and managed to get through it with only a few small hitches and no logs.
This video isn't exactly epic. I can sum it up in a few words:
I rode 60 miles, camped out and read a book, then rode 60 miles back home. So, a vacation instead of an adventure.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrp-2xd93z0
Gear this time was more sophisticated. I brought a hammock, tarp, and mosquito net setup. The whole thing together cost me about $50. The pitch on the tarp could have been better, and the hammock was hung higher and longer on one side than the other, but because of the slope it was that or have my butt hit the ground.
I also brought a sleeping mat to insulate the hammock, and my wool sleeping bag liner for warmth. It got chilly again, but I was ready with underarmor and insulated rain suit. I forgot to bring a sock hat, but I just made a ninja mask with my spare t-shirt and all was well.
Otherwise, gear was pretty much the same as last trip.
Food: Muesli, dried fruit, oatmeal, spaghetti, meal bars, and beef jerky. I'm not a big chef, food is fuel.
Water: I should have brought more bottles. I ran out twice, once with about 8 miles till the next water point. Luckily some people getting off at the trailhead had some extra. Worst comes to worse, I could have stopped and filtered/bleached some river water, but would rather not.
Memorable moments:
One lady and her very small boy (maybe 6 YO) were having technical difficulties. His right pedal kept unscrewing itself about every 70 revolutions. The bearings were totally corroded, and the cheap pedal was crimped together, not bolted. I got some oil down in there, but when I tried to tighten it on, my wrench wouldn't fit. Some weird size. So I made a strap wrench out of some paracord and a screwdriver and managed to get it on pretty tight. Hopefully it got them back to their car.
Also of note, I am convinced that the Park Rangers purposely plant poison ivy in any spot that looks ideal for stealth camping. Next hammock will be OD or camo, which will give me more options.
Overall, I had a great trip, got my zen back after Finals and dealing with idiots, and managed to get some reading, exercise, sun, fresh air, and peace of mind, all between 1PM on Friday and 1PM on Saturday.
BTW, if anyone is a scout or scoutmaster or whatever, don't get all bunched up. I'm just kidding about them being pansies, though they really were yelling at old people and making grease-flares.

[fungusmunkey]

This video isn't exactly epic. I can sum it up in a few words:
I rode 60 miles, camped out and read a book, then rode 60 miles back home. So, a vacation instead of an adventure.

Beautiful

[JoeTosco]

Sounds like a nice weekend.

[velojym]

S24H rides are a great way to test your gear without getting too far from home. Just far enough that there's a bit of inconvenience over a forgotten or broken item, but short enough that it'll be easier to live without for a single night (with some exceptions, of course).
When I rode with my old bike club, we'd do 'em a lot on the weekend, but we also mixed up our goals. Sometimes, we'd ride out and stay at a campground, and other times we'd do a B&B or motel. Usually we camped, but we had riders with different interests, so we adjusted accordingly. They were all great rides, though.

[jamoni]

Yeah, I really have no interest in staying in hotels. For me, the whole fun is to get away, get outside, burn off some energy, and not rub elbows with assholes. I'm actually glad I didn't stay in the campground. In the future I just plan on stealth camping.

[Jamie]

I've been thinking about taking my son on a biking overnight trip. He's been camping and he's been biking, but we haven't done the two together...we will probably do a short ride for the first trip, 10-15 miles is my thought.

Jamie


Sent from my iPad by the power of Greyskull!

[jamoni]

I've been thinking about taking my son on a biking overnight trip. He's been camping and he's been biking, but we haven't done the two together...we will probably do a short ride for the first trip, 10-15 miles is my thought.

Jamie


Sent from my iPad by the power of Greyskull!

Sounds like a good time.

[Lakewalker]

What about a Surly BD with one of the trailers? The surly trailers are 300lb rated and BD 400lb rated andhas disk brakes so should handle the load.

[jamoni]

What about a Surly BD with one of the trailers? The surly trailers are 300lb rated and BD 400lb rated andhas disk brakes so should handle the load.

Which post were you referring to?

[Lakewalker]

What about a Surly BD with one of the trailers? The surly trailers are 300lb rated and BD 400lb rated andhas disk brakes so should handle the load.

Which post were you referring to?

I was just thinkning in general response as a potential BOBicycle...That might be too much weight to travel with though...I've never used a trailer before.

[Tater Raider]

Really low gears are your friend just gear down and spin.

[Billdog]

I'm planning on getting a Paratrooper folding bike for the trunk - just in case the zombie apocalypse begins while I'm on one of our lovely freeways out here in Southern California. If the traffic chokes, I can pull over, take the paratrooper out of the trunk - along with my "bug home" bag - and peddle home. The Paratrooper is highly recommended by Eton Edwards, who wrote the book "Preparedness Now."

[JoeTosco]

First prep on a regular bike: Removing some of the stickers and making another one more suited.



More to come...

[Dogan]

Alright, I'm officially interested in this thread. On Sunday, after riding a Huffy 29 through the nearly deserted aisles of a megastore in my area, I went for an out of the blue 9 mile +- ride on my old Mongoose XR75 with stock seat.

Stock. Seat.

My ass hurts, and I'm back to having a solid interest in biking. First thing on the list:

A new seat.

Then, light, seat bag, handlebar bag, maybe fenders. More to come.

[TacAir]

I'm planning on getting a Paratrooper folding bike for the trunk - just in case the zombie apocalypse begins while I'm on one of our lovely freeways out here in Southern California. If the traffic chokes, I can pull over, take the paratrooper out of the trunk - along with my "bug home" bag - and peddle home. The Paratrooper is highly recommended by Eton Edwards, who wrote the book "Preparedness Now."

Citizen makes a nice folding bike (i68 USD) and Dahon makes several nice folders, all of which are far more likely to fit in your trunk than a Paratrooper.

I have a nice Sun brand folding bike - no longer offered it would seem - that fits well in the back. Having a bike to get out of a traffic jam is a nice idea, you only have to worry what will be left of your auto when/if you return to recover the vehicle.

(one of many nice folders)

[velojym]

'Trooper fits fine in the trunk, provided it isn't already full of stuff. If I'm traveling and want a really compact bike for local use, I'd consider trying something smaller, like a Friday, but I prefer the Montague's fullsized MTB geometry and wheel size for bugout use. Not familiar with the Citizen brand, but for emergency use, or even just light daily use for me, kind of a bike snob, I'd stick with a known make with good quality components.

At that price point, I'd love to see a serious cyclist put a Citi through its paces to see how it holds up. I do love seeing killer underdog stuff.

[LyraJean]

The only negitive I see with a bike is the fact that you can shoot. In the PAW if someone does start shooting at you have to get off the bike to return fire.

You could probably shoot okay with a pistol if you are on smooth terrain, or even with a rifle if your a competent no-hands rider (would the recoil knock you over?).

How about a swivel-mount on the neck that you could fit a carbine into. The only problem with that is that you could only fire more or less in the direction you are riding, and I don't think a bike would be a good assault vehicle!

How about a tandem bicycle. The person in front drives while the second person returns fire.

[velojym]

That certainly brings up some interesting imagery.
I don't think a bicycle would be a good platform for rifle fire, but if you're riding, you're in a more defensive mode anyway. Anything that's an immediate threat requires a weapon that can be presented and wielded with one hand. With a little practice, you can dismount and go to ground just about as fast as if you'd been on foot, but you have a tremendous advantage on the bike, as you're traveling quietly, and relatively very quickly, giving ambushers far less time to prepare... if they even get their act together by the time they notice you. Obviously this doesn't account for well trained paramilitary type groups, but then you're hosed anyway.
So, start out training like mounted infantry, who used their mounts to get to the battle, then dismount to fight. Not as cool as cavalry, but required a lot less training. If you like it well enough, and think you have aptitude, then work on fighting from the saddle. I know it can be done, as I used to ride with a guy who could bullseye targets with his recurve bow while riding singletrack on his hardtail Kona... hands free, of course. I had to comfort my ego with the fact that I was still faster than him.
I can say I've never been anywhere near that level of defensive ability on the bike, and I use more urban-style tactics having to do with trying to stay away from the trouble to start with.

[jamoni]

What about a Surly BD with one of the trailers? The surly trailers are 300lb rated and BD 400lb rated andhas disk brakes so should handle the load.

Which post were you referring to?

I was just thinkning in general response as a potential BOBicycle...That might be too much weight to travel with though...I've never used a trailer before.

Ah. Well, frankly, I think it would be double overkill.
I don't see the need for a cargo bike for anything other than carrying cargo. You don't need it for touring, camping, or anything else that's just you and your gear. You need it for specific large loads. Same for trailers.
However, I have seen cargo bikes use to carry kayaks....

[Dogan]

(one of many nice folders)

169??????

That's about the same price as one of the bike-shaped objects from a big box store. I am now officially lusting after one of these.

I've always been fascinated with folders since I rode one at about 10, and later seeing a Montague folder in a magazine. THis one is actually within my price range, and a usable size.

[skelco]

how about this one:

[TacAir]

how about this one:

Is Russian chainsaw! Bicycle - hard to stay...

[majorhavoc]

I've been thinking about taking my son on a biking overnight trip. He's been camping and he's been biking, but we haven't done the two together...we will probably do a short ride for the first trip, 10-15 miles is my thought.

Jamie


Sent from my iPad by the power of Greyskull!

Either stage camping equipment ahead of time so you don't have carry it with you on the bikes, or stay at a motel. With a pool. Any trip for a kid that involves a motel pool = pure win.

[Burncycle]

Hey guys, I just sort of impulse bought a Hyper Havoc 26" mountain bike. The reviews were mostly positive though I may end up having to change out the inner tubes. But it got me thinking... Is there a decent retail store mountain bike out there for < $150?

Also, would it be better to get a simpler bike like a BMX? No gears to worry about, designed for abuse... I remember has a kid being able to blast through yards and stuff offroad without too much trouble, and it's smaller and lighter than a mountain bike. Not for long ranged stuff but for < 5 miles (and obviously hopping off and walking if I get into any real uphill stuff) seems like it's less to break.