03-25-2019, 09:53 AM | #1 |
Join Date: May 2014
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[AtE] Bicycling in the Post-Apocalypse
I recently got into a discussion about why bicycles aren't more common in post-apocalyptic fiction and I'm curious if the folks around here have any thoughts.
Logistics My initial thoughts were that bikes would be less useful than draft animals because their parts wouldn't be reproducible at TL 4, whereas a post-apocalyptic subsistence farm would be more self-sufficient. I was also under the impression that after a decade or two, rubber would have all rotted unless carefully stored. However, I am not really knowledgeable about jury-rigged bicycle repair or husbandry. Utility Bikes seem like they would be useful for getting around city ruins and perhaps as a makeshift cart you could load your supplies and equipment onto. I tend to think that you can't carry enough while riding one to make it worthwhile as transportation over long distances. Over rough terrain, even a mountain bike doesn't seem to offer too many advantages over something slower and more sure, while a regular bike might just break. You can travel faster than on foot, sure, but would there be a premium on speed after the apocalypse? Aesthetics If I'm honest, probably the real reason I see so few bikes in post-apocalyptic fiction is this. Bikes aren't really stable enough for mounted combat, so you can't have cavalry charges or auto-duels. Has anyone seen any depictions of a "cool, rugged" post-apocalyptic bicycle? |
03-25-2019, 10:39 AM | #2 | |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Germany
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Re: [AtE] Bicycling in the Post-Apocalypse
Search for a swiss army bike, not to Long ago the swiss had bicycle troops
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03-25-2019, 11:02 AM | #3 |
Join Date: Sep 2018
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Re: [AtE] Bicycling in the Post-Apocalypse
It's out there, but it's not good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkCSlIBmRmo Old innertube tires don't last very long but newer tires would make it a generation or so before they degrade to the point where they can't hold air. But realistically almost nothing in the world is going to last more than a generation or two before it's non-functional so that kind of realism doesn't make much sense in a post apocalyptic tale. |
03-25-2019, 11:07 AM | #4 |
Join Date: Feb 2016
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Re: [AtE] Bicycling in the Post-Apocalypse
I think that one of the great stories of an ATE setting would be trying to reinvent the lost bicycle technology of the past.
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03-25-2019, 11:13 AM | #5 | ||
Join Date: Jun 2006
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Re: [AtE] Bicycling in the Post-Apocalypse
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03-25-2019, 11:40 AM | #6 | |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Germany
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Re: [AtE] Bicycling in the Post-Apocalypse
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viet_C...vilian_porters
https://www.bikeshophub.com/blog/201...he-vietnam-war https://www.bikeshophub.com/blog/201...-that-and-more
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03-25-2019, 12:21 PM | #7 |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Udine, Italy
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Re: [AtE] Bicycling in the Post-Apocalypse
First thing, inflated rubber tires, for bicycles, are good for comfort. During WWII, it was not at all uncommon to see bicycles with wooden wheels. These are hard on that part of the body that supports most of the biker's weight. On the plus side, they are much tougher, and a present-day highway that has seen only average damage due to lack of maintenance would be less of a problem with these sturdier (and heavier) wheels.
Mass production of bicycles requires decent metalworking industries. But in a post-apocalypse scenario you could probably have bicycles for a century, based on parts scavenged by other bikes. Blacksmith's workshops would adapt parts. You'd have a nice market for spare parts. As to aesthetics and speed, a case can be made for 4-wheeled carts that are normally pedal-propelled - and thus even slower than a bike. However, in emergencies (read combat and evasion), they carry a pair of solid-fuel rockets. This is TL3-4 tech. The boost is measured at most in tens of seconds, otherwise they'd be too heavy for everyday travel. But they'd make for a few exciting high-speed moments. |
03-25-2019, 12:27 PM | #8 | ||||||||
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: 100 hurricane swamp
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Re: [AtE] Bicycling in the Post-Apocalypse
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But bicycles? I'm your Huckleberry. Quote:
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With decent roads a cyclist can average 25 mph. On dirt roads call 10, tops (with the right bike). Walking? Your top out is around 4 mph. Quote:
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Firstly 13 Reasons Bicycles Are Perfect for the Zombie Apocalypse (though works in other apocs too): Oooohhh... those chunky tires... mmmm /biteslip.jpg https://forums.mtbr.com/attachments/...itch-witch.jpg Electric bicycles (we called these mopeds back in my day and they were a PITA to bicycle. on but if you ran out of gas, it was better than walking)... but mmmmmm, look at those thicc hard-pack tires... https://s1.cdn.autoevolution.com/ima...pedelec_13.jpg Snow-chains on chunky tires? Yes please! https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...A330J2hwZf977A Off-road recumbent trike... /shudderofdelight.jpg (If it were mine I'd contemplate leaning the seat back/raising it up a bit more and raising up the peddles, gain some more ground clearance) http://www.reactiveadaptations.com/w...9-1030x689.jpg This is DIY 'post-apoc' outrider in the 'almost done' build stage (I think it's also an electric moped): https://p.vitalmtb.com/photos/users/...jpg?1460788286 Portage: This loadout is on a bicycle recumbent touring bike, but it gives his weight load-outs. He travelled from Moscow to beijing with this set-up... (let that sink in) https://kickasstrips.com/wp-content/...mbent-bike.jpg Excellent rear saddlebag frames: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/01/c0...d1e41ae2ec.jpg Excellent camo outrider with minimal packing all around, but a great example of a 'camping/hunting' bike (and note teh pistol holster and knife on the center bar): https://cdn.instructables.com/FPX/AP...PB5P.LARGE.jpg Nice center baggage mount with slim saddlebags possibility. Also, while I admire that old german spring wheel, that'd be a nightmare to handle. https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e4/e2...42fc523d6d.png Great 'covered wagon' style trailer: 43axCCUAhVfIqAx8VnGj- https://i.pinimg.com/originals/16/d9...4cad6ca6e3.jpg I love that undercarriage mount! Why didn't I ever think of that before? (note, this is a tandem bike with a recumbent front seat, but this chick is using it for groceries!) https://hasebikes.com/files/citybag_coll.jpg There are professional trailer hitches, but great examples of what will easily fit on a mountain bike.... I wouldn't go mountaineering with it... but for jaunts to the next town and back to get dry goods... https://66.media.tumblr.com/974d426a...czxww_1280.png https://outdoorgearlab-mvnab3pwrvp3t...2235_832_L.jpg MOAR chunky tires, but with nice front and rear saddle mounts: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ed/07...45c1895d5f.jpg This dude is taking house for a ride... https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...mO0Ft3t05xnd4- Excellent example of touring trike kit-outs! http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2456/...0f4b9ba1_o.jpg https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6We3vqS6IWE/maxresdefault.jpg Mmm, chunky tires (but they're 'street' chunguses), and I think he's got the height to handle decentish off-roading: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/3c/2c...935abbecd9.jpg I'm not entirely sure what all is going on here, and stability looks like it would be an issue... but this guy has a decent hauling capacity: https://i.pinimg.com/236x/61/ed/2d/6...g-trailers.jpg Another "what is going on here", it looks like they hooked up a pair of car batteries to run an electric motor to run the bike (so not an actual bicycle, but...), but this DIY quad has hauling potential: http://wabikes.org/wp-content/upload...se-getaway.jpg Did they just build a pontoon bike? http://mykle.com/msl/wp-content/uplo...ng-400x300.jpg He's not really carrying much, but the dedication to the DIYness screams post-aop: https://rustybikebell.files.wordpres...6/img_0666.jpg This is junker, but I admire his post-apoc loading skill. Teamster? I think this would be Teamster... https://drscdn.500px.org/photo/24529...96e9471d1a0da3 When I say "long haul trike" this is what I'm talking about: https://hasebikes.com/files/kw_allround_a.jpg Weather Protection This is a quad bicycle in Sweden, I'd like to see someone do that with a horse: https://www.washingtonpost.com/resiz...odbikePic2.jpg Some DIY rain covers: https://www.eta.co.uk/wp-content/upl...-cycle-web.jpg Other Stuff... I have no idea what's going on here, but I like the 'cowcatcher' up front. Not sure of it's utility though... https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...aqKkz5TytihkE0 Someone's idea of a 'post-apoc' bicycle (I think the front fender and wheel posts are for front saddlebags): https://ratrodbikes.com/forum/proxy....24602b2ead66ad And last but not least (but least useful for post-apoc) the BEHEMOTH! SOTA touring bike back in the early 90s when this guy toured with it... https://www.cyclingabout.com/heavies...ever-behemoth/ Last edited by evileeyore; 03-25-2019 at 12:32 PM. |
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03-25-2019, 12:27 PM | #9 |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: MO, U.S.A.
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Re: [AtE] Bicycling in the Post-Apocalypse
It is not outside the realm of reasonableness for there to be a decent enough road network for bicycles at lower tech levels, note the Chinese wheelbarrow networks in China.
https://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2011...eelbarrow.html Also bicycle troops were a fairly wide spread idea in the 1930's. Lastly, there is a picture of post occupation Dutch nor Danes riding bikes on the rims do to rubber shortages during WW II, my google fu fails me, or I would link to a picture.
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03-25-2019, 12:37 PM | #10 | |
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Re: [AtE] Bicycling in the Post-Apocalypse
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