Bicycles

[Jayson]

Even being a Yank, I loved the Benny Hill show. It would never be allowed with todays woke crowd.

Yes. From what I understand, the Benny Hill Show that was broadcast in the US was the sanitized version, where language and nudity was censored.

 

[lonewolf]

I dislike modern bicycles, we have a pair of hybrid bikes but they have stupid valves in the tyres that you cannot pump up with a foot pump and its to easy to pull the valve out then you cant get it back in and yes I've done it.
I would prefer an old fashioned bicycle with car type valves and no gears, if the hill was too steep to pedal up you got off and walked(keep it simple!). it was also easy to build a bike out of different parts.

 

[backandbeyond]

I dislike modern bicycles, we have a pair of hybrid bikes but they have stupid valves in the tyres

FMD Paul, you really are a luddite lol lol. They are called Presta valves, the old type are schrader. You can buy adaptors you know, I use them, I don't have a Presta pump at all, I use 12V electric car pumps with the adapters.

 

[backandbeyond]

Up until the point that you blow your knee out from repetitive stress. (happens to 40-60% of avid cyclists eventually)

Well that sucks doc. I don't feel so bad about missing my ride this morning now.
I basically ride for cardio fitness and estew hills aside from the very gentle ones. I'm always striving for higher cadence (on hybrids) which of course means faster peddling but less force put through the legs. I wonder if that's a recipe for avoiding what you refer to? I have been riding for 20 years now, with a year off here and there, but only once a week for 30 or 40km typically. I was thinking of upping it to twice a week now I don't do much else.

 

[DrHenley]

I'm always striving for higher cadence (on hybrids) which of course means faster peddling but less force put through the legs. I wonder if that's a recipe for avoiding what you refer to? I have been riding for 20 years now, with a year off here and there, but only once a week for 30 or 40km typically. I was thinking of upping it to twice a week now I don't do much else.

LOL, my wife kept telling me "just use a lower gear." But unfortunately it doesn't work that way. It is a REPETITIVE stress injury. I was going 20 miles a day before I started having problems. At first it only hurt for the first couple of miles, but eventually I had to start cutting back on the distance until I finally threw in the towel and went swimming instead.

 

[backandbeyond]

I finally threw in the towel and went swimming instead.

Well I'm not having any problems yet but at least I have an option if I do. I went from running, back issues, to cycling. Did you do much hill work?

 

[DrHenley]

Well I'm not having any problems yet but at least I have an option if I do. I went from running, back issues, to cycling. Did you do much hill work?

Nothing extreme. The bike trail is a converted railroad track, so the grade is limited. There is one loooooong uphill stretch however.

 

[Kevin L]

I am an avid cyclist.

Years ago, I had a lot of debt, I was depressed, overweight, and so forth.

I adopted a bicycle lifestyle and retired my car. I had a trailer--which hooked up to my bicycle--which I used for groceries and so forth.

If it was raining, I had a fold-up bike which I could collapse and carry on a bus or train for my commute to work.

The money I would ordinarily have spent on gas, registration, car insurance, mechanical maintenence, and so forth was applied to my debt.

I was able to get my finances in order, I lost weight, I had more energy for work, and so forth.

Everyone was intensely judgmental toward me for giving up my car. I was even drug-tested at work, as people automatically assumed that I must have gotten a DUI or something.

In any case, I don't care what people think. Using my bicycle instead of a car fixed a lot of issues that were holding me back.

 

[Kevin L]

I also forgot to mention that I used a bicycle when I was a relief worker after Hurricane Andrew. I carried lab specimens, records, and medical supplies to and from different clinics. A bicycle was great because I could carry it around road obstructions, I could ride on sidewalks, there was no need for gasoline, and I could carry it inside a building to keep it from getting stolen.

Using my bike under these conditions freed up vehicles for other purposes.

 

[Dropship]

The OP referenced how you'd get around if there is no gasoline. Unless you have an electric vehicle that's charged with wind or solar, the viable options are basically your feet or a bike of some sort. Bikes are much more efficient, and the best part is that the more you ride the better your condition, and the greater your range. Exercise is a great prep, and bikes are great exercise.

Yes, in his true WW2 book 'The Jungle is Neutral', Freddy Chapman and his sabotage squad behind enemy lines used to walk around carrying loads of explosives to blow up Jap trains and stuff in Malaya, but they later switched to bicycles because they realised they could cover much greater distances..

 

[Dropship]

Up until the point that you blow your knee out from repetitive stress. (happens to 40-60% of avid cyclists eventually)
It got so bad I could only use one leg to go up stairs or stand up from a chair. The cartilage would not heal until I took platelet rich plasma treatment a couple of years ago, and it's been slowly getting better since. I'm hoping I'll be able to get back on the bike again eventually.

Sure, cyclists get twinges now and again but nowhere near as many as runners or hikers..
In my cycling days I used to sometimes get a pain like toothache on the outside of my left knee joint when pedalling but luckily it wasn't serious.
Incidentally I haven't been on a bike for about 12 years, i just drifted away from it and became a couch potato, for examp the summer weather here has been beautiful for weeks but I haven't had the slightest inclination to saddle up, I've been chilling and watching my boxed DVD set of 'The Outer Limits'..

 

[DrHenley]

Incidentally I haven't been on a bike for about 12 years,

So you never actually rode that 2015 Saracen Myth you showed us a picture of.
Or is it that you are REALLY bad with dates?

 

[Amish Heart]

Ha Ha.

 

[Dropship]

So you never actually rode that 2015 Saracen Myth you showed us a picture of.
Or is it that you are REALLY bad with dates?

Let me spell it out mate - the last time I went on a cycle-camping trip was 19 years ago in 2002 when I tried to cycle 200 miles from Leicester to my sisters place in Plymouth but I took ill after about 60 miles (wonky thyroid) and donated my road bike to a charity shop in Cheltenham and travelled the rest of the way by coach.
For the next dozen or so years I never bothered to buy a new bike til I decided to buy one around 2014 just in case I needed one to get out of town in an apocalypse. That was the Saracen or whatever it was called, I rode it up and down the street a couple of times just to make sure it worked, then stored it in my flat and never touched it since, I never liked it because it was too fancy like i said in an earlier post.
Last year I heard a local charity group was asking for bikes so I donated it to them, and am currently shopping around for a cheap simple no-frills mountain bike in case I have to get out of town..

 

[backandbeyond]

Nothing extreme. The bike trail is a converted railroad track, so the grade is limited. There is one loooooong uphill stretch however.

Well that's all good, odd about the knee though, you must have been putting lots of miles down. I knew a guy who was one of those nut-case racer bike fanatics and he and the boys would go mountain climbing. A 150km loop with two mountains in a day. Well one day going up a steep hill he collapsed and died, doctors said his heart blew up. A good lesson for me, not that I was ever in his league, but I don't try to build huge stamina by endlessly pushing myself to new levels.

Funny how some people treat their bodies like race cars, or garbage dumps.

 

[DrHenley]

Well that's all good, odd about the knee though, you must have been putting lots of miles down.

Google "cyclist's knee"

 

[randolphrowzee]

Up until the point that you blow your knee out from repetitive stress. (happens to 40-60% of avid cyclists eventually)

It got so bad I could only use one leg to go up stairs or stand up from a chair. The cartilage would not heal until I took platelet rich plasma treatment a couple of years ago, and it's been slowly getting better since. I'm hoping I'll be able to get back on the bike again eventually.

Only time I had knee pain was when I stopped using traps and straps on my mountain bike for a few months. Also had pain in my instep. Went back to traps and the pain went away. Always used traps on my road bike. Seems that the traps keep my feet aligned with my knees.
Never liked riding with a pack or sack on my back because it makes me sweat. I live about ten miles from the closest town and use my bike when it isn't raining, not because I can't ride in the rain, but because even with flashing LED riding lights the cars are very dangerous, which sux since riding in the rain when the weather is hot feels great.
For moderate loads I use panniers and the aluminum racks I've built for the front and back of the bike, and for heavier loads I converted an aluminum child hauler to a bike trailer by replacing the wheels with larger ones. It's super light and can haul up to about a hundred pounds.
I'm looking forward to riding much more now that the temps are cooling down. Much love to my fellow riders, since it seems that every year a few in my state get run over by drunks, drunk politicians, and meth heads.

 

[lonewolf]

am currently shopping around for a cheap simple no-frills mountain bike in case I have to get out of town..

lots of hills in the South West whatever direction you go in.
which direction would you go in?

 

[Trihonda]

Interesting thread.. it’s right in my wheel house. I’ve raced bikes of all kinds and put on a lot of miles (the last bike I sold had 30,000 miles on it). I also continue to teach a couple of week-long MTN biking schools each year. I dont sell many bikes, and my garage currently has 12 or so bikes in it (couple are the kids/wife’s). I also have a really high end ebike, which can go 55mi on a charge. That might be an interesting option too.

A couple things. As far as using a bike to bug out, this is very situation dependent. Everyone’s situation is different. I think that if you wait so long for the petrol to run out, you’ve waited too long. I have a BOL a fair distance away, but have more than enough stored fuel to get me there. I really dont like the bike as a BOV, as you can’t really transport enough on your bike to survive for long. But if your BOL was within biking distance, it could work.

As for cycling knee? Lol. Ive have my fair share of overuse injuries in the past (had my own dedicated parking spot at the sports med clinic when I was racing triathlons)…. And most injuries like that come from lack of proper stretching and bad bike fits. A solid bike fit solves most cycling related overuse injury issues. Cycling is very low impact, and impact repeated over a long racing career will absolutely cause issues (ie running). So the claim that 40% or more of cyclists will eventually get overuse knee injuries is probably inaccurate.

I see a use for bicycles post SHTF, but it’s probably more in the realm of just getting around. Shopping. Visiting neighbors. . This could be a fantastic way to scout your area, perimeter sweeps, etc.

here’s the bike that had 30k miles (just found a pic). Trek 5200 OCLV Carbon.

 

[lonewolf]

I can ride a bicycle much further than I can walk and in a shorter time too.

 

[Dropship]

..am currently shopping around for a cheap simple no-frills mountain bike in case I have to get out of town..

lots of hills in the South West whatever direction you go in.
which direction would you go in?

Well if there's advance notice of an asteroid strike (and subsequent tsunami) in the English channel I'd head up onto the high ground of Dartmoor and camp there to avoid getting my feet wet.
But if the city was riot-torn and starving for any other reason I'd camp on the banks of a river somewhere like this, and go back in town when they'd finished eating each other.

 

[Trihonda]

Oh forgot to debunk the “always walk up a hill” advice. It’s not always correct, but sometimes…. can see if people are unused to biking, that climbing a hill can be tenuous and difficult. BUT bikes offer mechanical advantages, with gears.

check out this article, that seems to promote walking, but I’ve seen some that don’t.

https://pedalchile.com/blog/uphill
this one seems to favor biking..

https://www.cyclingabout.com/hills-are-not-harder-than-cycling-on-the-flat/

 

[Dropship]

Oh forgot to debunk the “walk up a hill” advice. I can see if people are unused to biking, that climbing a hill can be tenuous and difficult. BUT bikes offer mechanical advantages, with gears. If your bikes gearing doesn’t allow you enough advantage, or if you are just sore and need a break from riding, sure walking is fine. BUT, most modern bikes have decent gearing, so use that advantage.

Ah, but don't forget that pushing the bike up hills means you're giving your cycling muscles a welcome rest and using a whole new set of muscles- your walking muscles.
Sure, gears allow us to pedal up hills, but the speed will usually be so slow that we might as well get off and walk anyway.
Like i said earlier, I did 140 miles in one day using the "walk up hills" tactic, it worked for me..

Stock net pic, this is not moi-

 

[Trihonda]

Ah, but don't forget that pushing the bike up hills means you're giving your cycling muscles a welcome rest and using a whole new set of muscles- your walking muscles.
Sure, gears allow us to pedal up hills, but the speed will usually be so slow that we might as well get off and walk anyway.
Like i said earlier, I did 140 miles in one day using the "walk up hills" tactic, it worked for me..

Stock net pic, this is not moi-

i dont have an issue with giving the cycling muscles a rest. Sometimes the grade is too steep to make cycling viable.

but from a hard core cycling standpoint, it’s always seen by purists as a bit “weenie” to walk up a hill while pushing your bike. Ha ha. That usually applies to both road and MTB.

And 140 miles is a legit ride, for sure. I used to adventure race, in addition to triathlon, and some of those rides were stupid long.

 

[Jayson]

What goes up must come down....

 

[Dani]

Let me spell it out mate - the last time I went on a cycle-camping trip was 19 years ago in 2002 when I tried to cycle 200 miles from Leicester to my sisters place in Plymouth but I took ill after about 60 miles (wonky thyroid) and donated my road bike to a charity shop in Cheltenham and travelled the rest of the way by coach.
For the next dozen or so years I never bothered to buy a new bike til I decided to buy one around 2014 just in case I needed one to get out of town in an apocalypse. That was the Saracen or whatever it was called, I rode it up and down the street a couple of times just to make sure it worked, then stored it in my flat and never touched it since, I never liked it because it was too fancy like i said in an earlier post.
Last year I heard a local charity group was asking for bikes so I donated it to them, and am currently shopping around for a cheap simple no-frills mountain bike in case I have to get out of town..

Almost 20 years is a long time depending on what age you are now. . . Heck maybe you are still a youngster and by your post that is what I am thinking. Once my hunny hit 65, I have witnessed his downfalls becoming 70 in November this year. He can still out work many younger guys, but even today when he came home, I noticed the way he was walking. . . I asked him how much he drank today. He tends to get dehydrated which is what was causing his cramps today. I had to actually threaten him today. Either drink more, every hour with our heat or I will call his boss. . . Yes we are friends.

 

[lonewolf]

Well if there's advance notice of an asteroid strike (and subsequent tsunami) in the English channel I'd head up onto the high ground of Dartmoor and camp there to avoid getting my feet wet.
But if the city was riot-torn and starving for any other reason I'd camp on the banks of a river somewhere like this, and go back in town when they'd finished eating each other.

you wont last 5 minutes on Dartmoor without the right gear and knowledge of the conditions.
Dartmoor can get 4 seasons all in one day and the peat bogs will swallow a dartmoor pony whole, a person is a lot smaller than a pony.
once you leave a city post SHTF NEVER go back, it will be full of the dead and dying and disease will be everywhere.
as for rivers you have 3 options living in Plymouth, you can either sail into the English channel and go to Drakes Island or the Mewstone, or you can go up the River Plym or up the River Tamar which is tidal the further up you go. (you will get washed up on the beach or mud when the tide goes out).I doubt you have any boat or sea navigational skills much less any current charts. no preparation again just wishful thinking .

 

[Jayson]

Either drink more, every hour with our heat or I will call his boss. . .

I’ll drink to that!

 

[MOS0231]

FMD Paul, you really are a luddite lol lol. They are called Presta valves, the old type are schrader. You can buy adaptors you know, I use them, I don't have a Presta pump at all, I use 12V electric car pumps with the adapters.

My pump has a twin head for both types of valves.

I have an adapter on my Cross bicycle in case I need to stop at a gas station to fill up, or a pump with only a Schrader fitting.

 

[lonewolf]

never seen an adaptor I could use on a foot pump, not in the UK.
still dosent get that valve back in.