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What you want is a "touring bike" which has a different frame and is designed for carrying stuff, with connection points for attaching racks. Road bikes and mountain bikes get squirrelly if you load them down, and usually don't have enough connection points for racks. Some hybrids would make good touring bikes, some won't.

Chromoly steel frames are best for heavy usage. Aluminum and carbon fiber frames can suffer from stress fatigue. Aluminum frames have to be really heavy to stand up to hard use because any flexing in the frame will cause stress fatigue. Then they need front and rear suspension to smooth out the ride which adds to the weight. A good steel frame doesn't need a suspension because the steel can flex without developing stress fatigue. This keeps the weight down and keeps the bike simple.

A good entry level steel frame hybrid bike is the Trek 700. They are no longer made but you should be able to find a used one fairly cheap. Here is one on EBay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Trek-Multi-...757?pt=US_Bicycles_Frames&hash=item2a31e95175

I got a used one for my son and my wife appropriated it because it was so comfortable to ride. It came with Michelin tires which have not had a flat yet. Even though it is a 700c hybrid, the Trek 700 I bought is an older one made like an old school mountain bike with a freewheel hub, quill stem, grip shifters and center pull caliper brakes.

"Modern" hybrids have cassette hubs, threadless stems, trigger shifters and V-Brakes. Some Trek 700s have trigger shifters.

Jamis makes some excellent, and relatively inexpensive steel frame bikes. I have a Coda Comp, which is the middle of the road Coda model. The high end is the Coda Elite with disc brakes which I didn't want. The entry level model is the Coda Sport:

http://www.myjamis.com/SSP Applications/JamisBikes/MyJamis/consumer/bike.html?year=2013&model=Coda Sport&cat_grp=strt_2

My daughter and I were both having a lot of flats at one time. I got her some Gatorskin hardshells, and I put some cheap Chinese kevlar belted tires on my bike and we haven't had a flat since. Check with a good bike shop and they should be able to find you some inexpensive kevlar tires.

My online source is Nashbar:

http://www.nashbar.com
 
I love the idea of bike riding I would use that but in shooting for with in a year or two Bo to whyoming and I live in tn so that won't quite work out for me.
 
one thing a person might want to think about interchangable tires/wheels...one complet set for off road.and other set for on road..and some tire rims can be removed/installed completly by hand..
 
jimLE said:
one thing a person might want to think about interchangable tires/wheels...one complet set for off road.and other set for on road..and some tire rims can be removed/installed completly by hand..
Click to expand...

The only problem is that you have to make sure you have identical gear sets and rear hubs, and that the spokes are tensioned the same, otherwise the shifters will only work with one rear wheel and not the other without having to completely readjust the derailleur and brakes. Even if you swap the same gear set between two rear wheels, differences in how it is centered and how the spokes are tensioned can throw the derailleur and brakes off.
 
Personally, I'd get one of those European women's bikes. you can always change the tires for ones with a rougher profile if needed, but they are way more comfortable to get around with and can pack bigger loads more comfortably for a longer time.
It also takes less of a toll on your back AND if you miss-step you don't have the bicycle bar cracking your nuts.
 
chances are.id go with one of the older bikes.thier easy enough to get 2 diffrent sets of wheels and tires..but thier also the ones im use to working on.which means i can repair them.and know what im looking at when it comes to the spockets n all
 
You'd have to figure out a way to keep from getting flats
Click to expand...

They do make puncture-less tires. They aren't cheap though....but for a bug out bike, they are pretty essential. Over time, the air will go out of the normal ones. If you do opt for keeping with normal tires, make sure to have a frame-mounted pump too.

$17? Wow, that's a steal, even at a thrift shop. Goodwill routinely charges $40-$60 for a used bike, when you can get a new one at Wal-Mart for $100.

Instead of a trailer, a roof mounted bike rack will be a lot easier to drive with, depending on how many bikes you are taking. And, you can always combine with a rear rack. Cheaper than a trailer, and easier to drive.

Add a frame-mounted water bottle holder too. Get one that will also fit a standard bottle of water. Add a luggage rack too, and some bungee cords, and you're all set.
 
I had been having a lot of flats and I had thought it was my inner tubes. I found some beefed up inner tubes, but then after a while the flats started again. My local bike shop found me some Kevlar belted blems really cheap. No more flats!
 
Covering 60 to 80 miles a day on a fully loaded touring bike is very possible. With my setup fully loaded it weighs about 85# but I have everything I need to survive for an extended period of time. If you add a dedicated bike trailer you could easily haul another 50 to 60# of additional gear if necessary. As for tires I use a brand called Schwable they are a bit pricy but bullet proof. I have over 5K miles on my current set with no flats and I have run over all kinds of glass and metal.
 
I realize this is an old thread, but I've already adopted a bicycle lifestyle for many years, and I think the whole bicycle thing is underrated in our culture.

A few points:

1) Post SHTF, it will be easier to repair bicycles rather than cars and/or motorcycles. It is easier to swap parts between damaged bicycles because there is greater commonality. I'm riding a Frankenstein bike right now. There are fewer tools required to repair a bike as opposed to a car, and the skills are easier to learn.

2) Diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, obesity, and heart disease will be problems post SHTF, and adequate medical care will be difficult (if not impossible) to obtain. Regular aerobic exercise that is low impact (such as bicycling) can help with many of these conditions and increase quality (and quantity) of life. Regular cycling can help tremendously with depression and anxiety, which seem likely (at least to me) post SHTF.

3) A bicycle can be hidden easier than a car, and is silent when compared to a car...so it lends itself to stealth when discretion is important.

4) A bike can be carried up, over, or around obstacles that would stop a car. A bike can be carried over water when a cyclist has to wade.

5) A bike trailer can be used to carry large loads over great distances. I do this now to get groceries, although--in fairness to anyone who disagrees with me--my situation is unique in a lot of ways. I live in South Florida, which is tropical and very flat. A bike trailer probably wouldn't work in a mountainous environment.

6) Rickshaws are available for bicylces, so one can carry passengers...such as elderly people, children, pregnant, or the disabled. There is actually a bicycle taxicab service in West Palm Beach, Florida. Look it up. I'm not bullshitting.

7) Adopting a bicycle lifestyle now saves money than can be diverted into prepping.

8) I derived intense (yes, I know it was very small of me) satisfaction when--while bicycling to work--seeing almost four dollars a gallon for gasoline at my local filling station (remember those days?) and telling them to "...go f____ themselves, and shove their gasoline right up their...." well, you know.

And so on.

The bicycle--as a prepping tool--seems very underrated.

Thank you for considering my post.

All my best,
---Kevin
 
Kevin L said:
I realize this is an old thread, but I've already adopted a bicycle lifestyle for many years, and I think the whole bicycle thing is underrated in our culture.

A few points:

1) Post SHTF, it will be easier to repair bicycles rather than cars and/or motorcycles. It is easier to swap parts between damaged bicycles because there is greater commonality. I'm riding a Frankenstein bike right now. There are fewer tools required to repair a bike as opposed to a car, and the skills are easier to learn.

2) Diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, obesity, and heart disease will be problems post SHTF, and adequate medical care will be difficult (if not impossible) to obtain. Regular aerobic exercise that is low impact (such as bicycling) can help with many of these conditions and increase quality (and quantity) of life. Regular cycling can help tremendously with depression and anxiety, which seem likely (at least to me) post SHTF.

3) A bicycle can be hidden easier than a car, and is silent when compared to a car...so it lends itself to stealth when discretion is important.

4) A bike can be carried up, over, or around obstacles that would stop a car. A bike can be carried over water when a cyclist has to wade.

5) A bike trailer can be used to carry large loads over great distances. I do this now to get groceries, although--in fairness to anyone who disagrees with me--my situation is unique in a lot of ways. I live in South Florida, which is tropical and very flat. A bike trailer probably wouldn't work in a mountainous environment.

6) Rickshaws are available for bicylces, so one can carry passengers...such as elderly people, children, pregnant, or the disabled. There is actually a bicycle taxicab service in West Palm Beach, Florida. Look it up. I'm not bullshitting.

7) Adopting a bicycle lifestyle now saves money than can be diverted into prepping.

8) I derived intense (yes, I know it was very small of me) satisfaction when--while bicycling to work--seeing almost four dollars a gallon for gasoline at my local filling station (remember those days?) and telling them to "...go f____ themselves, and shove their gasoline right up their...." well, you know.

And so on.

The bicycle--as a prepping tool--seems very underrated.

Thank you for considering my post.

All my best,
---Kevin
Click to expand...
I think a bicycle is a great choice in many areas. Not so much in my area. I'm 18 miles from town and 2,000 feet higher. Going to town in the summer wouldn't be so bad, but coming back up hill all the way would be hard even with the right gearing. And winter would be impossible. In post SHTF the plows wouldn't be running anymore so even motor vehicle travel would be impossible. For my situation and location horses will be the best choice for transportation post SHTF.
 
For my situation and location horses will be the best choice for transportation post SHTF.
Click to expand...

Pretty much what we'd use.

Pretty funny...my wife and some of our boarders often go riding locally (small town)... They'll even hitch up at Applebee's and have lunch, or just ride around local streets (very little traffic, and our horses are bombproof...(means they don't spook easy)...
 
it all depends on where you are and your age and what kind of shape you are in,,hilly country I would not want a bike the old legs could not handle the hills,but a flat area and short distance,a bike would work well.....a mountain bike would be what I would go with
 
I've seen this bike in Walmart that has huge fat and knobby tires, that would probably be a good bug out bicycle. It wouldn't be as limited terrain wise. (and be more comfortable on long rides, I'd imagine).
 
Are you talking about a fat tire bike? Offroad it should be great.
But on the road those tires have a lot of rolling friction, so a long trip will wear you out.

I sometimes deer hunt on a 700c hybrid that I put semi-fat 29'er tires on. Not as fat as fat tires, but big enough to get to the deer stand through some soft dirt and a little mud. I would think a 29'er mountain bike would be the best dual use bike, as it will have less rolling friction on the road.

Here are pictures from Walmart's web site of a 26" fat tire bike, and a 29'er mountain bike with semi-fat tires like I have on my conversion (they call it a "Mid-Fat Tire Bike):
7e787fd7-98db-4fad-9677-dfc2af77031a_1.05cf9ffdf003c38a846cb1594a128f35.jpeg

8849c26a-eb48-4c24-9649-36a2df525bc6_1.34f75d0a86194156e4194ef9dfcf26be.jpeg
 
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I just read thru this old thread. I agree on all the points of bikes being great for health, stealth and a good alternative to gasoline that may one day be scarce. On point though about the 100.00 Walmart bikes. They pretty much are junk. Yes, they look great, but are built pretty cheaply and don't hold up well. I grew up on old steel schwinns. They were tough and lasted for years. I think you would do better buying a better quality used bike from Craigslist or eBay. The area I live in is just too darn hilly to enjoy riding a bike here. The only way here would be to have a motor assist to help with going up the hills. However in a post shtf world, walking it up the hills would still be better than not having it.
 
Brent S said:
I just read thru this old thread. I agree on all the points of bikes being great for health, stealth and a good alternative to gasoline that may one day be scarce. On point though about the 100.00 Walmart bikes. They pretty much are junk. Yes, they look great, but are built pretty cheaply and don't hold up well. I grew up on old steel schwinns. They were tough and lasted for years. I think you would do better buying a better quality used bike from Craigslist or eBay. The area I live in is just too darn hilly to enjoy riding a bike here. The only way here would be to have a motor assist to help with going up the hills. However in a post shtf world, walking it up the hills would still be better than not having it.
Click to expand...

You're quite correct about WalMart $100.00 bikes (or almost any wally world bike) being garbage.

The only roles for such a bike is as a backup bicycle, and also if you want to practice bike mechanical repair and use a wal-mart bike to practice on.

Keep folding bikes in mind.

Citizen bicycles is an online company that sells them at a reasonable cost.

I used to carry a folding bike in my car as a kind of lifeboat in case I broke down somewhere. I also used a folding bike to commute with. I would cycle to the train or bus station, fold up my bike, and carry it onto the bus in a package.

The gas money, wear and tear on my car, etc. was a huge savings.
 
I bought a wallyworld bike several years ago when they first started selling those really cheap ones. The brakes could barely stop the thing. Ether was no adjusting them, they were just junk. As I said, this was about thirteen years ago, so maybe the Chinese have improved the quality by now?
 
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