If you wanted to use a bicycle as a bug out ride or as an everyday transportation tool how would you equip it? Would you make it a mountain bike or road bike? What spare parts would you take?

I have a decent mountain bike that I take with me almost everywhere. I carry basic bike multitool, wave, pump, patches, few krill lights, head lamp, road vest and big Kryptonite chain. Obviously i will have my PSK, extended FAK and rain jacket. Any other ideas?

Matt

I would add a small bottle of tire slime to the kit and maybe a cheap bike computer/odometer for tracking distances.

As for style I would actually trade my mountain bike for a road bike. I say this because I think that the route you would likely use in a bug out scenario would be paved. Also, unless you have a high end mountan bike, the road bike is going to be lighter and better geared for speed.

My $.02

Chris

Well, of course, you are technically right.
But .....
IMHO (and I'm no expert in this domain), a road bike is something much more delicate than a mountain bike. And this could be a problem, if you have to go off-road even for a short distance, when bugging out. And you will certainly have some heavy BOB on your back too.

Nowadays, there is what we call VTC (Vélo Tous Chemins - "any road" bike), which is less sturdy than the VTT (Vélo Tous Terrains - your mountain bike) and faster, which my be a good compromise between the road bike and the mountain bike for a bug out bike.

I did ask me this same question (bug out vehicle) at the beginning of the year when strikes theatened to paralyse public transportation and automobile traffic in Paris. I felt very uncomfortable to depend only on my car.
So I recently bought a new "town" bike, just to put my a$$ on a bike again (which I have not done seriously for over 20 years ....). After a month, I enjoy riding it in Paris (late in the evening, when there is much less traffic).
And I guess I will buy a more robust VTC this winter or next spring.


Alain

I, on the other hand, would opt for a mtn. bike instead of a road bike. Thinking of bug-out scenarios, there would stand to be a chance of the paved roads being impassible. Road bikes aren't very fun in "off-road" scenarios. Think of a 4X4 vehicle...goes pretty well off-road...does great on pavement. Can't do much off-roading in a Camaro. Granted, mtn. bikes will work you pretty hard when "on-roading" because of gearing, tires, etc. I would add a chain tool and some spare spokes on top of your kit. I have a "spare spoke" that is a flexible cord made of kevlar.....fits in a small container about the size of a "D" cell battery.

I'd be interested in more info on that "spare spoke" made of kevlar.

The type depends on the roads you´re going to take (road bike for paved roads, mountain bike if it might be offroad). I fitted my bike with carriers for bags. This helps to lower the center of gravity and makes the bike more stable. There are different grades of spokes. I´d take heavy duty stainless steel spokes to compensate for the increased weight. I also wrapped the crossing points of the spokes with fine wire. The wheels are a little stiffer and if a spoke breaks it will stay in place. I prefer tires with a kevlar carcass. They are less prone to puncture.
I have a couple of spare spokes taped to the pump and at least one spare tube. For longer tours I pack a spare cable for the brakes.

All-Terrain Bike, hands down - a mid range model (about in the $1,000 range). I've commuted on both types of bikes and rarely had the opportunity to take advantage of the higher gearing of the road bike and they are NOT as robust as a decent all terrain bike. My current ATB is a real tank but it is far, far lighter than a racing road bike I used to commute on - these things keep getting better and better.

Put a decent computer on it (they are not expensive) and follow the instructions to calibrate it - the oddometers are quite accurate IF you calibrate them.

If you do not have really robust rims, consider upgrading them. And the Kevlar reinforced tires are lighter and tougher than ordinary tires. There are many different tread designs now and some of the more aggressive treads are brutal/unsafe on pavement and a real chore to ride thru long grass. Some of the designs are too smooth to be useful anywhere but rock or sand. The good news is that there some superb multi-purpose designs that don't give up much in any situation, doing a decent job in in most any environment - seek advice from local enthusiasts/bike shops.

You can tote an impressive amount of gear with an ATB but off-road maneuvering is severely compromised by a high center of gravity - panniers help, but unless you make your own they are not usually versitile. Someone else here may know of some ready-mades that are "adaptable" to carrying on foot, but I don't.

Find a local nut, er, enthusiast, who rides trails and pick his/her brain for essentials. There are some things you simply cannot expect to repair in the field. For example, last year we had a bike blow out the big end (crank) about 1/2 way thru a grueling 18 mile leg in the mountains. Repairable, but not without the parts. The bike had NOT been maintained, which is an essential part of any serious ride. How did we finish that ride? One of my boys loaned his bike to the rider of the busted bike and then "skateboarded" the broken bike the rest of the way by standing on one pedal and pushing the ground away with his other foot - it was amazing to watch; he maintained an average speed of about 12mph. If it had been a Bug-out scenario, he could have moved the loaded bike better than trying to go on foot.

There are a few tools that you might want to add to a bike BoB that are not easily handled by ordinary tools - like a pair of 15mm slim wrenches (your bike may use a different size - see your local bike mechanic) - but that kind of stuff is too heavy to lug around for simple commuting.

I've seen the kevlar spoke (several local bike shops stock them) and our favorite mechanic/enthusiast carries one and claims they work as advertised in his experience. In any event a spoke wrench appropriate for your bike is an essential.

You can get away with sewing up a ruptured tire on an ATB and re-inflating it - an interior swatch of high quality duct tape over the repair may help preserve the tube a little longer. Usually if you suffer that sort of damage, the tube is not practically repairable, so I would for sure carry a spare tube (and a patch kit for less catastrophic punctures) - btw, plastic tire levers are worth carrying. You will have to baby the sewn-up tire and don't get too eager with the tire pump, but it is doable. No such luck with a 90 psi road tire in my experience.

Whatever multi-tool you have, make sure it will actually make all the adjustments you need. I find a 10mm combination wrench a la Craftsman or SK to be far superior for certain routine adjustments... YMMV. I'm not a fan of bike multi-tools.

Some folks run pre-cut and terminated spare cables alongside every cable on the bike. I think that is a splendid idea and if you're not sure how to go about that, have your local mechanic set you up. And then have him teach you how to adjust the derailiers properly if you are not already certain how to do that. Ditto brakes.

HTH,

Tom

What you are looking for is a touring bike. Touring bikes are generally similar to road bikes in terms of wheel size and drop bars, but use larger tires and are built very solid in order to handle large loaded panniers. They can go offroad if necessary with the right tires. They also generally have heavy duty wheels to support the load. Some tourists use mountain bikes, but they can be difficult to attach racks to and you will generally want a trailer for a MTB. MTBs are also very slow on roads unless you use slick tires, and then you might as well have a touring bike. Gearing on a touring bike is generally similar or a bit higher than a MTB. Cranking all that weight up hills is tough! <img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I have road bikes, mountain bikes and touring bikes (I know, my wife thinks I'm nuts too), and if I was actually trying to ride a large distance with stuff I would definately take the touring bike. The right tool for the job as it were. Very sturdy, stable with a load and comfy to ride long distances. If I knew I was going to have to travel tough offroad singletrack then I would probably take the MTB and load up one of my large Camelbaks or maybe a trailer if I needed to take alot of stuff.

Another option you may not have thought about for distance is a recumbent. Lots of tourists I know swear by them as you are essentially sitting in a chair. Very comfy, no neck and shoulder strain. Much better aerodynamics also, but they can be tough going up hills...

If you are interested in more info on bike touring, feel free to drop me a line, or you can subscribe to the touring list, at phred.org. Great bunch of folks...

That reminds me, I need to go riding tonight if it doesn't rain on me... <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Greg

Greg:

The bike you describe and the type frenchy describe are pretty much what I had in mind as a road bike. I refer to the bikes with curved down handle bars and tiny seats as racing bikes which may be an incorrect term. In my case, an emergency route would be on pavement. Even if I camped out of sight I would still be near a road of some sort. That is the reality of my habitat in the greater NYC area.


Chris

Chris,

Sounds like a touring bike is what you want then. If you want more info on bicycle camping, check out: http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/touring/index.htm

Ken has put together some good info in these pages. He has a good discussion of things to consider in a bike in his equipment section.

One additional piece of advice. No matter what kind of bike you decide on, learn how to maintain and repair it. Not only will it save your butt if you have a breakdown in the middle of nowhere, but it will also save you a ton of money if you can maintain your bikes on a day-to-day basis. As with the usual mantra around here, it's all about being self-sufficient.

Take care, and let me know if I can help in any way!

Greg