Commuting - Designing a bike for the post-industrial wasteland

I've been contemplating the future post-Peak Oil, and I've concluded that I need to assemble an awesome indestructible bike that will last forever while the industrial resources to construct such a thing are still accessible. Even if you're a silly person who believes everything's going to keep chugging along happily, please bear with me for this thread.

I figure I definitely want a titanium frame because it'll have the strength of steel without being affected by rust, and it's also something that likely wouldn't be available anymore in the future. It'll need every mount/eyelet imaginable.

Beyond that, I don't know. Wheel/tire size? Drivetrain type? handlebar setup? What else?

I too wonder how life will be in the post oil age. Looking to the past, or pre oil age, there were horses and walking, including slaves and sedan chairs. Raw materials were wood, wrought iron and leather. I wonder what will be available to us when the oil is gone? Will there be carbon fibre and titanium?

Titanium has excellent properties: no corrosion, no paint, strong and light, but very hard to repair. Steel can be repaired with basic equipment, and will last a lifetime if cared for. Bearings will need to be industrial grade sealed units, and when times are really tough, then iron shafts in wood blocks, well greased with tallow. I would be looking at shaft drive or a fully enclosed chain, or a fixie, al-la penny-farthing. Cables: stainless steel double strength, or stainless rod linkages. Wheels: double strength titanium rims and stainless spokes. Tires: now we have a problem – make the rims adjustable so any available tire will fit, and then look at leather and gutta percha, or whatever new substance is available.

Sorry, I’m a cynical old bastrad, and I am not making fun of the idea. What I have learned is to get the best available in my circumstances, enjoy it and use it well. Make a Rolls Royce bike if possible and enjoy it even more, but the bottom line for me is to adapt and move with the times, making the most of whatever is available.

I think the best setup would be something like a cross/touring bike that you could reasonably take on or off road and still be fine. Basically clearance for wide tires, cantilever brakes, the capacity to carry everything you own, internal hub or maybe fg/ss. I could see SS being more practical, as it's easier to shoot people trying to steal your **** while you're coasting.

As far as all the other stuff, I see it being much more viable to stock up on a ton of **** rather than trying to find something that will never break or wear out.

I've been contemplating the future post-Peak Oil, and I've concluded that I need to assemble an awesome indestructible bike that will last forever while the industrial resources to construct such a thing are still accessible. Even if you're a silly person who believes everything's going to keep chugging along happily, please bear with me for this thread.




Speaking of silly, this thread is a top nominee

Whatcha worried about. You can make perfectly usable bikes with bamboo and reeds. They will be more easily serviced in the bleak future than your NASA relic.

Speaking of silly, this thread is a top nominee
+1

Man, bikes are the only real way of extending the use of natural resources beyond the present expectations, by means of reducing fuel demand, but nothing else. In that post-oil era that you picture out, even your Frankenstein bike will eventually subside to decay and destruction. And wihout the level and kind of standardized production that we have nowadays, forget about spare parts and replacements. And then we'd come down to the same kind of rig chunks that our ancestors used, which proved to be unviable on a normal day to day use basis, which led them to searching for other effortless means of transportation... which led to the mess we have today. In those post-oil times, there'd better be any other ways of massive production of energy, be it cold fusion or whatever. Or rather... we'd better change our way of thinking and behaving altogether.

I bet you don't need to be reminded that Jerico is on tonight.

You should design it out of bamboo.

Beyond that, I don't know. Wheel/tire size? Drivetrain type? handlebar setup? What else?

The handlebar will need a machine gun mount, but at some point there will be no more bullets, and then you will need a jousting lance eyelet on the frame.

Make the top tube out of cast iron with a 1" bore. Black powder will be with us in the Post-Industrial era.

I'm betting on biodiesel to save us, so I just keep riding my same old bike.

I've been contemplating the future post-Peak Oil, and I've concluded that I need to assemble an awesome indestructible bike that will last forever while the industrial resources to construct such a thing are still accessible. Even if you're a silly person who believes everything's going to keep chugging along happily, please bear with me for this thread...
Beyond that, I don't know. Wheel/tire size? Drivetrain type? handlebar setup? What else?
Check with Mel. He's full of ideas just like you.:rolleyes:

There will never be post post-Peak Oil. Oil is not produced from dead dinosaurs; it is produced in the hot mantel from high temperatures and pressures and forced up where we collect it. Old oil fields thought to have been pumped dry have oil in them again and there is plenty of oil in hard to reach places or places where the liberals don’t want oil wells sunk into the ground, which is everywhere. Noticed how oil prices have dropped drastically in the last few weeks? That's because some countries have started building synthetic fuel plants to produce an exceptionally clean burning fuel made from a blend of coal and other propriety additives. This fuel will be available for $2 a gallon at the pump, it will not leave carbon deposits on the engine parts or in the oil, and will produce more energy per gallon than petroleum derived fuels. If your fuel mileage is 20 MPG on petroleum-derived fuels your mileage on coal-derived fuels will be 26 MPG. Synthetic fuel at $2 a gallon is a better deal than gasoline at $1.50 a gallon, as it burns cleaner reducing engine damage due to carbon deposits, reduced lubricating oil service requirements, and reduced fuel consumption.

There will never be post post-Peak Oil. Oil is not produced from dead dinosaurs; it is produced in the hot mantel from high temperatures and pressures and forced up where we collect it. Old oil fields thought to have been pumped dry have oil in them again and there is plenty of oil in hard to reach places or places where the liberals don’t want oil wells sunk into the ground, which is everywhere. Noticed how oil prices have dropped drastically in the last few weeks? That's because some countries have started building synthetic fuel plants to produce an exceptionally clean burning fuel made from a blend of coal and other propriety additives. This fuel will be available for $2 a gallon at the pump, it will not leave carbon deposits on the engine parts or in the oil, and will produce more energy per gallon than petroleum derived fuels. If your fuel mileage is 20 MPG on petroleum-derived fuels your mileage on coal-derived fuels will be 26 MPG. Synthetic fuel at $2 a gallon is a better deal than gasoline at $1.50 a gallon, as it burns cleaner reducing engine damage due to carbon deposits, reduced lubricating oil service requirements, and reduced fuel consumption.

Are you referring to DME or syngas? In either case, neither one is a direct replacement for gasolene. Neither of them has an octane rating close to gas. DME is only suitable for use in diesel engines, and even then it needs a lubricant additive. It is more suited to replacing propane and other cooking fuels, though you could use it to generate electricity.

Syngas can be derived from a few different sources, including coal, municipal waste and natural gas. However, it has only half the energy density of natural gas. Again, it is better suited to generating electricity rather than directly powering cars.

An article on DME (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1999/10/991013075254.htm)

Wiki entry on syngas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syngas)

There will never be post post-Peak Oil. Oil is not produced from dead dinosaurs; it is produced in the hot mantel from high temperatures and pressures and forced up where we collect it. Old oil fields thought to have been pumped dry have oil in them again and there is plenty of oil in hard to reach places or places where the liberals don’t want oil wells sunk into the ground, which is everywhere. Noticed how oil prices have dropped drastically in the last few weeks? That's because some countries have started building synthetic fuel plants to produce an exceptionally clean burning fuel made from a blend of coal and other propriety additives. This fuel will be available for $2 a gallon at the pump, it will not leave carbon deposits on the engine parts or in the oil, and will produce more energy per gallon than petroleum derived fuels. If your fuel mileage is 20 MPG on petroleum-derived fuels your mileage on coal-derived fuels will be 26 MPG. Synthetic fuel at $2 a gallon is a better deal than gasoline at $1.50 a gallon, as it burns cleaner reducing engine damage due to carbon deposits, reduced lubricating oil service requirements, and reduced fuel consumption.

We might never run out of oil, but we might run out of cheap oil.

Expect the price of locally unavailable stuff to go way up.

For ground based personal transportation, the worst that we can expect is people switching to alcohol engine driven aerodynamic trikes, for example like those that people build for the Shell Eco Marathon.

I will ride a fixed gear bike while dressed Mad Max style

For ground based personal transportation, the worst that we can expect is people switching to alcohol engine driven aerodynamic trikes, for example like those that people build for the Shell Eco Marathon.

I think, given the inefficiency of producing bio-alcohol, biodiesel or vegetable oil are much more likely candidates for powering the small trikes (or public buses, etc.).

Everybody ought to keep in mind, though, that despite any shortages of oil, there's enough coal to last quite a while and fuel for nuclear fission power plants is really going to last a long time.

There will never be post post-Peak Oil. Oil is not produced from dead dinosaurs; it is produced in the hot mantel from high temperatures and pressures and forced up where we collect it. Old oil fields thought to have been pumped dry have oil in them again and there is plenty of oil in hard to reach places or places where the liberals don’t want oil wells sunk into the ground, which is everywhere. Noticed how oil prices have dropped drastically in the last few weeks? That's because some countries have started building synthetic fuel plants to produce an exceptionally clean burning fuel made from a blend of coal and other propriety additives. This fuel will be available for $2 a gallon at the pump, it will not leave carbon deposits on the engine parts or in the oil, and will produce more energy per gallon than petroleum derived fuels. If your fuel mileage is 20 MPG on petroleum-derived fuels your mileage on coal-derived fuels will be 26 MPG. Synthetic fuel at $2 a gallon is a better deal than gasoline at $1.50 a gallon, as it burns cleaner reducing engine damage due to carbon deposits, reduced lubricating oil service requirements, and reduced fuel consumption.


LOL, keep smoking what you're smoking man. Oil comes from organic-rich source rocks that when subject to extreme heat and pressure due to burial or subduction, the kerogen is "cracked" and oil and natural gas are formed. It then migrates due to differential pressure, and sometimes with luck it ends up in a reservoir rock with enough porosity and permeability that make it economical to produce. It also needs a trap to keep it there. New technologies are what's making old oil fields produce again (CO2 flooding, water flooding etc) because its impossible to get all the oil out in the first place because of loss of pressure, capillary effects of the matrix porosity. It has nothing to do with "recharging" of the reservoir by oil coming from the mantel. Please don't post anymore about something you obviously have no freakin clue about.

There will never be post post-Peak Oil. Oil is not produced from dead dinosaurs; it is produced in the hot mantel from high temperatures and pressures and forced up where we collect it. Old oil fields thought to have been pumped dry have oil in them again and there is plenty of oil in hard to reach places or places where the liberals don’t want oil wells sunk into the ground, which is everywhere. Noticed how oil prices have dropped drastically in the last few weeks? That's because some countries have started building synthetic fuel plants to produce an exceptionally clean burning fuel made from a blend of coal and other propriety additives. This fuel will be available for $2 a gallon at the pump, it will not leave carbon deposits on the engine parts or in the oil, and will produce more energy per gallon than petroleum derived fuels. If your fuel mileage is 20 MPG on petroleum-derived fuels your mileage on coal-derived fuels will be 26 MPG. Synthetic fuel at $2 a gallon is a better deal than gasoline at $1.50 a gallon, as it burns cleaner reducing engine damage due to carbon deposits, reduced lubricating oil service requirements, and reduced fuel consumption.

Above= Graduate of the Sean Hannity/Rush Limbaugh School of Geology.

Beyond that, I don't know. What else?

stock up on tubes and tires.

Look at the bikes that Black Label, C.H.U.N.K. 666, and Dead Baby put together. These are already some post-apocalyptic looking rides built largely from junker materials, and they joust on these beasts!

As with all "which bike" questions, it depends. Where do you anticipate going in this post-apocolyptic world? What do you plan on transporting? More importantly, what do you plan on eating to power it?

If you truly want to prep for the apocolypse, I'd put the wheels a bit lower on the list, and focus on making and successfully using a slingshot (not the Dennis the Menace type, a real one), out of any fiber you can find, growing vegetables without your hose, learning what plants are edible and how to trap/hund and prepare small game, and building strong relationships with other people you plan to survive with.

IMO, the the only things worth stockpiling that will make a real difference are books.

You'll be too busy to ride, anyway.

There will never be post post-Peak Oil. Oil is not produced from dead dinosaurs; it is produced in the hot mantel from high temperatures and pressures and forced up where we collect it. Old oil fields thought to have been pumped dry have oil in them again and there is plenty of oil in hard to reach places or places where the liberals don’t want oil wells sunk into the ground, which is everywhere. Noticed how oil prices have dropped drastically in the last few weeks? That's because some countries have started building synthetic fuel plants to produce an exceptionally clean burning fuel made from a blend of coal and other propriety additives. This fuel will be available for $2 a gallon at the pump, it will not leave carbon deposits on the engine parts or in the oil, and will produce more energy per gallon than petroleum derived fuels. If your fuel mileage is 20 MPG on petroleum-derived fuels your mileage on coal-derived fuels will be 26 MPG. Synthetic fuel at $2 a gallon is a better deal than gasoline at $1.50 a gallon, as it burns cleaner reducing engine damage due to carbon deposits, reduced lubricating oil service requirements, and reduced fuel consumption.

I'll take science over political bluster any day. You don't get hydrocarbon chains out of hot rock, buddy. And you don't get "synthetic" coal fuel for free, for cheap, or anything at all. That crap ain't worth burning.

The OP is still pretty silly. If the future wasteland you envision does come to pass, no bike you could design today would last more than a couple of decades (most optimistic estimate) before it became simply impossible to repair. I'd wait till the crisis hits and then see what you can come up with.

I will ride a fixed gear bike while dressed Mad Max style

Swinging a heavy chain and padlock.

I don't think it's going to be as bad as all that. Oil is used mainly for transportation. Electricity drives production. Currently electricity comes mainly from coal, which we actually have a hell of a lot of, but there are alternatives, both nuclear and others. I think we'll have a lower-energy but still technological society even after the oil runs out.
Ever read The Peace War? There's a low energy and very high tech future. Apart from the totalitarian regime in it, it actually doesn't seem like a bad way to live.

No one can accurately predict exactly what will happen, how bad it will get, or how soon. My personal feeling is that things won't get that bad in my lifetime, maybe not even in my childrens', but what about the seventh generation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seventh_Generation)? But that far out (or even 20 or 30 years from now), I feel there are just too many unknowns to know what to prepare for, so I don't spend a lot of time preparing for specific scenarios. I figure that riding a bike, though it does require some hydrocarbon energy to manufacture, transport, and maintain, is clearly a more sustainable mode of transportation in all those phases than driving a car, and it's something I can do, so I do it.

I also think that talk about apocolyptic post-oil scenarios is an oversimplification of the issue. One thing that will continue to happen (as it always has) is that those with more financial, social, and political capital will be able to make sure they don't do too badly, and those without will continue to fare poorly in comparison. And while I don't necessarily believe that technology will save us, it will surely help, and I'm not enough of an expert to predict exactly what will come along and how well it will work.

Besides, in the next 100 years, I'm more worried about continuing to dump CO2 into the atmosphere than about the supply problem. Any technological supply fix ought to also address emissions, or I fear we'll have big climate problems eventually.

Sorry to continue the post hijack. I think the OP didn't intend for us to debate the premise, but I knew that it would happen anyway! :D

Ever read The Peace War? There's a low energy and very high tech future. Apart from the totalitarian regime in it, it actually doesn't seem like a bad way to live.
Sounds interesting. But apart from the totalitarion regime (more fodder for conservative strawman arguments about what Liberals(tm) Really Want), I'm not sure that low energy and high tech can go together that well, either. My limited understand of the chip manufacturing process is that it's very energy intensive and dirty in terms of chemicals and emissions, so is it sustainable in a lower energy future?

This might actually be helpful to the OP. Many people in the Peak Oil community are interested in the Cuba example. Evidently Cuba had to go through some major energy downsizing with the collapse of the Soviet Union, their primary supplier of petroleum. There's a movie out on DVD about it, and you'll probably be able to find a lot of references on Google without much trouble. I'll bet a lot more of them started riding bikes! (There's that totalitarian regime thing again, though...)

I've been meditating about this subject for a while. Deep meditation...and I am still confused.

I'm not sure if my post-Peak Oil bike would be my Cannondale Bad Boy Ultra, that can work fine with both 700c or mountain bike wheels (so I can scavenger parts from the rottening corpses I encounter) or if it would be my Merc 16" wheeled folding bike, that can become a small pack on my back and allow me to hike into the unrideable regions in seach of food. One thing is for sure: The demand for 16" tires will be significantly less than anything else, so I will not have to kill for tubes. The other problem, that I have to try before doom's day, is deciding which bike behaves better under the backlash of the .50 Desert Eagle.

I think any well thought out touring bike would work for this.

I've been contemplating the future post-Peak Oil, and I've concluded that I need to assemble an awesome indestructible bike that will last forever while the industrial resources to construct such a thing are still accessible. Even if you're a silly person who believes everything's going to keep chugging along happily, please bear with me for this thread.

Pay no mind to the "silly persons" who have responded thus far(I think you're being to kind). The
answer to your valid concern is to look as the less developed nations of the world & to history of
WWII (bikes they rode during that time in Europe), Today's bikes of both China & India , along with
WWII era Raleigh bikes, are all sturdy very reliable simple bikes that have little appeal in America
now, to find sterling examples of REAL bicycles for daily transport and work for folk's who have no
other way to travel or haul products.

You will find robust steel framed bikes with often no more than 3 speeds. Bikes with full fenders, steel
wheels, full chain guards, dress shields at the rear, rear racks & baskets to carry goods with. Simple
bulletproof easy to fix bicycles. America is to spoiled with to many choice of bicycles that are not
durable or simple to own/operate. Simple bulletproof bikes are not marketed here. (Except Worksman
bikes)

I've been contemplating the future post-Peak Oil, and I've concluded that I need to assemble an awesome indestructible bike that will last forever while the industrial resources to construct such a thing are still accessible. Even if you're a silly person who believes everything's going to keep chugging along happily, please bear with me for this thread.

I figure I definitely want a titanium frame because it'll have the strength of steel without being affected by rust, and it's also something that likely wouldn't be available anymore in the future. It'll need every mount/eyelet imaginable.

Beyond that, I don't know. Wheel/tire size? Drivetrain type? handlebar setup? What else?

I tried this some 22 years ago... back before Ti was available as a bike material.

I used a steel lugged frame custom built for me. Frankly the bike is still rolling and serving me well. Over the years I have gone through 2 bottom brackets, untold numbers of chain and freewheels, and one wheel. The chainrings are just about shot at this point, but the hubs seem OK.

Perhaps the biggest issue I face is how to hold off the rust... in some places it really scares me. This bike was my daily commuter for a number of years, and I toured on it. The hubs and original BB were Phil Wood... at the time, the only sealed bearing units readily available.

The only real issues I have these days are regarding the freewheel... not too many choices available in a "cassette" world. But as long as they keep making them, I can keep riding.

I was actually thinking about doing another custom bike... to go another 20 years, and Ti was the first thing I thought of... Carbon just strikes me a fine material, but not really able to stand up to the real world hits and dings that a bike can face in the day to day commuting world... so I want metal. Ti is rust free... which is the one area I have concerns about on my current frame.

Someone else said it... build a Rolls Royce, and it should last forever... pretty much true... but will you want to ride it up tough hills?

This link should cross referrence this thread...........

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?p=2801070

Neat topic. I was considering starting a similar thread, but wanted to
spend more time thinking about it first.

The thread topic reminds me of the book "Parable of the Sower", which I
mentioned
here (http://bikeforums.net/showpost.php?p=2891960&postcount=82).
In this book, the "near-future" scenario isn't related so much to Peak
Oil production, but rather to widespread climate changes that make it
harder to grow food, or find clean water. It just doesn't rain much
anymore. Here are some of the highlights of society's collapse, at
least in this imagining:

-Drug abuse is rampant.
-So is unemployment
-So is homelessness
-The divide between the poor and middle class becomes much more
apparent. Those who still have jobs, who still own property and can
continue to pay taxes on it, tend to band together and build walls
around their clusters of houses, separating them from the poverty and
lawlessness outside.
-People who have houses don't go outside their walls very much, and only
in groups when they have to. Clean clothing and shoes attract unwanted
attention from the people Outside, and may get you robbed or worse.
-Everything costs more money, especially things that used to be taken
for granted, like agricultural products and clean water. This leads
many landowners to adopt a micro-suburban-agragrian way of living,
growing gardens, making acorn flour, etc etc.
-Everything is also in shorter supply, except seemingly for weapons.
Firearms are prevalent, even among the homeless. Everyone scrabbles for
what they have, and have to defend it themselves.
-Most folks walk places. Those who can afford them, use bikes, either
pedal- or electric-powered. Automobiles are still around, but only
corporations or the rich can afford to feed them with gasoline, or
afford the upkeep of them.
-Much of the economy becomes grey-market, black-market, or underground.
Trade becomes as common as cash payments. People use things for as long
as possible, and hand them down to others to re-use. This may be
another reason why bicycles are so common, while cars are not.

In the next post, I'll put my thoughts on what sort of bike I'd look to have/build.

Ok, so here are some of the thoughts I was having on the subject, and
what sort of bicycle would be ideal for this scenario. Society is
shifting, perhaps collapsing, but it's not Road Warrior quite yet. Roads still exist, though cars are much more sparse and they don't get repaired as regularly. Police are still around, but generally only investigate when people bribe them to. Most folks don't trust the police enough to want them involved when someone gets robbed, or raped, or worse. These are some features I'd look for on a bike, and the reasons why:

-Steel, for durability and affordability. I like the idea of titanium, but unless the cost of titanium comes down dramatically in the next few years, it'd be cost-prohibitive, especially if buying bikes/parts in quantity. More on this below.

-Powdercoat finish, black. I don't know if it's possible to have a dull powdercoat finish (instead of "shiny"), but if not, I'd look into the possibility of having a two-coat finish on the bike.... one to protect the bike from rust as much as possible, and the other to cover up the bike and ugli-fy it... make it as unremarkable and nondescript as possible. All polished or chromed surfaces would also be painted or covered to take the shine off them and reduce notice.

-Folding frame, with telescoping seatpost and headset, and adjustable/reversable stem. The bike will fit into compact spaces. Something as valuable as a bike would be a high theft target if left outside, and many people will be living in smaller spaces than today. A folding bike would be able to crowd into a house, an apartment, a garage, even a rented room. Most folks would go out in groups, for safety, and if someone were attacked or injured, or their bike damaged, it could be carried back in a trailer (more below) while the injured were carried in another trailer. It could be carried back (hopefully) in an ambulence next to the injured, if paramedics were still available and responded to calls. It would use smaller wheels (more below), have a low stepover height, and be able to accommodate a huge range of rider sizes (preteen to tall adult), and riding positions. This bike will be able to fit nearly anyone in the family who is old enough to ride, and re-size in seconds without tools (or very few tools) so that it could change riders even in mid-ride if necessary. Except for the frame-specific folding features, the bike would make use of as many standard parts and accessories as possible. It should not be something that becomes useless when the manufacturer goes out of business or stops supporting a particular model.

-Wheelsize ERTO 406, BMX-standard sized. These tires are used on a huge number of bikes, and would likely be widely available both in the retail, secondary and dumpster/grey-market. Used tires from kids' bikes could be co-opted in a pinch and put onto the bikes. Wheel/tire size is chosen for availability of parts, ride comfort and durability. The tire will be wide enough to operate on- or off-road, small enough that the smaller diameter gives it more strength (for the same spoke-count), but large enough that it doesn't fall into every pothole on the road (there will be more of them than nowadays) or knock the whole bike askew if the front wheel hits a trail-bump.

-NO DERAILLEUR. The bike would at first have an internal hub, something with 8-9 gears. It would be bought with an extra rear wheel built onto a fixed-gear hub, and at a certain point would be switched over to this. The fixed-gear hub would have to accommodate several different sizes of rear sprockets, so that the gear-inches could be tailored to the height/age/fitness of the current rider. The fixed-gear hub would eventually become preferable to the multi-gear internal hub for multiple reasons. As the years go by, parts will become harder to find, more expensive to buy. The simplicity of the machine will become almost obsessively important....fewer moving parts, fewer replacements to find for brake pads, cables, bearings....fewer things that could go wrong and potentially leave the rider stranded uncomfortably far from a safe harbor. One other thing. In a world without cars, the streets would become eerily silent, to a level we're not used to. There would be brief outbursts of sound, someone being attacked or getting into a fight, sometimes gunshots going off.... but the rest of the time there would be fewer and fewer cars, and eventually nearly none at all. The quiet would be something that you'd almost not notice until you went out with your bike one day, and suddenly found that the *tiktiktik* of the pawls in your rear hub sounded un-naturally loud going down the street. Noise would be avoided, because you and your group wouldn't want to call attention to yourselves and your valuables.

-Horizontal dropouts

-A fully-enclosed chaincase, to keep the chain as dirt- and rust-free as possible. I have some ideas in mind on how it'd function, but I'm not a "Maker" so I think I'd trip over myself if I tried explaining it. Basically it'd be adjustable to multiple sizes/angles, so it could still fit the bike if you changed out to a different sized rear cog or went from internal hub to fixie. It'd also need to come off with a quickness, in case of flat tires or wheel maintenance.

-A large saddlebag (Think Berthoud or Rivendell) that detaches easily and doubles as a backpack.

-Demountable rear rack, for larger loads. It would be able to support a large basket, think 2 grocery bags side-by-side in it. The rack comes off when not in use, and can be switched between bikes in seconds. Similar for a front rack, though it'd hold less.

-Demountable fenders. They'd be quick-release, put on when the barometer warns of rain, but can come off when not needed, making the bike lighter/simpler. Also can be switched between bikes in seconds.

-Cables would have quick-releases, and chain would have an easy to use master link.

-Seat would be suspended leather, but could be switched out to a cheap plastic one if parts/cost became an issue further on.
ADDED: Suspended AND sprung leather seat. If the tires have to be switched out for solid rubber tires eventually, the small wheels would be a bit of a discomfort. A sprung seat would be the cheapest, most long-term reliable way to soften the ride.

-When going out in longer group rides, at least 1-2 trailers would be brought along. They's need to be strong enough to carry back firewood, groceries, scavenged supplies, or even an injured ride member.

-This one would have to be factored in, ease-of-use vs. security. I'd prefer anti-theft skewers to be on as many components of the bike as possible. There will be times when the bike will have to be locked up or unattended, and you'd want to have as few parts as possible missing from it when you came back.

-Tires may eventually be switched out for solid rubber tires or Tweels (google it, "tweel segway") in order to deal with lack of replacement parts.

-Quick-release platform pedals with Powergrips on them. Nearly as good as clipless pedals (for people who aren't professional cyclists) at a fraction of the cost, and can be re-sized for different riders. The QR pedals come off whenever the bike is locked up, wich reduces the chances that the bike can be stolen and ridden off. Every bike in the family/group is equipped with the QR pedal adapters, and the pedals can be moved from bike to bike in seconds without tools.

-Here's the kicker, and where steel would gain a distinct cost advantage over titanium. Buy one bike for every member of the family/group, +1. Buy exactly the same model, with exactly the same accessories. One extra fixed-gear wheel for every bike in the group, and half again as many front wheels. A steady supply of brakepads, cables, chains, bearings, grease, spokes. The idea here is that you'll probably be sticking together as a group, and if retail parts availability runs out, you can start cannibalizing wrecked bikes for parts to use on the others. As long as you still have a "safe harbor", a house or garage that you can use as a home-base, try to keep enough tools to be able to fix your own bikes. Not only will you be able to save money on your own repairs, you may be able to parlay your workshop into a source of income or trade.

ADDED:
Lots of people who would even take this thought experiment seriously would consider it from the perspective of "best bike for me".... customized frame, best fit for riding style, most rugged, etc etc. I'm of the opinion that in such a dark future, survival would be best accomplished co-operatively. It'd be a group endeavor. If you're the only one in the group with a bike, the bike would be useless for a good many things you'd have wanted to use it for.... the group on foot would not be able to keep up with you, and by yourself you'd be a too-tempting target for the first resentful homeless person with a gun or a rock in hand. So, you'd want the group to be either all-mounted or none at all (unless you only use the bikes as shopping carts). You'd also want a bike that could best serve the group, rather than best serving yourself; hence the re-sizing ability. It wouldn't be a communist thing, exactly... it'd still be "your bike", but each group member's survival or comfort would be greatly enhanced if you can switch off the bike between members. By having each group/family member use exactly the same bicycle, you'd be increasing the redundancy of needed parts in case the traditional supply chains run out. This bike would also be a form of portable wealth, and much more sale-able if it could fit a wide range of riders. If you needed to pawn it off for other goods, good luck trying to sell a bike that is custom-fit to your body size and riding habits.

i'd worry most about tubes, because even if your frame and components last forever, you probably won't be riding on it if you have no tubes. if you do ride it then your rims are going to be totally screwed. so then rims too. heh.

anyway i have an old raleigh with solid tubes (came that way from the thrift store) and it can be painful going over a curb, but it's nice not worrying about flats. from the looks of the tires they're about 300 years old so...they can last awhile even if they're not indestructible.

I'm not really sure how tweels would work on a skinny tire. I think it would fold sideways...

http://www.fastcoolcars.com/images/airless_tires/111111.jpg

Yeah, those Tweel things totally might not work. My ideas are still half-formed on this whole thought-experiment. Whether solid rubber tires or something else though, I tend to think that there will be ideas that come in to fill the gap of "fewer parts, lower maintenance, lower cost," etc etc., and the solutions may be something that would seem ludicrous if suggested today.

One example: An older Danish fellow I was talking to told me about riding bicycles as a child in the years after WWII. Many countries in Europe were very short of money and materials after the war, and entire cottage industries grew to fill the need of retrofitting leftover war supplies towards everyday needs.... totally a swords-into-plowshares thing. Most kids that this fellow knew couldn't afford the expense of tires/innertubes, especially since they had to be replaced regularly. Instead they went to a man in town who made a business of cutting up truck tires into strips, fitting the strips onto bicycle rims, and stapling the ends together. The wheels apparently made a thunk-THUNK, thunk-THUNK jarring with every revolution, but ultimately required less maintenance than if there had been tires/tubes on them. Less comfort, greater durability.

What do you think about the other ideas I put out for the "doomsday bike?"

As with all "which bike" questions, it depends. Where do you anticipate going in this post-apocolyptic world? What do you plan on transporting? More importantly, what do you plan on eating to power it?

If you truly want to prep for the apocolypse, I'd put the wheels a bit lower on the list, and focus on making and successfully using a slingshot (not the Dennis the Menace type, a real one), out of any fiber you can find, growing vegetables without your hose, learning what plants are edible and how to trap/hund and prepare small game, and building strong relationships with other people you plan to survive with.

IMO, the the only things worth stockpiling that will make a real difference are books.

You'll be too busy to ride, anyway.

+1!

All very good points. The slingshot would be a great low-tech weapon/tool to have. It's fairly quiet, non-volatile, few moving parts, small/concealable, and not subject to the registration requirements of firearms. It also has a limitless supply of ammo; whatever pebbles you find laying on the ground.

Post Oil? A present there are many alternatives for transportation. I naturall like bikes but ...... transportation fuel is not the issue. Everything plastic and everything electronic relies on oil and for that I are at present no alternatives.

If I believe what I read about Peak Oil,
You wont have a bike,or food.

Ah the bright lights of Barter-Town are alluring. And I understand Master's portrayal of Richard III is breathtaking, and Blaster is unmatched as Ophelia.
You might consider looking to purchase a decommissioned missile silo (http://www.missilebases.com/properties/index.html) and pack it full of MREs.

Ah the bright lights of Barter-Town are alluring. And I understand Master's portrayal of Richard III is breathtaking, and Blaster is unmatched as Ophelia.
You might consider looking to purchase a decommissioned missile silo (http://www.missilebases.com/properties/index.html) and pack it full of MREs.

I WANT ONE!!! COOL!!!

Wait, do you have to be a US citizen to buy one of these sites?

Why all the talk about which bike? You'll be too busy subsistance farming to go anywhere, and all the roads will be overgrown anyway. I would be more concerned with having a few durable pairs of boots!

All seriousness aside
I spoke to my wife about this today.
She said that at my age I aint likely to out last my current bike frame.
And she said we still have enough water and canned goods left from the Y2K crises

But she did say if I was really concerend I could buy 1 extra tube and a box of patches, and she would make me a Peanut Butter Sandwich and put it in a really good sandwich bag.

Seggybop, look what you have done! Does any of this make sense?

As to what bike to use, some further thoughts:
Depends on the time scale, if the oil quits suddenly or over 20-40 years.
There are plenty of RollsRoyce bikes and components on the shelves right now.
Get 10 common bikes, or 1 RollsRoyce?
Bike?? I want food and water, and a gun!

Though we might not entertain serious post-apocalyptic bike fantasies, it can be interesting to think about what kind of bikes are most practical in a world where fuel costs more closely reflect the true costs in terms of not only production and supply but also health and environmental impacts. The first thing that came to mind when I saw the thread was the new Surly Big Dummy (or whatever it's called) which is a bike designed from the start as an Xtracycle--sort of a bike station wagon, that can handle significant loads or even a passenger. I already carry a fair amount on my bike, and the Xtracycles seem a natural progression. It seems that this kind of strongly utilitarian bike is what people might increasingly ride--as they already do in a number of countries. Just my $.02

besides have the right property, supplies and weaponry, I would be more concerned about stockpiling people with varying levels of expertise in engineering, medicine, education, construction etc... dont forget the dozen or so people who are top quality snipers. honestly, if you were riding a bike around, you may be a prime target for the old, " hey! he has a working bike. Kill him and take it!"

Ehhh...
If you plan to bike in the Mad-Max post-apocalypse, you better outfit your super-rig with some defensive weaponry.