General Cycling Discussion - Deos anybody know how to carry a sword on a bike?

I'm studying Enbukan (it's a school of Japanese sword technique) and I'm trying to figure out a way to carry a long steel katana in a wooden sheath so I can ride my bike to practice. Has anyone ever done this?

I'm concerned about all the ways this could go terribly wrong and injure me or someone else, damage the bike, or (most likely) ruin the sword.

The obvious solution is to rig something up with bungee cords, but this is a long and delicate piece of equipment. It's curved, so I can't strap it to the frame or the tube. If I lay it across my rack, it sticks out about a couple of feet on both sides. If I strap it to the side of my pannier it either drags on the ground or pokes me in the back.

I've carried it on my back for short rides to the park, but if I ride the full 10 miles to class, it's going to be soggy with sweat (bad for the wood) and so am I.

This isn't the same kind of sword that samurai used to carry on horseback. It's more of a walk-around-the-village style that's meant to come in and out of the belt quickly, which means it tends to fall out if your legs are really active.

Any suggestions?

Assuming you have a diamond frame bike, tie it to the top tube and side of the head tube using rope or para cord, with the tip pointed away from you. Put the tip in a small block of wood or leather. Do not hit anyone with your bike.

sling the scabbard across your back?

Carefully.

What are the dimensions of said sword?

Get a piece of pipe insulation and wrap the scabbard in it, THEN carry it on your back; it'll protect the wood from your sweat.

My first thought would be to get a case for pool cues, but those aren't terribly long -- they're made for two-piece cues. You'd have to empty the interior, too. If your katana is short enough, it'd be perfect.

What about a poster tube?
http://tranzporter.com/Poster-Tubes-6-42.asp

Or a kite bag? This is the first that popped up, but there are others:
http://www.prismkites.com/parts.html

Get a piece of pipe insulation and wrap the scabbard in it, THEN carry it on your back; it'll protect the wood from your sweat.

i'd say this is your best option since carrying it on your back is the easiest way. You could tie it to the top tube with the sharp end pointed to the front and go jousting.

I'm studying Enbukan (it's a school of Japanese sword technique) and I'm trying to figure out a way to carry a long steel katana in a wooden sheath so I can ride my bike to practice.
<snip>
Any suggestions?

A co-worker of mine was asking about a rifle scabbard he could attach to his mountain bike. Apparently there's a market for such things. I believe they attach to the side of a standard Blackburn type rack- shop around online sporting goods and/or ATV stores.

What part of LA? There's parts that I think carrying a sword might get you attacked- then there's other parts that I think you'd be given a wide berth. Ask your instructor, too, about carrying bladed weapons on a vehicle.

I've seen a design using PVC pipe attached to the rear of the bike that is used to transport fishing rods. A similar design should work for you. google it and see what ideas come up. I don't have the link anymore.

Something tells me you didn't listen to your mother when she said "Don't run with scissors".

Why do I have a feeling that we'll be seeing a post from Jacobino soon that starts out with "So I got pulled over by the police today..." 127891

You could do what my bicycling window cleaner in England did. He had a little sidecar on his bicycle to which he lashed his ladder.

You might cross-post this to the Utility subforum. Those folks have a lot of experience in carrying oddly shaped stuff via bicycle.

A good friend of mine is a fencer and she routinely bikes to practice with a sword. I emailed her this thread and this was her reply:

"make a canvas/denim carrier case embedded into a backpack, and sling
over the back diagonally"


JasonE

Maybe something vertical?
Like bike-bags that go on either side of your rear wheel, have it going up from something like that.

I used various methods to carry my polo mallets before I figured out the easiest way was to just strap them to my toptube with velcro straps.

You want one of those big plastic tubes that are used to carry around blueprint and artwork. Much lighter than something homemade and the good ones will have a strap long enough to go over your shoulder or strap to the accessory loops of your backpack. If you know any architects, engineers, geologists or print artists, it may even be possible to get a used one in good condition for cheap or even free.

:)ensen.

or just switch to somethin a little more practical like say eskrima and save yourself the trouble lol I kid I kid

I study at a fencing school; most folk seem to favour using some kind of musical instrument bag that slings over the back. There are also specific bags meant to hold a mask and sword.

I've ridden with a 5 foot zwiehander. A little ol' katana doesn't sound like too much. ;)
Back sheath style works best. Secure the sword to the scabbard with a peace-bond first. Then wrap it in cloth and use a cord tied around it at two points to make the sling.

Check the weapons laws where you live. You might have problems with blades over a certain length. If so, a bag such as for fencing or archery equipment might be best.

A taser would be easier to transport.

"I'm trying to figure out a way to carry a long steel katana in a wooden sheath so I can ride my bike to practice."

Any way you want to, bro. I don't think anyone will say anything about it.:D

A taser would be easier to transport.

A taser has no grace. :D

I've seen an umbrella with a katana-style handle. If you didn't know any better, you'd think it was a sword in a shoulder-slung bag.

This guy can probably help you.

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/races09/vuelta09/vlt09st20-sword.jpg

usually the law says that its ok to carry weapons for training so long as you are going to and from your place of training and nowhere else. So stopping by Starbucks to show off your skills is not a good idea. Also its a good idea to have a bright colored label or marking like a red flag or cloth hanging from it so its noticeable to the po po.

Strap it to the side of your top-tube, that is how people carry their rifles... just make sure it doesn't interfere with your control cables.

I don't carry a sword, but I do carry a telescoping fiberglass monopod for pole aerial photography, and when it's collapsed it's in the same neighborhood as a sword. Back-sheath is the way to go, slung diagonally, hung off your shoulder with the lower end restrained as well so it doesn't slip around. Just like carrying a rifle on a bike

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3552/3809900764_23ca8473c6.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/29007475@N08/3809900764/)

Most Japanese swords should be slingable so you can carry it across your back, even if the sheath was not designed for such use. I would check with local ordinances concerning things like this as in some places edged weapons of this length are prohibited weapons.

Now...if you were carrying a claymore (Scottish broadsword) it might be a little more difficult... :lol:

I agree with the commenters suggesting to sling it across your back. This is my personal method of transport for when I am transporting my 62" longbow. Get or make a 3 point harness that you can place under your arm or at the waist to have control over your case / sling to keep it from moving, and to give you some adjustment on how diagonal it is. I keep my bow nearly upright, just diagonal enough to get past the side of the bicycle. For safety and privacy, I would personally consider fashioning a case of leather, nylon or canvas that simply covered the whole of the katana, and fastened at the top to ensure the sword stayed in its sheath.

I made my holster simply by taking a nylon bow sheath and attaching some nylon straps with buckles to it. Sheath from the archery centre, straps from MEC, easy make. These nylon covers are wide enough to fit recurve bows with thicker pistol grips as well, they would likely hold the katana.

Hm, I suppose I should say that the suggestion to make a sheath bag for your sword is dependant on whether such things will get you in trouble with your regional laws or not. I have personally never been harassed or bothered for transporting a bow in this manner, but bows are covered / encased by standard.

My first reponse to this post is wtf?

My second is that you should carry it in your right hand and when you pull up to traffic lights next to open car windows shout: "Hey, I'm Vladimir -- the insects are really loud today, huh?"

The more I'm thinking about it, the more I'd say that strapping it to the top tube like dynaryder described would be best.

Unless you have a rigid case that can protect it if the s**t hits the fan, a bent and broken sword/scabbard is a little bigger problem than, say, a pool cue. If it's mounted to the frame, the bike itself should do a decent job of protecting it.

It's curved, so I can't strap it to the frame or the tube.

Ah -- how curved is it? Got any pics?

128080

ask Ryan Trebon

Now...if you were carrying a claymore (Scottish broadsword) it might be a little more difficult... :lol:

Now THAT would be considered loaded touring.

The only way to carry a sword on a bike.....

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x248/cyclaholic_album/cycler.jpg

:D

practical is to create a vertical carrier off a back rack using suitable, foam lined PVC tubing of a suitable length and diameter and create a scabbard. also, like some have suggested too, strapping long items along the top tube.

you can usually just SHOVE things between panniers and racks, or simply strap an item vertically to a rack with stout strapping methods like a few toe straps.

I don't have a picture of a PVC 'ski bucket' on a bicycle , but here's some skis strapped horizontally to a top tube,

then vertically to a touring bike. stable up to 40 MPH, you can do the same w a training sword.128112128113

Most Japanese swords should be slingable so you can carry it across your back, even if the sheath was not designed for such use. I would check with local ordinances concerning things like this as in some places edged weapons of this length are prohibited weapons.

Now...if you were carrying a claymore (Scottish broadsword) it might be a little more difficult... :lol:

No one would cut you off if you were carryone one of those. :eek:

Didn't they used to ride horses with them? I'm sure you can figure a bike out.

Didn't they used to ride horses with them? I'm sure you can figure a bike out.

Yeah, but they were worn in a manner that allowed drawing while riding in order to vanquish opponents -- which is usually not a legal cycling activity. ;)

And here I was, worried about carrying florescent light bulbs home.

one of the things to consider is impalement(sp?) when/if crashing. so with that being said, I think a sling would be your best bet.