Folding Bikes - Best folding bike for a survivalist situation? Montague bikes the best for me?

http://www.abikestore.com/Merchant2/...Store_Code=pbs

How useful is a bike in SHTF if we had an EMP or had to navigate areas where a car wouldnt work? How much further can the average person go on a bike than on foot? Who makes the best most hardcore folding bicycle out there?

http://www.montaguebikes.com/paratro...tary-bike.html

I am 6'3 240 pounds of muscle. Will this bike work well for my size? Will this bike last if stored in my trunk? Wish they made a rust/ rot proof version.

It's a lost cause, mate. If the bike is as large as your ego requires, you won't be able to get your leg over it.

http://www.abikestore.com/Merchant2/...Store_Code=pbs

How useful is a bike in SHTF if we had an EMP or had to navigate areas where a car wouldnt work? How much further can the average person go on a bike than on foot? Who makes the best most hardcore folding bicycle out there?

http://www.montaguebikes.com/paratro...tary-bike.html

I am 6'3 240 pounds of muscle. Will this bike work well for my size? Will this bike last if stored in my trunk? Wish they made a rust/ rot proof version.


It's a lost cause, mate. If the bike is as large as your ego requires, you won't be able to get your leg over it.

I will have to assume that this gentleman is sincere and really needs information for a emergency situation. While I think his way of expressing himself might put off some people here, his concerns are equally as valid.

The folding or fold-up bicycle is one of the most flexible and suitable means of getting around in an hostile or emergency crisis situations. The ability to fold or separate down into a collapsed more compact package makes them this way. This is why my father bought me my first folding bicycle (a very simple 20" one) and I continued to buy some more as finances permitted me. While he was not envisioning World War III, we experienced transit strikes, plus a more hostile group of new neighbors that take advantage of people when they are distracted or weak and definitely don't help each other anytime.

These bikes have been used in most wars & police actions since the late 19th century. While they were generally not as used as much as say, a motorized jeep, they have been used in various situations that call for a silent stealthy ride. The Montague is one recent example for the US forces. But any bike can be pressed into service if the need arise. Mine follow a simple, easy to maintain concept including steel frames, internal hub gearing, sitting upright, smaller wheel diameter (16-20 inches), no fancy accessories that might add too much weight, and a "funny looking" or "clown/kid bike" look to them. The idea is that the bikes remain as boring and stupid as they can and not draw attention to me or them. And be dependable in a situations that require no breakdown of the bike(s) in question.

Not all folding bikes usages are so depressing. I have been finding more and more usages for them over the years just like others have done in their own situations:

".....which is so bad that some businessmen keep a fold-up bike in the boot of their chauffeur-driven cars so they can escape bad snarl-up...." -http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jan/24/beijing-cycling-capital-plans (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jan/24/beijing-cycling-capital-plans)

I think that the Montague will be a great choice for you.

Don't forget, the Local Bike Shop won't be able to fix it for you. Get a full set of Park Tools to go with it. And remember, when the oil runs out, you'll have to go back to hunting Right whales (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whale_oil)to keep anything that revolves, revolving.

Is the USA always teetering on the brink of total anarchy, or is that just their movie industry's portrayal? I'm still trying to lay in stocks of Soylent Green.

Just remember, you can't outrun zombies on a bicycle.
Specially if you have hills ahead of you, so you might throw some EPO or other performance enhancing substance with your survival kit.
:D

I saw a Zombie film once, and nobody used a bicycle to escape from them. I imagine zombies have like, tyre-puncture strips or something anyway. So, an Emergency Bicycle would need like, ten packs of spare tubes, and 50 litres of water zip-tied to it.

What the heck are SHTF, EMP and EPO? None of these things happen to folding bicyclists in Britain. Is it the same as STP? Or STFU?

I suspect SHTF has something to do with something you don't talk about in polite company hitting the fan. No clue about EMP.

Personally I'm curious why anyone wants to keep a bike in the trunk of their car and never use it.

I suspect SHTF has something to do with something you don't talk about in polite company hitting the fan. No clue about EMP.

Personally I'm curious why anyone wants to keep a bike in the trunk of their car and never use it.


Ah, thank you. SHTF. Yes, indeed, I see now. The OP (original poster) confuses things by contextually mispresenting the acronym as a noun.

I've been reading FF's blog (http://worldoffoldingbicycles-politixasusual.blogspot.com/)and she says: "For all intents and purposes, the United States is simply dead. That country which exists now that calls itself by that name is any one's guess as to what it is exactly."

So, if it's dead, an Electro-Magnetic Pulse caused by a thermonuclear explosion, isn't going to make things a whole lot worse. But it will fubar (look it up) the central locking, and Kip42 won't be able to get his trunk open.

Then what?

Already, nuclear decay has rendered the two links the original poster presented us with as nothing more than spam-fluff. FF, my dear, I believe you may have been dizzily affected by 6'3" of pure processed meat in a tin.

Don't forget the Gun Rack for the Handlebars .. and a bike trailer for your lifetime supply of ammo.

:twitchy::twitchy:

Ah, thank you. SHTF. Yes, indeed, I see now.

I've been reading FF's blog (http://worldoffoldingbicycles-politixasusual.blogspot.com/)and she says: "For all intents and purposes, the United States is simply dead. That country which exists now that calls itself by that name is any one's guess as to what it is exactly."

So, if it's dead, an Electro-Magnetic Pulse caused by a thermonuclear explosion, isn't going to make things a whole lot worse. But it will fubar the central locking, and Kip42 won't be able to get his trunk open.

Then what?

Already, nuclear decay has rendered the two links the original poster presented us with as nothing more than spam-fluff. But hey, you wanna take him as sincere, FF, then you must. :)

Welll.....perhaps. I just spotted this on my local conservative major Los Angeles Times newspaper:

For The Self-Reliant, The Wild Is A Free Buffet
Christopher Nyerges leads the curious on an expedition to see what in nature they can and can't eat. One person's garden weed is another's salad.

http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-forager-20100729,0,6934097.story (http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-forager-20100729,0,6934097.story)

Whatever your own views happen to be, there are many people around here that seem to be quietly questioning & practicing what they are believing. After all, this is still Earthquake Country. No need to wait for an nuclear blast. I personally doubt that it will ever get that extreme.

As for the good ol' USA, I was thinking of the country as my parent's generation knew it before I was even born. Before the military industrial complex of post WWII, before the Atomic threat (and add terrorist one too). I don't know what to think now.

Noooooooo, come on FF, when the SHTF you're going to saunter up into the hills on your folding bike and pick wild radishes? Them hills will be full of varmints with M16s and Barratt .50 cals. Anything that moves will be the first to die.

I appreciate your dismay at the cultural decline of - in your case the USA - in mine, the UK. My grandparents said much the same thing. We're told it's 'progress'.

Bring on the zombies.

EMP: Electro-Magnetic Pulse. Its what zombies have instead of a heartbeat, and the reason they can't wear watches.

:roflmao::roflmao::roflmao:

Folding bikes have been engineered to address all sorts of problems, but this is the first time I've ever heard the question, "Which folding bike is best for surviving the apocalypse?" Seriously? I strongly suspect that if SHTF and EMP occurs, life as we know it will probably no longer be worth living. But Rambo the OP could always ask at his LBS. :-)

This must be the funniest thread since the one about how many elephants can you get onto a Brompton.

Seems a folder in general would be the wrong way to go in an apocy-clips. Figure what you want is mechanical simplicity- the fewest possible parts to break, the easiest thing you can find replacement parts for. Pretty much the same as commuting.

I suggest the circa 1989 low-end mountain bike. No suspension fork, room for 2.5" tires. If it was me and I was building the lone bike of the apocolypse, it'd probably be a fixed gear. Not because I like fixed gears (I don't) but because it's the drivetrain with the lowest possible amount of maintenance- just keep the chain oiled, and that's it. Plus, it doubles as a brake- always good to have back up. I'd stick with v-brakes. They work well and appear on everything from wal-mart specials to higher end bikes, so they're pretty easy to replace. Lots of spares. Tires- big, heavy and easy to patch. Avoid lightweight tires.

Or, get an old pre-war (WW2) Schwinn cruiser- those things are like cockroaches.

Would the One True Post-Apolloclips bike have a hub gear, or a dérailleur? I'm not sure anyone would be left to care. I'd vote for the MTB too; no hinge to clog up with radioactive dust.

Gotta be fixed. No pawls to freeze up or wear out. As long as there are still teeth on the chainring and cog and tension in the chain, there's nothing to do but grease the bearings in the hub.

Gotta be fixed. No pawls to freeze up or wear out. As long as there are still teeth on the chainring and cog and tension in the chain, there's nothing to do but grease the bearings in the hub.

I doubt you could accurately take aim at the Provisional Government's Death Troops if you can't coast. Not sure about your concept of the future, perhaps we need a visual?

http://www.entropiaforum.com/gallery/files/7/6/0/mad_max.jpg

Are you the gubernator of California by any chance? What you need is a HBummer folding bike.

Remove any trace of rubber from the wheels before you use it. Rubber don't stand up well in thermo-nuclear explosions. Also make sure the chain is COMPLETELY FREE OF OIL. Hose it down with water if necessary and allow to dry.

Ahhh geez. You've got to be kidding me. In an emergency/nuclear /viral Holocaust you're gonna have worse problems than what folder to put in your trunk. like food, water, who among your loved ones you'll bring to the cave.

"Honey, get in the car. Grandma here's a can of peas. Bye!!!"

Infact the real answer to that one is simply "any bike I can salvage from the dead carcass that was once civilization".

I googled survivalist bicycle and came up with this. http://newsgroups.derkeiler.com/Archive/Misc/misc.survivalism/2007-10/msg02203.html

http://survivalism.blogspot.com/2009/06/prepare-cycling-for-survival.html

http://modernsurvivalblog.com/preps/which-bicycle-is-best-for-survival/

You will love this one
http://ozort.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=115775&sid=8b5e2cd0e55a9bef6bb50855a01018fb

Cripes: no tyres, no lube, no hinges, no gears, and probably no gears, post apocalypso . I think what we are talking about is a wooden wheelbarrow?

But there is this handy tip: (http://survivalism.blogspot.com/2009/06/prepare-cycling-for-survival.html)

"Get a mirror for at least one bike so you can see if anyone comes up behind you."

Wise words. You can turn round and pelt them with wild radishes before they've slammed the mag into the breech.

Apparently on the survivalist's sites, the only bike to have is a Trek. But then for many, the only bike full stop, is a Trek.

Oh Noes! We're all going to die!

EMP Attack (http://preparednesspro.wordpress.com/category/disasters/emp-disasters/): Understand that such an attack is not hyperbole science fiction. We presently use EMPs in various parts of our life, just not on a large scale. Remember watching the “Ocean’s 11” movie? They accomplished their robbery by using a simple EMP device. An EMP (Electric Magnetic Pulse) is actually a likely enemy attack on the U.S. While it is considered less heartless than a nuclear bomb or a bio-bomb, it’s launched in very much the same way. If an EMP bomb is launched in your area, then it will essentially “fry” all electrical devices that are not stored more than 6 feet under ground. In a viable book I read recently, it estimated that only 6 EMP bombs launched onto U.S. soil would completely obliterate life as we know it. Think about it for a second. If everything electrical in our nation was debilitated, how would your life change? The banks wouldn’t be able to function. Airplanes won’t be able to travel. Cars post-1978 would indeed be useless (unless they were “hardened” specifically for such an event as the military does to many of their vehicles.) I hope you like riding a bike under such circumstances.

From here (http://preparednesspro.wordpress.com/2009/04/24/just-what-kind-of-disasters-should-you-be-prepared-for/)

I consider the survival scenarios as an interesting mind exercise. Perhaps not as extreme as the OP's.

However! I do carry a bike with me just about every where I go, if more than 30 miles from my home. Around here hurricanes or lack of fuel are apt to be the most likely scenario. The US is seldom more than a couple of days away from running out of gas if something were to happen to the pipe lines or a couple of major refineries. Spot shortages aren't uncommon either. Everybody assumes that the local gas station keeps their tanks full? Guess again! They depend on regular deliveries and if something disrupts that delivery schedule you aren't getting gas. During hurricane season I never let my truck get below half full, that will get me out of the danger zone fairly quickly, or at least far enough I can use the bike to get even further away.

In answer to the OP's question about distance, it depends. If you have clear roads and relatively flat terrain you can cover 100 miles a day in with out too much hassle. Walking, roughly a third of that. My rule of thumb on average travel is I walk in a day as far as I can travel in an hour on a bicycle, I can cycle in a day as far as a car can travel in an hour, I can drive as far in a day as a plane can travel in an hour (assuming you don't get stuck by TSA, weather or other issues)

Aaron :)

i'll pick my Single Speed[coaster] low geared R20

and will mount it with foam rubber no-air solid tires.

remember the world was gonna end or in chaos ?

its was Y2K ready as shown here if anyone remembered that hoopla a decade ago !

bu I'm prepping it up for 2025

it goes in a metal or wood box ready for Action !

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4045/4416600178_7c907fc476_b.jpg

Noooooooo, come on FF, when the SHTF you're going to saunter up into the hills on your folding bike and pick wild radishes? Them hills will be full of varmints with M16s and Barratt .50 cals. Anything that moves will be the first to die.

I appreciate your dismay at the cultural decline of - in your case the USA - in mine, the UK. My grandparents said much the same thing. We're told it's 'progress'.

Bring on the zombies.

I was showing you an example of what is brewing in some people's mind around here with that previous LA Time article. Actually, I live in an interesting area of Los Angeles where it is both very urban and is nestled below the hills where the last of the wild life is located. You learn very fast about the truth behind the "call of the wild." If I go out at night, I have to watch for skunks and coyotes (wild canines). On my bike I have to periodically veer far off on the road to avoid the skunks (which seem to like to go out in small groups). I heard of mountain lion sightings around here, but I personally never saw one yet.

As for running around up in the hills, I learn from my father how to conduct myself up there. First, don't run around like a maniac. Walk slowly and observe your surroundings. There are rattlesnakes (very poisonous) that can kill you if you don't receive emergency medical help. Don't eat the plants or drink the water up there. Sometimes the ground might be polluted and you might not be able to smell, taste, or feel the contamination. Or you might eat something that is poisonous that resembles something that is not.

As for other people, you illustrated what is running around up there. There are many kooks, weirdos, illegal pot growers (with guns & for human traps), and even the homeless up there. So.....even if World War III happens, heading for the hills is not a viable option at least around a major city in the United States.


Folding bikes have been engineered to address all sorts of problems, but this is the first time I've ever heard the question, "Which folding bike is best for surviving the apocalypse?" Seriously? I strongly suspect that if SHTF and EMP occurs, life as we know it will probably no longer be worth living. But Rambo the OP could always ask at his LBS. :-)

Folding or fold-up bikes are flexible. In that way, they can be pressed into whatever a situation throws at them. But in something like The End Of Civilization...forget it.


This must be the funniest thread since the one about how many elephants can you get onto a Brompton.

I am glad some people are getting some comic relief from this thread.


I consider the survival scenarios as an interesting mind exercise. Perhaps not as extreme as the OP's.

However! I do carry a bike with me just about every where I go, if more than 30 miles from my home. Around here hurricanes or lack of fuel are apt to be the most likely scenario. The US is seldom more than a couple of days away from running out of gas if something were to happen to the pipe lines or a couple of major refineries. Spot shortages aren't uncommon either. Everybody assumes that the local gas station keeps their tanks full? Guess again! They depend on regular deliveries and if something disrupts that delivery schedule you aren't getting gas. During hurricane season I never let my truck get below half full, that will get me out of the danger zone fairly quickly, or at least far enough I can use the bike to get even further away.

In answer to the OP's question about distance, it depends. If you have clear roads and relatively flat terrain you can cover 100 miles a day in with out too much hassle. Walking, roughly a third of that. My rule of thumb on average travel is I walk in a day as far as I can travel in an hour on a bicycle, I can cycle in a day as far as a car can travel in an hour, I can drive as far in a day as a plane can travel in an hour (assuming you don't get stuck by TSA, weather or other issues)

Aaron :)

This is an excellent example of what and how a bicycle can be used in an event of a probable future for someone who lives in this case hurricanes or lack of fuel. In the UK, more likely floods or war. Wahooc's description of how a bike can be used is the way that bikes were used over the years for this and other applicable situations.


i'll pick my Single Speed[coaster] low geared R20

and will mount it with foam rubber no-air solid tires.

remember the world was gonna end or in chaos ?

its was Y2K ready as shown here if anyone remembered that hoopla a decade ago !

bu I'm prepping it up for 2025

it goes in a metal or wood box ready for Action !



Well...with the exception of a three speed hub, at least my Twenty is probably the best bike for all situations for sure! Now if I can only figure out how to disassemble it just like you did in your photos, I will be right behind you.

"I am glad some people are getting some comic relief from this thread."

No, you are not glad and you sardonically mean me. :) It's ok - you don't have to be polite and I deal with the nuances of English every day. What you meant was "I wish Snaffs would stop eroding my viewpoint."

However, if the end of the world is coming, the polite will die first. Although the Death of Civilisation As We Know It, so far appears to exaggerated. Pompeii (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pompeii)was a notable exception.

This entire thread is a socialogical portrait of the psychosis of the human condition. It's very illuminating. We've learned that, terrorists aside, America's biggest threat appears to be other Americans. It's the same here. You really don't want to be on the streets of an English country town on a folding bicycle after dark.

I can use a crowbar on my trunk. I would probably ride it once in awhile for fun in addition to having it for an emergency. After Katrina I dont rely on anyone such as FEMA.

I can use a crowbar on my trunk. I would probably ride it once in awhile for fun in addition to having it for an emergency. After Katrina I dont rely on anyone such as FEMA.

What is the crowbar for? To get the trunk open? Mine uses a key and I would hope an old style analog key would still work after an EMF attack.

Hugo, Fran, Floyd and Katrina are the ones that made me start taking a bike with me when I work the hurricane zones. I was working near ground zero when every one of them came ashore, in all but Hugo and Fran I was able to get out of the path of the storm well before they hit. I was at home when Fran came a calling, I left my job site near the coast only to have the biatch follow me home! In the aftermath our neighborhood was cut off due to the massive number of large oak trees that had gone down. We were also without power for 7 days, my MTB came in handy for getting around until roads were cleared.

I was working in Mobile, AL when Katrina threatened, packed up and went to Jacksonville, FL and stayed with friends. Once back in Mobile gas was very hard to get for several weeks. People would spend 3-4 hours a day sitting in lines to get 5 gallons of gas, so they could do it all again a couple of days later. I parked my truck, locked the gas tank and rode my old beater 3 speed everywhere including to work.

Aaron :)

kip42, just don't ride your folder in a lightning storm, it may kill you before you have a chance to test your apocalyptic survival skills.

i'll pick my Single Speed[coaster] low geared R20

and will mount it with foam rubber no-air solid tires.

remember the world was gonna end or in chaos ?

its was Y2K ready as shown here if anyone remembered that hoopla a decade ago !

bu I'm prepping it up for 2025

it goes in a metal or wood box ready for Action !

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4045/4416600178_7c907fc476_b.jpg

Can I get rubber no air tires for the Para Trooper bike. How does the quality compare to that of similarly priced bikes? I have a smith and wesson police bike that is a piece of junk.

I consider the survival scenarios as an interesting mind exercise. Perhaps not as extreme as the OP’s.

Same. Snafu21 clearly doesn’t, and wants us to look at him look at him look at him.

To the OP, I think any bicycle in a survivalist situation is better than not having one. Same as prior to SHTF-moments. Although I consider Sydney rush hour traffic to be a SHTF moment. Only advantage I can think of a Montague is you probably carry one on your back or stick it in the car.

Apparently more bicycles are sold than cars. Maybe knowing where your bicycle cooperative is, and volunteering some hours is a good idea. There are sometimes a ton of old bicycles, tools etc there.

" Same. Snafu21 clearly doesn’t, and wants us to look at him look at him look at him."

No need for denigrating abuse. It won't have any effect, other than to show you up as intellectually challenged and spiteful. You don't like what I have to contribute, just PM me the abuse.

But be quick, the End of the World is coming. :)

No, I don't think there's anything worthy of the term 'mind exercise' in this thread, including your post. The End of the World is greatly exaggerated, it's perhaps more relevant a term in the USA which tends to get climatic extremes and earthquakes we don't have in the UK, and in that case, the wisdom of having access to a bike is clear. Eulogising about folders, other than they fit in small spaces is idiotic in the context.

There some ludicrous starry-eyed posts in this thread, and all you do to further the debate is have a swipe at me, and then compare rush-hour traffic to a SHTF moment. Hyperbole.

"Apparently more bicycles are sold than cars. Maybe knowing where your bicycle cooperative is, and volunteering some hours is a good idea. There are sometimes a ton of old bicycles, tools etc there. "

What has that got to do with anything in this thread? Eh?

Your 'more bikes are sold than cars' relates to a 2007 headline in the Oz press, which credited the increased sale of bikes to the economic downturn (http://bicycling.about.com/b/2008/01/13/more-bikes-than-cars-sold-in-australia-in-2007.htm), not to Rambo here wanting to keep a Montague in his trunk. There have been similar headlines in the US press for the same reason, not because bicycles are great in a survival situation.

Next.

Ok! I was thinking of this end of the world crap or some emergency where I had to "get out of Dodge" fast - like having a Category 3 or above hurricane coming my way. I live in Florida so the latter is a very real possibility.

Strangely enough, I would take my trike. That back basket would hold essentials and since I would probably be sitting a long time in the saddle, the trike would be more comfortable than a folder. But whom am I kidding. If people were that desperate to get out of town, they'd knock me off my trike in a second, unless I had a gun and was ready to use it.

However, the folder would come in handy if I was going in a group. Great for scouting, as someone already said. But we're talking of advanced planning, a real survival strategy.

You know the average American family does not have more than 5 days worth of food. So even though most people fantasize as to what they would do, very few, including me, are really prepared for it.

See link below:

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2006/01/disaster_planning.html

Ok! I was thinking of this end of the world crap or some emergency where I had to "get out of Dodge" fast - like having a Category 3 or above hurricane coming my way. I live in Florida so the latter is a very real possibility.

Strangely enough, I would take my trike. That back basket would hold essentials and since I would probably be sitting a long time in the saddle, the trike would be more comfortable than a folder. But whom am I kidding. If people were that desperate to get out of town, they'd knock me off my trike in a second, unless I had a gun and was ready to use it.

However, the folder would come in handy if I was going in a group. Great for scouting, as someone already said. But we're talking of advanced planning, a real survival strategy.

You know the average American family does not have more than 5 days worth of food. So even though most people fantasize as to what they would do, very few, including me, are really prepared for it.

See link below:

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2006/01/disaster_planning.html

Good thing I am not average...we have a solid two weeks worth of food at any given time and could probably go 6 weeks before we would even have to consider rationing. I also have a decent back stock of bottled water as well as a couple of filtration systems that will clear down to .2 microns. I have one rides in my small "survival' kit that I keep in my truck in case I have to bail. I am a firm believer in being prepared to fend for myself and not have to depend on FEMA. Fact is, if you read the FEMA protocol for response; local entities are supposed to be able to provide support for up to 72 hours prior to FEMA getting there, but everybody seems to forget that when the excrement impacts the rotary oscillator.

Usually a hurricane will give you plenty of warning before it flattens you, no they don't always come ashore where they are predicted but the area they are going to hit is pretty obvious.

What really cracked me up was Hurricane Wilma in 2005, which was of the most active seasons ever. Wilma had not even cleared the east coast of Florida and people were already lining up for ice, water and other hand outs and complaining about how slow FEMA was. No sympathy from me on that one!

Aaron :)

Look, stop screwing with the OP so much. You (and I) might not agree with his "end of the world" thing (and my personal view on this is not giving a f*ck what happens in that respect) but there are many other situations that "survival" type equipment is useful. I often (though less now, living in the city) liked to go outside to hike, camp, etc and usually a bike allowed me to travel further than walking for that purpose. Having a good, well-built, off-road capable and low-maintenance bike was a necessity for doing so without worrying every time I went through some mud or accidentally had the bike drop/hit something/etc.

Also, the basics of the "apocalypse" survival kit are very useful in real situations, such as the aforementioned camping and hiking, generally anywhere where the comforts of civilisation are not immediately accessible, and yes in the event of a regional disaster such as a hurricane. And finally, the extreme basics of "survival kits" are useful even in the city. Whenever I ride, I carry with me a bag that contains a small but versatile folding knife, a poncho, an LED flashlight, and a tiny basic first aid kit. All have come in handy regularly, the knife being the most useful tool there is, period.

Regardless, what I'm saying is cut the OP some slack; just because we don't agree with the whole "post-apocalypse" survival method, there are plenty of other uses for the type of kit (meaning stuff) he's asking for and therefore it is a legit question.

These two wheelers are available in EMP tolerant version

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y243/mplogue/SegwaySWAT.jpg

^^^^:roflmao::roflmao::roflmao:

The OP, alas, seems unable to decide. Get the Montague, puhelease. Or the Dahon Matrix, that does offroad quite well. Don't buy a Brompton, it will fall into the bomb craters.

I would take my R20 if sh1t does hit the fan. having said that, which folding bike is least of your worries. stock up on spams and ammos "Omega Man".

How useful is a bike in SHTF - You want stainless steel rims with the maximum number of spokes as after what's left of the world runs out of inner tubes, you will be riding the rims.

Big wheels, off-road geometry. Single speed. Rear Rack, handlebar bag (large enough for (at least) 2 firearms. Steel frame for sure. large magnets and adapters on main frame for Katana attachment.

However, if the end of the world is coming, the polite will die first.

No, the meek will inherit the Earth. What's left of it. If that's OK with you.

Look, stop screwing with the OP so much. You (and I) might not agree with his "end of the world" thing (and my personal view on this is not giving a f*ck what happens in that respect) but there are many other situations that "survival" type equipment is useful. I often (though less now, living in the city) liked to go outside to hike, camp, etc and usually a bike allowed me to travel further than walking for that purpose. Having a good, well-built, off-road capable and low-maintenance bike was a necessity for doing so without worrying every time I went through some mud or accidentally had the bike drop/hit something/etc.

Also, the basics of the "apocalypse" survival kit are very useful in real situations, such as the aforementioned camping and hiking, generally anywhere where the comforts of civilisation are not immediately accessible, and yes in the event of a regional disaster such as a hurricane. And finally, the extreme basics of "survival kits" are useful even in the city. Whenever I ride, I carry with me a bag that contains a small but versatile folding knife, a poncho, an LED flashlight, and a tiny basic first aid kit. All have come in handy regularly, the knife being the most useful tool there is, period.

Regardless, what I'm saying is cut the OP some slack; just because we don't agree with the whole "post-apocalypse" survival method, there are plenty of other uses for the type of kit (meaning stuff) he's asking for and therefore it is a legit question.
Honestly, the advice I gave came from years of commuting in the wisconsin winter- There is nothing worse than having the pawls in your hub freeze up mid intersection, or to have your rear brake cable freeze up...

I still say 26" unsuspended Mtn bike. There are spare parts everywhere- tires and wheels are easy to come by, probably easier than any other wheel. Parts are similarly easy to come by and they're flexible- you can run them geared, ungeared, with cantis or v's or discs or any combination thereof, they're reasonably comfortable and they are extremely hard to break. If you can find one with non-indexed thumbshifters, you can use it with almost any 26" wheel ever made.

A hinged bike like a montague paratrooper is just going to have more complications to rust.

Or again, a pre-war schwinn cruiser. nigh-unbreakable.

And remember... Machetes don't run out of ammo!

Honestly, the advice I gave came from years of commuting in the wisconsin winter- There is nothing worse than having the pawls in your hub freeze up mid intersection, or to have your rear brake cable freeze up...

I still say 26" unsuspended Mtn bike. There are spare parts everywhere- tires and wheels are easy to come by, probably easier than any other wheel. Parts are similarly easy to come by and they're flexible- you can run them geared, ungeared, with cantis or v's or discs or any combination thereof, they're reasonably comfortable and they are extremely hard to break. If you can find one with non-indexed thumbshifters, you can use it with almost any 26" wheel ever made.

A hinged bike like a montague paratrooper is just going to have more complications to rust.

Or again, a pre-war schwinn cruiser. nigh-unbreakable.

I would wager that the 20" BMX sized wheel on the Twenty is at least as plentiful as a 26" wheel...

Aaron :)

The machete-twirlers and the back-stabbers will run the Post-Apocalypse world:

"Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake? What villain touch'd his body, that did stab, And not for justice?"

I was in Brighton last night - a UK seaside town described at best as 'unruly'. The nocturnal street scenes looked like they were staged by Coppola. Should the End draw nigh, the fat, beery and tattooted zombies are going to take over the world. They only come out at night. And many of them appear to be self-employed, so they don't have to get up for work in the mornings.

"Please don't stab me, I've just bought a new folding bike" isn't going to butter any parsnips.

26" MTB +1

Actually, I'm going to go with the Montague instead of the Dahon Matrix. Them lockjaw hinges on the MKII Matrix look, complicated.

You guys have got it all wrong. All you need is a gun. In a survival situation you shoot other people and take their bicycle. It is that simple.
Me, I'm gonna aim for a guy on a nice road bike, then find an mtb with disc brakes. Right now I can't afford one.
And I like blue and silver bikes, so I'll be shootin for those.
I might need a helmet, too.
And a tricked-out jersey.
Dang. I'm gonna need more ammo.

If I survive a major catastrophe-from nuclear war to zombies-liked described in the posts above, I hope to God that I am:


Dead-or stay really dead I hope
Or at least smart enough to avoid creating more problems in this world


I don't think myself or other people will have much interest or time devoted to anything else beyond addressing the day-to-day basic survival needs.....water, food, shelter, protective clothing, etc. Bicycling would take up too much precious energy to devote much time or thought to it.