3speed

Hmm... I think I'm actually gonna have to go with a vintage steel touring bike, but with an internally geared 7sp hub and wider tires with some tread. Like cyclocross tires. Plenty of bag/rack mounts for gear/weapons, but faster than the MTB. Cyclocross type tires should get you most anywhere you're going to go on the bike at speed or for a prolonged period of time. Full on MTB tires are generally only needed for the really off-road type stuff, in which case you can walk it. You're not going to be trying to tackle that if the zombies are actually in pursuit anyway. Then you want speed, not a MTB. And have you ever tried riding a MTB for any distance/length of time? SOO much more difficult and time consuming than road bike geometry and tires with a little less tread.

choteau

English 3 speed. You won't have many "fast" zombies to race/out run, never drop a chain, no bent derail bits or indexed shifting to fail. 9mm handgun with oversize clips, an old 38 wheel gun for backup. And don't forget the aluminum baseball bat. I like plan B tho... Tim

3speed

^ No, but you've got to start somewhere, and there are bound to be zombies in your home town, which you'll need to escape fairly quickly. And then there are probably always going to be times when you end up in zombie country when you didn't mean to. Speed is always at least some factor when you're being hunted. And I imagine it's tough to climb a hill on a fully loaded 3 speed.

The chain/derailleur issue is why I went with the internally geared hub. More resistant to weather, less prone to failing when I need it most, won't jump off of a chain ring when you have to hit a big bump hard in a hurry.

jgedwa

Here are three of my rides that would work pretty well. Geared in once case, fixed for the other two.



jim

flipride

@poguemahone I just searched kayak and bike in google. I agree that a touring kayak would be better for longer paddle and to carry weaponry. Of course, if zombies were in pursuit, I'd be getting into the nearest water with whatever floating option I had. **Mental note: Add detachable floaties to bike for zombie emergencies**

dashuaigeh

Agreed, except for one case - presuming the zombies have been dead for a while, expanding gases combined with the natural buoyancy of the human body would make them float pretty easily. So, while zombies may not be able to swim, it'd be possible to get stuck in a small/narrow body of water while zombies just rush into the water, floating in from the shore like decomposing buoys. That thought just creeps me out.

I think I'd much rather take my chances going up a steep hill with a MTB, unless I had an ocean or large lake to swim across.

stien

If I had to build one, IGH touring bike with 28c tires, if we're getting specific. Fast enough and all day comfort. From the list, rigid MTB with skinnier tires. Offroad is gonna be necessary.

3speed

Meh. The steeper the hill, the easier it is to keep up with a bike on foot. I'd rather take my chances going Down a steep hill, or even flat ground rather than up a steep hill. I can keep up a good pace on those for a while. Uphill, not so much.

garage sale GT

You'd need an Xtracycle for the ammunition.

garage sale GT

Besides, this is C&V!!!!!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eLpg1My3fk&feature=fvsr

bigbossman 

Rooftop to rooftop with a Garand and a few bandoleers will clear a good circle, and then you can get on your bike and scoot.

A solid rifle to be sure, but note the problematic dual stack 5 round charger. Rimmed cartridges tend to jam up easily when in a hurry to charge the rifle. I've done it in competition. Besides - if you're gonna go with a SMLE, the No.4 is a better rifle.

garage sale GT

Nah, some kind of c&v smallbore target rifle. That way, you could hope to carry enough ammo to last more than a day or two. Zombies are fairly slow and you have to brain them whether or not you have an M1.

Oregon Southpaw

That custom MTB Trek built for the Japanese police with the silent rear hub.

A bomb-proof wheel set would also be pretty handy.

divineAndbright

After some thought, days would be seemingly numbered, I don't wanna be caught dead on some "mountain bike", or some other bike I'd otherwise never ride; I'd wanna go out on something I at least like, since I dont think I could find anyone to commission a modern custom steel build, I'd have to take my caad 8 out, after some nice free upgrades of course.

Poguemahone

My thinking goes as follows: you don't just want durable, you want something you can easily find parts for once something breaks. Since there's billions of standard MTBs out there, it won't be a problem. Heck, if you can battle your way thru the zombie hordes at Walmart (of course many Zombies will congregate there, as well as at target) you can find replacement tires and tubes no prob, and there will be loaner bikes aplenty. Plus, you can carry a lot of stuff if you set it up right. Older MTBs can take a bigger big chainring and lack irritating stuff like suspensions, harder to repair.

Odd stuff, like French bikes and the Surly pugsley, are out simply because of the weird parts. Ditto many EF Schwinns, which take specialized tire sizes.

I dare someone to post a similar thread over on SS/FG, except make it "Which Brand Messenger bag will help me survive the Zombie Apocalypse?". Something weird for the road section would be great, too, but I'm not sure just what.

I'm shocked, I say shocked, to find this thing is headed for four pages.

rat fink

I'd go the other way, for ultimate riding versatility. This, with dropper seat post:




I'd travel light, with a backpack, Camelback, basic tools, cookware, and parts. Any guns I would carry would be handguns.

jan nikolajsen 

Those 'things' on the bars reminds me of the South Park episode with the monowheel etc. (no need for more details, as that particular gimmick was too creepy)

mattface 

Think my winter/foul weather bike would also work well as a zombie apocalypse bike.


Snow Plow by mattface, on Flickr

Sixty Fiver

I could carry a lot of ammo and supplies... and the studded tyres would shred rotted zombie flesh like buttah.

Thumpic

https://www.knoxgardner.com/2005/the-...cket-launcher/

KonAaron Snake 

Those snow bikes are too terrain specific...studded tires are no fun to ride on wet pavement. I think you take those, but in your panniers.

Sixty Fiver

A little wet pavement is no big deal... the ability to carry supplies and water will be rather important methinks.

Doohickie

I've never asked permission, as long as it's a direct quote. Just use it. And just for clarification, here is my '73 Varsity.

mattface 

I don't know what you mean. I ride my winter bike year-round. I run slicks in the warm months and studs in the winter. For the Zombie apocalyps I'd run whatever happened to be on there at the time I doubt I'd have time to decide which tires to bring, and wouldn't want to waste cargo space that could be better used for carrying cricket bats and croquet mallets.

Doohickie

Those are actually pretty good once you break them in.

I dunno... is that a red shirt? If so, that means he'll be dead by the end of the episode.