Best bike for surviving homeless conditions?
 

If you can build a bike from scratch to survive 6 months to 2 years being homeless in a cold weather city (down to -20c), how would you go about building one? What type of frame, wheels, handlebar, panniers, etc....I have been homeless in the past and walking around with all the things one needs to survive just generally sucks big time.

A steel single speed that can fit a big tire. Like mine. And I would use a trailer to live for 2 years.

https://i.imgur.com/bO46ndc.jpg

is that your ride? quite nice my friend. Why single speed?

I think a homeless survival bike needs a lot of granny gears since there will be a lot of equipments to carry. I also think big tires help a lot too since one is likely too caloric deficient to go fast so perhaps older mtb 26 inch wheels (easy to find in thrift store to replace) on an all steel frame would be good.

You will need disc brakes.

Surly LHT 26" FTW
 

As owned by another notorious internet troll who has been "Homeless by choice" for years. Long gone from this and other forums but still out there on the fringe. PM me if you want contact info:twitchy:

I'd go with a old mountain bike without suspension. One that can put racks on and closeout priced panniers.

I say single speed because of you're homeless for two years I would assume you wouldn't have money for maintenance and parts if they break. Now an older steel MTB would be good as well.

I think of serious consideration while being homeless is theft of one´s private property. Short of carrying around a 9mm glock 26 or 43, I think all quick releases like for seat post, wheels, etc. should be bolt-on types.

Bolt on wheels my be harder to find nowadays. They make skewer locks but not cheap. Maybe bike lock that goes thru wheels and frame better on costs. Bolt for seatpost pretty cheap fix. Maybe paint frame awful colors. Rig up a way to unbolt panniers on racks. Compact stealthy setup.

From my brief time at the bike collective it seems 26" tires are the defacto, along with big box mtbs. Grip shifted 6 or 7 speed freewheels.

If I had the choice it would be a single speed rigid mtb with 2" 26" wheels, and a single speed setup that would allow me to pedal at an 80 rpm cadence at 12MPH, like a 42x23. That's 3x walking speed with a low enough gear to comfortably get up alot of hills. It also allows the use of a retro fit config from the existing triple and freewheel it probably already has. I'd try and splurge on alloy hubs instead of the usual stamped rear hub. A rack mount would be nice along with a backpack and bike chain/lock.

The SRAM and Shimano 6/7 speed grip shift systems are surprisingly robust though, and easily tuned.

+1. And electronic shifting. All this can be maintained by your personal mechanic. Just because you are homeless doesn't mean you are broke.

2008 vintage bought by mommy would be optimal.

Around here I usually see them with 26" rigid mountain bikes, both BSO and nicer brands (Giant, Trek, etc...). They usually stop and walk at any elevation which make me think that they only have 1 gear (despite having a cassette).

Personally I think the same bike (non BSO) with gears would be preferred. Theft would be a problem, as well as getting people to offer help, if the bike was too nice.

Those homeless camps have bike shops

cargobike
or one of those tiny houses on wheels you can pull on a bike, is that still homeless?

not sure if joking...

The trendy homeless way is a Mongoose full suspension two sizes too small with the seat all the way down. Bungee cord the shopping cart behind and you are set.

Beach Cruiser
Used bike from 2nd/3rd hand store. (Sometimes you can get a really nice bike for cheap. For example, I got my 1989 KHS 'Montana Summit' (filly lugged triple butted Tange steel frame, full Shimano Exage Mtn. group with BioPace) for $10 because it needed tires and tubes.
(components since upgraded: brakes upgraded to DiaComp high profile front, Sachs 5000 low profile rear, Suntour XC Power full finger levers, 3x7 SRAM X3 trigger shifters, 14-34 SunRace freewheel (original was a 6 speed 13-28 freewheel) and SRAM X9 RD. I also replaced the original 48 tooth BioPace big ring with a 42 tooth BioPace ring. I don't like/trust Shimano, after a Shimano RD exploded on me, forcing me to push the bike every inch of the 12 miles home.)
I also added a rear rack, and found a nice 2 kid trailer at a yard sale and converted it to haul cargo instead of kids.
If you're, homeless and not staying in a shelter, you'll want a kid trailer converted to a cargo trailer. (Just remove the seats, and the seatbelts/harnesses.) Even if you are in a shelter, the trailer comes in daRn handy.
Regardless of if you're in a shelter or not, you'll need multiple good locks; U locks, chain locks, and 14mm cable locks, and you'll want to use them all whenever you're away from the bike.

We have one guy in our area who’s been on the same decent old Cannondale for years, and he rides everywhere all the time, I rarely see him parked. But the rest of them are on barely functioning Walmart stuff they get off bulk trash piles or porches, never see the same guy on the same bike twice

Forgot to ask, and can't edit my previous post.

WHY do you want to be homeless for two years?!

I've "been there done that" (for more than 2 years, unfortunately).
Being homeless is NOT fun.
It is NOT a "romantic" lifestyle. Nor is it a "safe" life style.
Albeit, it is a little safer being in a shelter than living on the street. I only had a couple things stolen when I was at the shelter, and did manage not to get into any fights, and avoided being ***** in the dorm and the shower.

I'd get a titanium touring bike with 18 speed Pinion gearbox.

https://www.vannicholas.com/files/0/...er%20chain.png

https://www.vannicholas.com/touring-bikes/deveron

The titanium won't corrode, the gearbox is low maintenance, and the frame is stout enough to carry a good load of bottles and cans to the recycling center.

Anything that can get you to a job

Folding bike paired with folding trailer - specifically, Brompton M6R and Burley Travoy. You'll have ~150L/100lbs hauling capacity, with the ability to wheel everything indoors behind you like wheeled airline luggage (bike covered if you like). You'll be able store everything securely and weather protected inside your tent. And, if you're in decent shape (since max total would be ~130lbs), you could backpack/carry everything in one shot for short distances, eg, staircases, narrow doorways/hallways, into knarly woods for stealth camping, and use public transport/subways. Everything is quick release and quick folding and would take ~1min to convert between riding/walking/rolling-luggage modes.

I know a less fortunate individual, and he does work by doing deliveries on his bike. It's a good quality straight bar hybrid bike with a rigid fork. He has money to pay for the occasional maintenance, but it doesn't need it all that often. He used to have a scooter and that required a lot more maintenance than the bike, so he sold it.

:rolleyes: Starting Yet another topic, for your amusement..? walmart bike you put your stuff in bags and head south , gulf coast, Fla.

Survival
 

The random cheap mountain bike from the thrift store. If it survived that long...