craptastico

The oil supply thread got me thinking. How will cyclist continue to ride once the oil is gone? How much of our gear is produced using the demon liquid ? Tyres, most likely any of that fancy technical gear that is popular now and plenty of other things we never think about. What are your thoughts on OUR future without oil?

cyclezealot

did not tires used to be made out of actual rubber from like Brazil.? My wife would probably prefer the return of the horse, over even the bike culture. HOw about the return of the tall sailing ships. Sounds eloquent.

rockmom

You can make plastic out of plant materials. Petroleum is just much cheaper.

cosmo starr

veggie grease packed bearings, teflon lube,

seafoamer

The rubber used in tires are mostly made from plants.
Tires also use cloth, & thin metal wire.

nubikebuzz

You forgot to mention the roads. Not that we gotta ride on asphalt, but the roadies of the world aren't going to be happy on loose crushed gravel or plain dirt.

kf5nd

Wait a moment. The world is not going to run out of oil. We will have to make do with less, however. There will be plenty of resources left for bikes. Per vehicle, bikes use only a minute fraction of the resources consumed by a car.

Stop panicking.

evblazer

Oh c'mon you know everyone is going to just buy bigger and bigger vehicles that are less and less fuel efficient, not to mention more and more people buying vehicles, and keep driving them till the very last drop drips from the very last well
When that happens the bigger question is not how will we get where we need to go it is where the heck is there going to be to go?
j/k

wrafl

Without driving, flying and riding a bike, there's always the ability of mankind to walk. The downside, it will take you longer to get to your destination.

bmclaughlin807

Now that's just crazy talk right there.

Saying stuff like that is MORE than enough to get you committed to the looney bin.

(Wait.... they don't call them looney bins anymore... I meant 'Mental Health Hospital')

slowjoe66

How will I ride when the oil runs out? I don't think it's relevant because we aren't going to run out in any of our lifetimes. We've got a helluva lot of it; so does Canada, so does the middle east. It's not a question of when we run out, its a question of when it gets prohibitively expensive to the average consumer, which is far more likely than running out.

gosmsgo

The horse culture was a far worse environmental curse than the automobile.

The entire surface of new york city was covered in horse manure and they were constantly dragging dead horses through the city

The automobile was known as an environmental savior of the day even though gas was initially even more expensive than it is today.

wrafl

For someone who does not believe there's an end to all (natural) resources, I agree, he should check into the looney bin house AKA 'Mental Health Hospital'.

lyeinyoureye

We won't, because we'll all be deader'n a doornail.

oystercatcher

Rather post the question as when does transportation fuel become scarce enough to make driving
vehicles unlikely.

5.00 gal - longer trips get canceled
10.00 gal - medium length trips get canceled
higher prices - most trips canceled, alternative transportation no longer optional, fuel
rationing perhaps 10 gals per drivers license per month, only emegency services have
larger supplies. Truck drivers out of business due to lack of fuel. Remaining vehicles
and not many of them converted to high mileage fuel vehicles or electric. In any case
longer trips no longer an option.

lyeinyoureye

Given the design of autos w/ relatively low fuel consumption, I'm guessing we would need to see ~$30/gal before it becomes financially unpossible. That being said, we won't see these overnight. Fleet mileage will increase w/ gas prices such that people on average pay the same as they did with gas at a lower price in order to maximize profitability.

Tom Stormcrowe

If oil prices get too prohibitive, you can bet they'll come up with alternatives. More of an emphasis on mass transit...not to mention the items below

• Nuclear energy and electric trains
• Fuel Cell cars
• Diesel reserved for military and transportation with hybrid tech being used for trucks (Kenworth already has a Hybrid Truck, for example, medium duty, but the tech is quite sufficient to power a heavy truck). The Class 8 Road tractors will be offered in a Hybrid Config in 2009 with a 30% increase in fuel mileage this would mean around 15 MPG for an 80,000 pound Tractor Trailer rather than about 11 MPG. https://www.kenworth.com/6100_pre_mor.asp?file=2207

cooker

Fuel cells and hybrids still need an original energy source.

wahoonc

Romans built roads that lasted for centuries with no oil

Aaron

kjmillig

Petroleum also powers aircraft, trains, ships, and electricity generating plants. IF we run out, a lot more is going to change on this earth than worrying about bicycle tires and asphalt roads. I also believe more alternatives will become a lot more prevalent long before we "run out."
Until then, I'll just keep enjoying riding and not worry about it too much.

brunop

i'm stockin' up on tyres and tubes. i will corner the market and all yall dudes are gonna have to come to me. i will be the OPEC of the bike world!!!!!!! you will pay what i say or else!!!! i will rule!!!!!!!

ChipSeal

Pshaw! We will NEVER run out of oil ever!

The last few barrels of oil will be too expensive to recover!

cyclezealot

only posted because she is a horse lover. As for me, I prefer to propel myself under my own power.

Dahon.Steve

If you don't find a replacement for oil, it might be too dangerous to ride a bicycle. After all, human powered machines will be at a premium and in high demand. People will knock you off your bike just to get to work.

Dahon.Steve

I've seen many pictures of New York City and they were not covered in horse manure. In fact, the sidewalks were white!