I needed to get a couple of items from the grocery store, so I figured I take the motorbike. After thinking about it a wee bit I decided to take the bicycle and trailer - nice day, get my daily exercise and all that.
With all the "prepper" talk, bicycles are rarely mentioned. Likewise, the anti-fossil fuel crowd doesn't seem to promote them much either. However, now that gasoline prices are approaching $4.00 per gallon again, bicycles are an economical method of transportation and an extremely efficient method of getting around. When you add a trailer you can add to the versatility of the bike by adding cargo carrying capacity.
My trailer is a copy of the BOB trailer that I made. Actually, I made two of them - one for me and one for my buddy that I rode with on a couple of long-distance tours. The material is Inconel tubing that was given to me by another cyclist buddy of mine. The rear wheel was acquired when the high schoolers were competing in the high mileage contest. The fender was taken off a junk bicycle and run through the shrinker to conform to the diameter of the 12" wheel. The only thing I had to buy was the little cheap taillight. An internet search of one wheel bicycle trailers will turn up several designs. I recommend a one-wheel trailer because it follows in the same track as the bike wheels and it's not any wider than the bike.
The bike itself is an old steel framed Raleigh, probably from the seventies. I bought it from a church rummage sale for $4.00. Since I've had it, I replaced the saddle with one that is sprung, new 700c wheels to replace the 27" ones, and a new rear derailleur. I also modified the front chain ring. I was going on a trip that was going to require crossing a couple of mountain ranges, so I needed a granny gear. I checked with a couple of bike shops and they told me I couldn't put a triple gear set-up on the bike, so I machined up a carrier and put a gear on there from an old mountain bike. Worked like a charm. With the upgraded components it's not a $4.00 bike anymore but I've ridden it all over the United States and I've only got maybe $300.00 invested.
Used bicycles are a dime a dozen. However, most department store bikes have cheap components. The nice thing about bicycles is there are all kinds and grades of components available to upgrade a cheap bike, or you can buy a new one. Lots of choices in materials and price. There are custom builders out there that will build you anything you want if you're willing to spend the money. I recommend a steel frame bike. A mid-grade bike like mine will last a lifetime and if by chance the frame becomes damaged, it is easily repaired.
Of course, your usage and price range will determine the best bike for you. I bought mine with long distance touring in mind and after the upgrades it's been perfect for me. If you're planning on using the bike for trails, consider a mountain bike. There are one-wheel trailers with suspension for that usage. Obviously if you have a big family, using a bicycle to bug-out is not a workable solution, but a bicycle will still function after an EMP hits and if you're not using it on a regular basis you won't have to worry about a dead battery or bad gas. Air up the tires and you're good to go.
2 comments:
I saw two guys talking in a video about EMP testing where only about 10% of the cars got zapped dead. I didn't watch the entire video so I do not know any info about them or the testing. it was a bit of hope. last night I woke up to pee and 2 seconds later the power went off and came right back on. of course I thought EMP and 9/11. the stars were sharp and thick. a sliver of moon was coming up. I checked the news before I went back to sleep. I like the bike trailer.
I would imagine the electronics on the newest cars have been hardened up against EMP attacks. My vehicles are parked in a metal building that's grounded - like a big Faraday cage. That might protect them. I'm just paranoid enough to believe when it hits the fan I won't be able to look to the government for help. In fact, they'll probably be responsible for it either directly or indirectly.
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