Build a hypothetical post-apocalypse bicycle

While you're looting Evans for tubes you could pick up a couple of those plastic bottles of loose bearings as well.
Tyres can also be stuffed with straw, cloth etc if tubes became an issue.
BlueQ has it right. Just go to Oxford, some of the bikes there probably haven't been serviced in a good 50+ years and can still propell a drunken, over-privileged student to ramming speed with no issue.

http://www.traveljournals.net/pictures/l/13/135005-mad-maxs-bike-copenhagen-denmark.jpg

Surely the answer to the no maintenance, not tires tubes bearings, or tools required to fix is,

A horse.

The most ancient of peoples relied on horses, that have survived war, plague an famine, although at the end of their working lives they can be made into a nice lasagna too.

Isn't long distance traveling on a horse actully pretty taxing for a animal?
Was a docu on tv about some one trying to ride the same route as the crusaders took to jerusalem and the horse died of plain exaustion..

Bike thugs, myth or a possibel threat i the post apocalyptic landscape?

Horses are shit, if you tried to play bike polo on them they would die.

I would go for something solid

Whatever you make you will just be preparing for the biggest/most armed guy on your street.

Well, going back to the original question that basically asks why bicycles aren't in post-apocalyptic novels and films... most of those works of fiction are based on a protagonist that is seeking to reach some sanctuary and travels constantly to avoid towns and cities because of the risk of such conflict (and knowing that they likely won't come out best in such scenarios).

So we're mostly talking of a bike that is low-maintenance or easily self-maintainable not because there wouldn't be supplies in looting town/city based cycling shops... but you aren't likely to come out on top in any such looting raid.

I was thinking about this the other day.

I reckon an oak frame, willow rims, intestine inner tubes in leather tubular tyres, glued on of course.

Spokes would be cat-gut or twine.

Drive belt would likely be hemp rope.

Saddle would be a Brooks- low tech enough to still be made.

Bearings would be journal type, wood-in-wood, greased with animal derived tallow type stuff.

I reckon an oak frame

Ed, of course, has as usual anticipated a post-apocalyptic scenario.

We're looking for the Mad Max of bicycles, something that will continue to work when all else fails. Something that 10 or 15 years after the apocalypse is still rideable. Something that means that 20 years after the apocalypse you can still manage 10mph average human powered speed rather than 3mph.

If we were heading for such direction, wouldn't getting some mechanical qualification and knowledge make a bigger difference?

Possessing such knowledge such as welding, brazing, etc. would be almost enough to make even the highest maintenance bicycle running again with a bit of ingenuity.

Well, going back to the original question that basically asks why bicycles aren't in post-apocalyptic novels and films...

Perhaps most of the writers/director doesn't ride a bicycle nor think it have a place in the future, like in Judge Dredd.

And why the fuck have no one mentioned those Swiss Army Condor bicycle?

Seriously, look at this panniers;

Strong enough to carry Hippy on it I reckon;

More from Velosolo on this bike;

Combine a love of singlespeeds, off-roading, old military bikes and stuff built like tanks and there is only one bike to ride - the Swiss Army Bike (or 'Militärvelo'). We recently picked up a really clean and original example and as with the Parabikes would like to share some information and photos of these amazing machines. Links to other Militärvelo websites can be found at the base of this page.

The model here is the MO 05 (yes, that's 1905) and this 100 year old design served the Swiss Army until the 1990's. It existed virtually unchanged for the whole of the 20th century and remains a legend in its home Country. Its short lived replacement was the equally weighty MO 93 with a more modern MTB inspired design, updated components and seven gears.

These are seriously overbuilt bikes with incredibly thick lugs and tubing. Weight is more than twice a typical modern XC mountain-bike at over 50 lbs. The drivetrain with 3/16" chain appears bulletproof and three brakes are fitted; a coaster, a rear drum and the 19th century design front pad acting directly on the tyre.

Despite all this bulk it's remarkably easy to ride and surprisingly stable and comfortable. Once moving it wafts along in silence (coaster brake so no ratcheting freewheel) and disguises its weight well.

This particular example is a 1949 issue but the condition is as if it just came out of storage, the nickel plating on the 1947 dated hub is like new, the dynamo functions perfectly and all bearings are super smooth. Everything is there as it should be and totally original; grips, bell, huge pedals, the beautifully made leather tool case and the complete set of tools including various 'Condor' marked spanners. Clipped to the top tube is the Edco pump with inbuilt footstand. This bike came from the Swiss Army workshop in ready-to-ride condition with everything greased and adjusted just so.

The cycling regiments of the Swiss Army were, in many ways, elite soldiers enjoying a lofty reputation. Sadly the cycle mounted Swiss soldier is now a thing of the past. The Swiss Army Bike can be seen in civilian hands in many European cities but it's much rarer in the UK and US of course. If you ever get a chance to buy one then it comes highly recommended.

Interesting thread.

Just to clarify the rules Velocio, are you talking about an existing bike, or building one from scratch?

If its designing one from scratch this would be a much more worthwhile design project than the wanky "how can we make a spokeless bike with invisible forks, etc".

Designing one from scratch, or constructing one from existing parts and materials.

It's a hypothetical exercise, so just trying to re-purpose an existing bike is unimaginative.

From a vague memory of "the making of" LOTR one of the instructions given to the props guys was "No TIG/MIG/ARC", other than that they could do what they wanted with the weapons, armour etc.

The idea being to make the stuff imaginative, but "in period", i.e. it was doubtful that the Orcs had a TIG welder, but they could/would have a forge.

I reckon, therefore, that soldering is going to be an accessible technology in our putative post-apocalyptic world, but drawing fresh tubes would not be.

That said, turning ore into metal would be probably out of the question also.

So- raw materials would be scavenged as that is the least energy intensive way of getting them, but common consumable parts like inner tubes are of course going to run out faster than things like saddles.

I reckon a set of allen keys would easily last 500 years or so, just as long as you could find a set of course.

In reality I think just going for whatever you can find is the best and only option. The idea of having some kind of ultimate bike to lug around is doomed to fail.

Who wants to looks for spares and fix it if it breaks? Just find another bike.

I'd nick one of those scooters they tried to market for adults. Easy to steal off kids and no-one will fight you for it.

Edit: Even better

"And just for once, can we please have an apocalypse that doesn't involve zombies!"

Be realistic now, everybody knows that a post-apocalyptic world involves zombies, everybody.

Its a boring answer. But I've come to the conclusion that a surly Troll is the best bet.

Steel frame - Easiest material to repair.
SS/geared drivechain - Use what you find
Disc or canti-brakes - Use what you find
26" wheels - easiest to find bits for
Loads of braze-ons - bolt stuff on to it as you find it.

Wouold be tempting to do something about BBs and pedal threads/bearings. I've been a good boy of late. Keeping up with my maintainance. But I still seem to kill pedals. Even managed to tear a pedal out of my cranks on my last commuter.

Isn't long distance traveling on a horse actully pretty taxing for a animal?
Was a docu on tv about some one trying to ride the same route as the crusaders took to jerusalem and the horse died of plain exaustion..

Bike thugs, myth or a possibel threat i the post apocalyptic landscape?

nope they just look like hipsters from the 20th century to me

Perhaps you would need carbon fibre as all steel bikes would be highly radioactive?

Designing one from scratch, or constructing one from existing parts and materials.

It's a hypothetical exercise, so just trying to re-purpose an existing bike is unimaginative.

Right. I meant more along the lines of having custom built parts or frames or whether you have to use what is already in existence.

Custom Frame:

Something along the lines of smallfurry's Surly, but key for me would be:

• steel (nothing too fancy so it could be welded if possible)
  
• front forks with same as the rear spacing (132.5mm)
  
• geo designed for 26" but with room for 700c + big tyres
  
• all bearings oversized/built and the same size throughout the frame and the same as whatever the most common universal BB size.
  
• a clever EBB thing so you could bodge any BB
  
• millions of braze-ons including one for a friction shifter next to the seat clamp
  
• probably cargo, or make/include a Xtracycle Free Radical
  
  
  

Parts (well basically wheels/gearing):

• front wheel with an old SA 3 speed hub with an extended axel to fit the 132.5mm spacing
  
• freewheel hope trials hub run 6 speed that can be run fixed with fixed cog on the disc side
  
• thumb shifters
  
  

^ that would give you a multitude of gears and options.

If I'm not allowed my all-purpose frame I think something like a cotic road rat (can run 700's as well as 26") with a fat bike fork surly moonlander maybe.

Done it, now what

• fixed drive train, no brakes, for easy maintenance
  
• two different size wheels so you can use whatever size spares you find
  
• risers for comfort, aerobars for escaping zombies/marauding bike gangs/etc.
  
• high bb so you sit extra high and easily keep a look out for the aforementioned
  
• some bodhisattva I forget which hanging off the saddle to give you good luck
  
• small number of spokes for less maintenance, can be replaced with new ones carved from branches
  
• ignore clipless it now has/would have clips and straps
  
• rad colour and intimidating design to impress people and command their respect
  
• logo of the toughest bike gang possible, same reason
  

*logo of the toughest bike gang possible, same reason

5th Floor Crew?