The prepper case for bicycles

When people think about prepping, they usually think about building a compound that can sustain life without supply chains, and about weapons. Transportation is usually an afterthought, and if it is considered, the proposed solution involves off-road capable motor vehicles and perhaps a boat or a snowmobile, depending on the terrain.

However, all of these means of transportation have a major downside: the supply chain. They all require fuel, and various other chemicals, such as engine oil or transmission fluid. Furthermore, they have many moving parts. Many things that can break, and a fair few of them are difficult to repair. There is a much simpler vehicle that could meet many transportation needs, especially considering how incredibly cheap it is. Enter the bicycle.

You can get a decent new bicycle for $500 or less. I paid $700 for mine, but I needed a raised saddle, raised handlebars, and extended brake lines to accomodate my oversized legs. 99% of people reading this will not have this problem. Another $500 will get you a nice lock, a saddlebag rig that can hold 80lbs of stuff, and some basic tools. The tools needed to completely assemble a bicycle from parts might cost a little bit more, but I am confident that you can get a fully tricked out one with all the tooling for under $2K. All the tools you need are the screwdrivers, a tire change kit, and some kind of big clamp stand to hold the frame up.

That covers the initial cost. What about operating supplies and spare parts? Common bicycle tires are $50 each, and they last forever if stored in a dry place, so you can stock up. They can be changed by either raisng the bike on the aforementioned clamp, or by just resting it upside down on the saddle and handlebar. The only chemical that they need is some manner of lubricant for the chaing and cog assembly. Fortunately, since there is no combustion or other extreme environmental stresses on this lubricant, one can simply use bacon grease, or canola oil, or literally any other greasy stuff that is readily available. Brake pads are under $10 each, even for nicer ones. It is readily observable that most of this stuff is an order of magnitude cheaper and easier to procure than what a motor vehicle needs.

Now what about speed and range? This is where cars come out ahead. It is hard to do more than 200 miles in a day with a bicycle, but how far does one need to move around the post-apocalypse anyhow? Personally, I have found that I can take a fully loaded bicycle up to 10-12mph without getting too exhausted. Granted, I have done this with road tires, which are notoriously faster than off-road tires. But it is certainly possible to have both sets of bicycle tires, because a full tire change takes half an hour, even less if you're good.

In terms of off-road capabilities, a properly assembled bicycle will go everywhere that a car can go, assuming the rider is strong enough. Furthermore, bicycles can fit through smaller gaps, which is useful in the woods and amazing in the city. And if a hill is too steep, the bicycle can always be carried by its rider, although this can get difficult with 80lbs of cargo on the bicycle.

The final consideration for preppers is the combat utility of a vehicle. Here, bicycles have the problem that there is no armor on them, and no cover behind them. That being said, bicycles are more than proven as an excellent way to move around war zones. And these were standardized bicycles that were not adapted to the individual riders, mind you. It does not need to be said that a properly set up bicycle can carry a lot of ammunitions, first aid, and other supplies.

In conclusion, I would encourage any prepper to seriously look into getting a bicycle for each adult in their family. They will serve you well, especially in flatter areas.