Cycling

From Steal This Wiki

Note: this article is all-new and does not contain any content from the original book.

The bicycle is most popular vehicle in the world, and for good reason: bicycles are beautiful things. They are cheap, reliable, faster and easier than walking (and driving in the city), and downright sexy. They can take you almost anywhere, they don't rely on fuel, a license or insurance, a most liberating way to get around these days.

[edit] Getting a Bike

Find a bike of quality, good enough to not require constant replacement of parts. If the quality is too low you will likely learn to hate cycling and stay a petrol hog. Generally it is a better idea to decide if you are only going on road, since there are many different types of bikes for their use. Road bikes are for roads, and vise versa. A good compromise is a heavy mountain bike frame with road tires, this is pretty much what a hybrid bicycle is. Keep the knobby tires to swap on if you ever move to an area with mostly mud and dirt roads, or sell them.

Never buy junk bikes from department stores that rely on crude slave labor: these are designed as gifts to kids who will likely ride them for only a few weeks, these garage rusters tend to be good for only about 500km and real maintenance is almost impossible.

When buying, stick to a friendly local bicycle shop or, even better, a local bike co-op who will sell you a tuned and sized bicycle designed for long service life.

In the USA, quality barely used bikes are discarded to "thrift" shoppes which may sell for as little as $10. Garage sales are also a good source of cheap bikes, beware the used department store type cycles unless you need a disposable with poor performance. A proper 1970's vintage quality bicycle and a little tuning is a much better choice for your money than a brand new discount-mart special.

Watch out for dents in the frame of the bike, this is a sign that the bike has been crashed, and may be hazardous to ride especially if it is of aluminum or exotic construction. Also look out for hairline cracks in the paint, especially near the tubing joints. These can be an early warning of frame damage.

Always acquire your cycle through honest means, as you can ruin lives stealing or stripping cycles. They may belong to less affluent people who have put every penny into making and maintaining their cycles as a work of fast clean functional art. A good way to get a bike is to put up ads on bulletin boards or check classified ads. You may also find bikes that need a bit of repair curbed or in a dumpster. Ask your local bike shop mechanic to check out a bike you are going to buy and estimate the value, including the price of required repairs and a tune up.

[edit] Yellow-White Bicycle Programs

Find out if cities you are traveling to offer a Yellow Bicycle Program. Furthermore, if you find yourself a new local in a larger city, think about aiding those following your traveling example and start up a Yellow Bike Program in your new town. To do this, you can either approach city official yourself with the idea, or simply start it up without them. You'll need some cheap yet solid bikes, and some yellow paint. You can draw up a small map of suggested pick-up and drop-off points in town for the bikes, like public/school/park/downtown bike racks, fences by vacant lots, etc. Tagging some of these places with a minimal yellow stencil design can help, too. Encourage friends to look out for the welfare of the bikes if they see them tossed or crashed-up, either reporting to you are fixing them themselves. You can also attach a little sticker or tag to every bike before you put it out explaining the ideals behind your program to prevent wanton theft or destruction, and also encourage visitors to follow your example.

A good idea is to paint every part of the bike even pedals and tires to reduce theft, resale, and stripping value, be sure to mask areas able to be damaged by paint. Single speed coaster brake bikes have the lowest moving part count and the highest resistance to abuse, unless you are in a very hilly city this is the best type for a yellow bikes program. If possible include some sort of front baskets, folding wire pannier baskets, and such to allow shopping trips.

Most programs in anything other than a tiny town or community result in many lost bikes, you may have to consider moving to a free membership program, order dozens of locks with the same key and require a library card proving that the member is a local to join the club and receive a key, this will slow down random vandals and thieves but will also stop the short term traveler from easily acessing a service they need most.

As a last option collect and fix junk bikes so you have a supply to give to travelers and locals letting them know that an unused or unneeded bicycle would be best utilized by returning it in good condition.

[edit] Legal

Bicycles are free to drive in all locations without an operators license, although some require a license for cycle couriering. Some jurisdictions, especially cities, require the registration of a bicycle and either a plate or sticker to identify the bike. The authorities insist this helps return stolen bikes, but they have been used most effectively to earn the city money. Failure to have a sticker or plate may result in a confiscation or fine. The police have even confiscated parked or locked bicycles and unregistered bicycles in homeless camp raids.

The most common violations cops use to stop cyclists are helmet and safety light laws. They especially target underage cyclists for these. Light laws usually require a white forward and red rearward light or LED flasher at night sometimrs even during reduced visibility even during daylight hours. Failure to comply with these bylaws often result in fines, and it gives police the right to search you. Often these bylaws have been used to target the lower class, including scruffy kids, immigrants, and the homeless.

Many states and countries forbid riding on sidewalks. It is in your best interest to cycle on the street as you will avoid many accidents there. Learn the traffic bylaws, most cycle shops and any licensing center can provide you with them.

Highways, freeways, and interstates are closed to both pedestrians and cyclists in most cities for their safety. This can make navigating long trips difficult at times, especially in rural areas. It is not so much a cyclist riding in the emergency lane that is a concern but having to cross 55-75 mph traffic at every on and off ramp.

If you are drunk or stoned forget cycling. Lock up your bike and leave it or let somebody sober drive you and the bike home. Not only is it common sense, but in most states going past .08 blood alcohol and riding sometimes even pushing or sitting on a bicycle can get you arrested for a DUI, wreckless self endangerment or intent to drive drunk, complete with FBI filed fingerprints, a criminal record, possible jail time, and a revoked drivers license!

[edit] Kinds of Bikes

[edit] Upright

The least expensive bicycle, new and used, is the upright. Road bikes are built for speed, they and may have multi-position hand grips and razor thin tires and they are good for paved roads. Be careful when using a road bike off road, even on gravel. Mountain bikes are built for impact and mud resistance, and the shocks and knobby tires are intended for off-road travel. You will waste your pedaling effort using a mountain bike for a city commute. Hybrids, or urban commuter, bikes take the ruggedness of a mountain bike to absorb potholes and curb drops but add road capable tires and sometimes multi-position handgrips. Touring bikes can also take some of the attributes of both mountain and road bikes. They emphasize long riding with stronger components and mounting points for pannier bags.

[edit] Cargo Bikes

Cargo bikes can take many forms but they are usually based on the tricycle. Many of these are custom shop build jobs with either the front or back half of an inexpensive conventional bicycle removed and a large cargo area added. For front cargo the front wheel and forks are removed and a tubular frame is welded on, the front wheels are mounted on the sides of the cargo area and pivot on their mounts, a cross tube/handlebar attached to these pivots is pushed left or right to steer, these bikes have a very limited turn radius and are best for use in an area with few hills, but can be made with quite a large cargo capacity. A traditional tricycle design requires a bit more mechanical skill since a drive axle with a chain sprocket must be installed, the available cargo area is limited by the width of the axle, these are also available from specialty bike shops. There are frame attachments which make for a long tail bike allowing very large panniers or several buckets or coolers to be attached to this extension, the upside is that it is possible to quickly convert back to a normal bike with a trip to the bike shop but these extensions appear to put stress on the rear of the bicycle frame.

[edit] Recumbent

While still almost universally expensive, even when purchased used, for long travel the recumbent is definitely worth looking into. The recumbent position is like reclining in a lawn chair and pushing the pedals, instead of crouching over your handlebars. You will be able to put more leg power to use pedaling clipped-in feet sitting recumbent than you ever did on an upright. Due to the multiple drive chains, it is simple to add battery powered and regenerative drive systems. You can even add a stirling, steam, or gas booster motor, although this takes from the whole green purist idea. The only disadvantage with the recumbent cycle is their height and inability to push harder up hills.

[edit] Hybrid Power

Blurring the bicycle, motorcycle, and car; vehicles like the Twike and other custom lightweight hybrid vehicles let two or more riders travel petrol in style. Riders pedal inside an enclosed and stylishly designed vehicle and a battery and motor system give a power boost to uphill pedaling while reovering energy from downhill braking. On a sick day, plug in and charge a battery for a free ride. We expect the enterprising types to get out your welding, electrical, and plastic forming gear and design more vehicles like this to take back our streets and clean air.

[edit] Protection

[edit] Helmets

The most likely cause of fatalities and debilitating brain injury while cycling is head impact. New helmets, on average, reduce head impact by 88% when compared to no safety equipment. Also, they can be purchased nearly anywhere bikes are sold. Make sure your helmet is adjusted correctly for it to be most effective. Helmets have a one crash expiry, so do not accept a used helmet for anything more than free, and get rid of it as soon as possible.

One of our editors was in a serious accident where she was struck by a car. The helmet cracked badly, but protected her skull. Although she still suffers a limited field of vision in one eye, her helmet was the difference between collecting thousands of dollars and occupying a coffin.

[edit] Gloves

Gloves protect your palms in case of a fall. Grazed palms are not life threatening, but sensitive and will annoy until they heal. Padded gloves also ease the stress of a long ride and may add several hours riding to your day.

If your gloves have Velcro closures on their backs, you can slide a compass made to fit onto a wrist watch band over one of the closure tabs. This is a great location for the compass, away from metal but easy to refer to, and it will assist you when traveling on winding roads.

[edit] Glasses

When on a long trip cycling glasses keep you from getting blinded when hit by bugs. For both prescription or riding glasses, "rain-x" type window treatment is useful as it will shed the rain from them in all but the worst storms. Alternately, wood shop safety glasses have also proved effective, even in heavy rainstorms.

Cycling glasses typically come in wrap around lens type, and up to three sets of lenses - dark, yellow, and clear. Dark is obviously for sun protection but if you ride into a shady area can degrade your depth perception, clear is for at night or low light where you are worried about bugs or road pebbles, and yellow is for improved contrast on cloudy overcast days.

[edit] Toe Clips and Clipless Shoes

Keeping your foot centered on the pedal will give you more power. Toe clips use a regular shoe and hold your foot in. Clips extend the length of your potential leg stroke and allow an upward stroke. However, they may also cause distress to your ankles over a prolonged duration of use.

Clipless pedal shoes (snap in) amplify the benefits of toe clips, giving a very firm lock to your pedald, and do not wear their soles when pedaling. But clip shoes do not grip cement like rubber when used for walking, so bring walking shoes or sandals. The steel locking lug right under the ball of your foot is often uncomfortable after a few hours on your feet.Get tough quality synthetic laces because cotton rots quickly when exposed to weather. Of course at least two pairs of laces is standard spare.

The difficulties with these pedals are small once you adapt. You may fall getting used to having your feet stuck down and getting out of both clips and shoe pedals requires a twist motion that will become very natural after a few days of use.

[edit] Lighting

Attempt to always ride during daylight hours and rest once the sun goes down. But if you are going to be riding at night, it is very important that you work to make yourself visible. Reflectors, reflective tape, and lights are all helpful.

A good, flashing LED tail light will help car drivers notice your bicycle when approaching. LED flashers cost very little and they will run a long time on a single set of alkaline batteries. Zip-tie them to your seat, seatpost, backpack, or spend a little more for a proper mount.

To avoid theft or vandalized flashers, attach a red LED light to the rear of a helmet and a white LED flasher to the front. This places the light well within view, and where you can take it inside. If your tire blows out the light will help you work at night, and in case of an accident you will be easier more visible. But remember that large packs may block your rear flasher.

More powerful lighting for road illumination is needed at times, especially on moonless nights in rural areas or at high speeds. Most of these systems use rechargeable batteries charged with generator system, Be careful, some generators output too much power when moving fast and could damage the cells.

A high power LED lighting system will illuminate the road for most riding, allowing you to save the high power light big hills. The best cycling lights as of 2010 are the HID light system, which can last upwards of four or more hours on a charge with incredible intensity. However, these can end up costing $400, so you can try making your own with the plans below.

Conventional incandescent lighting systems will not last as long on a battery charge. But you can rebuild a used standard cycling light system by replacing the rechargeable batteries. If you have access to a high power LED flashlight (this technology is ever-improving, common hardware stores now carry focusing zoom-to-spot 220 lumen lights) it could be affixed parallel to your steering using a plastic pieces meant for holding reflectors, which are then screwed together in the middle.

Even if your batteries die reflectors help keep you safe from the petro-hogs in the dark, Reflective tape, stickers, and reflectors should be in place on your bicycle spokes and white front and red rear on your bicycle.

In the last ten years reflective tape has become cheap and durable, so look for bicycle bags and riding wear with this reflective stuff sewn in. You can also get free reflective tape by finding out who makes road signs in your area, since the tape they use on signs comes in large sheets, there's always left-overs which can usually be obtained by asking or dumpster diving.

[edit] HID Lamp

HID Super Bright xenon/metal halide gas discharge lighting is the envy of many serious cyclists but the $400 price tag puts most of us mortals off. It is possible to make a HID light set on a moderate budget. Auto shops and auction sites will occasionally pull good singles of a blown out HID auto headlight pair on sale, we have seen them for as little as $30. These are relatively small and light, only draw about 3 amps at 12 volts, and have everything you need except batteries a reflector and mountings. A reflector can be made from a glass halogen track light with a reflector large enough to fit the bulb, be sure there is a glass front lens, saw off the bulb end with a dremel tool or hacksaw and epoxy in the new bulb. You can epoxy the whole thing into a PVC reducer fitting with an end cap and attach this to a hose clamp with a screw for mounting and aiming. New matched lithium batteries like the kind in a laptop will be perfect to power this high power lamp or find a small lead acid gell cell, batteries and ballast pack should fit inside a bicycle water bottle or wide mouth Nalgene bottle. Remember that the lamp will start out with a less powerful blueish xenon light as the halide system takes a minute or so to come online.

The HID light is also the type used by pro videographers, mounted to their camcorder, or for lighting large areas at night like for plays, but for a much lower price.

[edit] Sound Signals

Invest in a loud horn or whistle in addition to your bell. Your bell is the best general signal for most situations but when it comes down to it a second extra loud signal is needed when the polite bell just is not enough. There are several very loud bike horns readily available which use compressed air or canned gas, but survival or police type whistles are better if you need to signal constantly in an urban area, only use plastic if you live in an area where the temperature drops below freezing.

In highly populated urban areas barking like a dog or even just yelling at jaywalking pedestrians works. Most people freeze when they hear you, giving you time to take evasive action, many people really assume you have a faster breaking range than a car so they need some warning.

[edit] Weather Protection

It seems that some of the places with the best bicycle culture also tend to be quite rainy, especially in the winter, in any case if you do enough cross country travel you will get stuck in bad weather without anywhere to hide. The first rain after a long dry spell can mean danger for you as collected oils and dust mix with the moisture often making the roads very slick both for you and the two ton beasts traveling at upwards of 80mph around you, be extremely careful. Be watchful when stepping off the road during a storm especially when it is built on a raised road grade or has dry ditches and canals all of which are at risk for flash floods. Heavy rain can also loosen stones on cliffs and hillsides in mountainous areas or where the road has been cut into a hillside, be watchful for mud and stone avalanches. Sheltering under a tree is a risk for lightning and falling limbs during heavy wind, use common sense. If you see or hear a tornado, which are actually common only in the US central time zone region in summer, lie down in a ditch or depression if possible and wait it out.

[edit] Safety Equipment

When it rains continue to wear your helmet and deploy your safety lights and flashers, rain will often render tire friction generators ineffective so have alternatives with fresh batteries. You can stay a bit drier by using a safety colored helmet cover or by putting your helmet over your jacket or cape hood, do not impair your side visibility though.

[edit] Rain Suits

In North America the solution to weather protection is almost universally to wear a rain suit made from goretex or other expensive semi-permeable fabric and just deal with with the heat and sweat, adequate ventilation zippers especially in the armpit can help quite a bit with this problem.

[edit] Rain Capes

The English have a cuter solution although by working like a sail it can really make it difficult to cycle on a windy day. The rain cape is essentially a small poncho which acts like a combination umbrella and tent when you are on your bicycle, the front corners attach to wrist straps or handlebar attachments and the back is connected by straps to the riders legs. You are effectively in a bottomless mini tent and you tend to stay cooler since your perspiration is not trapped inside a suit. This cover could be sewn from a normal coated fabric poncho keeping in mind bright colors since rainy days are already more dangerous. To stay dry with a rain cape you also need to have fenders installed and some sort of boot/gaiter to protect your lower legs, this should be easy enough to sew especially if you are using snap in clipless pedals and shoes.

If you don't want to modify your tarp tent poncho or buy a special rain cape do what one of our engineering staff did, he rolled up the front to a comfortable length and attached the corners to to his handlebar ends with rubber bands made from recycled innertube, then he rolled up the back, secured the corners with more tube-bands and after sitting on his seat to check length tucked them upwards through his belt. He reports that a light pack keeps the poncho off of his back which kept the sweat in his shirt to a reasonable level, his next test will be attaching a strip of furnace filter one inch thick and three inches wide to his upper spine and another across his shoulders to get better stand off and ventilation without wearing a pack. Another planned modification is to make a special quick release waist belt with straps to gather the excess tarp neatly, he also intends to use larger straps to gather the nearly foot long rolls which droop from where they are attached to the handlebars.

[edit] Umbrella

In summer many areas are subject to short but heavy storms often including large hail, when traveling in areas like this it is safer to pull over and pop open a good wind resistant umbrella than try to bike in a powerful storm, big storms also tend to distract car drivers and reduce visibility so even the emergency lane may not be safe. Almost all of the cheaper umbrellas found in discount stores and Asian markets will tear apart or blow inside-out in a strong wind gust or thunderstorm.

[edit] Handlebar Covers

We have seen bicycle cops in winter with fleece lined hand covers installed on the handlebars, these keep the hands dry and warm up to the forearm while not interfering with dexterity should you need your hands quickly.

[edit] Tire Studs

If you must cycle in packed snow or ice you will need studded tires. Commercial studded tire treads are rare and expensive, but they are very easy to make! Get a set of new or used 'fat' smooth road tread tires and a heavy duty tube. Every two centimeters carefully insert two wide head roofing tacks in to the tread. You will need to file the sharp edges on most tack heads, and it may help to run a strip of tape over them once they are installed, even after smoothing them off. Replace the tire and tube, inflate once, release pressure, and inflate again to get the tube properly aligned. This is important since even the smoothed off tacks will cause tube wear. Once the tire is properly inflated cut the tacks 1-2mm from the tread and then mount the wheel. But remember, even if you are under control in slick winter conditions, never assume SUV drivers are!

[edit] Carrying cargo

For daily use a courier bag, backpack, or fanny pack will work better to transport cargo, as you can carry them when you lock up your bike outside. But for longer rides you can increase the usefulness of your bike by equipping it to carry loads. Front and back racks can be added and bags, called panniers, can be attached to the sides of these racks. These will allow you to carry more by using the bike's frame to shoulder the whole load, without encumbering your hands or straining your shoulders.

[edit] Panniers

Pannier, or saddle, bags are the standard way to carry gear on long trips although they can also be used for daily errands like bring home groceries. It is advised to use a loading ratio with 60% of the weight on the rear panniers and the rest in front. Larger riders may prefer to put the 60% on the front wheel in order to save the rear spokes from additional stress, but loading the front forks will make the steering more sluggish.

Always balance the left and right panniers, as uneven panniers can cause stress on your spokes and bearings. Fitting of panniers is important as your panniers must not touch the ground in even the tightest turn, as they may tear or cause you to wreck. Rear panniers must be sized and located so as not to interfere with your heel when you pedal.

For 20" wheel folding bikes normal panniers may not even be an option on the rear wheel due to heel interference when pedaling. Mounting a rack and panniers on front will dampen the natural wobbliness of these small wheel folders but the racks we have used have a lower maximum weight rating than rear racks. A moderately sized soft-trunk type bag which attaches to the top of the rear rack can be used instead, some will require attachment to the saddle or seat-post for stability.

When carrying heavy panniers regularly inspect the mounting screws and the attachment hardware for damage and wear. A rack failure could cause you to wreck on a steep downhill. Failure of attachment hardware could leave you going back half a mile retrieving your gear while hoping it has not been run over by cars.

Large items like tents and sleeping bags are often bungee corded down to panniers to save space. Be sure to leave room inside panniers for food and items you find along your trip, never leave home with fully loaded panniers. There is a temptation to overload your bicycle with stuff when you have big bags. But although riding flats requires little extra effort, going up hills can become a monumental task with 20-40 extra Kg.

When buying think about water resistance. Try to ride when it is dry, but remember that thunderstorms and rain can sneak up. Some bags are water-tight, other have optional rain covers. You can always use heavy trash sacks as bag liners and large freezer bags to line outside pockets.

Cheap luggage locks are surprising effective in preventing looting during quick trips into a store. On tour we often found one or two zippers opened and maybe a shirt or something hanging out or some small bit of gear stolen. After using the locks we had little trouble as it adds a slight difficulty. Try to keep your bicycle where you and the public can see it. Cable ties can also be used to securely attach panniers for extra security and as a failsafe for the attachment system.

Loaded bags attached to your bike can radically affect handling. Before any trip especially with new bags or racks load up fully and take the bicycle out for a spin. Practice making emergency stops, hard turns, and avoiding obstacles. See if your lights and reflectors are blocked by your bags. Inspect the racks for bad welds, cracks or wiggle, tighten the mounting screws, and inspect the bag mounting hardware every day but especially well after a long ride or a recent installation.

[edit] Handlebar Bags

Handlebar bags can compliment your panniers on long trips or be used alone around town. In most cases you will want to carry high value objects or items you want to quickly access when taking a short pause. When you stop in town or take a break from touring and stop into a store your handlebar bag should detach easily and go in with you so it is not stolen or looted. As with your panniers you should think about water resistance should you get caught in the rain. Here are some items you might consider packing in your handlebar bag:

Passport or ID cards
Cyclist, travel, and health insurance cards(some auto policies cover cyclist caused accidents and injuries)
Cash and credit/debit cards
Pay phone calling cards
Mobile phone (paired to a Bluetooth headset)
Keys, including bike lock keys
Maps (in clear map holder)
Snacks
Energy gel
Radio or large MP3 player
Water bottles(on sides)
GPS
Flat kit and small repair tools
Pocket knife or multitool
First aid kit
Camera
Notebook or journal and pen

Many people like to get a clear plastic map holder which attaches to the handlebar bag making navigating much easier, the top of your handlebar bag seems like a great place to put a compass or GPS as well.

One writer essentially uses her handlebar bag as her purse when biking. Along with bike tour stuff she carries a scrunchy, compact, comb, lipstick, and mascara in her handlebar bag. The makeup takes up no room and no matter where she stops when she walks in we quote "looking all fit and sexy in that tight biking outfit guys fall all over to give me great service" always a useful ability but even more useful for getting freebies on the road. For fun she also throws sandals and a short spaghetti strap summer dress in her panniers so she can go out somewhere nice at night.

[edit] Saddle Wedge Bag

Some people only carry a pump, some water, and whatever fits inside the seat bag or seat wedge which attaches under your bicycle saddle. We once met a guy who had everything he needed for a 14 day cycle tour in his seat wedge; his tire repair kit, a CO2 quick inflater, a cell phone to call a cab to take him to the nearest bike shop for bigger breakdowns, and his credit card so he could eat at restaurants and sleep in motels. So this pay as you go type of lifestyle is foreign to most of us escapees from wage slavery but the seat wedge usually has enough room for a spare innertube, a patch kit, some tire levers, a bike multi-tool, and if you don't have a pump a CO2 cartridge tire inflater. For emergencies an extra key for your bike lock and some cash is a good idea even around town. If you leave the seat wedge on you bike expect to see it looted by kleptos, most are quick release so take it inside with you. If you keep a folded plastic shopping bag in there you even have a comfortable way to carry the seat wedge around as you shop or you can use it to protect your bike saddle in the rain. Most seat wedges have a spot for a rear red LED flasher, use it!

[edit] Baskets

Baskets are also effective for carrying stuff. You can get baskets that attach to the front or back of the bike. Milk carton crates make good tough baskets when cable tied to your handlebars or tail rack.

[edit] Trailers

For carrying larger stuff (like children and furniture), you might want to consider a trailer. These can be expensive, but you can also make one yourself. A trailer can be pieced together with plastic piping or electrical conduit, a pair of spare wheels, and a basket or plastic tote. For a trailer hitch, go to your local hardware store and get a quick-release garden hose or air hose connection and a bit of hose. Rig up the connections to be used as a trailer hitch. For added safety, paint the trailer a bright color and put LOTS of reflective tape and a small red flashing light on the back.

Instructables.com has a number of plans for bicycle trailers and trailer hitches.

One company in Eugene, Oregon makes a hard shell suitcase for transporting folding bicycles that when unloaded and the wheels are attached becomes a bicycle trailer, they use standard hardware store parts and it is easily copied using a suitcase from the thrift store.

A two wheel stand-up shopping cart of the type used by retirees to take their groceries home is perfect for the cycle commuter. An extra handle is clamped or welded to the frame, this handle will end in a pneumatic hose fitting, the counterpart will be mounted to the frame of your bicycle for trailering. It will extend the life of your wheels to add greased brass or copper tube bushings to the plastic wheels or ball bearings, even unmodified wheels need lube or they will heat up and maybe even melt at bicycle speeds. When you get to the store lock up your bike, unsnap your cart and take it in for shopping. When you get home your trailer/cart comes inside with you. It's easier than car shopping!

[edit] Bucket Panniers

You can also make large panniers from square food buckets and attaching hooks to grab your tail rack, properly caulked these will survive even the worst rain storms dry. Check where your feet will rotate during pedaling when placing the buckets so they will not block your heels.

[edit] Pizza Delivery

If you just scored some cash or have an understanding buddy at the pizza shop there is a way to get that pizza back to your guerrilla cell without using a car or letting the undercover FBI agents deliver it to your squat. If you have a cargo rack on front or back tie or bungee down a cross board as wide as the pizza box (remember your added width if traveling in pedestrian areas) when you get the pizza use string, clean recycled nylon stockings, or industrial cling plastic wrap to carefully attach the pizza box. If you can get a few extra of those "doll house table" anti cheese smash things they give in the delivery pizza box you can spread them out on your pizza, now you can wrap the box a little tighter or stack several boxes without ending up with all the cheese stuck to the lid. The more stacked pizza boxes you get the better this works to about five boxes, smaller diameter pies work better with this system. Don't stack anything on top of the pizza boxes, hang drinks from the handlebars or stick them in a basket.

[edit] Cargo Mule

The Viet Cong made using a bicycle for cargo transport famous by traversing the Ho Chi Minh trail transporting their war supplies south at times almost exclusively with heavy laden bicycles.

Your bicycle becomes a push wagon and you have to walk. Try to balance the load as best as possible since it will be difficult if a very heavily laden bicycle were to fall over. Watch for bags or containers that might rub against your tires or spokes destroying your wheel and cargo.. Several hundred pounds could potentially be carried, nearly every adult bicycle is designed at a minimum to support over three hundred pounds of human rider. Attach a pole tightly across the handle bars to help steer, keep the brake handles reachable if you are in hilly terrain. Two pushers are better than one for balance. With loads over two hundred pounds be careful when using a bicycle with shock absorbers so they don't overload, be sure to have the tires at full inflation to prevent damage, and that the spokes are tight and aligned.

[edit] Anti-Theft

[edit] Types of Locks

A good lock is an important investment. 3' of hardened steel chain and high security lock gives options when securing your bike, and they're more affordable than a D lock (aka U-lock). The best place to carry a chain lock is in a pannier or basket. If you need to 'wear' the lock, then wear it around your waist. Wearing the chain across your chest may look 'cool' but in a crash can easily break your ribs and possibly puncture a lung.

Wearing a u-lock is easy; mini u-locks can fit into a back pocket. Another popular option is to place the lock in the space between your belt and pants waist band. We have seen a u-lock belt holster that is pretty easily replicated if you can sew, it is made from recycled seat belt strap with two loops to slide a belt through and then strap parallel to the belt to stick the lock into. Wearing the lock is not always comfortable for long rides, many rear cargo racks have space for a U lock to slip into otherwise most locks come with a clip and strap system to attach to the frame.

[edit] How to Lock Your Bike

A D lock should be run through the frame and high security cable through the wheels for good general security. Remember your D lock and to a lesser extent security chain is a self defense weapon if you are under attack.

[edit] Disguising Your Bike

Taking corporate logos from a new cycle and adding stickers and tape will quickly make it look used and reduce the perceived value and risk of theft.

One method people have used is to "uglify" the bicycle by painting it a hideous color combination (such as mismatched florescent colors) with added flecks or using a simulated rust finish available in craft stores. If the thief thinks your bike isn't worth stealing, he'll probably make his way to the Shimano further down the rack. Replacing the bolts on your seat with Torx head bolts will slow down, or maybe even deter, a would-be thief. Grinding off the logos from the gears; a worn, fugly looking seat; mismatched pedals, tires and handlebar grips; all of these can make your bike look like an ugly duckling while keeping it riding like a swan. Remember, don't think "art bike" here, think "camouflage".

[edit] Stashing Stuff

The pigs, TSA, and border cops already know that bikes are full of places to hide stuff, and in any case pot is so stinky any K9 unit will find your stash, Bad piggy-doggy!! But for the most part everyone else sees a bicycle as an invisible solid object possibly worthy of stripping or looting but not for hiding stuff. Even if you are not carrying a party in your pocket safely hiding your travel or emergency cash can be an issue, be sure to securely lock the frame, if the bike is not new it may appear not worth the effort of cracking a good lock. Remember a little cash is always nice if you have to lam it on the quick, for a good number of us the bike is always handy as our get-away vehicle.

Here are some ideas:

The metal tubing on a bicycle is full of places to stash, you might need to use some sort of stuffing to hide your stash or avoid rattles,
Don't drop a stash down where it can get stuck inside a bend or weld in the frame, you could waste hours with a coat hangar when you need to fish it out.
Use a ziplock bag if there is a chance of riding or parking the bike in rain.
A quick release seat tube may be too easy and obvious since walk-by seat theft is a problem in some areas
An old nasty water bottle might be too gross for anyone to touch, if it is a dark color nobody can tell you have stashed something in it, use stuffing to avoid rattles.
Water bottles are one of the safest places for an underage kid to stash and transport hard alcohol, but be sure they seal well or the leaking alcohol smell will give you away, clear moonshine, vodka, or Everclear are probably the safest since other liquors will leave a long lasting residue in the plastic.
The tires on some bikes are a place to hide a joint or large value bill or two, don't overdo it or your ride will get bumpy or wobbly.
The handlebar tube is a popular stash point, remove the caps or ends and blow, out comes the J.
An old bike maintenance book from the 70's recommended hiding a joint or two under the wrapping tape of a road bike handlebars, this is also a great place for emergency cash.
Any of these hiding places is perfect for stashing a spare bike lock key.
Don't forget about a valuable stash when you give away an old bike or send it into the shop for work!

[edit] Other Smart Tips

Don't leave all of your lights, pump, bags, helmet, and other gadgets, even a quick release seat post or front wheel on your bike when you are parked. They are all quick release for a reason, and not to make theft easy, keep this stuff ready to go in your bike messenger bag or pack, the front wheel and seat usually can be locked to your bike with your U-lock or cable. Just in case attach an extra red flasher to the back of your helmet where it won't be easily stolen keeping you legal.

A good rule of thumb is to never store a bicycle outside overnight, and if you have to lock up your bicycle especially in an urban area try to check on it at least once an hour, being viewable from a window near your desk or your restaurant seat is good enough. If there is an option to take your bicycle inside that is always the best choice.

Lastly karma counts, if you are honest in dealing with others, even with stores, there are many who trust that your stuff, or the stuff you really need will be available to you even if you are settled in a place where everyone has their stuff ripped off. Resist the urge to steal what you need and enjoy the cosmic benefits.

[edit] Gears

If your bike has multiple gears, use them! Pedaling shouldn't be a huge chore. It's better to lightly "spin" your cranks at a moderately fast cadence rather than push really hard one leg at a time, which is inefficient. It is possible to spin too fast: experiment with your gears to find what works best. Most people find their favorite cadence between 1 and 2 revolutions per second. If you just cant push anymore switch to the very lowest gear, hop off and push or carry the bike up the hill.

[edit] Demonstrations

A cycle is a highly effective means of transport to and escape from a demonstration it can also be used to make a roadblock much as bicycle cops are known to do. Use an old bike for demonstrations as riot-police like to damage and confiscate bikes used in demonstrations.

[edit] Travel

If you travel frequently a folding or take-apart model of bicycle may be for you. Some can even be disassembled or folded to fit a suitcase or duffel-bag. This may save you a double fare or extra charge on airplane, bus, and train trips as well as hitch hiking a ride. If disassembling a bicycle for travel be sure to take off the dérailleur as this is very easily broken when unprotected by the wheel. Don't worry about deflating your tires for fear that the unpressurized plane cargo hold can cause damage, in actuality direct summer sunlight heating the tires will cause a much greater change in tire pressure. See Airlines for more travel packing info.

[edit] Touring

Bicycle touring involves traveling with a bicycle, hopefully something reliable that once you have done some conditioning to your body doesn't waste your effort or make you unnecessarily sore. The following are tips on making that trip easier or more comfortable, but in the end a bicycle and a way to carry a little camping gear are all you need. Don't let our suggestions on gear keep you on the couch instead of the road piloting your own destiny machine.

A touring bicycle is built tougher than a road racing bike using wider smooth tread road tires and wheels instead of razor thin speed tires. They are often on a hard tail mountain bike frame, frequently with solid front forks with braze ons for a rack and some type of multiple hand position handlebars. A quality drive train including long life well maintained tires, crank and hub bearings, shifters, cables, dérailleurs, gears, and chain are important to squeeze the most forward movement out of your pedaling effort. A comfortable well fitted bicycle is important, ergonomic body to bicycle interface points can get sore but sometimes this is lack of conditioning, consider posture and the feel against your hands, feet, and seat, this really make a difference on how many hours/kilometers you can spend cycling. Smooth road tires designed for long miles, comfortable multi position handlebars and grips, padded gloves, bar ends, comfortable performance touring seat, and often clip-in or clipless snap-in pedals and cycling shoes are added for comfort on long rides. Be specific that you are purchasing for long tours, don't let the speed freaks at the pro cycling shop sell you racing stuff that might make you sore. Since you are carrying your own support gear racks and panniers are attached over the front and rear tires, care in sizing must be taken that your heels do not strike the rear panniers. Wearing a backpack on long rides will cause much unneeded fatigue and can quickly cut short a trip, let the bicycle frame shoulder the load. Bicycle lights are vital in case you have to drive near dusk when drivers are most distracted, redundant front and rear flashers and possibly a more powerful beam front light for night trails. Reflector tape and reflector vests or bright clothing will make you more visible day and night. Bring sun protection for your skin, eyes, and lips, especially in summer, your sunglasses will also protect from insects and pebbles kicked up by cars. Like backpacking and other travel gear your bicycle and overnight kit should be tested with short trips or backyard or nearby park overnights if possible.

You will need to include enough nutritious food in your plans, you should pack on lots of carbos vitamins and minerals even a day or two before you set out. If you don't eat you will be facing the crash after just five or six hours pedaling, your gel or honey shot is only an emergency fix. If you feel weak and light headed stop and eat real food, even if you are on a time crunch don't try to ride past the glucose crash. We usually pack our own food but grab fresh fruits and vegetables and cheese when we make a stop, bananas are the top of the list for potassium cramp prevention and good energy. Hydration can mean over ten liters a day in the heat of summer, be sure to keep up with both sodium and potassium intake.

Unless you are exclusively eating in restaurants and going from friend to friend, hopping hotels, or B&B's you may want to choose from the following options:

Tent-Hammock, bivvy sack, tarp tent, or cyclist ultra-light tent, Sleeping bag with mosquito net, ground pad
Lightweight cookset and stove, The Triangia alcohol stove and lightweight aluminum pot and kettle set is popular, as are cartridge gas stoves, take enough fuel. Liquid fuel stoves are mostly for very long trips or third world exploration. On the cheap a few cans for cooking in and a soft drink can alcohol stove will work.
Bike lock, pump, flat kit, and repair tools and parts including spare innertube; for longer trips away from bike shops consider a folded tire, hypercracker, spokes, brake pads, and other spares
Lightweight wind jacket even in summer, lightweight poncho or rainwear, long underwear, wool hat, and fleece vest or scarf for cool evenings
Good cycling shoes, padded gloves, padded cycling shorts, quick dry cycling clothes; these will prevent soreness and rubbing on long rides and as you train. Cotton retains moisture drys slow, often leaves friction sores, and after a hard day you can catch a chill once the sun goes down.
Sunglasses of the wrap around style, sun block lotion, and sun block lipstick, don't forget the back of your neck, nose, ears, hands, and legs if you are have not been out in the sun much or are sensitive, for most people the lips never fully tan so they always need protection.
MP3 or radio and good tough earphones, internationally a small shortwave radio set for English news.
Calling card or mobile phone and emergency cash or credit card
Maps and compass, GPS, cycle computer, printing google maps works for planning but have a large highway map too.
Notebook and pencil in a ziplock bag to record the experience
Small supply of baby wipes in a ziplock bag or those wet towelettes which come in a packet, toothbrush, perhaps a stick of travel deodorant; wipes also substitute for toilet paper in a pinch
Toilet paper
Two way radios with headsets if riding with a friend or group, much safer than turning to shout to trailing partners
Water bottles, backpack water systems weigh heavy after a long day cycling, extra water in two liter soft drink bottles as needed, some cyclists need flavor for their water especially hard or disinfected water
Purification tablets or filter should be carried just in case, if filtering water have a light folding water carrier or bag for use in camp.
Snacks, gel shots and nutrition bars can be bought or DIY, be sure they don't make you feel dry. Salty food can prevent cramping, spicy stuff is usually not good for rolling snacks or short breaks especially in hot weather.
Lightweight quick food, no cook stuff is best during the day, add boiling water type instant foods work good for dinner, resupply at grocery stores, don't over pack
Packable quick dry travel towel, soap, dry line, flat universal drain plug for sink washing clothes if on a longer tour
Extra socks wool or synthetic, lightweight change of clothes, underwear, hat or bandanna
ID cards, consider cyclist trip insurance for injury, theft, and accident
Helmet, head injuries suck, cover it in rude stickers, glue army men to it, whatever; just wear it!
Shoes, the best ones are made for cycling, it is worth trying snap-in clipless pedals and shoes which allow longer power strokes. Choose something comfortable that breathes and doesn't compress your feet or cause blisters. Carry extra laces and always inspect for wear, blown seams, and tearing before any journey.

[edit] Cross Country Camping

A favorite way to cross long distances is to pedal and hitch rides during the day and stealth camp using a tent or hammock and if needed a tarp rain cover or bug screen at night. If you are stealthing it remember that your cycle gear is covered with reflectors and lights which really stand out under flashlights or car headlights giving your camp away. Put away your reflector vest and cover reflective and brightly colored items on the bike, be sure to lock your bicycle to a tree or pipe in case prowlers somehow detect your camp and attempt to quietly steal it. Often stealth camping is as easy as riding near town until you see a stand of trees and brush. You can either blunder straight in if it is already dark and nobody will see your trail, or you can find an existing trail into the woods and cut sideways from that leaving less sign of your passing. Another important tip is never enter a fenced area, especially tall cyclone fence, you never know when the landowner will close the door or gate trapping you in for who knows how long. Avoid areas where it appears that parties regularly take place, beer cans, cheap liquor bottles, and cigarette butts are all evidence that this is a hangout. There are plenty of tough guys who would love to prove their value by beating or intimidating a lone touring cyclist.

Smart use of stealth, dull colored gear, and hidden by brush in urban industrial, rural, or wilderness areas means you don't pay for hotels. With some light backpacker gear in your panniers and smart use of gathering, dumpster diving, and social engineering at restaurants you should be able to travel nearly any distance for free. see Backpacking for more gear and campsite ideas.

[edit] Folding Bicycle

Most folding cycles with 20 inch tires have long handlebar necks and seat posts, this means that regular panniers on the rear will interfere with pedaling. The good news is regular shopping tote bags can be easily hung from the handlebars and many large camping backpacks with side straps can be strapped down lying on its side with two straps to the cargo rack and one side strap running through the bottom of the bicycle seat to keep it upright, be sure that any hanging straps are secured and do not interfere with the wheels or chain.

While these folder bicycles have smaller tires have no fear, a few of us have traveled hundreds and thousands of miles both commuting and on several week cross country trips and we can attest that the gear ratio and large front sprocket makes pedaling just as easy as a full sized cycle. One of us has a folder with adjustable handlebar post height, high for upright posture so you can see cars and pedestrians in the city and dropped low for aggressive long distance highway travel.

We have seen folding bikes with a child seat made with nylon strap used like a like a swing and a second strap with buckle under the kids armpits, the child rides between the adult and the handlebars, be sure to have a helmet for the child.

If placed inside a large travel bag sold by some specialty folding cycle shops you can avoid an extra bicycle penalty charge on the bus or train since the folded bike is then considered just another large bag as long as nobody sees inside, we have used a bag that folds into a medium sized waist pack.

Even if not traveling or commuting you have the ability to fold and bag up and take your bicycle with you nearly anywhere, from work to a small apartment, massively reducing the opportunity for thieves to get their hands on it.

[edit] Tent Trailer

This trailer system is not as lightweight as a hammock and tarp system for cycle campers but it provides a trailer and shelter for those who must carry all of their possessions with them as they move and also want a quick comfortable shelter without needing to find trees, or level ground to make camp. The tent-cot-trailer was originally designed as a temporary measure to house the urban homeless. It should also serve as an outwardly aesthetic alternative to stealth camping for cross country travelers.

An excellent platform to use a base for your DIY trailer is a lightweight folding cot. You will need to attach a trailer tongue to connect to your bicycle. Many people like to use an air hose connector so it is easy to quick release. You will also need to properly attach an axle and wheels in a way that they can easily be removed to convert back to a cot. Perhaps the best source for an axle is from a discarded jogging stroller. Often these bicycle type wheels even have a push button release. When attaching the wheels you will need to reinforce the light aluminum frame with some steel electrical conduit where it will be attached to the axle so the aluminum is not deformed when heavily loaded, reinforcing the trailer tongue attachment point would be advisable as well. Be careful if using U-bolts not to over-tighten them. Folded down this trailer is easily loaded with food, fuel, and camping supplies. Secure everything using straps and a tarp, a large tied down duffle bag, or camping backpack, unload and unfold at nightfall and you have a comfortable sleeping cot anywhere.

An inexpensive dome tent can be modified to fit the cot trailer. Try to find a tent with a footprint as close to but if not exact then slightly larger than your unfolded cot/trailer so you can hem it smaller. Measure and pin the tent to be sure your estimates were right, then mark and take in the excess fabric by sewing a pleat with a sewing machine and good thread reducing the wall size to fit the cot, using seam seal on the new seam to prevent leaks. You might need to remove or reduce the size of the tent floor. The pole length might also need to be changed. Secure the corners of the tent to edges of the cot.

If in an open area where strong winds are possible, leave the trailer hitch attached to your laid down bicycle so it will act as a anchor to prevent the tent-cot from blowing away. Heavier winds will require stakes to be pounded into the ground as anchors.

To get some ideas for your design, check out these links:

[edit] Keeping it Working

Once you have a bike, you'll want to keep it working well. One of the most important aspects of bike maintenance is the lubrication of the chain. Almost any cheap oil will work in a pinch to keep the chain moving freely and free of rust: just get the chain nice and wet, then wipe it dry, to reduce dirt buildup. Try to keep the oil off the wheels where it can hurt your ability to brake. If you have the choice buy a proper bicycle chain oil and grease to lube the bearings and chain, only use WD40 to unstick rust jammed parts then clean it off and oil the chain, WD40 draws moisture and encourages rust. Do not use WD40 on the chain or other 'sealed' parts, as it will dissolve the lubrication inside the chain. Replace a chain that becomes "stretched" this means that the link pins have become partly worn-through, this link to gear tooth size mismatch will eat up the sprockets of your drive train causing skipping and eventual failure.

If you have a problem repairing your bike, The Sheldon Brown Website is probably a good place to look for guidance. Sheldon Brown (1944-2008) was one of the best technical authorities on bicycles and he will be missed. http://sheldonbrown.com/articles.html

[edit] Tools

Owning your own tools makes maintenance less expensive. Plus, many tools you use on bikes, like pliers, wrenches and screwdrivers, are not bike-specific, so they will be useful for all kinds of other things, too. Some bike-specific tools, such as spoke, freewheel, and pedal wrenches and specialized brake tools, will make maintenance much easier, and you'll be more likely to do a good job. Many cities have bike co-ops or shops where you can use their tools for free or for a small fee.

[edit] Portable Tools

The world is full of sharp stuff just waiting to pop your tire and make you carry your bike home, always carry the kit for changing a flat tire. Rema tip-top repair kits with the sandpaper, tube of vulcanizer paste, and sticky patches is one favorite since it is so small and works really well, the repairs will outlast the innertube. Other tube patches especially cheap glueless sticky patches and even inexpensive grocery store "cheese grater" rubber cement patch kits have failed us many times. If you thought the cheapo kits were junk, then for sure avoid the mini fix-a-flat inflater cans, they fill your tire with goo that makes it almost impossible to properly patch later. Pop your quick releases or loosen the nuts and swap out the blown tube for a good one, repair the flat tube in the warm dry comfort of your own home later, but don't forget to put it back in your pack for spare. Remove the innertube from the tire and inflate so you can find the hole, if there is a nail puncture or thorn expect two and maybe more puncture holes. If you are at home and are having trouble finding the leak immersing the tube in the tub or covering with soap will make telltale bubbles. With the vulcanizing patches first sand the innertube smooth, this is especially important in areas with large mold lines on the rubber, apply a circle of paste larger then the patch and allow five minutes to dry before applying the patch. If you have the time to wait and the extra paste, rub a ring of paste around the edge of your patch and allow to dry to strengthen your patch job.

At a minimum carry a small quality puncture kit and mini pump or co2 cartridge quick inflater, but also carry a spare inner tube. A small toolkit can make the difference between being mobile in a few minutes or a long walk home. Tire valve caps can be purchased with valve core tools, this is useful if you have Schrader valve tires, occasionally a loose valve core will be the reason for a leaky tire. If you have Presta valve tubes you should get a Schrader adapter in case you want to use a garage air hose. Since you are carrying a pump, a needle valve for sports equipment and balls is easy enough to throw into your repair kit.

A very important tool especially if you are on a long trip is a rear sprocket tool or sprocket whip, this is the only safe way to remove the rear sprocket which allows you to replace right side spokes, some old or cheap bicycles often have a lock nut instead of a cartridge and use a large tool. These right side spokes are most often cut or weakened when the chain skips down behind the lowest sprocket. There is a mini tool made for road warriors with Shimano and SRAM gear cassettes called a hypercracker. A hypercracker is super portable and lets you loosen all but the tightest jammed sprockets by sticking it between your wheel and the frame and rolling backwards, the original is no longer made but several replacements have stepped in and upgraded the design, some even integrate a spoke tightening tool. Be careful, some designs put pressure on the frame dropout and can damage the dropout if the gear cartridge is really jammed, the better design puts the pressure on the lower triangle frame tube.

Folding combo bike tools will provide spoke tighteners, chain breakers, hex and screw drivers, sometimes even sockets or wrenches meaning you can fix and adjust most parts of your bike on the road as well as much of your other gear.

If you will be away from support for a long time you might even go so far as to carry extra tubes, a spare chain, brake pads, a brake/gear cable, a few spokes, folding tire, and extra patch kits. The parts and tools to service and replace wheel bearings might be advisable especially if you don't have sealed bearings.

[edit] Road Crud

Beyond tools, it's important to do simple things to keep your bike in working order. Grit from the road sticks to your bike and its parts, even if you've got full fenders. Once a week, or after every ride in the wet, clean off the gears and the chain. An old toothbrush (clean it off first if you've used it before) and a rag will do wonders. The main place to focus on is in the actual teeth of the gears, most especially in between. Getting rid of all this destructive crud will increase the life of your gears and chain, and subsequently save you money and hassle. This takes all of ten minutes to do and is completely worth it.

[edit] Rust

Stopping rust also helps: if there's any exposed unpainted or unfinished metal on the frame of your bike, you can touch it up with a little hobby paint. This isn't for cosmetic purposes so much as preventing rusting. Rust eats away at your bike and can compromise the structural integrity of the frame, so watch out: the last thing you want is for your frame to break while you're in traffic.

[edit] Wheels and Tires

Bike tires lose pressure over time. Pump your tires up to the maximum PSI rating marked on your tires once a week and you'll never have to worry about it. Keeping your tires inflated properly reduces rolling resistance, which means less work for you when you're pedaling. It also means that your wheels and tires are going to stand less a chance of being damaged due to extra stress on them. If you have the money invest in the best tires; Kevlar and good rubber will prevent blowouts and tread failures while lasting for several seasons, a folding spare tire is advisable for emergencies. Riding for a long time on low air pressure will destroy a tire sidewall, broken glass or jagged metal can cut some tires even in the tread ares, if you should find yourself with a destroyed tire you can attempt to use a large tire patch or strong tape to limp yourself to town, even inserting a piece of cloth or cardboard between tire and tube or carefully wrapping that part of the inflated tube with fiber tape might help in an emergency. Check your spokes regularly for tightness and tighten with a spoke tool, since this will keep your wheels from warping or ripping out other spokes.

[edit] Brakes

Many occasional cyclists or people who live in flat areas will let their bicycle rust away before wearing out the first set of break pads, but if you are a somewhat serious cyclist and travel in urban, hilly, or mountainous territory you need to keep an eye on your brake pad wear. Some cheaper brakes just go metal on metal when worn out and can ruin your aluminium wheels, better brakes will wear into another material that is not as good at breaking so you will know to replace them. On long tours or trips a set of brake pads are a very useful few ounces in your panniers. Disk brakes are more like automotive brakes and can easily last for thousands of miles even in high usage mountainous areas if properly adjusted, even so disk brake pads are even smaller than rim brakes, an extra set in your kit is insurance against unexpected wear.

[edit] Generators and Dynamos

A bicycle generator or hub dynamo can be used to charge most gadgets needing less than 6 volts. Hubs are almost always of better quality and have less drag while in use. Output is almost always AC power so you need to make a bridge rectifier with diodes to get the power flowing in one direction then a large capacitor if you need to smooth out the voltage, lastly a ziener diode or power regulator circuit for the appropriate voltage needs to be included because high speeds can generate 10-12 volts from a normally 6 volt generator which will fry most electronics without built in protection circuits, you can probably be able to find this whole circut in a wall wart power block. If you don't want the added drag of generating when going uphill add a mercury switch on a dynamo hub set to activate only on flat and downhill.

Friction dynamos/generators will rub a groove onto the side of your tire and eventually cause it to fail if used regularly, a rubber dynamo pickup wheel and cleaning dirt from the rubber contact surfaces will prolong the life of your tire. Some older friction dynamos rode directly on the tread but this would require a smooth tire instead of a mountain knobby type.

If you attach your generator to your rear tire you can generate a little power even in your squat by flipping your bike up on its saddle and handlebars and turn the crank with your hands. A minute or two cranking should power a small radio or LED nightlight for an hour or more. Charging phones or batteries would of course take more time cranking or cycling.

If you still have a car but no fuel pull out the alternator and battery and put your bike onto a stationary bicycle exercise stand conversion system, you can always reinstall the parts in the car later. Remove the friction belt and attach the alternator with a short V-belt, this may require cutting a groove into the excercise stand flywheel. You will be able to keep your battery charged to power whatever 12 volt gadgets you need. We have seen experiments where laptops and small TV's are powered by the operator pedaling with such a system. An automobile alternator requires some input voltage so a 12 volt battery is required in the system.

[edit] Communications

Cyclists use their senses to stay safe, a phone or radio by interfering with your concentration and hearing will increase your risk especially in chaotic urban cycling situations. We acknowledge the risk but there are times where you need communications gear to keep your cycle group together or to take a call during a long commute. These are several ways we have known people to stay in touch while cycling.

[edit] Mobile Phone

A mobile phone stashed inside a pack or pocket is dangerous to grab for while cycling, a Bluetooth headset makes answering as easy as pushing a button on your earpiece, some phones can also be set to auto answer or take voice dialing from the headset. Find a headset compatible with your helmet and winter ear coverings, a bit of elastic cord attached to the earpiece can be used to loop through the chin strap to prevent loss if it falls out while on the road.

[edit] Walkie-Talkie

MURS, FRS, GPRS, and CB radios can all be used to communicate for short to medium range while cycling. FRS due to its low cost, small size good range, low power consumption and great urban penetration usually make for a win in the license free radio competition. A headset and voice operation or VOX means every time you talk it activates the transmit, useful when keeping a bicycle group or tour together. Cb radios are available but are often large and an effective CB antenna can quite large compared to the VHF (MURS) and UHF(GPRS, FRS) antennas.

[edit] Ham Radio

If you don't mind the license and easy test this can be the best way to go. Most parts of the country are covered by a regional system of repeaters meaning you can communicate over large parts of most metro and surrounding areas with a walkie-talkie type radio for free, some repeaters can also connect to the phone system for short calls. There are small HF radios which can transmit hundreds of miles especially with Morse code, there are code paddles that can be attached to a bicycle handlebar. There are some great designs for spiral wound and J-pole antennas which use a kids bicycle safety flag pole as an antenna core.

[edit] MP3 and FM Radio

There are very small MP3 players and FM radios which can be attached to your helmet and are at much less risk of a torn wire or being dropped than your iPod in a pocket. There are few weatherproof MP3's out there but we have used a simple tiny FM radio made for swimmers to good effect in bad weather. The FM helmet radio is a way to cheaply wireless a larger MP3 player while it stays safe in your pack by using a cheap FM transmitter module. As with Ham radio a bicycle flag makes a great wire antenna core if you are running a mini pirate FM radio station at Burning Man, a protest rally or some other event.

[edit] Nutrition

Stay hydrated and fed while cycling, don't waste your time with lo-cal foods; you need fuel, around 7000 Calories is reasonable. If it does not cause you indigestion try to eat lots of fats. A banana can help prevent cramping from long rides. Backpack drinking systems are available now for low prices if you prefer using these to water bottles, these make it easy to sip all day so you can drink all that you need. Many sport drinks come in a decent squirt bottle that fits standard bottle cages. See Backpacking, Camping, and Cheap Chow for food and drink suggestions. If you will be going through towns be sure to do some dumpster diving especially at pizza, bakery, and donut places; stock up on the free fuel.

Have some baking soda for indigestion; witch hazel for hemorrhoids and rub spots; oatmeal, coconut milk or another laxative if you get backed up, which happens easily on the road eating less fiber and dehydration. You might want activated charcoal or other medicine for diarrhea mostly from forgetting to wash your hands or strange foods.

Gel shots are now a popular and expensive way to get that little sugar boost on hills, we have experimented and found that honey with salt added and put into a gel-shot bottle does the job on cramps and hills better for less money, try your own recipe designed for your body needs; suggested additives are table salt and potassium chloride(salt substitute) for cramping, and caffeine. Once filled put the gel flask into a pot of hot water, this will help dissolver any salts or other additives. Another idea is a 50/50 mix of honey and peanut butter, it is like a liquid sports bar.

The other vitamin C, caffeine. There is something to the idea that caffeine makes you pedal harder and longer, some call it liquid motivation. Caffeine is a diuretic, it makes you pee more, this means hydration becomes a more important priority than before. Many people just drink their coffee when taking a rest break, but there are coffee cup holders made for bikes as well as commuter cups with open bottom handles which clip nicely to a bicycle handlebar. There are unconfirmed reports of a person near Corvallis Oregon who built a Stirling steam assist motor for his bicycle and added a steam tap so he could make espresso on rest stops.

[edit] Motor Assist

If you want the portability and freedom of a bike with some of the ease of a motorcycle, no worries. Almost any bicycle can be converted to an electric power-assisted type (basically a moped) for a few hundred dollars. Various people have added old or new purpose bought weed-eater type engines to power-assisted bikes with positive results, but keep in mind that two stroke engines which burn an oil gasoline mix do pollute the environment significantly although Honda and Subaru four-stroke motors are much cleaner and consume normal gasoline. US rules now ban the import of most new two cycle engines but they are still available in Canada.

The two main methods for power transfer are a friction roller which is directly against the tire necessitating a smooth tread, or chain drive to the wheel, some kits have a sprocket which connects to the spokes, the better way is a specially modified wheel with a free wheel sprocket for the drive chain. Another type is the "push trailer" which is a gas engine or electric motor on a trailer that is towed behind the bike and pushes it forward, using a handle mounted throttle for a control. These are often DIY jobs as the kits are usually quite expensive, but be sure to get good instruction and guidance before doing this on your own. If the purists turn up their nose point out the idea of NEVER needing to use a car even in steep mountainous terrain where most would not even consider a bicycle.

The Bicycle Motor Forum at http://motorbicycling.com/ is a good place for tips and information on the various motors and systems, from kits to homebuilts.

[edit] Installation

Installing a motor puts stress onto your frame and rear wheel, expect much shorter life from your spokes if you are attaching a sprocket to them. Designs which have a special rear wheel with normal and motor sprockets on opposites will last longer. Pedaling is more difficult against a chain drive system even when the clutch is out. Friction drive systems quickly take the tread off of your rear tyre and often stop working in wet weather.

[edit] Bike types

While the majority of kits found online are for upright bikes, consider the luxury of a nearly self propelled recumbent, or just how much power and speed you could get out of a nicely modified cargo bike...

[edit] Folding Moped

A small bolt-on motor attached to a folding bike or heavier duty scooter frame would make something similar to the WW-II Welbike motorcycle used by OSS and paratrooper commandos, the folding bike has the added bonus of you being able to pedal when you run out of fuel or on the flats. The short spokes on small folding bikes are stronger and will take more stress even if a cheap spoke mount sprocket is used. Remember that small folding bikes have a low center of gravity and short wheelbase and take a while to get used to.

[edit] Magneto Electricity

Look for a motor with a electrical output from the magnetos to run a light or charge batteries, this electrical output is AC power often only six volts and needs a rectifier circut to be used by most things other than a regular headlight.

[edit] Legal Motors

If you are desiring to be a legal eagle, some localities prohibit any motor under 50 cc to be used on the King's...er...Federal Highways. Furthermore, any person operating two-wheeled vehicle with a motor greater than 50 cc must have a motor vehicle license. Some states require a motorcycle license regardless of the engine size, while others require only a passenger vehicle license. Most two-stroke engines are generally less than 50 cc, and most electric motors would be considered in the same category. Since laws differ with each jurisdiction, contact your state or province's Department of Motor Vehicles about their regulations on mopeds and "motor-driven cycles". If your engine comes unmarked a professional 49cc sticker or etching might throw off nosy cops. If you use an electric motor, a set of saddlebags over the wheel covering the motor can hide things a bit.

[edit] Exotic Propulsion

If you are bat fuck insane like me then you might consider a jet engine. These can be made from car or truck turbochargers for 100-300 dollars. They will provide considerably thrust- a four inch engine will give 300 pounds, with a afterburner it becomes 450. This is most likely illegal to stick on a bike but the point of having a jet is to escape, not to worm your way out. This is also dangerous, with high temperatures, and speeds...

Another idea is to add a balanced power take off shaft to the "turbo"-jet and generate power to charge a hybrid vehicle or even power your whole commune. Or just build the jet powered Bat-Fuck-Mobile....

Just make certain you have a very sturdy helmet so they can have an open casket and a very good trauma surgery team so they can save your kidneys before you take it around the block. You exclusive bat-fuckers can also catch a ride in an airplane wheel well see Airlines.