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.
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[edit] Getting a Bike
Always acquire your cycle through honest means, a less than affluent person can be have their life or job ruined by stealing or stripping their cycle. Never assume that a nice bike belongs to the CorpGov rich and is thus free to steal, many of us put every penny and a bit of our heart and soul into making and maintaining one of our few material treasures as a work of fast clean functional art.
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.
A good way to get a bike is to put up ads on bulletin boards. Something like "looking for reasonable bicycle for reasonable price" is good. This only works if you (or your buddy) has a phone or email or just look around university bulletin boards around springtime. You would also be surprised the bikes we have found lying in dumpsters needing just a few repairs. Get your local bike shoppe to check out a bike you are about to buy and estimate the value including the price of any 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 as far as we have been able to determine. Some locations especially cities do require registration of a bicycle and either a plate or sticker to identify the bike, the cops say this is to return stolen bikes but we know it is just a way to take your money. Failure to have the sticker or plate might result in bike confiscation or fine, cops have even confiscated parked or locked bicycles or unregistered bicycles in homeless camp raids.
The big moving violations cops use to stop cyclists are helmet laws especially for underage cyclists and the safety light laws requiring a red light to the rear and white light to the front visible for 100 feet, most states or cities have light laws like this for the cops to abuse. Violation of these rules often results in fines and the cops get to poke through your stuff to see if you have any drugs or other cool stuff, we have heard of the light law being used even in the early morning and evening as well as on cloudy days as an excuse to search scruffy kids, immigrants, and the homeless. Most states forbid riding on sidewalks and also require you to move to the road shoulder or into the gravel for any cars, others treat you like a real vehicle. Learn the local laws well, most cycle shops can help you with this info. The best places have laws to encourage cycling and mandate safe bicycle paths on every road, special bicycle friendly traffic signals, and free bicycle accommodations on public transit.
If you get drunk or stoned forget cycling, leave it locked up, that is common sense. But in most states even going past .08 blood alcohol and riding a bicycle sometimes even pushing a bike (suspected intent to drive) can get you busted for a DUI complete with FBI filed fingerprints, a criminal record, possible jail time, and even a revoked car drivers license!
[edit] Kinds of Bikes
[edit] Upright
The least expensive and easiest to obtain new and used is the regular upright bicycle. Road bikes are equipped for speedy travel and have multi-position hand grips and razor thin tires for cruising along paved highways. Mountain Bikes come in several stages of impact and mud resistance but the shocks and knobby tires are adapted to off road travel and you will waste a good percentage of your pedaling effort if using a mountain bike as an urban commuter. Hybrids or urban commuter bikes take the ruggedness of a mountain bike to absorb potholes and curb drops and add the road capable tires and sometimes the multi-position handgrips for long trips. Touring bikes can also take some of the attributes of both mountain and road bikes usually with emphasis on long riding but with stronger components and mounting points for pannier bags.
[edit] Cargo Bikes
Cargo bikes can take many forms but they are usually based on some sort of a 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; if long haul travel is in your plans the recumbent is definitely worth looking into. Imagine reclining in a nice lawn chair and pushing out to the pedals instead of crouching over your handlebars, this is the position of a recumbent rider. You will be able to put much more of your leg power to work pedaling your clipped-in feet sitting recumbent than you ever did on an upright. The only major downer with recumbent is that they are low to the ground so the rider is at bumper level and you are unable to stand up on the pedals to gruff your way up impossible climbs. Another bonus to recumbent is the ease at which battery powered and regenerative drive systems can be added due to the multiple drive chains. We have even seen stirling, steam, and gas booster motors added although this takes from the whole green purist idea.
[edit] Hybrid Power
Blurring the borders of bicycle, motorcycle, and car; vehicles like the Twike and other custom lightweight hybrid vehicles let two or more riders travel in style. Riders are inside an enclosed and stylishly interiored vehicle, a battery and motor system give a big power boost to uphill pedaling and recover energy from downhill braking back into the battery. On a sick day plug in and charge your battery for a free ride. We expect you 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
Most people feel that a helmet is a necessity for riding. Though cycling is a generally safe activity, the most likely cause of fatalities and debilitating brain injury in bicycling accidents is head impact, and helmets will reduce the possibility of this by 88% or stated another way making you brain nine times safer. Helmets can be purchased (in the US) just about anywhere bikes are sold. Make sure you get the helmet adjusted correctly; it needs to fit well on your head to be the most effective. Helmets are only good for one crash: if you hit your head with your helmet on, you will need to replace the helmet. For this reason, it's probably not a good idea to buy a used helmet.
One of our editors was in a serious accident where she was struck by a car, the helmet cracked badly but protected her skull that would surely have been broken damaging her vision centers and blinding if not killing her, as it is she has a limited field of vision in one eye now. The helmet made the difference between collecting thousands of dollars and collecting a hole in the ground.
[edit] Gloves
It's a wise idea to wear gloves to protect your palms in case of a fall. Grazed palms may not be life threatening, but they will impact every facet of your daily life until they heal. Gloves also ease the stress from a long ride.
[edit] Toe Clips and Clip Shoes
Anything you can do to keep your foot centered on the pedal will give you more power, toe clips also extend the length of your potential power stroke to allow a little bit of upward stroke. Clip shoes just amplify the benefits of toe clips giving a very firm lock to your pedals, clip shoes also do not wear out the sole when you are using them to pedal. The downside is small once you get used to these types of pedals but you might fall down getting used to having your feet stuck down, getting out of both clips and shoe pedals requires a twist motion that will become very natural after a few days of use. Clip shoes have another downside in that the metal plate doesn't grip cement like rubber when you are on foot. Get quality tough synthetic laces, cotton rots quickly when exposed to weather, of course at least two pairs of laces is standard spare.
[edit] Lighting
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. For starters, a good, flashing LED tail light will help car drivers see you when they approach from behind. You can get a cheap LED flasher for about two bucks that will run a long time on a set of alkaline batteries, zip-tie to your seat, seatpoast, or backpack, even better spend a little more for a proper mount. Some of us have solved the problem of stolen or vandalized flashers by attaching a red LED light to the rear of our helmet and a white LED flasher to the front, this puts the light well within drivers view and you can take the helmet inside plus if you have a blowout the light will help you work at night, remember large packs might block your rear flasher.
[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, there are several pumpable marine horns or the Zound pumpable bike horn, Survival or sport whistles are better if you need to signal constantly in an urban area.
In highly populated urban areas, barking at jaywalking pedestrians works a treat. Most people freeze when they hear a dog bark up close, giving you the time to take evasive action. Plus it's free!
[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.
[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 go out in packed snow or ice your only option is to use studded tires. Commercial studded tires are hard to find and expensive, fortunately DIY studs are easy to make and work just as well. Get a set of new or used 'fat' smooth road tread tires and heavy duty innertubes, every two centimeters carefully poke through wide head roofing tacks two wide. You will need to smooth off sharp edges on most tack heads with a wire brush wheel, it might also help to run a strip of tape over the tack heads once they are installed on the tire even after smoothing them off. Replace tire and tube, inflate once, release pressure, and reinflate, this is to get the tube properly aligned, this is even more important than normal since even the the smoothed off tacks will still cause tube wear. Once the tire is properly mounted and inflated cut off the tacks with 1-2mm sticking out. Remember, even if you are under control in slick winter conditions never assume that the SUV drivers are.
[edit] Carrying things
You can increase the usefulness of your bike by making it easier for you to carry loads with it. Racks, front and back, can be added. You can get bags (called 'panniers') which attach to the sides of the racks; these will allow you to carry a lot of stuff without encumbering your hands, allowing you to ride safer. For day to day use a small backpack or fanny pack will do.
[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 pedalling 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 guerilla 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 bungie 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 pizza box you can wrap the box a little tighter. 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] Other Smart Tips
Don't leave all of your lights, pumps, seat bags, and other gadgets clipped to your bike when you are parked. They are quick release for a reason, and not to make theft easy, keep this stuff ready to go in your bike messenger bag. 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.
[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.
[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 the urban legend is that depressurized air inside the plane can cause the air in the tires to expand, possibly even burst if there is serious structural damage, but dont let it stress you out, atmospheric pressure is 15psi and you only loose about 5psi when in at altitude versus the 50-80psi already in the tire, a good intact bicycle can easily survive even being blown out the airlock of a spaceship into hard vacuum, direct summer sunlight heating the tires will cause a much greater change in tire pressure. See Airlines for more travel packing info.
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 pedalling. 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 pedalling 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 speciality 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.
[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 hammock and if needed a tarp rain cover or bug screen at night. Smart use of stealth and hidden by brush in 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 and Camping
[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:
- http://freeyourbike.blogspot.com/2006/09/bicycle-trailer-camp-bed-many-folk.html
- http://www.tonystrailers.com/mobileshelter/
- http://www.carryfreedom.com/bamboo.html
- http://www.flickr.com/photos/saholm/816119809/
- http://www.flickr.com/photos/therollinrev/2111022319/
[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
It never hurts to always carry the kit for changing a flat tire. At a minimum carry a small quality puncture kit and mini pump, but also carry a spare inner tube. Repair the flat tube in the comfort of your own home later, but don't forget to put it back in your pack for spare. Folding combo bike tools will provide spoke tighteners, chain breakers, hex and screw drivers, sometimes even sockets or wrenches. A small toolkit can make the difference between being mobile in a few minutes or a long walk home.
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 few spokes, folding tire, and extra patch kits.
[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 junk the first set of brake pads with a worn out bicycle. If you are a serious cyclist and travel in urban, hilly, or mountainous 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 so good a breaking so you will know to replace them. On long tours or trips a set of brake pads are a very useful few ounces. Disk brakes are more like automotive brakes and can easily last for thousands of miles even in high usage mountainous areas, 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, including hearing, 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 cycleing. 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 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 and 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] 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 wheelwell see Airlines.
