Bicycle Infantry

[Adm.Lee]

From various wargames, I know the Belgians had a bicycle brigade in 1940, and as late as the 1944 Normandy campaign, the Germans had separate brigades and battalions on bikes. ISTR some German infantry divisions about the same time mounted their reserve battalions, or at least some elements of them.

[Olefin]

Actually the Japanese bicycle infantry were a prime reason they won in Malaysia -and they managed to find all the bikes they needed once they got ashore - a prime example of living off the land.

And with fuel becoming short after 1998 I could see a lot of soldiers, on both sides, switching to bikes as an alternative to walking everywhere or having to wait for weeks to brew enough fuel to be able to fill the fuel tanks of their vehicles - and there would be huge numbers of bicycles available in Europe for sure.

[Legbreaker]

I see bikes as being useful in safer areas, but stupidly dangerous when contact with the enemy is likely.
A cyclist is moving too fast to keep proper awareness of their surrounds along a fairly restricted and obvious route. The risk of rolling into an ambush with devastating results is extreme as can be seen in the links unkated posted.

[Olefin]

Originally Posted by Legbreaker

I see bikes as being useful in safer areas, but stupidly dangerous when contact with the enemy is likely.
A cyclist is moving too fast to keep proper awareness of their surrounds along a fairly restricted and obvious route. The risk of rolling into an ambush with devastating results is extreme as can be seen in the links unkated posted.

I agree - bike infantry is a great way to give you better mobility but it has the same issues that motorcycle infantry had - but without the greater speed to get out of dodge if you get ambushed - on the other hand they are much quieter than powered vehicles so they do make for good scout vehicles

as for the routes - depends what types of bikes you have - i.e. a mountain bike is literally the "roads, where we are going we dont need roads" kind of vehicle - its not a jeep but its better than just walking

and considering the authors of the canon went out of their way to mention cities still making bicycles its pretty much implied they are being used a lot by 2001

[CDAT]

Originally Posted by Olefin

I agree - bike infantry is a great way to give you better mobility but it has the same issues that motorcycle infantry had - but without the greater speed to get out of dodge if you get ambushed - on the other hand they are much quieter than powered vehicles so they do make for good scout vehicles

as for the routes - depends what types of bikes you have - i.e. a mountain bike is literally the "roads, where we are going we dont need roads" kind of vehicle - its not a jeep but its better than just walking

and considering the authors of the canon went out of their way to mention cities still making bicycles its pretty much implied they are being used a lot by 2001

My question is how much weight can a decent mountain bike hold before having issues with welds, bending of tires or what not? I have seen some large people on mountain bikes (not sure quality of bike) that the wheels are no longer round, and just using me as an example when I was in fighting shape I was between 230lbs and 250lbs and then add in the combat gear my vest in 2003 weighed in at about 75lbs, add ten more for rifle, pistol and helmet and we are looking at 315lbs to 335lbs (and I was not the largest by far in my unit, kind of on the smaller side of average). I know very little about bikes, but back to my question how well will the bikes hold up to that weight when going down trails and hitting bumps and such? I can see them working much better in WWII time when one the average person was lighter and the combat load was much lighter, but I am also willing to say I may be missing a major factor that I know nothing about.

[Olefin]

One thing to keep in mind for loading on the bikes is that by 1999-2001 the food situation in Europe may be keeping people on the lean side no matter what - i.e. I dont see many people being well fed by then and that will reduce loading on the bikes

also bicycle born infantry may require that you be more lightly loaded - thus arent going to see someone with a full combat load on a bike unless they were small to begin with

Per the original rules - Bicycles: A bicycle has no load of its own; a character riding a bicycle can carry his personal load. He travels at half
speed if encumbered. If unable to ride (see Terrain below) a character may walk his bicycle at his off-road walking speed; its weight does not count against his load limit. it says that they cant go thru swamps or forest except along a dirt road - however I cant see what they are defining as a bike - i.e. a regular bike or a mountain bike

From the description in the game it sounds like a military version of a bicycle made for the military and not just a Schwinn -

i.e. Bicycle: A rugged, military model. Bicycles are among the few vehicles still being manufactured in any quantity.
Tr Mov: 60/20, Com Mov: 20/10, Wt: 15 kg, Price: $1000 (V/V)

[StainlessSteelCynic]

Aside from those bikes being manufactured for military purposes in the gameworld (which would necessarily be more rugged), I'm willing to argue that GDW's ideas about bikes were probably in some part, formed from Viet Cong/North Vietnamese use of bikes during the Vietnam War (given that a few of the contributing writers at the time were former US military and veterans of the Vietnam War).

[swaghauler]

Originally Posted by CDAT

My question is how much weight can a decent mountain bike hold before having issues with welds, bending of tires or what not? I have seen some large people on mountain bikes (not sure quality of bike) that the wheels are no longer round, and just using me as an example when I was in fighting shape I was between 230lbs and 250lbs and then add in the combat gear my vest in 2003 weighed in at about 75lbs, add ten more for rifle, pistol and helmet and we are looking at 315lbs to 335lbs (and I was not the largest by far in my unit, kind of on the smaller side of average). I know very little about bikes, but back to my question how well will the bikes hold up to that weight when going down trails and hitting bumps and such? I can see them working much better in WWII time when one the average person was lighter and the combat load was much lighter, but I am also willing to say I may be missing a major factor that I know nothing about.

I have some real experience here. Before I started riding dirt bikes, I rode BMX competitively (imagine ME enthralled by a machine, hard to believe isn't it ). I continued to ride mountain bikes regularly until I jumped into a big rig full time. I used mountain bikes to "rehab" from my leg injuries. I still have my 2000 Kona ManoMano and ride a 2015 Pivot Mach 6 today. Here's a little background on bikes in 2000.

Types of Bikes:

Cruisers: These bikes are what most non-riders think of when you say bicycle. These bikes are upright in Geometry with lightly built frames and wheels. Their tires aren't as narrow as Road Bikes but also not as wide as Mountain Bikes. The average tire pressure is 50lbs. The Cruiser is designed to be ridden on the road and can be MISERABLE riding offroad (a lot of time standing on the pedals to absorb bumps). They can be fitted with seat packs (small stowage under the seat), handlebar packs (in front and under the handlebars), D-Frame stowage (a pack inside the frame between the seat and handlebars) IF the frame is a D-Frame (many are "step-throughs" with a collapsed top tube). They can also fit saddle bags on racks that cover the wheels (they are "touring bikes" by design). The ride is UPRIGHT which can compromise handling in climbs. There are roughly three quality levels with overlap in price and capability occurring...

-"Basic Versions" ($100) often have Skid Brakes (where you pedal backwards to stop), a Single Speed drivetrain, and are mostly Rigid (no suspension front or back). They could support around 150kg to 200kg. The weights of these bikes will exceed 15kg.
-"Intermediate Versions" ($300 to $500) often have hand brakes (like motorcycles), a 3 or 5-speed drivetrain, and a Rigid rear end with a suspension front fork (this configuration is known as a "Hardtail"). These versions will support 200kg to 300kg and suspension models will NOT allow the use of either front saddlebags or handlebar bags (they interfere with the suspension fork). They will weight around 12kg to 15kg.
-"High-Performance Versions" will have 7-speed to 10-speed drivetrains, disc brakes, a suspension Seatpost and an AIR-RIDE fully tunable Fork. They will support more than 300kg and will weight around 10kg. They can top $1000 in cost.

The RECUMBENT Cruiser: This special type of Cruiser shows up at the turn of the Century and comes in all three price points. The Recumbent has the rider in a full RECLINING position as they ride. Some recumbents are two-wheeled while a select few are Trikes (with two wheels in front and a $2K price tag). They are more "aerodynamic" and thus faster than normal Cruisers on flat ground but very poor climbers.

The Trike Cruiser: These three-wheeled Cruisers are like the famous "Big Wheel." They have two wheels in back and one up front. They are poor climbers but are VERY stable and are often used to pull small carts. These are a STAPLE form of transport in Asia. Rickshaws are the ultimate expression of the Trike in my mind.

The BMX and Jump Bikes: These bikes are almost always D-Framed (for strength) "Hardtails" with oversized tubes and an upright Geometry. Their wheels are usually "Mag Wheels" for maximum resistance to deformation/bending (known euphemistically as "tacoing a rim") as these bikes are built for JUMPING. Their tires are WIDE like Mountain Bike tires but they run Skid Brakes as standard. They have NO kickstand and all bars are covered in "crash pads" (which really do not save your nuts). Peddals are large platforms. The basic models (starting at about $150) run into the 16kg range while the high-end models (around $1,000) will be around 10kg. All of these models can support around 350kg.

Road Bikes: These bikes are most associated with racing like the Tour De France and come in three basic price points (like Cruisers and Mountain Bikes) and are optimized for HIGH-SPEED ROAD performance. They are long in wheelbase (to aid in climbing) and the rider is forced into an "aerodynamic tuck" by their geometry. They are ALWAYS rigid (to prevent suspensions from absorbing pedaling inputs) and their VERY THIN wheels (26") were evolving into 700mm rims (because larger rims will carry momentum into climbs). Those rims would be inflated to 100PSI or more (to reduce rolling resistance) and have the equivalent of racing slicks on them. Brakes are Linear-Pull (two drag arms against the tire rubber) front and back and drive trains start at 24 speeds and move up to 27-speed versions. The Road Bike is specced for light weight and suffers in both load and durability accordingly. They are a NIGHTMARE to ride offroad but can achieve speeds in excess 40mph on level ground with a high-end bike and a good rider. Most of these bikes will support 100kg to 150kg without bending a rim. The three differing price points will vary in two areas, drivetrain quality and weight. These are some of the lightest bikes available.
-"Base Models" will have 3 sprockets on the cranks and 8 gears on the rear hub for 24 speeds. They will weight about 12kg to 14kg and have platform pedals. Those pedals will often be equipped with toe straps to allow a pedaling motion on the upstroke as well. The drivetrain will be a basic one like Shimano LX Deore. A base model will run around $500.
-"intermediate Models" will have 3 sprockets on the cranks and 9 gears on the rear hub for 27 speeds. They will weight between 10kg and 12kg and use "Clips" (Clipless Pedals) to gain power. Clips are a special pedal that "clips" to a special "cleat" installed in a special riding shoe. Clips allow power on all points of the pedal stroke and enable you to jump the wheels (because your feet are LITERALLY Clipped to the pedals). The drive train is of a superior type like the Shimano XT and these bikes are around $1000 in 2000 ($5k today).
-"High-End Models" will just be getting 30-speed drivetrains (3 X 10) but most will be precision 27-Speed drivetrains. These bikes will be 10kg OR LESS (14lbs is NOT uncommon) and run the highest specced parts (Shimano XTR). Some versions will be made in Scandium or Titanium. They will be $2000+ (for Aluminum).

Road Bikes can use all of the cargo types that rigid Cruisers can use. Road Bikes with forward and rear saddle bags touring on the highway are a common sight before the Twilight War.

Mountain Bikes: These are broken into three main and one subtype and come in both Full Suspension (fore and aft) and Hardtail (fork only) versions in the XC and Trail Bikes. The Four* types are Cross Country (XC), Trail Bikes, Downhill Bikes (DH) and Free Ride Bikes (a heavy-duty version of downhill bikes). Most cheap Mountain Bikes will use the same Linear-Pull brakes that road bikes use but higher end bikes will use Disc Brakes (either mechanical or hydraulic). Mountain bikes also come in three "price points" just like the other major classes.

-"XC Bikes" are the mountain bike "cousins" of the road bikes above. They are optimized for weight (giving their riders the nickname "weight weenies") and have the same Geometry as road bikes (to optimize climbing). Hardtails still dominate (because suspensions will "bob" with hard pedal inputs) and the suspension is around 3". Basic models will have 24-speed drivetrains while high-end versions will sport 27-speed drivetrains, clips, and titanium/scandium frames. Linear Pull Brakes are more common due to their lighter weight. Tire sizes are 26" (universal in Mountain Bikes) and 2" wide tires are usually the limit. Basic bikes ($500) will support around 150kg while high-end bikes ($2000+) can support 400kg or more and will use tuneable air forks. Weight will range from 12kg down to 10kg. The sub-20-pound mountain bike DOES NOT EXIST in 2000 (it's 2005 before carbon fiber makes this possible).
-"Trail Bikes" form the largest segment of mountain bikes. They feature a more upright stance/Geometry for jumping hazards and dual suspension with climbing lockouts (to prevent "bob"). Both the "Dually" and the "Hardtail" will use 2" tires with a weight in the 20lbs PSI range (for traction) and the average suspension travel is 4". 50% of Trail Bikes are still Hardtails as suspensions are still developing (high-end models will have air suspension and lockouts for climbing). Weights carried are comparable to XC bikes as are costs. One place where Trail Bikes vary from XC bikes in 2000 is that the MAJORITY of Trail Bikes will have Disc Brakes with lower end models having mechanical discs and high-end bikes having hydraulic disc brakes.
-"Downhill Bikes" these bikes are optimized for racing downhill. In 2000, they have dual disc brakes, dual suspension with 8" of travel, and heavy-duty frames for jumping heights of up to 20 feet. Tires will be 3" wide and air pressure will be 25lbs. Low-end bikes will weight 20kg+ and high-end bikes will go around 15kg and they will support 500kg easily. NOBODY rides a DH Bike uphill. Prices range from $1,000 to $4,000.
-"Freeride Bikes" these bikes are developments of DH bikes for stunt riding. They are 23kg and ONLY come as high-end custom builds (you DON'T buy a Freeride bike at WALMART). $5,000+ is not uncommon.

Notes on Bikes:

Carrying a load on a bike is tricky. It must be properly balanced or it will affect your handling. If you look at riding hydration packs like the Camelback Mule (my favorite), they are situated lower on the rider's back to keep the load to the rider's center of gravity. Weapons will also affect a Rider's ability to control the bike. I require that ALL RIDERS (bike and horse) wearing a weapon that is SLUNG must use a weapon who's Bulk is less than their STATURE (I still use this even in V2.2). I would say Bulk 5 is as large as a bike rider can go without the weapon hitting the bike frame or the Rider's leg.

The typical rider will be faster than a marching soldier. The typical soldier can manage around 6km per hour over terrain while a typical mountain biker could average 15km over terrain of the same type.

[StainlessSteelCynic]

Some really useful info in your post Swaghauler. It's at times like this we need a thumbs up (or other "like" option) button!

[Raellus]

Originally Posted by Legbreaker

I see bikes as being useful in safer areas, but stupidly dangerous when contact with the enemy is likely.
A cyclist is moving too fast to keep proper awareness of their surrounds along a fairly restricted and obvious route. The risk of rolling into an ambush with devastating results is extreme as can be seen in the links unkated posted.

Agreed. However, I think that bicycle infantry really come into their own as a mobile reserve/reaction force (in the context of T2K). Say a patrol or outpost comes under attack. Bicycle infantry can respond much faster that foot-bound infantry. They would operate like dragoons, riding to the battle area, but dismounting- out of effective small arms range of the enemy- to fight on foot. That's where BI can really shine.

[Olefin]

Originally Posted by Raellus

Agreed. However, I think that bicycle infantry really come into there own as a mobile reserve/reaction force (in the context of T2K). Say a patrol or outpost comes under attack. Bicycle infantry can respond much faster that foot-bound infantry. They would operate like dragoons, riding to the battle area, but dismounting- out of effective small arms range of the enemy- to fight on foot. That's where BI can really shine.

Exactly!

[Legbreaker]

Yes, as a method of moving reserve forces around they'd be pretty good, but dangerous at the front itself. Not as fast as vehicles (obviously) but certainly quicker and less fatiguing that marching.

My thoughts are that any bikes made from around mid 97 onwards are likely to be of the cruiser type. Simple, all round machines that can work on most terrain, although not optimised for any.
Prewar machines would still be in use of course when and where available.

[WallShadow]

Originally Posted by Raellus

<SNIP>
Say a patrol or outpost comes under attack. Bicycle infantry can respond much faster that foot-bound infantry. They would operate like dragoons, riding to the battle area, but dismounting- out of effective small arms range of the enemy- to fight on foot. That's where BI can really shine.

And no "every 4th man is a horse-holder" nonsense.