Bracken: The Patrol Bike

I used to jog a few times a week for cardio until I passed age sixty and my knees said no más. Since then I’ve switched to cycling instead, which doesn’t bother my knees in the least. Obviously there are cardio benefits to riding a bike, but less appreciated is how much riding does for your sense balance, coordination and agility, especially as we grow older.

I’ve owned the big steel-frame Schwinn bike in the photo since the 1980s and it’s still going strong. I use it to run errands within 3 or 4 miles of home base, which allows me to recon all of the back streets and trails inside that radius in a way that cannot be replicated in a car or on foot. I made the big rack so I can carry 30 pounds or so of cargo with no problem. In the front pouch I carry a cable lock, a basic tire repair kit, shock cords and so on. A pistol or other weapon can also be carried there.

Lately as it’s gotten warmer during the day I’ve been riding around my area at night, and it’s amazing how I frequently nearly run over cats, dogs and geese that are in the road, that are totally unaware of the silent but rapid approach of a man on a bike. Often I have to swerve to avoid them, catching them totally by surprise. By day or night, I also routinely pass within yards of people who have their backs turned to me who are totally unaware that a person is rolling right past them nearly in touching distance, such as when they are checking their mail box. As long as the pedal crank is kept moving, there isn’t even the quiet sound of clicking gear ratchets. The only sound is that of the tires rolling on pavement, and that’s not much.

For patrolling your neighborhood a bike fits an ideal mid-point niche between foot and automobile patrol. Here are the numbers: a brisk walking pace is 4 mph. The posted speed limit for cars in my neighborhood is 25 mph, but they often go faster. An easy cycling speed is about 12 mph. A car or truck obviously has the biggest visual signature, and its fast arrival speed once it’s spotted is expected. However, a person on a bike only has about the same visual signature as a pedestrian, yet he’s moving three times as fast. The relatively fast speed while retaining a small visual signature probably explains the remarkable stealth properties of the patrol bike.

Recently, the fire department was responding to a house fire in my neighborhood, and the police set up a perimeter with patrol cars to keep out the curious. I was able to slide past or around them and infiltrate their perimeter from every direction, usually by going up onto people’s front lawns. In fact, I’ve literally passed directly behind the back of a police officer standing outside his patrol car looking the other way, without him noticing me rolling right past him within a few feet.

Another stealth factor in favor of a bike is that even in the dead of night, there is no sound of an engine starting up to alert a light-sleeping neighbor. How you garage your bike also becomes an important element of its usefulness as a stealthy patrolling vehicle. Obviously you will lose your stealth factor if you need to open a motorized overhead garage door to get it out, for example. While you don’t want to leave your bike out in the elements, you can keep it under the eaves of your home’s roof. A shower curtain tacked to a fence or wall behind some bushes will keep the bike dry and hidden, and it can be quietly lifted out of the way.

A pistol can be carried and fired one-handed while riding, but in my opinion it will almost always make more tactical sense to use the bike to rapidly move to cover or to egress a danger area. During a time of collapsing civility a slung carbine can be carried on your back, but again, a rider will be better off using his bike to escape a danger area or get to cover. And of course a bike can rapidly squirt through a pedestrian gate or between bushes and trees where a car or truck cannot follow. Once the rider reaches cover or concealment the bike can be laid down, so both bike and rider will be invisible to observation. These “bikes-only” escape routes will be discovered during routine patrols and while running errands.While we’re on the topic of escape routes, consider bringing a compact set of wire cutters (“dykes”) along on your outings. They can be used to trim small branches or even clip out sections of old fencing to create new secret gates. Old chain link or wire fencing concealed behind brush is particularly good for making covert escape gates. Wire cutters make this an easy job.

For stealth carbine carry, wrap your long gun in a towel, (big rubber bands will work for this), and tie it just below the top frame bar with the barrel on one side of the handlebar fork, and the stock on the opposite side of your saddle post. This will keep it out of the way of your knees while you pedal. I carry a carbine to my local range this way, and nobody looks twice. (In fact, a boomer on an old bike is just about last on anybody’s list for looking twice. This includes the local sheriff’s deputies in their patrol cars.)

Aggressive dogs are another issue of concern. I know for a fact that I can outrun pit-bulls when I hit my sprint-speed unless they start with an angle to cut me off. In that case, you can protect yourself from attack from single dogs by hopping off the bike and using it as a moveable barrier to block their advances, while slowly moving away. So far, I have not been attacked by a pack of dogs while out riding, but in that case, I’d just try to outrun them with pure sprinting speed. Generally dogs will break off a pursuit after a block or so.

If the economy tanks or gasoline becomes hard to find or too expensive to buy, a bike will beat shoe leather three-to-one in terms of useful range. As long as it’s safe to do so, I’d consider commuting ten miles each way to work, which would take less than an hour. And while bikes need no gasoline, they do require a list of maintenance items that may not be available during hard times. If you lay in a few extra tires and at least a dozen tire tubes, and a pack of spare spokes, you will be good to go. Don’t count on tire tube repair glue to last long. Even unopened, it’s usually no good after a few years. Just buy lots of extra tubes, and know how to change them. Avoid cheap Chinese tubes, they often go flat the same day you install them due to defective manufacture. It goes without saying you’ll need an air pump. I keep a big one at home, and a thin portable pump on the bike. As mentioned, extra spokes are a requirement, along with a tiny “spoke key” wrench, and a removal tool for the back wheel’s gear cassette. You have to remove the back gear set to replace broken spokes on that side, and you can’t do it without the proper tool. This little item only costs a few bucks, but if you don’t have it, you just can’t replace those spokes.

As long as you buy a good quality bike and lay in the needed consumable repair items, you will be riding for many years to come. Your health will benefit, and you will come to understand the ins and outs of your local area of operation at a granular level that can’t be duplicated in any other way. And once you have mastered your terrain by day, at night you will become a stealthy recon ghost, moving in silence at a fast running speed, but with only a fraction of the effort. Day or night, I can complete a one-mile recon loop around my house in just five minutes. Through repetition, but at random times and by varying routes, I’ve learned who belongs and what is out of place within about a three mile radius of my house. As a result, my local situational awareness has increased by orders of magnitude.

Matthew Bracken was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1957, and attended the University of Virginia, where he received a BA in Russian Studies and was commissioned as a naval officer in 1979. Later in that year he graduated from Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training, and in 1983 he led a Naval Special Warfare detachment to Beirut, Lebanon. Since then he’s been a welder, boat builder, charter captain, ocean sailor, essayist and novelist. He lives in North Florida.

 Links to many of Matt’s short stories and essays may be found at EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.comalong with excerpts from his five novels. All of his short stories and essays may be reproduced on the internet, in part or in whole, as long as proper attribution is given, and they are not sold for profit without the permission of the author.

By Published On: May 14, 2019Categories: Matt Bracken37 Comments on Bracken: The Patrol Bike

Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!

About the Author: admin

37 Comments

  1. Weredragon May 14, 2019 at 07:24

    They have introduced solid tires for bikes, they are pricey, but maybe worth it since they cannot develop leaks. They will slice however so take some care

    • SemperFido May 14, 2019 at 23:54

      There is also tube liners which is a thick piece of plastic that you put in first against the tread side and then put in the tube. Does a good job of protecting against flats without the rough ride of solid tires. Also, the Swiss issue bicycles to their home guard (https://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/swiss-military-surplus-army-mo-93-military-bicycle-7-speed-used?a=184749) For the same reasons that Matt talks about. One last thing, the Vietnamese used bicycles on the Ho Chi Minh trail to transport very large loads of supplies.
      Mr. Bracken once again makes some very good suggestions.

      • greg May 16, 2019 at 09:52

        About 2 years ago there was interest in the “Golden State Killer” case. Of course, he was outed by DNA recently, but one of his MO’s was using a bike.

        Being a junior sleuth, I was going to tie the Zodiac to the Golden State. The Zodiac had stopped for about 2 or 3 years between murders during the late 60’s early 70’s. Here’s what hit me; he went to Vietnam and watched how innocuous people on bikes were. How easily they moved in and out of neighborhoods, and how quickly they made their way through busy streets.

        Long story short the Zodiac and Golden State killers closed their O’s and zeros from opposite sides…sleuthing ended right there.

  2. Anonymous May 14, 2019 at 07:53

    5

  3. Robin Allen May 14, 2019 at 08:30

    Just a couple of things to add to this. 1) The bike you are using is an older, steel bike which is much better than what is available now. The major bicycle manufacturers are on a race to the bottom, making the cheapest bikes they can. So older bikes are something to look for.
    2) Steel frames would probably be better than aluminum frames as most people can weld or braze steel with a bit of a learning curve whereas aluminum is more difficult to weld unless you’ve got the right equipment.
    3) Bike manufacturers LOVE to invent new ways to do the same old thing. The bottom bracket (the tube that holds the bearings for the crank) is a classic example. It seems every 5 years a new “improvement” in bearing design is discovered and the system you have is now harder to find. So if one is truly thinking long term you list of spare parts is a bit underwelming. Tires, tube, spokes, chains, chain links, shift and brake cables are a good start but only just.
    Otherwise this was a good intro.

    • Matt Bracken May 14, 2019 at 13:06

      I’d add ball bearings for sure. Sometimes those rascals escape during re-assembly.

      • jackalope May 14, 2019 at 13:48

        Loose ball bearings are rarely used anymore. Cartridge bearings rule the day now. Don’t forget spare brake pads. And keep the braking surface on your rims clean so those brake pads will last longer. Braking will be quieter as well.

  4. Matt Bracken May 14, 2019 at 08:42

    I didn’t want to get too bogged down in the weeds, but you will also want to buy a few extra brake pads, some brake and gear cable wire and the plastic cable cover tubing. These are all cheap and easy to find today, but maybe not in the future if TSHTF.

    • jackalope May 14, 2019 at 14:00

      The plastic cable cover tubing is properly called cable housing. Brake and shift cables use different sizes. Dribble some penetrating oil into the ends of the cables once in a while. It’s a cheap and easy tune-up.

      Extra brake pads are good. If you are using older style brakes (non-disc), you can lightly sand the surface of the pad. Any glazing on the pad should be removed. Keep the braking surface of the rim clean, too. Doing this has 3 benefits: greater braking efficiency, rim life and, much quieter braking. Fine steel wool for the rims, emery cloth for the brake pads.

      We have all had that moment when we hit the brakes and they squawk like a goose. Not good for the low profile Grey Man.

      Finally, would an AR pistol be the perfect bicycle-borne firearm?

    • Daniel K Day May 18, 2019 at 13:36

      I don’t ride a bike now, but many moons ago when I rode one almost every day, including on packed snow in the city, I replaced the ram’s horn handlebars on my bike with a straight bar about 13″ long. The front brake wire was thereby shortened and simplified, just a 90° curve from the brake handle housing down to the brake. That really reduced the effort I had to put on the brake handle to slow down. Probably due to poor maintenance of my front housing, I had had to put a lot of force on the handle previously.
      Another reason to change over was, I *never* used the lower bars on the ram’s horn style. (1) It took too long to access the brakes for situations in city riding. (2) It was uncomfortable.
      I don’t get the charm of wide mountain bike-style handlebars on bikes which are never ridden on rough ground. The slim handlebar design is a lot more convenient when there are people or physical obstacles around.

  5. Jim K May 14, 2019 at 09:42

    A bike has changed my whole idea of “stuff” to keep in my car. I’m going from keeping enough stuff to survive for 3 or 4 days (but couldn’t carry if the car didn’t work) to a very small pack and a folding bike. There would be the bare essentials for a day, maybe two and the ability to cover 100 miles in those two days. Bikes are also overlooked as a bug out vehicle and if you have a trailer you can haul a lot of “stuff” to you BOL much more easily than if you had to walk and carry it.

    Good article on the usefulness of an often overlooked piece of gear and the added side benefits of keeping in shape, especially for some of us antiques whose knees don’t work quite as well as they used to.

    • pdxr13 May 21, 2019 at 18:29

      I ride every day in pdx on a variety of bikes. 1970’s Schwinn, 1980s Japanese, 1960s European, and a Burley 2kid trailer. Was beginning to get fat driving car aroundtown before 2012. The trailer is most of the time less useful than a set of bags over a rear rack. Trailer makes a bike less useful in getting through small width spaces, but you can pull 150 pounds over a smooth flat ground with only a little more effort than just biking. I could see starting upt with a trailer as part of a group exit from a hostile area and locking it when the cargo will fit in paniers of your teams bikes. Water and food are bulky, as well as some hiking gear if bikes stop being the best way to travel.

  6. Bryce Sharper May 14, 2019 at 11:42

    That is the perfect bike for the application you described. You can look homeless and therefore invisible with the right clothing. Vagrants tie bedrolls to their handlebars all the time. As a vagrant, you are invisible to almost everyone.

    I went tubeless several years ago and stopped having to change tubes. I love it. “Ghetto tubeless” can be done on many bikes by lining the rim with Gorilla tape. The downside is you need an air compressor to blow up the tire quickly enough to trap the Stan’s fluid. There are special hand pumps that will allow you to build a big charge of air to do the same thing.

    You can also simplify your bike further into a single speed.

    Like the other commenter said, steel is great. It actually makes for a smoother ride because it flexes better than aluminum and absorbs more shock. Cyclists tend to worry about every ounce which is why aluminum or carbon are used so much for frames. Rather than worry about weight, it’s better just to gain strength.

    • Matt Bracken May 15, 2019 at 07:15

      I don’t understand your “ghetto tubeless” method, can you describe how to do it? Or give a link?

      • ApoloDoc May 15, 2019 at 14:39

        Basically this is a thin strip of tape over the spoke heads to seal the rim/spoke interface. Stans fluid is liquid latex with a couple of additives. It allows the bike to become tubeless, with the fluid sealing TINY holes that likely exist in the tire, as well as provide a decent bit of protection from small thorns and such.

        Matt, you and I are the same age. When I was in my 30s & 40s I raced mountain bikes at a very high level, and saw this as a GREAT SHTF vehicle. They are stealthy and cheap to operate. I would suggest at least “mid-level” components as the cheap stuff is not durable. But having many times ridden 50 miles on trails, and as long as 100 miles, I know that a fit cyclist can cover an amazing amount of ground.

        I have so many parts, including about a zillion tires, and multiple bikes… but sadly cannot ride anymore due to an orthopedic issue.

        Link: https://www.singletracks.com/blog/mtb-repair/tech-how-to-ghetto-tubeless-for-mountain-bikes/

        • Matt Bracken May 20, 2019 at 08:05

          Thanks for the great info! Sorry you can’t ride anymore, that’s a shame.

  7. Bryce Sharper May 14, 2019 at 11:43

    For pitbulls, I think a spear would work well but I’m not allowed to carry one out here because of spear control.

  8. chad stevens May 14, 2019 at 12:43

    We have a old bike that we use in the hood. I filled the tires with slime, topped them off with air, removed all reflectors, dry lubed all the moving parts, and spray painted the entire thing flat black. Highlighted some of the spots with a little olive drab and dark brown applied with a mesh net. I ride it at night for a bit of exercise wearing black and it’s like i’m invisible. I’m look for and avoid the occasional car so it doesn’t matter if they can see me.

    • James May 14, 2019 at 16:16

      Chad,look out for those with electric cars that go camo on em for night maneuvers,never hear em coming!Of course,they may go up in spontaneous combustion!I like the hybrid bikes that can do both road and off road adequately,liked the older Diamondbacks and there are still some good new models being sold.

    • Butch May 17, 2019 at 22:59

      Your bike sounds like the Schwinn I bought back in 8th grade for $4. It had no fenders, single speed, a red hour glass painted on the seat, flat black everywhere else and long-horn handlebars. It was called the “Black Widow”. And it went everywhere. With the long handle bars I could easily ride with no hands, just by balancing. That allowed me to smoke a small cigar before getting home. That’s right…at 14 years old.

  9. Stealth Spaniel May 14, 2019 at 22:43

    Thank you for this article! I’ve been riding my bicycle(s) since my knee replacements. It is amazing what you see around you, what and who you get to recognize, and how much better you feel if you keep up riding!
    I have my beloved Schwinn adult trike that I take to the grocery and the pet food place-it will carry 50 pounds of kibble easily. I can load about the same in groceries. Since California demands the citizens carry their own bags, I have canvas totes that I load into the box area and then tie down. My other bike is a Pedego-an electric bike that is fun to ride and lets me really put the miles in. It can also be a cargo bike-properly equiped. This is the type of bike shop you want to frequent: full service, knowledgeable people, and no spandex required! https://www.practicalcycle.com/about/
    You will find the pounds melt away, you will feel lighter and more fight ready, and you will have unlimited knowledge of your AO.

  10. […] Bracken: The Patrol Bike […]

  11. Peter May 15, 2019 at 04:51

    Years ago I bought a bike to commute to work. It wasn’t until it was raining and I chose to ride to work instead of driving that I sold my car. The amount of money I saved allowed me to save enough deposit on a house that my mortgage is less than rent. I also lost a stack of weight. I never was fast & I soon learned to just enjoy the ride.

    The speed you travel at is IMHO perfect. Fast enough to get places. Slow enough that you don’t miss anything. Mr Bracken pointed out the “bike” only routes.

    I haven’t ridden in ages because the house I bought is a fair distance away from my employment and whilst it’s a doable distance, there isn’t a safe route available. Maybe when oil gets super expensive I’ll ride again.

    • Homer May 15, 2019 at 10:39

      A couple yrs ago Stay Alive magazine did an article where they took two old bicycles and converted them into viet cong style cargo haulers. It was amazing how much stuff they could carry with them.

  12. Bryce Sharper May 15, 2019 at 11:40

    Matt,

    Ghetto tubeless. This is what my bike has and it works just fine on the black diamonds and drops around here.

    Hand pump tire tubeless tire inflation.

  13. ApoloDoc May 15, 2019 at 14:41

    I would also suggest pepper spray made for dogs, and it might even have some sort of effect on humans ;)

    And now I see someone already posted a link to tubeless tires. They were a nice innovation racing as they were lighter and could be run at lower air pressures, very good in certain types of terrain.

  14. Jackson May 15, 2019 at 18:57

    Avoid suspension bikes. They add a lot of complication for little real-world value in basic urban riding. Suspension is for people doing fast mountain trail rides on trails with lots of bumps and jumps. Not just riding down streets and over a curb or two.

    The lower price-point non-suspension bikes from the big companies are mostly all aluminum now. Aluminum has proven to be very durable in mountain bikes, so I wouldn’t be too put off by it, but if you want steel the company Surly specializes in steel frames. $500 gets you a really great new bike these days, perfect for use as described in the article.

    26″ wheels are still the most common size for mountain bikes, but 27.5 and 29 are increasingly popular. The advantages are small and the ubiquity of the 26″ makes it a better choice for a patrol bike.

    • Bryce Sharper May 15, 2019 at 22:00

      The steel Kona Honzo 29er is amazing.

  15. anonymous May 16, 2019 at 06:14

    Does anyone have a source for a high quality built manual air pump ? The type with a T-handle. I have no clue if the ones made now compare to those older ones. Grampas had a pair of tie rods from top to bottom, cannot for life of me remember the name of it, maybe it was a Sears Craftsman unit. We kids used the heck out of it when we were kids.

    Scott Williams, author of the book BUG-OUT SURVIVAL had a chapter or two devoted to bicycles if I recall. Interesting read.

  16. Matt Bracken May 18, 2019 at 09:39

    If possible, I’d like to add something to the column right after this line:
    >These “bikes-only” escape routes will be discovered during routine patrols and while running errands.<
    While we're on the topic of escape routes, consider bringing a compact set of wire cutters ("dykes") along on your outings. They can be used to trim small branches or even clip out sections of old fencing to create new secret gates. Old chain link or wire fencing concealed behind brush is particularly good for making covert escape gates. Wire cutters make this an easy job.

  17. Arthur May 19, 2019 at 20:54

    Excellent post. My bike (a Cannondale hybrid I’ve had since 1997) uses 700C tires, so I’ve been using Armadillo tires for about 10 years – highly puncture resistant and the tread pattern is adequate for good traction and rolls quietly (unlike off-road tires). The bike has “grown” accessories – rear rack, pump, under seat tool/parts kit, bottle racks, lighting etc – so it’s not completely nondescript anymore, but as long as I’m dressed plainly no one ever notices me on the bike. 40K+ on it, new chain every 5K, new cassette every 10K, wheel/crank bearings 20K, Armadillos last about 9K, brake pads about 12K. Pro Tip: keep spare parts on hand and the tools to replace them, carry a spare tube (new tubes last about 5 years on the shelf, and keep all your spare stuff inside in the AC rather than in the garage) chain repair kit and tool, ride with LOTS of water.

  18. […] Via Kenny, Matt Bracken weighs in on the use of bicycles. […]

  19. Matt Bracken May 20, 2019 at 08:23

    Some more good Patrol Bike input and comments by the Knuckledraggers over at Knuckledraggin My Life Away.
    Bracken – The Patrol Bike
    Posted on 05/17/2019 by Wirecutter
    http://knuckledraggin.com/2019/05/bracken-the-patrol-bike/

  20. Matt Bracken May 20, 2019 at 08:25

    This comment at Knuckledraggin is particularly telling about pedal bike vs motor bike:
    Waepnedmann says:
    05/17/2019 at 19:26
    I recall a few years ago in an area of California that was used by motorcyclists for off-road riding.
    Then Mountain bikes became a thing.
    The yuppie mountain bikers claimed that the motorcycle were not only harshing their mellow, also, that of the local deer herd.
    To prove their point the bicyclists paid for a study in which several deer were captured and affixed with heart rate monitors that would broadcast the data to scientific folks for analysis.
    The outcome was that the deer became aware of the motorcycles at a distance that allowed them to exit the area with little or no stress.
    The bicycles, on the other hand, snuck up on the critters and scared the bejeezus out of them.
    http://knuckledraggin.com/2019/05/bracken-the-patrol-bike/

  21. James M Dakin May 21, 2019 at 16:52

    I prefer single speeds. I can actually handle working on one myself. While a dog is attacking, I can grab my can of wasp spray and use it, at the same time braking if needed. Multi-speed bikes you need your hands to brake. In cold weather, my hands can be nicely bundled up as I don’t need them for braking or changing gears. Also, when I get a broken spoke I can adjust the spokes on either side and continue using the old wheel, because on a single speed you don’t have the brake pads in the way and the wheel can wobble slightly. I’ve ridden for months with a busted spoke. To patch a tube, apply a bit of superglue then place a small piece of thick paper over it. Like construction paper or a paper grocery bag. A tiny $1.19 Wal-Mart tube of glue will patch many times. One third my commute is dirt rutted road, so my patches are well tested. Don’t be too stingy with the glue and they hold up for many miles.

  22. Walter Sobchak May 21, 2019 at 19:05

    Great article, I’ve been thinking about this subject lately myself. For those on a budget and/or vertically challenged I’ve been a fan of BMX bikes. This is what I’ve run for years myself, and we’re standardizing all the family bikes to these. Granted the smaller frame probably negates strapping a carbine to it. Some of the pluses to BMX style bikes is great all terrain ability, they are really easy to work on, parts are dirt cheap, 20″ tires and tubes are especially cheap. You may sacrifice a little speed but to me the simplicity and all terrain ability are a worthy trade off, YMMV. I run Slime in all my tires and it works really well to prevent flats. Instead of buying the little tubes of rubber cement, just get a can of it at the auto parts store, it’ll last much longer. A great ‘outside the box’ article, kudos to NCScout and Bracken.

  23. PaulX May 23, 2019 at 10:51

    Good points all. I might add that there are now cargo bikes, and bikes powered by battery and motor. The former, being for cargo are quite a bit more rugged. The latter appear to be more complex to deal with but might be justified for longer distances and heavier loads. Recharge using solar panels…

    I’d think about removing the multiple chainrings up front, just going with a single ring including the sideplates (not sure what the official jargon here is) to prevent chain jumping.

Comments are closed.

GUNS N GEAR

Categories

Archives