The Role of Bicycles in War

[CDK]

Hi,

 

Danie Theron begged a General to allow bikes to ride dispatches, and he had to set up a race between a horse and bike, so he got the ZAR champ at that point to ride to a certain bridge to fetch a note aand back. I will get all the names of everybody when im back in the office to go over some notes of mine. The bike won by around 45min, this was in 1896, just after he attacked a journalist because he wrote bad things about the Afrikaner, So Danie Theron started the Rapport reiers, this is where the organization "Rapport reiers" heeds from, the Theron's Verkenners korps, was a unit he set up with gen. De Wet, 1900' they started of as purely recon but later developed into small raiding partys, the british hated them. Will give more details on everything sometime tommorow.

[DJR]

Glad to see some modern soldiers still use bikes - Sri Lanka in 2004 says Wiki)

[CAAD4]

Glad to see some modern soldiers still use bikes - Sri Lanka in 2004 says Wiki)

 

Yoh, they look really vicious with their hidden pistols...

[Tractor]

Yoh, they look really vicious with their hidden pistols...

 

[johanpre44]

Some photos of the BSA Paratrooper - have a look at the pedals in the first photo

 

Amazing Bike!

Obviously a steel bike, and if its under 10.5KGs, very impressive for something that is about 70 years old!

Looking at the detail on the brakes it seems very hi-tech for its age.

[johanpre44]

Then unfold them and ride fight

 

Pretty sure I saw something like this at Solomons in Woodmead a couple of months ago.

[HowellingWulf]

Very cool thread. Thanks!

[Tractor]

The US military still uses the Paratrooper made by a company called Montague. From their website:

 

"Tough, rugged, and ready for anything, this mountain bike is dropped from the sky to land prepared for action. The speed of unfolding this bike for riding will blow you away. No tools required to fold and stash in your Humvee. The Paratrooper® comes equipped with front suspension, 24-speed Shimano shifters, and heavy duty double cage aluminum pedals to tackle the roughest terrain. The Paratrooper® Tactical Folding Mountain Bike uses all standard mountain bike wheels and components serviceable at any bike shop"

 

Some more pics ...

[Tractor]

Check their website www.militarybikes.com for info and more pics

[CAAD4]

I prefer the version without bar ends. I mean who uses bar ends???

[DJR]

I prefer the version without bar ends. I mean who uses bar ends???

 

Not even if they are 12 gauge bar ends loaded with AAA?

[DIPSLICK]

Love this thread

[CAAD4]

Not even penlights... Could castrate a man if he landed wrong... Damn interesting thread.

[DJR]

Not even penlights... Could castrate a man if he landed wrong... Damn interesting thread.

 

And so, instantly, you won me over to the "ban all bar-ends" camp!

[Tumbleweed]

A more modern use of bicycles in war are the bikes filled with explosives used by suicide bombers.

[Tractor]

Just out of interest I was looking around to see what a BSA Paratrooper would cost and if they would be for sale anywhere - eBay seems the best bet and they have them listed quite often it seems. Given the age and use of the bikes they are all pretty battered BUT still have value. The one in the pics below is currently listed and the highest bid so far is GBP680 - and lets face it it seems pretty faarked and is going to need a lot of work to make it ride able. For the bike to be a collectors piece it needs to be unrestored and in as original condition as possible but obviously I would assume still ride able?