The bicycle is the perfect mode of transport for a post-apocalyptic world, so why are there no bikes in the movies?
It’s not strictly true to say I’m always thinking about cycling but it is on my mind a lot. Take the other evening, when I was watching one of those end-of-the-world movies that are all the (literal) rage.
Two of the story’s heroes were about to head off in their car in search of supplies, burning some of the finite supply of precious petrol, with no guarantee of a return.
“Why don’t any of these idiots ever ride a bike?” I asked my wife.
“Eh?” She said, trying to concentrate on the movie.
I kept quiet and thought the rest.
The bicycle would be the ideal means of transport in such a scenario:
- no fossil fuels required
- no engine noise to attract the worst of the evil dead and the evil still-living.
- the rider could travel whilst avoiding roads, which would undoubtedly be blocked by traffic jams of burnt-out and zombie-infested wrecks.
- it would give the rider an endorphin boost to help counter the misery and crushing lack of hope.
My motivations for considering bicycles at such moments aren’t all purely practical. I’ve often considered what it would be like to loot the nearby branch of Evans whilst all my fellow survivors were busying themselves scrabbling around for food, medicines and other such fripperies.
Imagine having all those brand-new bikes to choose from* and not knowing where to begin – delicious.
Roll on the end of the world!
*I’d probably opt for something gravel-ish, to cope with the newly uncivilised conditions.
What bike would you ride to the end of the world?
Rolf Rae-Hansen 