Survival Cycling » Podcasts

Today's main topic is Situational Awareness.  As Survival cyclists, situational awareness is another foundational skill for our survival on the bike. Total situational awareness on the bike in a normal, or survival situation requires all five senses;  vision, hearing, touch, smell, and sometimes even the sense of taste.  Ultimately, we become comfortable using all of our senses consciously, each feeding into a sense of equilibrium, where we know everything is right around us. Not only will situational awareness on the bike help us to stay safe, but it also help us enjoy our ride, and also help us identify potential maintenance issues more quickly. REMEMBER:   If you haven't yet joined, sign up for the mailing list to get updates on new episodes and special announcements.  

Listen today as we explore Communication as an essential skill for survival cyclists. Communication means the imparting or exchanging of information or news. As cyclists, often our first form of communication with those around us is passive. It is how we first appear to those around us. Things like how we dress and our on-the-road stability have the ability to either communicate risk or normalcy to those who observe us. Secondly, we use things like hand signals, body language, and voice to communicate our intentions and information directly. Sometimes we have to use specialized tools to communicate with others who are not with us. Tools include cell phones, radios and signals. There are occasions when cyclists need to communicate with emergency personnel but are unable to do so because of injuries. That is when special identification pieces like Roadid can be a true lifesaver. REFERENCES You can find great ready-made ID bracelets to communicate your vital information when you can't at:  www.RoadID.com  

To show you guys how much I appreciate you listening in and sharing the Podcast, I am running a contest.  The prize will be a Maxpedition Jumbo Versipack.  I have been carrying one of these for a year and a half now and can't say enough for how great and versatile it is for carrying all of your "goodies." How to Play: Each time I post an episode, I tweet it on Twitter and post it on Facebook.  Each time you re-tweet the episode announcement on Twitter or share it on Facebook you earn a ticket. To claim your tickets (you have to do this to enter) you simply send an email to joe@survivalcycling.com with the word CONTEST in the subject line.  In the body of the email include your name, your phone number, and whether you shared the episode on Facebook, Twitter or both.  Each time I post an episode, you can re-enter to accumulate a bunch of tickets. When we reach 200 subscribers to the Survival Cycling Podcast, I will tally all the tickets and use a random number generator to select the winner. I will keep you posted on the progress of the contest in each episode.  If you have any questions, shoot me an email. Thanks as always, Joe          

Switching gears a little today to talk about a concept that was brought up by a listener on the forum: Epic Rides. Almost every rider who calls himself (or herself) a cyclist has had those days when they crossed a line and rode outside of their own ability.  Whether it was weather, or injury, or tough competition, we all have had experiences riding that re-defined our limits and challenged us to personal growth.  Today I feebly attempt to describe two of my own stories about epic rides I have been a part of. 1. Slumgullion Pass 2. Wooden Bike Classic Make sure you listen to Monday's show.  I will be announcing a new contest where I will be giving away a prize to one lucky listener!   Remember: If you haven't signed up for our mailing list yet, don't forget to do so.  You can find the form in the right column of the site, or click here. You can follow Survival Cycling on Twitter, Facebook and Youtube.     Production Note:  Please accept my apology today for being a little distant today as I talk.  While I recorded this episode, there was a wasp flying around inside the Winnebago Travel Studio, and rather than stopping to kill it, I kept going, so forgive me if I seemed a little off my game. :)

When we think of planning a bike ride, generally we just think about what we will need to get from point A to point B.  As survival cyclists, we plan to use the bike as a tool for survival when circumstances may not be very predictable.  How can we plan when we don't know exactly what we can expect? Cyclists always walk a tightrope between having everything they need and being weighed down with cycling gear.  Today I share about how planning is both a logistical process and an ongoing mental process that we use to predict problems we may run into on our rides. Announcements: Don't forget to join our mailing list to receive updates and announcements. Also, please contact me with any questions, feedback or suggestions! Like the music? Visit Breaksea Caravel!

The heat finally broke, and I am back in the Winnebago Travel Studio 13F to record the fourth episode in this Survival Cycling series: The Ten Essential Skills You Need To Overcome Any Cycling Emergency Today I clarify what I mean by "emergency", and discuss what I mean by "overcoming and emergency". Today's main topic is Mechanical Skill. Mechanical failure is the quintessential bicycle survival emergency.   If you ride long enough, sooner or later  you WILL have a mechanical.  Today we discuss these points concerning learning enough mechanical skills to get yourself or someone else out of a jam: You need a basic knowledge of physics.  Knowing how things like force, friction, leverage, and momentum really will help you understand how things work.  If that seems too heady, just think cause and effect. Become comfortable with using tools.  Frequent use of tools improves your improvisational competence. Often specialty tools can be purchased for less than it will cost to hire someone to perform the repair for you.   Learn about the inner workings of your bicycle. Gain familiarity through practice.  Tear stuff apart! Some things I mentioned in today's episode: Park BBB-1 Big Blue Book of Bike Repair I use exclusively tools from Park Tool USA.  I have met the owner of the company, and they make, in my opinion, the very best bicycle tools in the industry. Don't forget to connect with Survival Cycling on Facebook, Youtube, and Twitter. Let me know what you think!

Hello Everyone. Today's show was recorded in the new Winnebago Travel Studio, and it is hot outside so I had the AC unit running.  Sorry if you can hear a little noise in the background. Points of gear selection/refinement: 1.  Only you can decide what you need to carry. 2.  Start by making a literal list of needs you have encountered or could encounter.  This will always be changing and growing. 3.  Make your gear list shorter than your needs list.  You do not need a piece of gear for every need. 4.  Don't be afraid to modify things. 5.  "Steer clear of flashy gear" 6.  Mind how you will carry it. 7.  It's not what you have, it's how you use   A Quick Look at the New/Old Winnebago In case you were wondering, bumper music performed by Breaksea Caravel

I'm back in the truck today and shooting from the hip as I continue the series "The 10 Cycling Skills You Need To Overcome ANY Cycling Emergency".  I had some major internet availability problems this week, so even though I recorded this on Monday, it is just now making its way to your ears.  I guess that is the nature of podcasting from a rural area. Today we talk about Skill #2:  Bike Handling. Bike handling skills may be the most important of all the skills you need when riding.  Listen today to hear me spill the beans about why bike handling is important and how to get better at it.  

Today we continue with the series I started in Episode 9:  The 10 Skills You Need to Overcome ANY Cycling Emergency. Today we cover the first skill of the 10:  Navigation. Wikipedia defines navigation as: The process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another.[1] It is also the term of art used for the specialized knowledge used by navigators to perform navigation tasks. All navigational techniques involve locating the navigator's position compared to known locations or patterns--Wikipedia Navigation is one of the most important elements of moving from one place to another.  To navigate anywhere, you need to know Where you are, Where you are going, How you are going to get there. Today we discuss different types of maps that can be used while riding and how to use a Barmap or other holder to fix the map so that it can be used on the move. I also talk about some ways that navigation is different on a bike than it is on foot or in a car, especially during a survival situation in which you are using the bicycle as a tool for transportation.  We also talk about some important themes of navigating on a bicycle like terrain recognition, and how to think of navigation as a sort of running process in our minds.   Some stuff I mentioned: ITS Tactical The Survival Podcast Remember to sign up on our new email subscription form in the upper right.  Once subscribed, you will receive updates by email of any new episodes and announcements from Survival Cycling.    

It is spring, and I decided it was time to resurrect the podcast and start posting again after several cold Iowa months. Today I am going to begin a series about how to overcome any cycling emergency. Most of the principles we will cover can be transferred to every day use, but we will focus mainly on how these skills help you on the bike. The reason I am focusing on bicycle emergencies and the skills you need to overcome cycling emergencies is that whether are going to be using the bicycle as one of our preps, or as a general means of alternative transportation, or just in a SHTF scenario, it needs to be an efficient tool, and we need to learn how to be prepared for anything. Today we will cover the basic types of cycling emergencies: 1. Getting Lost 2. Mechanical Failiure 3. Exhaustion--Both mental and physical 4. Accidents--There are all kinds of things to run into. 5. Stupid People Every one of these threats we face on the road (or trail) can be a ride-ender, and keep us from making it to our final destination.

Three and a half weeks after my last post, the harvest is over and I'm back at it. Episode 8: Shelter Options There are many things to think about when we consider carrying shelter on a bike.  Most of us don't even think about it unless we are going on a long ride.  Today we will discuss a few options for shelters that can be carried easily on the bike and some pros and cons of each type.   1.  Tents 2. Bivy Sacks 3. The Ninja Shelter 4. Contractor Bags   References in today's Show: Survivology101.com The Sierra Designs Bivy that I use