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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: SAM E. STEPHENS on October 24, 2018, 11:49:04 PM

Title: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: SAM E. STEPHENS on October 24, 2018, 11:49:04 PM: Has been a subject on some other sites recently , anyone here use a bicycle for hunting. I did it many years ago but the places I hunt are covered in thorn trees and cactus , every single ride I got a flat. So it was very short lived ordeal to say the least. Buddy gave me his old mountain bike so I made another up for another try I put slime tubes and also added more slime to them and put liners in the tires. Been looking and saw where you can make the tires tubeless , or find solid tube-like deals to put in the tires. Also heard fill with a liquid that turns to solid foam , I just don’t think the slime tubes are going to work. Will be riding the bike for the next several days and report back. I really like the look and reasoning for one of the fat-tire bikes but have only rode one once. Really need to figure out the flat tire thing though....

,,,Sam,,,
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: SAM E. STEPHENS on October 24, 2018, 11:50:23 PM: (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181025/024a94cd5ec3acb3e24fde947b7f2574.jpg)

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Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: slatty on October 25, 2018, 12:49:29 AM: Hi Sam,
I'm into mountain biking and although I don't ride tubeless tires, they're all the rage. The friends I have that ride them get way less flats than I do, and when they do, they're fixed pretty easily. The main cost is that you need specific wheels and tires to go tubeless. Once you fork up for these and a little slime you're usually good.
I occasionally haul a trailer and hunt and camp with my old hardtail mountain bike. I like using the burley flatbed cargo trailer. There's lots of different ones out there but this one can handle 100lbs, is light, and isn't too expensive. I hate biking with a backpack, it really throws your weight off, nice to just strap your pack to a trailer.
Mike
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: Chuck Jones on October 25, 2018, 12:59:47 PM: Looking forward to the responses to this thread. I plan a 2-3 week hog hunt in Texas in Feb.-Mar. Because of a bad hip, I will bring an electric bike, so I can hunt from camp without resorting to the truck. I’ll mainly keep to the ranch roads, but am still concerned about thorns in the tires.
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: Whip on October 25, 2018, 01:16:24 PM: Go tubeless! I rode over 300 miles on my mountain bike in Arizona last year without a single flat. The sealant does need to be refreshed every six months or so, but it works! Can't tell you how many cactus thorns I pulled out but the sealant plugs it right up. I don't recall the name of the sealant I used, but your local bike shop should have a recommendation.
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: Archie on October 25, 2018, 01:35:38 PM: I have a fat tire bike that works great for getting out to the woods for hunting. As a fairly experienced life long mountain biker, I found that I prefer the fat tires over standard tires. I have also found that the cyclic sound of tires rolling over grass and some leaves does not spook game as much as footsteps. A few times, I've ridden right up on deer in the dark when turning around the corner of a cornfield.

I have a trailer but haven't used it for hunting. I use a backpack or my on-bike panneir bags.
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: Joeabowhunter on October 25, 2018, 08:12:37 PM: Stan's No Tubes sealant works great for tubeless but your rims also need to accommodate a tubeless setup. Stan's website will be a good resource for you.
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: SAM E. STEPHENS on October 26, 2018, 12:10:13 AM: Thanks guys...

,,Sam,,
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: David McLendon on October 26, 2018, 07:24:31 AM: I ride tubeless, you'll get fewer flats, carry a pump and plugs incase you do and you can be rolling again in minutes.
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: SAM E. STEPHENS on October 27, 2018, 12:52:32 AM: Watched a bunch of videos and am going to do a DIY tubeless ( cheap version) on my bike. Also going to buy a fat-tire bike and try it out...

Thanks for the help....

,,,Sam,,,
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: Broken Arrows on October 27, 2018, 08:00:44 AM: With my job we pump the liquid foam into industrial tires and have done some bike tires but I recommend not using the liquid foam because it is very heavy it has the same weight as water.
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: fujimo on October 27, 2018, 12:52:39 PM: when i was a kid, there were solid rubber " inner tubes" the were spongey and reasonably light, and didnt quite feel the same as air, but we were envious of those kids, as they never got flats.

i love the idea of a bike, no thorns up here, but one can cycle in, and if lucky, strap a deer to the frame, and just push the bike out, we have long distances to go up here.
will be following this thread.
those fat bikes are really awesome
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: kerry on October 28, 2018, 11:08:34 AM: Been considering tubeless myself, cotton stubble gets my tires each season at least once.
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: katman on October 28, 2018, 07:13:22 PM: Purchased an electric fat tire bike 2 years ago. First modification before heading to woods was add Mr. Tuffy liners, slime tubes and a rear rack.. Have not had a flat nor needed to add air. Now I can get to most places quietly and not break a sweat doing it. Love that bike.
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: YosemiteSam on October 29, 2018, 03:20:53 PM: My favorite late-season hunt (special drawing) requires a 7-mile trek. The first 4 miles are along a dirt road behind a locked gate. The last 3 miles are down a steep trail into a wilderness area. I've started to take those first 4 miles by bike. It's a slow climb just about the whole way -- lowest gears. A bike trailer lets me haul up a backpack & my bow. It takes me about 90 min to get to the wilderness trailhead and only about 20 minutes to get back. After climbing out of that canyon with a pack, the speed of the bike down that dirt road feels so fun.

I've yet to take a deer out of that canyon but have gotten pretty darned close. By the time I make it out, I'm usually grateful that I'm not also hauling out a deer as it's no mere stroll in the woods. That tag allows for the use of muzzleloaders as well so if I get drawn again next year, I'll likely take my percussion rifle and see how it feels to hike the trail twice and see how the trailer & brakes hold up to the heavier load.
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: TexasTrad on October 29, 2018, 11:19:13 PM: I am having trouble posting a pic but I have been using an electric bike to get to my stands. I fixed up a rack to carry my bow and am able to get pretty close without making a lot of racket. I have the fat tires and flats were really a problem at first because we have a lot of thorns. I put the green slime in the tires and it helped a lot but I am interested in the tubeless approach.

With the fat tires, it helps a lot to get fenders because otherwise, you will get muddy and wet when it rains.

I think I figured out the picture deal. Here is my bike — it is a RAD Power Bike and I have been very happy with it. The bow rack is a custom job that I made out of the shooting rail that comes with the ladder stands that I use. 😀
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: mooseman76 on October 30, 2018, 07:56:31 PM: Check out a company called Cogburn outdoors (I’m pretty sure that’s what it’s called). They have a camo Fat bike and sell a bow/gun rack to be mounted to the back of a bike. They used to make all sorts of bags, racks, etc... Not sure how much of that stuff they still make. If I were going for a new fatbike now I’d look at the Surly Ice Cream Truck, Wednesday or Pugsley. All awesome bikes, but I’m partial to Surly. I currently have 2.
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: mooseman76 on October 30, 2018, 08:00:16 PM: Well, just looked at cogburn’s website and looks like they went out of business. I’d bet you could still find those racks though with little trouble.
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: Archie on October 30, 2018, 08:47:07 PM: I ride a Felt DD30, it's a mid range fat bike and I love it. I used to use a standard mt bike for getting into my hunting area, and since it was wide open the whole way there, I got some ATV gun rack mounts and put them on my handlebars, and carried my bow in them, sitting like a wide set of antlers.. I probably looked like a big weird moose from a ways off. They were rubber so they didn't scratch the bow. Don't use them now... I attach the bow to my pack, or sometimes carry it off the end of the handlebar, hanging on my hand from around where the nock point is on the string.
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: toddster on October 31, 2018, 09:58:30 AM: Been starting my research for a bike too. Since waiting my knee surgery, in need of one. Thinking a Fat tire bike.
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: Sam McMichael on October 31, 2018, 12:18:57 PM: It seems that cycling to hunting area would tend to make a hunter very sweaty and stinky. Is that an actual issue?
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: Chuck Jones on October 31, 2018, 12:30:23 PM: Cycling doesn’t have to be any more physical than walking. I can use a lower gear and easily go up the hills. The electric bicycle makes a big difference also. The motor assist on mine smooths out the hills and gets me there quickly and with little pain.
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: YosemiteSam on October 31, 2018, 12:53:55 PM: Quote from: Sam McMichael on October 31, 2018, 12:18:57 PM
It seems that cycling to hunting area would tend to make a hunter very sweaty and stinky. Is that an actual issue?

Like hiking, it depends on the terrain. For me, I get sweaty and stinky just hiking in to some places and cycling isn't any different. Anytime my objective is to cover ground, I work up a good sweat. But since my bike use is typically for a multi-day trip, I usually have my hunting clothes in the trailer with my pack and my bow. Once I get off the bike, I give myself a quick dusting with some "dry bath" powder I make and put on a fresh set of clothes.
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: Mark Normand on October 31, 2018, 01:05:31 PM: some years back, along with the bike, I made a simple trailer out of a used wheelchair frame with big plastic wheels/tires. I just kept the axle assembly, tires, cut everything away, and added lightweight EMT hoop, that attached easily with rope to seat post. Carried a LoneWolf lockon stand, 3 sticks, backpack, etc, and rolled very easily on those big tubeless wheels. They were removable with a pushbutton, and the whole thing packed flat.

I just found the picture, hopefully this works. Maybe it will give ideas for someone in need of trailer with flat proof tires.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-aK_umNn3BCA/TIaBKQ-McMI/AAAAAAAACVw/XM9ssgIwEns/s912/018_18.JPG

there was another good long thread on bikes here:
http://www.tradgang.com/tgsmf/index.php?topic=47219.0
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: tippit on October 31, 2018, 02:06:13 PM: Once you have your bike, you need to figure how you want to carry your bow so it doesn't get caught in the brush. I use a Montana Scabbard that attaches to the side of my rear wheel. Here it is with my bowbolt Pika. I would keep it in a cloth sock along with a bow quiver..tippit

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Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: Terry Green on November 01, 2018, 10:26:18 AM: This is a cool thread...we have a feature now with this new platform to 'merge' topics'...one this thread 'settles'...I'm going to merge it as there are some new innovations since I put my bike together. My daughter wanted my for college, so I've been bikeless for 3 years...but want to put another one together a FAT tired new one.....

Good Stuff right here!!
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: TexasTrad on November 01, 2018, 10:58:24 AM: Quote from: Terry Green on November 01, 2018, 10:26:18 AM
This is a cool thread...we have a feature now with this new platform to 'merge' topics'...one this thread 'settles'...I'm going to merge it as there are some new innovations since I put my bike together. My daughter wanted my for college, so I've been bikeless for 3 years...but want to put another one together a FAT tired new one.....

Good Stuff right here!!

I amended my post above to include a pic of my bike. You should check out RAD power Bikes. They ship direct to your door and cut out the middleman so the bikes are roughly half the price of some of the competition. They are rugged and I have been really happy after I figured out how to reduce the number of flats.
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: dirtguy on November 01, 2018, 11:11:58 AM: I love my mountain bike, but I just cant figure out how to shoot around the handle bars!
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: Horne Shooter on November 01, 2018, 11:20:25 AM: Hey Sam,

Looking forward to you helping me rig mine up! :bigsmyl:

Paul
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: SAM E. STEPHENS on November 01, 2018, 05:45:48 PM: (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181101/c9e6fa80883bb06b3e9c4400ceb32323.jpg)

(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181101/132006109c155b2dcb03c80207cee273.jpg)

(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181101/1d4e9612eb3155fb03566a7039953b80.jpg)

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Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: Homebru on November 01, 2018, 09:09:54 PM: If the money's not a problem and your trail is wide enough......
homebru
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Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: SAM E. STEPHENS on November 01, 2018, 11:04:08 PM: That is pretty sweet , my funds are very limited so if someone wants to donate one of those three wheelers I will make it into a sweet hunting rig. Ha....

,,,Sam,,,,
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: katman on November 02, 2018, 05:52:24 AM: Least expensive good electric fat bike I found when looking 2 years ago is the Sondors X. No complaints with it.

Here is the strap I use to carry bow on my back while riding, Easy on/off and light. Bow can be snugged close to body for the narrower trail.

http://www.bowtote.com/
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: bswear on November 02, 2018, 10:31:15 PM: Wonder if electric assist is legal in national park hunting areas?
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: SAM E. STEPHENS on November 06, 2018, 12:49:46 AM: With a motor on the bike it won’t be legal in areas that are walk only as far as I know...

,,Sam,,
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: bswear on November 06, 2018, 09:47:42 PM: I expect that the regular old pedal power would be best for getting into most public areas vs the electric. Probably a lot better for fitness also. I have not found a perfect way to carry a bow but when I do I will order a fat bike.
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: SAM E. STEPHENS on November 09, 2018, 06:11:21 PM: Liking the bike....

(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181109/441c52e9461e0341c130e9fe55f888e3.jpg)

(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181109/77f9bb9b649e89b416db0bb85f330048.jpg)

(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181109/e8cf5ee07eb3a979b7f75a01562d5a48.jpg)

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Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: Possum Head on November 09, 2018, 10:11:51 PM: I bought a small rear rack and added a slightly larger piece of plywood to it to strap my bow to. My stand, 16lbs, goes on my back. Works well for losing public land folks that only venture a few hundred yards off the main roads. As mentioned by others the motors are prohibited and I reckon that’s a good thing. Here’s a pic of WMA regs.

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Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: hickstick on November 25, 2019, 10:07:23 AM: well, I just found a new 'post season project' for 2020 :)
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: BAK on November 25, 2019, 01:26:26 PM: Where I live half the time the mud is just like grease and inches deep. Been that way all summer this year. Don't know how you could bike in such.
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: Overspined on November 25, 2019, 06:07:51 PM: An e-fat bike would be awesome...I’ve used my front shock mountain bike for a long time hunting. I wore my backcountry pack loaded last year, not the easiest but doable, full 68” longbow sticking diagonally across my pack...usually I use a take down. If the trails allow it difficulty wise, it’s my preferred method of travel. I rode single track for a long time so I’m experienced at mountain biking though, it won’t be up everyone’s alley, especially with a pack.
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: beemann on November 25, 2019, 08:08:24 PM: I have had this for awhile. The company Cogburn closed up not long ago. The biggest improvement is in the Fat tires. Both Trek and Specialized have Aluminum frame Fat Bikes for 1500 bucks. The other biggy is the trend today in going to the single front chain ring. Makes shifting much easier. Of course the electric assist is the next option. I have no experience with them but Im keeping my eyes open. Thats in the future...
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: beemann on November 25, 2019, 08:09:34 PM: [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: JDunlap on November 25, 2019, 09:43:39 PM: My question: how do you get a bigger animal out, on a bike, unless you quarter it up?
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: Wild Bill MCP 808 on November 26, 2019, 04:41:22 PM: Electric bikes are becoming Big Business as for hunting most Federal and State lands these bikes are illegal. My understanding is there are three classes of bikes I II III. I know class 1 bikes 750 watts and under are being considered in PA no ruling from the Commission that I have heard of yet. Federal law and State laws seem to conflict with each other. Much more research and clarity needs to be done. It is all too confusing for most right now. E bike riders are unaware they are breaking the law.
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: GCook on November 27, 2019, 11:03:45 AM: Quote from: JDunlap on November 25, 2019, 09:43:39 PM
My question: how do you get a bigger animal out, on a bike, unless you quarter it up?
They sell little two wheel carts that attach to the bike.

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Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: Overspined on November 28, 2019, 12:49:48 AM: Quote from: JDunlap on November 25, 2019, 09:43:39 PM
My question: how do you get a bigger animal out, on a bike, unless you quarter it up?

Same way walking...in pieces you feel confident biking with. Or a trailer..whatever works
Title: Re: Bicycle for hunting.....
Post by: KAZ on November 28, 2019, 06:58:36 AM: Here’s a pic from a previous thread of mine. It shows my setup pretty well. The trailer/cart folds up & is light weight. Simple quick pin attach to bike or use as hand cart...

(http://i.imgur.com/gDxWHJ6.jpg)