Get a decent mountain bike?

I've got a great Trek mountain bike... It's abilities - and my abilities - do not equal this rig's over a fast, medium length haul.

With a loaded backpack and saddlebags (Roughly 90-110lbs total), on my bike I can cruise agreeable terrain at just 15-20kph. And i'm getting pretty gassed after 2 hour or 35kms. And if i need to sprint to escape a danger... I can't really go much faster.

An option like this could literally be the difference between life and death.

Neat. I'd have liked to see it in mud and leaves on hills, since it's billed as a hunting vehicle, but neat and nice for the purposes mentioned.

The QuietKat wins on weight and portability, but an option that might appeal for weight and terrain are the old Dazon Raiders (150 two-seater a favorite). The battery length isn't as long, but they're sit-in and still narrow enough for some woodland access, handle 300+ pounds of rider so they can hold a couple of spare batteries, the roof allows for slow trickle charging the waiting batteries during non-use, and they're fast and easy to drape and hide. Plus, a little easier to get game home than with a backpack or a trailer and they're usually <$1K. They were discontinued, but parts continue to be accessible - at least in the U.S., although you have to go online to find them.

I hadn't heard about the QuietKat. Thanks for posting it!

Either add a wheel or take one away, 3 doesn't seem right. Especially with the front wheel drive "big wheel" look

Either add a wheel or take one away, 3 doesn't seem right. Especially with the front wheel drive "big wheel" look

Zero stability with 2 wheels and adding the fourth causes you to lose too much efficiency. Or that's what omni magazine explained years ago on a piece about the fastest pedal bikes. 4 wheels with one drive wheel you lose 20%ish efficiency. 4 wheels with 2 drive wheels you lose 30%ish efficiency.

3 wheels isn't necessarily better, but it is more efficient. Important for a ride intended for this use I would imagine.

It looks great. I'm not sure about how it would ride on pavement over long distances, which mountain bikes can do. One other thing, the more features something has the more things on it there are to brake. One of the greater things about a mountain bike, is you can carry spare tubes, spare brake pads, and spare cables, lube, and a bit of chain for replacing along with a few tools in a frame bag, and that's all you need, to pretty much cross a continent. If you wanted you could carry two sets of tires, slicks for long road travels and treaded for off road.

Ya gotta wonder what you'd need to fix something with this.

It looks great. I'm not sure about how it would ride on pavement over long distances, which mountain bikes can do. One other thing, the more features something has the more things on it there are to brake. One of the greater things about a mountain bike, is you can carry spare tubes, spare brake pads, and spare cables, lube, and a bit of chain for replacing along with a few tools in a frame bag, and that's all you need, to pretty much cross a continent. If you wanted you could carry two sets of tires, slicks for long road travels and treaded for off road.

Ya gotta wonder what you'd need to fix something with this.

Ya, this is sort of what I thought. For something this complex you would need a complete other one for replacement parts. Its also too short. If it was designed for hunting, it should have cargo space on the back to actually carry a deer back home again. maybe a folding trailer. Cute though

It looks great. I'm not sure about how it would ride on pavement over long distances, which mountain bikes can do. One other thing, the more features something has the more things on it there are to brake. One of the greater things about a mountain bike, is you can carry spare tubes, spare brake pads, and spare cables, lube, and a bit of chain for replacing along with a few tools in a frame bag, and that's all you need, to pretty much cross a continent. If you wanted you could carry two sets of tires, slicks for long road travels and treaded for off road.

Ya gotta wonder what you'd need to fix something with this.

Ya, this is sort of what I thought. For something this complex you would need a complete other one for replacement parts. Its also too short. If it was designed for hunting, it should have cargo space on the back to actually carry a deer back home again. maybe a folding trailer. Cute though

Pretty much. Not to compound the reasons why this thing is a bad idea, but another thing is actually finding spare parts if something does break. How many bicycles and ultimately bike parts are there in Canada? Now how many of these things?

Maybe i've just experimented and tinkered more than others, but this does not strike me as a complicated machine in any way. It's mostly bicycle parts to begin with. Very easy to swap components out and find replacements.

Fuel cell and transmission (if it has one) problems would be the only things I couldn't fix in a jiffy. And for that reason, i'd like to see a redundancy installed such as the pedals most electric scooters still have. They suck to use, but keep you moving in a power/drive loss emergency.

I think you guys are looking at it as a main mode of transportation, and I definitely never put it forward as such and I wouldn't expect to be able to keep it operational for 100yrs like I may be able to with a bike. But for fast action, emergency evac, hauling a heavy load - at speed - in crowded environment... a bike doesn't even come close to matching the benefits.

Load up your bike with 500lbs (including rider) and tell me what your top speed is and how far you can maintain it.

Maybe i've just experimented and tinkered more than others, but this does not strike me as a complicated machine in any way. It's mostly bicycle parts to begin with. Very easy to swap components out and find replacements.

Fuel cell and transmission (if it has one) problems would be the only things I couldn't fix in a jiffy. And for that reason, i'd like to see a redundancy installed such as the pedals most electric scooters still have. They suck to use, but keep you moving in a power/drive loss emergency.

I think you guys are looking at it as a main mode of transportation, and I definitely never put it forward as such and I wouldn't expect to be able to keep it operational for 100yrs like I may be able to with a bike. But for fast action, emergency evac, hauling a heavy load - at speed - in crowded environment... a bike doesn't even come close to matching the benefits.

Load up your bike with 500lbs (including rider) and tell me what your top speed is and how far you can maintain it.

True that man. I don't know jack about mechanics it's just not in me. Man I have a hard enough learning how to put together a bike outta scrap so, as a poor mechanic, it is a defining factor to me.

Nah I don't think you can load up a bike with 500 pounds. The maximum I would put is four 40-litre panniers on the front or back tires, seat bag, handlebar bag, frame bag, rack some stuff on the front and rear racks, with a small backpack, and a trailer... so you can haul if you prepare properly, but probably not 500 pounds.

Don't get me wrong it's badass, and I'd love to have one. One thing that kinda pisses me off though is you never get the chance to actually hear the thing. All I hear is some voice over and some shitty metal. Emphasis on quiet, that's why it would be an immense step-up from a quad.

Well done though dude, thanks for bringing it to the forum. Sorry for being a dick. Please, if you find anything real original like this again, feel free to post it here. At the very least, it gets people to think critically. People have told me my ideas are shit before, made me regroup my concepts of what would work, now I'm the better prepper for it.

I don't have any issues with anyone's comments or feedback. They were all valid points and I don't dispute that validity. A few just seemed to address intended uses that i'd never really put forth.

For long term or long range, it wouldn't be my first choice. But for a fast evac transport to get to a BOV parked safely 30kms outside of town, or to a key cache of supplies... would I rather bike and take 2hours, walk and take 6hrs or use something like a quiet cat and get there in a 1/2 hour well rested and ready to tackle my next challenge?

As for hearing the machine, there's a few points in the vid where you can catch the sound. Essentially it's not "silent". It's as loud as a powerful RC car or one of those electric carts for the elderly. Which means you could definitely sneak around, or up on, humans. And likely get very close to most wild game before they knew the sound was any kind of danger.

How about a simple electric bicicle? Has pedals in case it runs low on power, good range, might need slightly kno bier tires but that's about it

It looks great. I'm not sure about how it would ride on pavement over long distances, which mountain bikes can do. One other thing, the more features something has the more things on it there are to brake. One of the greater things about a mountain bike, is you can carry spare tubes, spare brake pads, and spare cables, lube, and a bit of chain for replacing along with a few tools in a frame bag, and that's all you need, to pretty much cross a continent. If you wanted you could carry two sets of tires, slicks for long road travels and treaded for off road.

Ya gotta wonder what you'd need to fix something with this.

Ya, this is sort of what I thought. For something this complex you would need a complete other one for replacement parts. Its also too short. If it was designed for hunting, it should have cargo space on the back to actually carry a deer back home again. maybe a folding trailer. Cute though

I have to agree with C5 on this...a well thought out and set up mountain bike, with racks, panniers and trailer is the way to go. Easy to maintain, easy to find parts. Keep it simple. and make sure to get an old school steel frame. Easier to repair if broken or cracked.

One thing a lot of people are forgetting about is injury.. After a SHTF situation, cuts abrasions, and broken bones can be a game ender...As much fun as this rig might be.. Ill stick with my black Cadillacs...