Am I an idiot to use an 8" bike?

[kin]

So a long time ago sharper image came out with a micro A-frame bike. They're kind of stupid if you're going any distance (basically good for basic longboard distances.) But they're also gloriously small.

Anyway the glorious sharper image is out of business but I found a clone on ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/8-Inch-Folding- ... fresh=true


I'm new to the playa this year and trying to figure out if it's a super dumb idea to bring this bike, or if it would actually be fine because i'm just biking here and there for 2-6 minutes at a time.

My group is also going to have a 20" bike with bike trailer, so we'll be actually transporting extra things with that.


Thanks for feedback.

[LowePro]

Fun, but bad idea. The wheels are too small. The playa is dusty and rutted, with bumps and potholes, soft spots and sometimes deep drifts of powder. You'll need bigger wheels to roll effectively. If you must have a small bike, get at least 20" wheels. Even then it gets old. I rode a 20" bmx for 2 burns and finally got over it, and upgraded to a larger bike.

[kin]

Eyo, I think I needed to hear that from someone, which is a bit needy of me. But I was starting to dream about flat-lands and smooth biking, but yeah that probably isn't realistic.

Thanks.

If anyone has managed with 8", or 12", or 16" wheels, i'm curious how they felt about it.

[Captain Goddammit]

It's a bad idea!
And you won't be biking for two minutes at a time. There are things to see and places that go that are pretty damn far across the playa. Sometimes it's smooth and hard. Sometimes it's soft and silty and you'll end up carrying that thing.

[Drawingablank]

There are patches of loose dust out there that that thing would sink right to the hubs or even deeper in.

You will likely be spending a lot of time on your bike, so do yourself a favor and bring one with wide tires and a comfy seat.

[Lonesomebri]

First burn I brought out a tricked commuter folding bike with 16 wheels. Walked it more than I rode it. Eventually just went out looking for community bikes to use, until I spotted my first green bike carrying a shirt-cocker. But sometimes riding a bike might be less about transportation and more about entertaining others and performance art... Carry the little guy roped to your back, pull it out when the occasion arrives...

Why settle on being an idiot when you can aspire to be an artist?

[Jackass]

It is a carnival theme this year... If you could don a clown suit and ride with no hands while making balloon animals, I say do it!

[Ratty]

My camp puts foam and fur bike seat covers. We spot people walking their bike or standing on the pedals. don't bring a 20 inch bike. You won't like it. Recently on Elliot's bike thread he showed the proper height of a bike seat. You can't get comfortable on a 20 inch bike if you are over 5 feet tall. Then again, Jackass is onto something. Use that little tiny one on the bike ramps and it would be a blast. Do some kind of performance on it. I would love to see it.

[kin]

I love you all.

Thanks for the comments and feedback. Will work on some major projects first (food, shelter, etc), then see if this expands at all. I'm suddenly dreaming of a caterpillar bike with 8" wheels, and other variants.

Got both practical advice and creative juices. sweet.

[Dr. Pyro]

If you have to ask the question, you already know the answer. Moron.

[Captain Goddammit]

You're still dreaming of 8" wheels on anything on the playa, you're still not thinking clearly!!

[Lonesomebri]

You're still dreaming of 8" wheels on anything on the playa, you're still not thinking clearly!!

A bike that small could probably be rode around on the deck of a small boat.....

[Captain Goddammit]

Don't be silly. It's a DRY lake bed. There's no boats.

[lucky420]

You will go nowhere fast

[trilobyte]

The smaller the wheels, the more work you'll have to do. Also, you'll be biking for a lot more than 2-6 minutes at a time. On a normal bike with normal tires (able to traverse soft spots and dunes), it'd take you 15 minutes to pedal from one side of the city to the other. That's in a direct line across the open playa. Going around the dial would of course take considerably more time.

[Meat Hunter]

It really is a very large city - 2.5 miles from the airport to the Temple.

If I could get 36" rims and tires on my trike, I would do it in a heart beat. I predict that with 8" wheels that you will ride it for 15 minutes and walk back carrying it to your camp in 5 minutes and the little vehicle will languish gathering dust behind your camp until you are ready to head back home.

[FIGJAM]

Lone it out for ice runs!!!

[Lonesomebri]

[media]

[chuckularone]

Going around the dial would of course take an infinite amount of time.

Fixed it for you.