Folding Bikes in case of an Emergency

The blues tune Born Under a Bad Sign written by William Bell and most memorably sung by Albert King says that “If it wasn’t for bad luck, I wouldn’t have no luck at all.” We sometimes feel that sentiment when things just don’t go our way. However, there are some people out there that have bad luck that more than rivals losing a job, or having their girl friend or boyfriend break up with them – their bad luck comes in the form of an environmental disaster when the bad luck means losing your home or losing a loved one to tragedy.

I don’t wish bad luck on anyone. I do, however, wish everyone preparedness for any disaster that comes their way. There are all kinds of websites that help with that. They tell you about where you should go to be safe if a tornado or hurricane is about to strike. They give you a list of the things you should stock up on like water. They advise you to have a battery backup for your phone and to make a list of important phone numbers. What I haven’t seen but believe should be part of any preparedness list is at least one folding bicycle.

A folding bike can be stored practically anywhere easily: in your closet, in the garage (against the wall or in the rafters), the trunk of your car, in a suitcase, you name it. They are great to have in case of an emergency, and might even be a life saver. One of our top sales months was just after Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana in 2005. There were fuel shortages in the south and people started buying folding bikes just in case they needed transportation. We sold out of several models. How frustrating it must have been to have a vehicle but no gas to run it. You are the fuel for a folding bicycle, so it is ready to go when you are.

A folding bike is light, so it can be carried easily if you have to wade through flood waters or be rescued by a canoe or row boat. A folding bicycle is small and rugged, so it can be transported by car/buss/boat/kayak/plane. Pretty much where you want to go, it will take you there.

Folding bikes are a great way to travel when there isn’t a disaster too. Some people carry them onto their commuter train and ride them the rest of the way to work. Others just ride them as their day to day bike. They know they have a “way out” if Mother Nature comes calling with a tornado, hurricane, fire, or other unexpected disaster.

Think about where you live and what might befall you if your luck changes and you start singing, “If it wasn’t for bad luck, I wouldn’t have no luck at all.”

It's always good luck to be ready for trouble. Check out our full line of Downtube folding bicycles.