Bicycles!

[Glflegolas]

When wandering around the former towns of Great Bear, I keep noticing that a very particular vehicle is missing.

No, it's not the hand cart.

No, it's not the wheelbarrow (though I wish that wheelbarrows would be usable...)

It's the bicycle, aka "The Ultimate Apocalypse Vehicle." It doesn't need fuel, is simple to repair and maintain, and is one heck of a lot faster than walking.

You might be thinking "but wait, it's too snowy in TLD! You can't ride a bike." Nope! Judging by all the grass poking though the snow, the fact that the player doesn't sink into the snow very far, and the many bare patches on the paved roads, I don't think that it's more than 5-10 cm deep across most of the island. 5-10cm of fluffy snow isn't unmanageable for a mountain bike, and with a fatbike, it's possible to ride on just about any surface. Given that TLD is set in winter, a fatbike would be most appropriate.

As for speed.... I think normal pedaling speed would be somewhere between normal walking and sprinting on level ground. Putting the pedal to the mettle (holding down left shift) would enable you to go very fast. In fact, at full speed, you'd be fast enough to escape even a charging wolf. Going up a hill, however, would cause a slowdown, and a hill that displays a "slope warning" would not be rideable. Going downhill, of course, your maximum speed would be restricted only by well you can control the bike.... but if the downhill gets too steep (slope warning displayed), the brakes will no longer be able to slow the bike.

If you crash, both you and the bike would take damage (your damage would be reduced by clothing), the exact amount depending on how fast you're going when you crash. Normal damage would be fixable using scrap metal and simple/quality tools. A ruined bike could only be fixed on the milling machine. And yes, if you crash at sufficiently high speed, blood loss, sprained ankles, sprained wrists, broken ribs, and even death are possible.

I'm not 100% sure what should happen if you get into a wolf struggle when riding. Does the wolf have a chance of attacking the bike instead of you, do you get immediately get thrown off and start a struggle, or will the struggle be an automatic loss for you when riding? Let me know below.

The fatbike could also be picked up as an item, but would weigh 15 kg, so carrying it around wouldn't be something you'd so on a regular basis unless you were moving regions.

Thoughts?

[Cranky]

Like binoculars, spear, sled and thermos, I think it (mountain bike) would make sense and fit in well with many aspects of the game.
 

However, use would be limited to paved or non mountainous areas. How would one get it thru the cave systems or up and down cliffs?  For instance I don’t see how it would be usable in mountain town, ash canyon, Timberwolf mountain, winding River, bleak Inlet or hushed river valley. Also forlorn musk might be a problem. 

[Glflegolas]

Let me think of the "bicycle-friendliness" of the game's regions...

Bicycle-friendly:

Coastal Highway and Pleasant Valley fit perfectly into this category. Lots of roads which are relatively flat, especially in Pleasant Valley. Mountain Town also has a long road running through the region, so much of it would be easy cycling. Crumbling Highway is also pretty good, as are Mystery Lake and Forlorn Muskeg; despite the lack of roads, both these regions aren't very hilly. Bleak Inlet is also generally flat, except for the area around Pensive Lookout, and has a road running along much of the coast.

Bicycling possible:

Desolation Point is fairly flat, but... it's really small. Is a bike really necessary to get around there? The mine leading to it also has limited headroom, so riding through it wouldn't work. Broken Railroad is also possible, but crossing the fallen tree bridge might prove problematic. It's also fairly small, limiting the need for a bicycle. It might be possible to ride through the transition cave into Hushed River Valley, but cycling options once there would be limited to northwestern part of the map.

Bicycling not worthwhile:

The Ravine is not really feasible for cycling, due to Raven Falls Railway Trestle and the log bridge that needs to be crossed. Winding River is virtually inaccessible. Timberwolf Mountain needs a long rope climb to get to and even once there, only the area around Crystal Lake could really be cycled properly. Ash Canyon would be cycleable at the lower elevations, but the rope bridges... hard nope from me.

[FreeSTONE]

On 8/4/2021 at 2:29 AM, Glflegolas said:

...though I wish that wheelbarrows would be usable...

Now that would be just great!

[Glflegolas]

On 8/9/2021 at 7:27 AM, FreeSTONE said:

Now that would be just great!

Especially for moving firewood over level ground. Or how about putting an entire deer into one and wheeling it home, so you can quarter it in safety?

[piddy3825]

Used to ride bikes in the snow all the time during the winter when I lived in Germany.  Wasn't so bad if you had big fat tires.  They actually have studded tires for bicycles too!  We used to go camping all the time in the Bavarian Alps.  Kinda looked like this...

Here's how the Lumberjacks in Canada do it, eh?

 

Edited August 11, 2021 by piddy3825
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[Stinky socks]

A bicycle! Now there's an idea! Very interesting! I can properly imagine myself pedaling away from a charging bear! Hehehe, shoot myself a stim straight to the heart and....

They won't catch us now!!

[peteloud]

Bicycle, silly idea.

[FreeSTONE]

8 hours ago, Glflegolas said:

...how about putting an entire deer into one and wheeling it home...?

Somehow, it would be also interesting if the deer would be alive... pulling it instead of the player. Canadian Santa Claus! Eh... almost.

[Leeanda]

1 hour ago, peteloud said:

Bicycle, silly idea.

Agreed!

 

6 hours ago, Stinky socks said:

A bicycle! Now there's an idea! Very interesting! I can properly imagine myself pedaling away from a charging bear! Hehehe, shoot myself a stim straight to the heart and....

They won't catch us now!!

You're mad😀

[Leeanda]

I ge the wheelbarrows might be useful, but for bikes I think I'll stick to Generation Zero!😀

[k0s0ff]

It seems to me that there is too little space to ride a bike.

[Stinky socks]

Well, there are only 5 animals and we have 4(projectile) weapons to fight them.

[Old Hermit]

a bycicle huh

i'd rather prefer a Back to the Future styled hoverboard

[KaryDF]

Yes! After days of playing I had the same thought. Whenever it's possible, there should definetly be a bike.

[FreeSTONE]

On 8/11/2021 at 10:02 AM, peteloud said:

Bicycle, silly idea.

Yeah, I believe the bicycle creators heard that very often 🙂

[FreeSTONE]

On 8/11/2021 at 8:44 PM, Stinky socks said:

Well, there are only 5 animals and we have 4(projectile) weapons to fight them.

You might have guns... but it is the bullets, that counts.

[Matt Lomax]

One of these puppies would do the trick. Runs on fish oil, lemme tell ya 😜

[Leeanda]

1 hour ago, Matt Lomax said:

One of these puppies would do the trick. Runs on fish oil, lemme tell ya 😜

That'd do me. Better get fishing then ,just in case.😀

[Matt Lomax]

15 minutes ago, Leeanda said:

That'd do me. Better get fishing then ,just in case.😀

Haha! I am up to 37kgs of fish/lantern oil. I, uh, rotate fishing spots and do an awful lot of it 🙈 I'll gladly mail you some by carrier crow 👍

 

Crow mail delivers ... Whatever the weather 🎉

[Leeanda]

40 minutes ago, Matt Lomax said:

Haha! I am up to 37kgs of fish/lantern oil. I, uh, rotate fishing spots and do an awful lot of it 🙈 I'll gladly mail you some by carrier crow 👍

 

Crow mail delivers ... Whatever the weather 🎉

Fairs fair ,I'll trade you for it! How about 200+ boxes of  cardboard matches in exchange?   If so you're on! 😀 

[Matt Lomax]

9 minutes ago, Leeanda said:

Fairs fair ,I'll trade you for it! How about 200+ boxes of  cardboard matches in exchange?   If so you're on! 😀 

Sounds like a bargain to me, matches aplenty like an arsonist's paradise 👍😄 I'll start tying the fuel cans to crows' legs 🙈🙊

[Leeanda]

1 minute ago, Matt Lomax said:

Sounds like a bargain to me, matches aplenty like an arsonist's paradise 👍😄 I'll start tying the fuel cans to crows' legs 🙈🙊

LoL!  Hope you have plenty of Crows then. 😀

[Matt Lomax]

1 hour ago, Leeanda said:

LoL!  Hope you have plenty of Crows then. 😀

🤣 More crows than you can shake 200 matchsticks at 💪😄

[Leeanda]

7 minutes ago, Matt Lomax said:

🤣 More crows than you can shake 200 matchsticks at 💪😄

Lol 😁 

Can I keep some? I need them for the feathers, cos  I keep losing my arrows!🙂