[ljf]

As stated above, the other advantage of a bike that's often forgotten is that they are far better than a hand cart or wheel barrow for transporting stuff. If it's flat or down hit you can ride a bike carrying a huge load. If it's up hill you can drop to a low gear or just push the bike. For a few years now I've taken a bike to Glastonbury Festival - even in mud and hilly terrain I can carry everything for the 5 days on one bike, pushing where I need to freewheeling where I can. And get to site much faster than friends walking, and carrying far more.

Similarly for years I would ride a BMX to the supermarket, then load up the handlebars with shopping bags and walk it home - no struggling with heavy bags, and no need for a car or even a bus (which still leaves you struggling from the stop to your house) - I can easily do a full weeks shop for 2 on a bike. Now I have a proper shopper with panniers and baskets - even easier - but handlebars are all you really need!

For a guy that travels all sorts of roads on what is pretty much a racer check out: http://ultralightcycling.blogspot.co.uk/

[kragen]

Another advantage is that you can run machine tools off a bike. The traditional Argentine knife sharpener rides a bicycle around town blowing a sort of multitonal whistle; when you take your knives downstairs to him, he puts down a stand that lifts his rear wheel off the ground, engages a belt with the rear wheel (which is modified to enable this), and drives his grinding wheel off the belt. This is a substantial advantage over the medieval method of having your apprentices whip the lathe and pull the whip.

Really, bicycles have a lot of advantages in any kind of material shortage. I've just been a bit down on them because of the amount of work they need.

[whatusername]

Are you factoring in the Chinese central-wheel carts?

http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2011/12/the-chinese-wheelbarr...

[ljf]

Indeed - a Chinese wheelbarrow looks to be even better for pushing, but you can't freewheel the wheelbarrow down a hill :)