On a Bicycle Built For....War

Haegg · Post by **Haegg** » 15 Jan 2003 08:14

Caldric wrote:I wonder how much more ground they could make in a day compared to regular marching infantry.

During the forties the Swedish army estimated that a marching unit would keep a speed of appr. 4 km/h while a bicycle unit would keep a speed of appr. 12 km/h.

I have to agree with Harri that the distance a bicycle unit can cover per day is at least two to three times that of an marching unit. To ride a bike is not only faster, it does not wear so much on the body as marching does. Well the rear side can be pretty sore I admit that, but it's a minor problem compared to sore feets caused by marching for the ability to keep moving

sylvieK4 · Post by **sylvieK4** » 17 Jan 2003 17:49

From: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... egory=4078

sylvieK4 · Post by **sylvieK4** » 22 Jan 2003 15:57

How much equipment could a bicycle trooper carry? Did they ever carry heavy machine guns, mortars and things such as this?

What did the average bicycle soldier carry with him? Was it more or less than what a foot soldier had? (For example, did the bicycle trooper carry more grenades, different weapons, etc. than an ordinary infantryman?)

Did the bicycle soldier usually carry more food rations with him (since he might out-pace field kitchens traveling with the foot troops)?

From: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... egory=4078

Stuka · Post by **Stuka** » 18 Feb 2003 09:01

I have read from John Torland's <<Pacific war>> that mentioned that during the campaign in southeast asia, the Japanese infantrymen got rid of the rubber tyes from the bicycles @_@

, then the British soldiers
regarded the noises as the roar of tanks' tracks, so that they put off their weapons to retreat......

Dennis Redler · Post by **Dennis Redler** » 20 Feb 2003 23:56

Here's something from my action figure collection.
Dennis

Matthew · Post by **Matthew** » 21 Feb 2003 12:45

I don't know if anyone has posted this picture before, but it is the only color one I have ever seen of German soldiers with bicycles.

Radfahr-Schwadron · Post by **Radfahr-Schwadron** » 08 Jan 2006 17:19

Timo wrote:The Leibstandarte and Das Reich both entered the Ardennes with several platoons on bicycles per order from OKH with the intention to save fuel. Also Muncheberg had a complete Panzergrenadier-Regiment on bicycles

Hitler ordered on 02.11.1944 that a Division with six Panzergrenadierbataillonen should have two complete Batallionen on bicycles. A KstN was made following this order.

(BA-MA WF 03-4693, Tätigkeitsbericht des Gen.d.Pz.Tr. West, Anlage 145)

TIMO,

I am unfamiliar with this source. Can you please provide the whole source for this? I am unfamiliar with the abbreviations. I would like to read more about the Leibstandarte and Das Reich into the Ardennes on Bicycles. Thank you if you can provide me with any information.

Richard

Andreas · Post by **Andreas** » 08 Jan 2006 18:45

OKH - Oberkommando des Heeres (German Armz High Command)

KStn - Kriegsstärkenachweisung (TO/E - see also http://chrito.users1.50megs.com/kstn/kstninfo.htm )

BA-MA - Bundesarchiv-Militärarchiv (German federal military archives)

Gen. d. Pz.trp. - General of Armoured Troops (in this case presumably the inspector of armoured troops for the west).

All the best

Andreas

Christoph Awender · Post by **Christoph Awender** » 08 Jan 2006 18:47

TIMO,

I am unfamiliar with this source. Can you please provide the whole source for this? I am unfamiliar with the abbreviations. I would like to read more about the Leibstandarte and Das Reich into the Ardennes on Bicycles. Thank you if you can provide me with any information.

Richard

The BAMA is the Bundesarchiv Militärarchiv in Germany which holds the surviving original documents of the german military forces.

http://www.bundesarchiv.de

\Christoph

Larrister · Post by **Larrister** » 09 Jan 2006 11:45

Some bicycle photos.

Larrister · Post by **Larrister** » 09 Jan 2006 11:51

Larrister · Post by **Larrister** » 09 Jan 2006 11:52

Larrister · Post by **Larrister** » 09 Jan 2006 11:54

Reader3000 · Post by **Reader3000** » 09 Jan 2006 18:11

Nice photos. They took it with pride. 8) The Swiss nowadays has still bicycles in some of their units.

Dubar1 · Post by **Dubar1** » 22 Jan 2006 13:02

Did anyone notice the "female" bicycle in Larrister's next to last picture??? It's the last bike on the right.

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On a Bicycle Built For....War

Bicycle built for war