Military bike

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Ordnance wheels 05 of the Swiss Army
German cycling company in Latvia, early July 1941
Bersaglieri with folding bikes during the First World War
Modern folding mountain bike for skydivers

As military bikes are called bicycles by, armed forces are used to perform their duties. Bicycles are popular because, unlike horses or motorized vehicles, they enable almost silent movement. In addition, bicycles are more cost-effective than horses and motorized vehicles.

history

The first bicycles were introduced to the military at the end of the 19th century. As early as 1890, the Austro-Hungarian army was using the ÖWG / Steyr weapon wheel as standard (which was also manufactured as a civilian utility wheel from the beginning of the 20th century).

In Europe initially reporters , and later mainly cavalry and infantry units , and also special units such as the hunter troops , were equipped with bicycles and grouped together in so-called cycling troops . With this, too, cavalry and infantry grew together to form modern mobile infantry. The bicycle was used worldwide for cheap armament of troops, especially in East and Southeast Asia, where the bicycle became the main means of transport in general.

During the First World War , cycling troops reached their widest distribution. In the German Army, for example, 36 cyclist companies, a cavalry cyclist division, 10 reserve companies and 17 substitute troops were set up. The twelve Italian Bersaglieri bicycle battalions were already equipped with portable folding bicycles during the First World War . During the Second World War , a few British paratroopers were equipped with folding bikes. At the end of the Second World War, bicycles operated by the troops were used for military purposes due to increasing fuel shortages. The same applies, for example, to the use by the Viet Cong in the Vietnam War .

Various armies had military service bicycles until the end of the 20th century. Until 2003, the Swiss Army deployed three regiments of cyclists (Rdf Rgt).

technology

The technology of military bicycles shows differences to comparable civil models depending on the area of ​​application. Some developments in bicycle technology such as the cyclometer and the drum brake with resignation are said to be of military origin.

  • Troop bicycles are usually stable, low-profile safety bicycles with military markings and special mounts.
    • The Swiss Ordonnanzrad 05 was built from 1904 to 1993, from 1944 with drum brake , replaced by Fahrrad 93 with 7-speed gearshift.
    • Military bike (Sweden) The Swedish army bike was used by the Swedish military for over a century. Around seven models with technical innovations were used.
  • Detection bikes of older design were often normal road bikes (men's touring bikes) with the respective state of the art. Modern designs such as mountain bikes are preferred for new detector bicycles .
  • Folding bicycles were used by Italian Bersaglieri from 1912 . The Carriola (wheelbarrow) designed by Bianchi had a frame weight of 14 kg and suspension on the front and rear wheels to compensate for the rigidity of the solid rubber tires , but without a rear derailleur . Various folding bicycle designs that were used by paratroopers in World War II usually had small wheels. Modern constructions are based on mountain bikes and are designed as folding bikes (see picture).

In principle, tried and tested high-volume technology is used for military bicycles. Great emphasis is placed on stability, which is why these bikes are comparatively heavy.

literature

  • Laurent Mirouze: Infantrymen of the First World War. Verlag Karl-Heinz Dissberger, Düsseldorf 1990, ISBN 3-924753-28-8 .
  • Rolf Leiser u. a .: A hundred years of cycling troops, 1891–1991. Federal Office for Mechanized and Light Troops, Bern 1991.
  • Robert Gubler: Swiss military cyclists 1891–1993. Verlag NZZ, 1991, 309 pages, ISBN 3-85823-393-5
  • Ekström, Gert; Husberg, Ola (2001): Älskade cykel. 1st edition, Bokförlaget Prisma, ISBN 91-518-3906-7 .
  • Tony Hadland, John Pinkerton: It's in the bag! Birmingham 1996, ISBN 0-9507431-8-6 .
  • Gunnar Fehlau : The modular bike. Foldable bicycles . Edition Moby Dick. Delius Klasing, Bielefeld 1997, ISBN 3-89595-113-7 .

Web links

Commons : Military bicycles  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Piumetti e biciclette nella seconda Guerra Mondiale di Pietro Valpiani (Italian) accessed on March 1, 2019
  2. ^ I Bersaglieri Ciclisti (Italian) accessed on March 1, 2019