Why didn't the Soviet, Japanese, and German armies not mass produce military bicycles for all their unmotorized infantrymen? This surely would have helped. I've never seen this addressed in any WW2 text.
The Japanese and Germans did (among others), bicycle troops being quite a popular concept in the pre-war period. The Germans nicked so many from Holland that it still crops up as a joke from time to time. The sound of japanese bicycles rattling into Singapore on their rims, having worn out their tyres on the march is mentioned by many that fought there. Military Bicycles Military Bikes Welcome to the Member's Vehicles Page - Bicycles Imperial War Museum Collections Online Database "Soldiers from 11th Armoured Division examine 'panzerfaust' anti-tank weapons fitted to a bicycle, 7 April 1945. The Germans were using bicycle-mounted tank-hunting units in this area. " A chap comes to Beltring with a German waffenrad fully kitted with panzerfaust storage, I've a picture somewhere. ~A
Thanks poop, I am aware of Bicycle units. But I was referring to equipping all unmotorized infantry with heavy duty bicycles. Imagine all German and Soviet rifle infantry regiments advancing on two wheels. Was rubber an issue?
Leave it to the Germans to use GIRL's bicycles...... like a buncha' damn Nancy-boys..... no wonder they lost..... .... hell, it was probably Goering's idea! -whatever -Lou
The Issue with Bicycles is that, like motorized vehicles, they need maintenance. Not to mention the lack of suitable roads in the majority of areas they would be traveling in. A popped tired her, a bent frame there and its more of a hassle then a use. Also extremely difficult (with era technologies) to build a good 'off-roading' bike, not to mention the lack of good tires. Plus, how does one transport all their gear and gun yet still be able to rapidly deploy? Its a cool idea, just doesn't work so well.
Rubber was a huge issue for much of the war, even the mighty US had problems maintaining the required supply. Not that that need necessarily militate against alternative materials, but have you ever ridden a 1930's or 40's pushbike? Let alone one without pneumatic tyres, or using some secondary material around the rims. Good for the calves they are, and if the terrain roughens up too much, forget it - the mountain bike's a pretty new device, agile machines being beyond the tech of a time when sticking a hinge in the frame was seen as pretty sophisticated. Bicycles might be good for the road-march to get troops to an objective when the campaign begins, or if you're guaranteed to be in an area with some road infrastructure, but must be an encumbrance when the fighting starts? There are pictures of Wehrmacht chaps entering the SU on two pedal-powered wheels... bet there aren't many of them riding out. I'd think that slogging on foot's a generally less limiting approach for the Infantry of the 20th century, military behaviour not necessarily involving roads. A bike's only going to have been a brief benefit in most campaigns for the march from railhead to battlefield. If things are going well there might/should be motorised transport for that, and if there is, where do the troops put their bikes... ~A
Interesting. I was wondering if there could be a "schnell bike" (heh) designed for off road transportation. These bikes, of course, would have a high loss rate but they would be treated as an expendable tool to get large numbers of unmotorized troops quickly towards to their objectives during encirclements and mop-up operations.
Indeed, the shout of "Can we have our bicycles back", still a favourite taunt of the Dutch soccer fans at international matches against Germany.
See It Never Snows in September page 234...photo is captioned 'Herbert Kessler's company had bicycled from Katwijk an Zee on the North Sea coast above Rotterdam to Oosterbeek'.
I really like some of the lateral thinking on these forums. I was just thinking, I guess I could carry more pack equipment without a bike than with it, unless I was using the bike as a trolley. Plus particularly on the German's most important Eastern Front, for much of the year they'd be abandoned due to poor roads and mud. I read for some parts of each year the only armoured vehicles which could retain any mobility were armoured cars, the thinking behind the excellent Puma. Sturmgeschutzen, Geschutzen, Panzer, all useless. Photographs of infantry knee deep in mud roads are telling. The Japanese however, I understand travelled comparatively lightly. One infantry man reported they considered themselves lucky if they had a ration of one bowl of rice a day at times. Many described foul dysentry and other medical ails. But at least I guess they didn't have a whole lot to carry on a bike. The Wehrmacht did use "light infantry" formations but weren't these mostly Luftwaffe and SS-polizei guard battalions? Plus like, Panzerdivisonen HQ guard.
there were AT units using bikes for the LW and Heer in Germany - 1945 whose roads were in pretty solid shape. note these old crates were actually pretty sturdy as proven to hold 2 Panzerfaust, pull an ad-hoc trailer even. used quite a bit at night moving to front line and then back. transportation was a key with the unavailability of fuel in latter war troops needed to be moved in the quickest means if possible
Every time I see German troops marching in 1941-1942, they seem to be traveling fairly lightly- Just breadbag, tent quarter,waterbottle,gasmask,spade,bayonet, bolt action rifle with ammunition pouches, and a box of MG ammunition. That's maybe 35 pounds of gear.
I just finished re-watching World at War (the box set), and on disk 2 when the Germans are advancing into the Soviet territory there were at least Company strength if not Battalion strength soldiers mounted on bicycles. There was even one shot of them walking their bikes across narrow foot bridges with a comarade helping them up the opposite bank. Just thought I should add that to this thread, the Germans did use bicycles, as did the Japanese in the Singapore campaign. Which was a total surprise to the British as to how "usefull" they were for transporting gear as well an the man.
I somehow had missed this link on the old "High Tech German Military" thread previously. LIGHT BICYCLE INFANTRY (LBI)
