Propane on a bike

02-07-2007, 04:03 AM

So I'm sitting in a car getting gas early last Saturday on our way
from NYC to Washington, and I see a bike ride into the station and
stop at the convenience store. The bike has some sort of platform
grafted onto the back filled with various things, one of which is a
propane can.

I think it was propane. It's one of those tanks for the gas barbeque.
And I'm thinking that perhaps it isn't the best of ideas to ride
around with a tank of gas on the back of your bike. On the other hand,
if someone plows into him, they do get what they deserve.

Maybe riding around with an empty tank on the back of the bike will
ward off folks passing too closely?

02-07-2007, 06:22 AM

On Feb 7, 8:03 am, dgk <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
> I think it was propane. It's one of those tanks for the gas barbeque.
> And I'm thinking that perhaps it isn't the best of ideas to ride
> around with a tank of gas on the back of your bike. On the other hand,
> if someone plows into him, they do get what they deserve.

How else do I refill my tank? I can't take it in a taxi (even a
propane fueled one) or on a city bus, and it's about 5 km to the
nearest refilling place now.

Maybe I should just get a natural gas bbq.

02-07-2007, 07:36 AM

"dgk" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]...
> So I'm sitting in a car getting gas early last Saturday on our way
> from NYC to Washington, and I see a bike ride into the station and
> stop at the convenience store. The bike has some sort of platform
> grafted onto the back filled with various things, one of which is a
> propane can.
>
> I think it was propane. It's one of those tanks for the gas barbeque.
> And I'm thinking that perhaps it isn't the best of ideas to ride
> around with a tank of gas on the back of your bike. On the other hand,
> if someone plows into him, they do get what they deserve.
>
> Maybe riding around with an empty tank on the back of the bike will
> ward off folks passing too closely?

I do this all the time. Got a newsflash for you. That Propane Tank can
take a harder hit and still keep on ticking than you or your bike can. If
you get nailed hard enough to explode the tank you won't be around anyway
due to the instant death from the impact. Okay, you will be poast toasties
as well but I don't think you will mind after that.

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02-07-2007, 10:08 AM

On Feb 7, 7:03 am, dgk <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
<deleted>
> I think it was propane. It's one of those tanks for the gas barbeque.
> And I'm thinking that perhaps it isn't the best of ideas to ride
> around with a tank of gas on the back of your bike. On the other hand,
> if someone plows into him, they do get what they deserve.
<deleted>

Unless it is welded onto the rack, it will probably be ejected and
land away from the bicycle and car. Unlikely to be penetrated, and if
it is, it is not in an enclosed area where it could mix with air to an
explosive concentration.

02-07-2007, 10:55 AM

On 7 Feb 2007 07:22:36 -0800, "Brian Huntley"
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

>On Feb 7, 8:03 am, dgk <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
>> I think it was propane. It's one of those tanks for the gas barbeque.
>> And I'm thinking that perhaps it isn't the best of ideas to ride
>> around with a tank of gas on the back of your bike. On the other hand,
>> if someone plows into him, they do get what they deserve.
>
>How else do I refill my tank? I can't take it in a taxi (even a
>propane fueled one) or on a city bus, and it's about 5 km to the
>nearest refilling place now.
>
>Maybe I should just get a natural gas bbq.

Ah, that's what I get from living in the big city with a car. Thank
you for setting me straight. It still looks weird but I can't see
another way to do it.

02-07-2007, 11:14 AM

Mike A Schwab wrote:
> Unless it is welded onto the rack, it will probably be ejected and
> land away from the bicycle and car. Unlikely to be penetrated, and if
> it is, it is not in an enclosed area where it could mix with air to an
> explosive concentration.

LP Gas (usually a mix of propane and butane) does not need to be in an
enclosed space to reach explosive concentrations. Since it is heavier
than air, it can settle into a gully, ditch, storm drain, etc. and
wait for an opportunity to react. =8-O

OTOH, it would have to be dead calm - a light breeze would probably be
ebough to dissipate it.

Austin

02-07-2007, 12:10 PM

On 7 Feb 2007 12:14:53 -0800, "AustinMN" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>
wrote:

>Mike A Schwab wrote:
>> Unless it is welded onto the rack, it will probably be ejected and
>> land away from the bicycle and car. Unlikely to be penetrated, and if
>> it is, it is not in an enclosed area where it could mix with air to an
>> explosive concentration.
>
>LP Gas (usually a mix of propane and butane) does not need to be in an
>enclosed space to reach explosive concentrations. Since it is heavier
>than air, it can settle into a gully, ditch, storm drain, etc. and
>wait for an opportunity to react. =8-O
>
>OTOH, it would have to be dead calm - a light breeze would probably be
>ebough to dissipate it.
>
>Austin

I store my extra tank under my deck. I guess it's fairly safe there
since even if it leaks it's open on all sides. I do get nervous when I
have to take it for a replacement. They don't refill them in NY, you
exchange your tank for another one. Everyone hates giving up their
nice new tank for an older one.

02-07-2007, 02:28 PM

Let's take an epidemiological approach. How many examples are there of fuel
tanks exploding due to an impact? Can't remember any? QED.

02-07-2007, 03:15 PM

In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>,
dgk <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> writes:
> So I'm sitting in a car getting gas early last Saturday on our way
> from NYC to Washington, and I see a bike ride into the station and
> stop at the convenience store. The bike has some sort of platform
> grafted onto the back filled with various things, one of which is a
> propane can.

Maybe it was an XtraCycle rig?
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

02-07-2007, 05:10 PM

Daryl Hunt wrote:
> "dgk" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
> news:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]...
>> So I'm sitting in a car getting gas early last Saturday on our way
>> from NYC to Washington, and I see a bike ride into the station and
>> stop at the convenience store. The bike has some sort of platform
>> grafted onto the back filled with various things, one of which is a
>> propane can.
>>
> I do this all the time. Got a newsflash for you. That Propane Tank
> can take a harder hit and still keep on ticking than you or your bike
> can. If you get nailed hard enough to explode the tank you won't be
> around anyway due to the instant death from the impact. Okay, you
> will be poast toasties as well but I don't think you will mind after
> that.
When I was in India last December, I saw bicyclists carrying cans of fuel
all the time. Daryl's most likely right.