Mountain biking and CC?

[SigM4]

So I've gotten back into riding my bike a lot, and I'm starting to ride through areas that are either remote, lightly travelled, or both. I've been contemplating a very small pistol to take with me on my rides, but how would I go about carrying it?

I know how I'd carry it now if I was to now, but I wanted to hear other's thoughts or successes with different means of carrying. So how about it guys, what has and hasn't worked for you?

[ScubaSigGuy]

I plan on carrying something small like a P3AT.

I haven't carried while riding yet, but I think I have a plan for it. When mountain biking I always wear a CamelBak and that has a zippered compartment so I will stow it there. Not exactly fast access, but better than zero access at all. Because of the liklihood of a fall I doubt that I will chamber a round however.

The option that I have for my road bike might work better for you. They sell small triangular bags that velcro to the down tube and cross tube for carry of tire repair / replacement equipment. It is about the same size that comes with a Keltec.
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[pbandjelly]

The first thing I thought of was ScubaSteve and his CamelBack.
your nickname is ScubaSteve, btw.

anyway, I'd like to roll with a shoulder holster, buuuuuuuuut that might be a little conspicuous.

bellyband, maybe? where's that guy that always touts the ThunderWear, or whatever it's called. might be a nother good option.

[ScubaSigGuy]

The first thing I thought of was ScubaSteve and his CamelBack.
your nickname is ScubaSteve, btw.

anyway, I'd like to roll with a shoulder holster, buuuuuuuuut that might be a little conspicuous.

bellyband, maybe? where's that guy that always touts the ThunderWear, or whatever it's called. might be a nother good option.

[Kalrog]

Do you wear the "baggy" mountain bike shorts or the "tight" road bike shorts? If the latter, then you really have to do it with something like the camelbak. If the former, then you have pocket carry as an option - especially if you have some sort of a zippered pocket that won't accidentally open.

[fm2]

I remember seeing a photo of a cyclist, that had been run off the road numerous time. He had an AR-15 mounted to the top tube.

[ScubaSigGuy]

Do you wear the "baggy" mountain bike shorts or the "tight" road bike shorts? If the latter, then you really have to do it with something like the camelbak. If the former, then you have pocket carry as an option - especially if you have some sort of a zippered pocket that won't accidentally open.

Perspiration could become a serious issue if carrying on person. When you cycle in the Texas heat you get soaked.

[RubenZ]

I Bike a lot as well and I have a pair of Biking Shorts. They are the baggy ones by FOX Racing. Very comfortable, they have the Padded Tights sown into the inside but on the outside they look like regular shorts.

Here is a link:

http://shop.foxracing.com/ecomm/AutoFor ... enuLevel=0

There are some with Pockets there that will easily conceal a small Semi-Auto.

[fenster]

I had the same question. with almost any on-body solution I think you'd be in for serious pain if you crash and land on it. another downer previously mentioned is sweat on the firearm... and I sweat alot.

then I came across this while google searching:
http://www.copquest.com/57-3800.htm

I think that would about do the trick. I'm already wearing a camelbak anyway. I think a guy on glocktalk.com had a brief write-up about it. basically he liked it except that to present the weapon you have to pull a flap secured by a large strip of velcro. not too stealthy.

camelbak also makes a waist pack with similar function:
http://www.copquest.com/57-3820.htm

this one was well-liked by its users as well. I'm pretty sure I'll be getting one of the two. just havent decided which.

[Abraham]

I cycle every other day.

I carry my Glock in a zippered, leather fanny pack designed for a pistol. I keep it on a visible belt behind me so that motorists coming up behind me can see and I can quickly slid it around if I need to. I can't remember for the life of me who makes it, but it's a Texas mfg. It also holds a spare mag in an outside pocket.

I also carry a 4 oz. can of OC spray.

Before I started carrying my pistol, I would have the occasional motorist honk at me or do other distracting behaviors while I pedaled along. ( I do my utmost to stay way on the shoulder or edge of the road, I'm not one of those annoying, in the traffic way types on a bicycle)

No one can tell what's in my fanny pack, but somehow motorists must intuit whats in it as I never have anyone come up behind me and honk or act threatening in any way.

I've now been carrying it with me while I cycle for somewhere in the neighborhood of four years.

Great peace of mind.

[NcongruNt]

I remember seeing a photo of a cyclist, that had been run off the road numerous time. He had an AR-15 mounted to the top tube.

Any serious cyclist has been run off the road numerous times. During a period of 8 years (1994-2002)when I cycled just about daily, I was struck by motor vehicles no less than 6 times - two of which were hit and runs including an intentional hit. I have a slightly offset jaw and roadrash/gash scars to prove it. Every one of my knuckles is scarred from striking the pavement immediately after being hit by a car. I never kept track of the countless number of times people tried to run me off the road in one fashion or another.

Riding daily in traffic with a CHL would be a true exercise in restraint and good judgment.

People act haphazardly with large deadly weapons (cars), intentionally using threat of deadly force (running you off the road under threat of running you over) just for kicks. Even though this occurs almost daily to a cyclist, I doubt a jury would find it reasonable to use deadly force in return with a handgun unless the attack was prolonged or somehow premeditated. Though you have every legal right to use the roads (excluding freeways), you are treated as a second class vehicle, and sometimes harassed by cops for riding on the street, though you are obeying all traffic laws. Though you have the right to an entire lane when there is no reasonable shoulder, it is a rare vehicle that affords you more than a foot of lateral clearance while passing you at speeds of 30+ mph in excess of your own speed, often while blaring their horns and yelling obscenities at you to get off the road that you have every right to be on. Then you have a city government that instead of improving road conditions for cyclists, piddles away its time trying to institute mandatory helmet laws instead.

Anyhow, back to the original question...

Depending on what you wear, there's the tactical strap-on thigh holsters that could probably be worn underneath a set of baggy mountain biking shorts. The way I'd probably do it is wear a set of normal spandex biking shorts underneath, then some dark, large, and fairly light-fabric shorts on top. You could strap the thigh holster over the spandex shorts and use the baggy ones for cover. It would probably take a bit of fiddling around to get the right fit and adjustment, but I bet it's doable. You may have to have a nylon belt around your waist to keep it up properly, as this is how most of the thigh holsters work. Something like this:



There's also the Kangaroo, if you wear a large jersey/shirt.

[hoytinak]

When riding up in the mountains in NC I always carried my SP101 in a camelbak worn on my back. I carried the water anyways so a little pistol wasn't that much different.