Gravel, Road or 90s MTB: Cycling in the Age of No Oil

Gravel, Road or 90s MTB: The Bike as Plan B

The bicycle will stop being a weekend whim and become the vehicle of last resort. That is what is taken for granted when someone mentions oil depletion. The real discussion isn't whether we will pedal: it's what kind of machine to use when the asphalt starts resembling a dirt track and there is no budget for repairs.

When Money Runs Out for the Asphalt, Gravel Gains Ground

The starting point is arithmetic. If crude oil becomes scarce, the source funding road maintenance vanishes, and roads stop being repaired. Under this assumption, the road bike—thin tire, rigid frame, zero tolerance for potholes—is unsuitable for daily use. The gravel bike, with its wider tires and less radical geometry, emerges as the machine that survives deteriorating surfaces. There is little disagreement on this calculation.

Of course, there are those who argue that oil doesn't run out: that there is more crude than ever, and the depletion narrative serves to justify other things. They add a nuance that often goes unheard: without oil, electricity would also be rationed.

Cyclocross, Wide Chain or 90s Steel

Here the conversation shifts to the workshop. The classic cyclocross bike appears as a reference point, with the warning that it also breaks down: there is evidence of broken components. The most repeated choice is a rigid chromoly MTB from the 90s with semi-slick tires. Wider chain, more durable transmission, and cheap parts available on the secondhand market. The advice to stockpile chains, tires, and cassettes describes a post-war economy applied to the workshop.

The Electric Enters the Equation

The motorized alternative enters the conversation by name: the BYD Sealion 7, if the problem is oil. The objection is obvious and stated above: without crude, the grid also tightens its grip. And there remains the bottleneck no one wants to face: the human engine. Covering a commercial route through Andalusia cannot be sustained by good intentions, leading to recurring jokes about questionable pharmaceutical aid.

No one expects collapse tomorrow. But if it comes, the bike that survives will not be the lightest or fastest: it will be the one with a wide chain and parts salvaged from the attic. At least until someone remembers to fix the road.