My Bike Set-up for TransAm

[Ryld]

I have been bit in rural areas of Kentucky and Illinois by dogs. If I had had bear spray it would have come in handy. But, by the time I saw and heard the dogs and the time it took to get bit was short so I would advise you to have a mail man style diagonal chest strap pouch for quick deployment which also might frighten people if you walked into a gas station with it. Also, the rule for mace and sprays like that is to buy two cans- test one in mock spray defense scenarios and then carry the other one. But, bear cans are so big and expensive maybe you should but 1 and just test it once.

[RustyCrank]

I'm looking forward to your tunes! See you May 25th in Virginia!

[hikerjer]

I'm wondering how bear repellant works.  Bears are BIG.  500+ pounds?  I don't know how mean and aggressive they are.  But if one wanted to harm you, the only way to protect yourself would be a cage to get into, or a very high power gun.  Think about it for a moment.  This repellant probably sprays 10 feet at most.  Or less.  So you have a 500 pound bear charging at 20mph at you and its less than 10 feet from you when you hit it with this repellant.  Momentum will keep the 500 pound bear rushing towards you and crush you.  Even if it does not bite or claw you because the repellant suddenly made it afraid or gentle.  Your repellant sounds about like repellant for cape buffaloes or elephants in Africa.  Once they are coming at you and get close, you ain't gonna stop them unless you shoot them dead.

The debate  between using a gun or bear spray has been going on for decades now and probably will never be resolved. However, the vast majority of experts in the field from Fish and Game Departments to the National Wildlife Service to the forest service to the national parks to bear behavior experts overwhelmingly recommend relying on bear spray. I'd suggest Stephen Herrero's excellent book, "Bear Attacks - their Cause and Avoidance",  if you're really interested.  But really, the likelihood of being attacked by a bear on while riding a  bicycle is so remote that it barely bears (no pun intended) discussion. i suppose that the exception might be in the  far reaches of  Canada or Alaska.  But even there, bear spray would be more effective than a gun and a heck of a lot lighter to carry.

[Ryld]

To avoid any sort of complex law issues (unless you do an exclusive Alaska trip or other unrestricted gun state full of bears) I would argue to go with bear spray. As to the effects of teargas and pepper spray both work great against humans- I am qualified by tears with both. I also would say an open carry bear spray holster like you had in your youtube demo right next to your stem is a great easy quick draw attack against a cougar or bear ( a cougar just slew a bikepacker). On the other hand if the law was NOT an issue, and if I was thinking I may well meet an animal attack; I would always opt for a firearm over bearspray-  but of course I fired countless rounds in the Marines so safety and effecriveness is high when I shoot. But I would worry more about racoons stealing your food and tearing your pack or dogs chasing you than bears.

To avoid bears just camp at a place with a bear box and put the food in it without sncking in your camp or tent- or string it up.

[canalligators]

Yup, risk tolerance.  But most people are lousy at assessing risk.

[BikeliciousBabe]

To avoid bears just camp at a place with a bear box and put the food in it without sncking in your camp or tent- or string it up.

And hopefully, if it's  private campground, the owners will invest in a bear-resistant dumpster. Last September I stayed at a place in heavy bear country that did not. Bear raided the dumpsters. I assumed it had left the area but kept my head on a swivel while making breakfast and packing up in the dark. Came around to the front of the campground, leaned my bike against a bench to put on my helmet and turn on my lights. Heard the clinking of cans and bottles. Huge black bear walked out from between the dumpsters about 20' away. I believe he was in the 500 lb. range. We started at each other for a few second. I backed away sideways and he went off into a wooded area. I had stored all my stuff in the bathroom, but there was a pile of scat about 50' from my tent.

During seven days in the backcountry of Glacier N.P., a place know to have a bear or two, bear spray, not a gun, was the method of defense. No bear sightings, but we did see 5 moose.