Skip to main content

Should You Carry a Firearm While Bicycle Touring?

A surreal image of a human arm engulfed in flames, transitioning from a realistic gray hand into vivid orange and red fire against a plain white background.
Should You Carry a Firearm While Bicycle Touring?

As someone who has toured extensively throughout the United States by bicycle, I’ve often wrestled with the question: Should I carry a firearm while touring?

It’s not a simple yes-or-no answer. The decision to carry a gun involves serious considerations—personal safety, legal consequences, practical risks, and ethics. Here's a deeper look at the key factors that every touring cyclist should think about before strapping a weapon to their rig.


🔒 Personal Protection

Many cyclists, especially those riding solo or through remote areas, feel vulnerable. The idea of being miles from help, possibly with no cell signal, can be unsettling. A firearm can offer a sense of security in case of a rare but dangerous human or animal encounter.


🛑 Deterrent Value

A firearm can serve as a deterrent against crime. In some areas, just knowing you're armed might discourage potential attackers. This logic often appeals to those riding through unfamiliar or high-crime regions.


🧠 Peace of Mind

Even if you never need to use it, a firearm might simply help you feel safer, especially on long, isolated stretches of road. That extra sense of control can ease anxiety, particularly for solo riders.


⚠️ The Risks of Carrying

While the appeal of added protection is understandable, it comes with significant risks.

🔫 Escalation of Conflict

Pulling a gun can escalate a tense situation. What might have been resolved with calm words could suddenly turn violent. You may also misread a situation and act too soon—putting yourself and others in danger.

🧷 Lack of Training

If you’re not well-trained in firearm safety and self-defense, you could hurt yourself or someone else by accident. Owning a gun and being ready to use it under pressure are two very different things.

🧾 Legal Consequences

Gun laws vary widely from state to state. Some states require permits for concealed carry, others have strict transportation laws, and crossing state lines adds more complexity. One oversight can result in serious legal trouble.


🧴 Alternatives to Firearms

For many cyclists, non-lethal options are a safer, more practical form of self-defense:

  • Pepper spray – Lightweight, effective, and easy to carry.

  • Personal alarms – Loud enough to scare off threats and attract attention.

  • Whistles or airhorns – Simple tools that can buy time and deter an aggressor.

  • Situational awareness – Often your best defense is simply trusting your instincts and leaving when things feel off.


🚴‍♂️ My Personal Experience

On one tour, I was riding from Lubbock to Pensacola when I got caught in a heavy downpour. I ducked under an interstate overpass to get out of the rain. A group of homeless individuals were nearby, using the rain to clean up. At first, I didn’t feel threatened—but when they noticed me and began moving in my direction while talking among themselves, I started to feel uneasy.

I decided to leave before I could find out whether they had good or bad intentions. If I had carried a gun, would I have felt safer? Maybe. But would I have also been tempted to overreact? Possibly. That moment stuck with me. It made me realize that the presence of a weapon can be both a comfort and a liability.


🤔 Final Thoughts

The decision to carry a firearm while bicycle touring is deeply personal. It depends on your comfort level, training, the regions you're riding through, and your willingness to accept the risks and responsibilities that come with being armed.

There is no right or wrong answer—only the one that’s right for you. Just be sure to:

  • Know the laws of the states you’ll be touring

  • Understand the risks of escalation

  • Consider non-lethal alternatives

  • Get proper training if you choose to carry


Have you ever considered carrying a firearm while touring? Or do you prefer to rely on awareness and alternatives? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Does Cycling Make Sciatica Worse? What Cyclists Need to Know

Does Cycling Make Sciatica Worse? What Cyclists Need to Know Sciatica is no joke — the sharp, radiating pain that shoots down your leg can make even simple movements feel like a challenge. If you're a cyclist dealing with sciatica, you may be wondering: Is cycling helping me or making it worse? As with most things in health and fitness, the answer isn’t black and white. Cycling can both aggravate and relieve sciatica, depending on how you ride, how your bike is set up, and how your body responds. 🚫 When Cycling Might Make Sciatica Worse Cycling can contribute to sciatic pain if certain risk factors are present: Prolonged Sitting Extended time in the saddle can compress the sciatic nerve, especially with a hard or narrow seat. Repetitive Motion Pedaling can irritate the nerve over time, especially if you already have underlying inflammation or nerve impingement. Poor Bike Fit or Posture Hunching over handlebars or riding a bike that isn’t properly fitted can put additio...

Boost Your Focus and Mental Clarity with Cycling

  Cycling for Focus and Mental Clarity: How Two Wheels Can Clear Your Mind We all know cycling is great for physical health, but did you know it can also sharpen your mind and improve your ability to focus? Whether you’re struggling with concentration, battling anxiety, or just looking for a mental reset, hopping on a bike may be one of the most effective and enjoyable ways to boost your brainpower. 🚴 How Cycling Improves Mental Focus Cycling isn’t just exercise — it’s a cognitive workout. Here’s how: 1. Increases Blood Flow to the Brain When you cycle, your heart rate rises and blood flow improves — especially to your brain. This delivers more oxygen and nutrients, which can enhance memory, focus, and decision-making . 2. Puts You in a Meditative State Cycling forces you to pay attention: to your breathing, your cadence, the road ahead. This state of flow quiets distractions and trains your brain to focus on the present moment. 3. Reduces Stress and Anxiety Riding a b...

Is 30 Minutes of Cycling a Day Enough to Lose Weight?

Cycling is a popular and effective way to lose weight—and for good reason. It burns calories, builds muscle, improves cardiovascular health, and is easy on the joints. But many beginners wonder: is 30 minutes of cycling a day enough to make a difference? From my own experience, I can tell you that when I first got back into cycling after years of being sedentary, 30 minutes felt like a serious workout. I was sweating, tired, and proud of myself. But as I got more consistent, something became clear: if I was still eating poorly, even 60 minutes a day on the bike wasn't going to move the scale much. That's when I learned that weight loss is a combination of exercise and nutrition —not just one or the other. How Weight Loss Works At its core, weight loss comes down to burning more calories than you consume. Our bodies use calories for everything—from breathing to digestion to movement. When we eat more calories than we burn, we gain weight. When we burn more than we eat, we los...