Generator question.

[ermoore]

So I'm trying to start preparing for the impending zombie-filled apocalypse and am looking into some supplies I'll probably need to have on hand after society has fallen prey to the undead. I've picked up Max Brook's "The Zombie Survival Guide," and it's a big help, but can someone tell me whether or not bicycle generators exist?
It's a simple idea for a non-engineer like myself, but after doing minimal (and I do mean minimal) research on the internet, not only can I not find one, but now I'm not even sure such a thing is possible, much less feasible.
Any help would be appreciated as my life may one day (soon?) depend on it.

[democracyindanger]

1. I can't tell if you're being serious or not

but alphageek at dkos did an excellent 5-part series on disaster preparedness (this was after Katrina). He doesn't say anything about bicycle generators, but discusses emergency power supplies in this installment:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/9/16/154727/040

[Eureka]

2. Of course they do

If you're reasonably handy with tools you should be able to knock one up in no time.

By way of example.... 1. Get a bike. 2. Make a frame that will suspend the back wheel off the ground (you can buy these also if you want). 3. Take the tyre off the back wheel. 4. Find an old generator/alternator from a car. 5. Hook the terminals of the gen/alt to a car battery. 6. Run a belt around the bike rim and around the pulley on the front of the gen/alt. 7. Peddle like there is no tomorrow, which of course would be true if you needed to make power this way :-)

You might also want an inverter to convert the 12 VDC to an AC supply of your choice.

Edit: Here's a plan, not that I recommend, it was just first on google (keywords: bicycle generator plans)
http://www.econvergence.net/electro.htm