# Just What is an Urban Assault Bicycle?



## Zeet

*Just What is an Urban Assault Bicycle Anyways?*

I remember many years ago when a group of us preteen kids would mount our cruiser bicycles and cycle to points far beyond the natural borders of our neighborhood. Sometimes, we would venture into areas that seemed so estranged from what we were usually accustomed, that we would just ride as fast as we could to get away from the people who both looked and talked so different from us, but were yet somehow strangely related anyhow. We all took mental pictures of much broken glass, unkempt city streets, long dirt roads, dark-skinned people, dilapidated houses, old rusty cars, and stripped bicycles. We would always discuss the total experience and debrief, immediately after our inter-urban explorative trek through our huge county, and especially that portion of the county that we called, "the Jungle". I would later discover that we had indeed cycled sometimes, for over twenty miles. Had our parents ever known what we had done by where we had gone, and the distance we traveled to get there (so far away from home), most us would have been tanned senseless.

I believe that what we had done was something these days folks call, "Urban Assault" cycling. But then again, I could be wrong! I'm really not sure.... 

Just what is Urban Assault Cycling?

And

Just what constitutes an Urban Assault bicycle anyways?


_...I think I took one trip too many into "the Jungle". I ended up marrying one of the girls from there, just a couple of decades later. When she died just a few years ago, I'm sure I lost the deepest part of me..._


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## blakcloud

I always considered an Urban Assault bike a mountain bike with big tires (no knobs) to do tricks with in the city. It was for the guys who couldn't get out to the trails to mountain bike but could jump curbs, benches etc. Not a trials bike but a bike that you could actually ride around. 

But your question now has me thinking the definition at least for me could change to something that is a tank like commuter bike. A no nonsense tough as nails bike. 

P.S. Sorry to hear about your wife losing someone has to be one of the hardest things we have to endure.


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## Zeet

blakcloud said:


> I always considered an Urban Assault bike a mountain bike with big tires (no knobs) to do tricks with in the city. It was for the guys who couldn't get out to the trails to mountain bike but could jump curbs, benches etc. Not a trials bike but a bike that you could actually ride around.
> 
> But your question now has me thinking the definition at least for me could change to something that is a tank like commuter bike. A no nonsense tough as nails bike.
> 
> P.S. Sorry to hear about your wife losing someone has to be one of the hardest things we have to endure.


Yeah Blakcloud,

I was thinking along the same lines. That's why I asked the question. I mean, I began thinking about the old steel Cruisers of yesteryear with the balloon tires. I was also thinking of Surly's Omniterra bikes like the Moonlander and the Pugsley. I began imagining packs of bikes like the Surly Krampus and Ogre. Then, just like you've already stated, there's the fat tired MTN bikes. Practically any kind of no frills bike with fat tires. The kinda bikes that say, "Gang way, 'cause I'm coming through!". 

Thanks for all of your thoughtful comments, Blakcloud! :thumbsup:


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## wooglin

Urban assault = riding around in the city.

Urban assault bike = the bike you do it on.


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## PlatyPius

We used to assault various stairs and loading docks in Indianapolis back in the 90s. I had a Kona with a ZZYZX triple-clamp fork, a Race Face crank with 32/22, and a slammed Tioga DH saddle. That's what we considered Urban Assault.


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## Salsa_Lover

Wider tyres seem to be de rigeur on those bikes


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## Mike T.

Zeet said:


> Just What is an Urban Assault Bicycle Anyways?


One that should be banned as they're famous for rolling along and killing people.


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## Zeet

PlatyPius said:


> We used to assault various stairs and loading docks in Indianapolis back in the 90s. I had a Kona with a ZZYZX triple-clamp fork, a Race Face crank with 32/22, and a slammed Tioga DH saddle. That's what we considered Urban Assault.


I would have loved to have seen that Kona!


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## Zeet

Mike T. said:


> One that should be banned as they're famous for rolling along and killing people.


You're killing me right now! However, I don't think you should be banned for it...


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## Cheapthrills93

Zeet said:


> *Just What is an Urban Assault Bicycle Anyways?*
> 
> I remember many years ago when a group of us preteen kids would mount our cruiser bicycles and cycle to points far beyond the natural borders of our neighborhood. Sometimes, we would venture into areas that seemed so estranged from what we were usually accustomed, that we would just ride as fast as we could to get away from the people who both looked and talked so different from us, but were yet somehow strangely related anyhow. We all took mental pictures of much broken glass, unkempt city streets, long dirt roads, dark-skinned people, dilapidated houses, old rusty cars, and stripped bicycles. We would always discuss the total experience and debrief, immediately after our inter-urban explorative trek through our huge county, and especially that portion of the county that we called, "the Jungle". I would later discover that we had indeed cycled sometimes, for over twenty miles. Had our parents ever known what we had done by where we had gone, and the distance we traveled to get there (so far away from home), most us would have been tanned senseless.
> 
> I believe that what we had done was something these days folks call, "Urban Assault" cycling. But then again, I could be wrong! I'm really not sure....
> 
> Just what is Urban Assault Cycling?
> 
> And
> 
> Just what constitutes an Urban Assault bicycle anyways?
> 
> 
> _...I think I took one trip too many into "the Jungle". I ended up marrying one of the girls from there, just a couple of decades later. When she died just a few years ago, I'm sure I lost the deepest part of me..._


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## Db70

Zeet said:


> *Just What is an Urban Assault Bicycle Anyways?*
> 
> I remember many years ago when a group of us preteen kids would mount our cruiser bicycles and cycle to points far beyond the natural borders of our neighborhood. Sometimes, we would venture into areas that seemed so estranged from what we were usually accustomed, that we would just ride as fast as we could to get away from the people who both looked and talked so different from us, but were yet somehow strangely related anyhow. We all took mental pictures of much broken glass, unkempt city streets, long dirt roads, dark-skinned people, dilapidated houses, old rusty cars, and stripped bicycles. We would always discuss the total experience and debrief, immediately after our inter-urban explorative trek through our huge county, and especially that portion of the county that we called, "the Jungle". I would later discover that we had indeed cycled sometimes, for over twenty miles. Had our parents ever known what we had done by where we had gone, and the distance we traveled to get there (so far away from home), most us would have been tanned senseless.
> 
> I believe that what we had done was something these days folks call, "Urban Assault" cycling. But then again, I could be wrong! I'm really not sure....
> 
> Just what is Urban Assault Cycling?
> 
> And
> 
> Just what constitutes an Urban Assault bicycle anyways?
> 
> 
> _...I think I took one trip too many into "the Jungle". I ended up marrying one of the girls from there, just a couple of decades later. When she died just a few years ago, I'm sure I lost the deepest part of me..._


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## Db70

Db70 said:


> View attachment 483610


Urban assault bike is basically a city, local trail, usually a single or fixed gear. Alot of vintage MTB bikes are converted to an " Urban assault bike. "


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## Db70

Db70 said:


> Urban assault bike is basically a city, local trail, usually a single or fixed gear. Alot of vintage 26in MTB bikes are converted to an " Urban assault bike. " And now however the big name market is coming out with them as well.


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## craiger_ny

Thank you for solving this nearly decade old question. What is an urban assault bike? A flat bar bike whose brake levers are at an insanely impractical orientation relative to the limitations of the ordinary human wrist.


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