Man rides a bicycle that can phase between 2 dimensions: normal world vs. devastated Post-Apocalyptic version of our world (incl. dried up seabed with large ship). Read in 1980s. Possibly Short Story.

[Tom]

When I was younger I read a book about a man with a bicycle that he road that could pass between two dimensions. One was the normal world we live in, the other was a devastated post apocalyptic version of our world. This is all I can remember about the book and I have been trying to find the name of it for a long while but have had no luck. Does anyone know the name?

[Andy]

That sounds somewhat familiar - I'll look around for it.

[Andy]

How about "Bicycling through Space and Time" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... by Mike Sirota

[Tom]

It's definitely not Bicycling through Space and Time because he never leaves the planet, just "phases" between our dimension and a dimension where the planet is all but destroyed. I do remember a section where he had traveled over to the alternate dimension and was on the dried up seabed with a large ship near him.

[Justanotherbiblophile]

*bump*

[Justanotherbiblophile]

*bump*

[Justanotherbiblophile]

*bump* New Decade, w00+! - Gonna message OP, they've not been around in a minute...

[Scott]

"Stationary Bike" by Stephen King? (short story)

[Justanotherbiblophile]

Scott wrote: ""Stationary Bike" by Stephen King?"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Station...

Doesn't talk about a post-apocalyptic world, and doesn't mention dried up seas. I think if OP were describing this story, he'd mention workmen or lipids/weight-loss?

[Scott]

People don't always remember books exactly or even correctly, so it's sometimes useful to make suggestions that might be related.

[Kris]

Scott wrote: "People don't always remember books exactly or even correctly, so it's sometimes useful to make suggestions that might be related."

Absolutely. For example, misremembering a character's name can be a "red herring" for book detectives.

[Justanotherbiblophile]

I usually list points of divergence when pointing out a similar book (indirectly suggesting OP's memory may be faulty), or say 'this description resembles/reminds me of [X]', or 'have you read this?', or label it as a suggestion. Not pose it brassily as a solution (which implies I didn't really read OP's description, or am blithely disregarding it as 'wrong'/'mis-remebered').

Sorry that I mistook a suggestion as a proffered solution, and sorry to have pointed out discrepancies.

[Kris]

Tom, around what year did you read this book? This will help us narrow down the search.

Can you tell us more about the man - e.g., his age, job/employer/skills/interests, family/friends, personality?

What is the story's current time period and location (country/region/city/small town)?

Science fiction or fantasy? For older adults or teens?

[Rosa]

Justanotherbiblophile wrote: "I usually list points of divergence when pointing out a similar book (indirectly suggesting OP's memory may be faulty), or say 'this description resembles/reminds me of [X]', or 'have you read this?', or label it as a suggestion. Not pose it brassily as a solution (which implies I didn't really read OP's description, or am blithely disregarding it as 'wrong'/'mis-remebered').
..."

He wasn't "brassy" or blithe.

[Scott]

Justanotherbiblophile wrote: "I usually list points of divergence when pointing out a similar book (indirectly suggesting OP's memory may be faulty), or say 'this description resembles/reminds me of [X]', or 'have you read this..."

I read the story years ago, so my memory wasn't fresh, but what I did remember was that a man rode a bike and with it traveled through other worlds or realities. That sounded a lot like the description in the original post to me.

[0possum]

This probably isn't your book but the description reminded me of Mer Cycle by Piers Anthony. There's a group of people riding bikes on the sea bed under the sea. I think an alien shows them what will happen to the earth if they don't complete the quest. So they are not exactly riding bikes through different worlds but in an alternate dimension of some sort (maybe) and it's a group of people (I really don't remember this too well but I think a dentist a secretary and some others). I read it in the 80's I think so it's been around for a while.
Was it the bike that allowed the travel, an alien or was it something about him?

[Justanotherbiblophile]

OP last active in November 2018

I guess this should go to abandoned.

[Steph]

The Damned by Andrew Pyper

[Bargle]

Link The Damned by Andrew Pyper.

[Tom]

I apologize I have not been around a lot. I had given up on this because I wasn't getting answers. I read it in the 80s so The Damned is not it.

[Tom]

Kris wrote: "Tom, around what year did you read this book? This will help us narrow down the search.

Can you tell us more about the man - e.g., his age, job/employer/skills/interests, family/friends, personali..."

I read it in the 80s and this is all I can remember of it. I am starting to think it was a short story or a dream as even r/tomt hasn't been able to solve it. :D

[Brittany]

Virtual Light long shot?

[Tom]

Brittany wrote: "Virtual Light long shot?"

Nope, not it. :)

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Justanotherbiblophile wrote: "OP last active in November 2018

I guess this should go to abandoned."

No - a moderator will ask the OP if they are still looking for a book before it gets sent to Abandoned, in almost all cases. We then give them 2 years to respond.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Tom, you will have better luck if you bump this thread every few months. New members are always joining the group and you never know when the right person will spot the thread and know the book.

[Kris]

Tom, what's the genre (which we need to add to the header) - e.g., for adults or teens? fantasy, post-apocalyptic, sci-fi, horror? Are there zombies?

Can you tell us more about the man (e.g., age, job, home country, family/friends, hobbies)?

I added some details to the header/ topic title. Feel free to edit it.

[Tom]

Unfortunately, I do not have the answers to your questions as the information I have given is all I can remember. I am starting to think that this may have been a short story or something I dreamed of because r/TOMT and Good Reads cannot solve it. I will continue my search though and hope someone can help! :D

[Mello]

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells?

[Tom]

The Time Machine is a great book but unfortunately, that is not it.

[Alan]

A Wrinkle in the Skin by John Christopher has an (almost) abandoned ship on a dried up seabed in a post-apocalyptic world, but there's no trans-dimensional bike.