I used to use a mountain bike to get into a remote area on some public land -- it was at least a mile long walk along a fire road that was cut down to five minutes or less with the bike. I used a "cheapie" -- steel frame and all. I wasn't looking to get big-time air in my cammies and holding a bow with my Summit on my back, you know! Plus, if any other "morons" were out there -- as you put it, manuman -- I wasn't out much.

For flats, you can buy a product called "Slime" at your local Wally World and fill the tubes up with it; it repairs puncture wounds almost instantaneously. Works great on four-wheelers and lawn-mower tires as well.