Ultimate bike camper?

[WheezyRider]

Yep... a coffin...

You guys really made me want to buy a cargo trailer...

Yeah do it! Even a cheap cargo trailer is really useful to have. It can cut down a lot of unnecessary journeys with the car when you have to take something along with you that won't fit in a rucksack or in the panniers.

 

[WheezyRider]

Yep... a coffin...

Imagine something like this kind of roof on a low down, long bike trailer and then solar panels on the roof perfectly angled at the sun....

 

[EddiePJ]

I think that I will just stick with my current set ups.

Nightcat lay flat hammock



OEX Phoxx II V2




OEX Jackal II

 

[Az.]

I think that I will just stick with my current set ups.

Looks very cool, but lonely. What do you do with bike at night?

 

[Az.]

Yeah do it!

I just don't see myself in a camper. Cargo trailer and a tent is a different story. Definitely something worth exploring.

 

[snafu]

Just a question to satisfy my curiosity...
Having seen a number of posts referring to towing a trailer. Rather than wondering about the power available for towing heavy loads up hills do you encounter any problems with steeper descents? Do standard cycle brakes cope without any issues? I remember running out of brakes in a Morris 1100 on Hardknott Pass many year ago, one of the most scary driving experiences I can remember.

TTFN
John.

 

[guerney]

Imagine something like this kind of roof on a low down, long bike trailer and then solar panels on the roof perfectly angled at the sun....

View attachment 52933

This must be when my black belt in origami comes to the fore.

Just a question to satisfy my curiosity...
Having seen a number of posts referring to towing a trailer. Rather than wondering about the power available for towing heavy loads up hills do you encounter any problems with steeper descents? Do standard cycle brakes cope without any issues? I remember running out of brakes in a Morris 1100 on Hardknott Pass many year ago, one of the most scary driving experiences I can remember.

TTFN
John.

If a steep gravelly descent with a bend in the path leading to a deep drop down a ravine, absolutely terrifying! My V-brakes coped fine, but my bike's Marathon Plus tyres failed to grip, one of my trailer wheels hit a raised bit of ground on the side and turned over. I was fortunate that the load fell out and didn't cause the trailer to roll and drag my bike down into the ravine. I've since found an alternative towing route through a golf course. I doubt very steep descents on road surfaces would be much problem.

 

[EddiePJ]

Looks very cool, but lonely. What do you do with bike at night?

I'm not sure that lonely is quite the right word, but I do enjoy peace and quiet, away from people. Sadly living in Sussex, getting away from aircraft noise is all but impossible though, which does spoil things for me.

Ref the bike, I generally cover it up, and lock it, but I keep meaning to buy one of those disc locks, that an alarm built into it.

Luggage carrying wise, I am very pleased with these panniers that I paid about £45.00 for.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/OYHN-Adjustable-Waterproof-Polyester-Reflective/dp/B088WHMQM3/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?crid=2YOK4YA5Q35O1&keywords=green+cycle+panniers&qid=1690140228&sprefix=%2Caps%2C81&sr=8-2

The bolted down flat rack over them is also proving very useful. All ugly, but functional.

 

[Az.]

Luggage carrying wise, I am very pleased with these panniers that I paid about £45.00 for.

Panniers look really nice and price is attractive too. Very tempting.

Do you have pictures of your bike while fully loaded?

 

[Az.]

Having seen a number of posts referring to towing a trailer. Rather than wondering about the power available for towing heavy loads up hills do you encounter any problems with steeper descents? Do standard cycle brakes cope ?

That is a very good point.

What brakes do you have?

 

[EddiePJ]

Panniers look really nice and price is attractive too. Very tempting.

Do you have pictures of your bike while fully loaded?

The main compartments on the panniers don't seal overly well, but this hasn't proved to be a problem to me, and could be sorted with some additional velcro. I'm still very pleased with them though, but don't take that as a recommendation, as I hate recommending things to people.
Perhaps I should write a review about them, showing them in detail.

The only photo that I can currently find showing the laden bike is the following one. I shall have to take some the next time that I am out.

 

[Az.]

View attachment 52943

Is it possible to remove stiff inserts? I have Topeak Disc rack on my ebike. I wonder if those panniers are compatible... I just hate this rack.

On your bike maybe only fat tires are not my cup of tea. Rest is fantastic. What a great way of spending time.
... and this is a very good picture BTW. I would love to see more pictures from your travels.

 

[WheezyRider]

Don't know if you've seen the "Pedal Me" people in London, they use cargo bikes and trailers and carry stuff all around London. Some of their loads are huge, delivering beer barrels to pubs etc. They use standard cargo bikes (250W).



I've towed >50kg on the ebike no problem with rim rim brakes, even down hill. The weirdest thing with towing heavy loads is the push pull effect you get as you accelerate and decelerate, but you get used to it.

 

[Nealh]

On flat terrain towing 300lbs /150kg shouldn't be an issue but one will need nice good dics brakes so an upgrade to four pot callipers.
I have towed over 125kg on my CF trailer which way over the 90kg rating for it and it felt like it as well, my 250w Bafang g370 hub coped well towing with no issue.

Obviously with steep hills one may want to find better routes maybe.

 

[guerney]

The weirdest thing with towing heavy loads is the push pull effect you get as you accelerate and decelerate, but you get used to it.

Yep, that's a bit:

When hauling a trailer heavier than the combined weight of me and my bike, I did worry that it'd fling me into traffic, if my trailer tipped down into a deep pothole. I proceed at <8mph, or <10mph...

Obviously with steep hills one may want to find better routes maybe.

I swear I got bitten by a grass snake (not an Adder) lost in woods trying to find an alternative route. The golf bunch can't stop me using the road through their course, because they've built it on a nature reserve.

 

[EddiePJ]

On your bike maybe only fat tires are not my cup of tea.

I must admit that fat tyred bikes aren't my thing either. There is a lad who has a YouTube channel, that uses one for wild camping exploits, and it was the study rear rack, and front headstock bolt on rack mounting points that caught my attention. I also wanted a bike that I could work on in the event of motor/electrical failure. The price was okay as well.

I don't actually like the fat tyres, and the bike about 10kg heavier than I would have liked.
I have never understood the one size frame fits all idea either. At 5'10" tall I still manage to find the crossbar too high.

On the plus side with the bike, it is pretty utilitarian and functional, although the front forks are pretty twitchy when the bike is loaded. The brakes also aren't the best either, but somehow it all works.

 

[cyclebuddy]

I must admit that fat tyred bikes aren't my thing either. There is a lad who has a YouTube channel, that uses one for wild camping exploits, and it was the study rear rack, and front headstock bolt on rack mounting points that caught my attention. I also wanted a bike that I could work on in the event of motor/electrical failure. The price was okay as well.

I don't actually like the fat tyres, and the bike about 10kg heavier than I would have liked.
I have never understood the one size frame fits all idea either. At 5'10" tall I still manage to find the crossbar too high.

On the plus side with the bike, it is pretty utilitarian and functional, although the front forks are pretty twitchy when the bike is loaded. The brakes also aren't the best either, but somehow it all works.

So what kind of mileage are you getting on your outings (i.e. how far from home are you able to venture with all your camping kit)?

Have you plans to increase battery capacity to enable longer tours?

 

[guerney]

Nightcat lay flat hammock

I did a lot of camping in my youth, but I've never slept in a hammock tent - do you get seasick in that? I even get motion sickness on buses these days, didn't used to. It could have something to do with failing eyesight...

 

[matthewslack]

How about this:

A good example of satisfying one tightly defined design objective whilst being blind to everything else. Just like governments everywhere.

100km range without pedalling was the goal, but charging the 50Ah battery with what looks like a standard SANS 48V 2A charger will take 25 hours or so. Average daily range is therefore 50km.

Widening the design brief to require a minimum continuous daily range would probably have produced a different answer, part of which might be 'scrap it and start again' on weight grounds alone.

 

[WheezyRider]

A good example of satisfying one tightly defined design objective whilst being blind to everything else. Just like governments everywhere.

100km range without pedalling was the goal, but charging the 50Ah battery with what looks like a standard SANS 48V 2A charger will take 25 hours or so. Average daily range is therefore 50km.

Widening the design brief to require a minimum continuous daily range would probably have produced a different answer, part of which might be 'scrap it and start again' on weight grounds alone.

I agree, many times during the video I was thinking "no, why are you doing that?" Eg, as you say, the puny 5.5 mm connector for charging, when really you'd want to be charging at around 5 to 10 Amps. Then, no battery on the bike? So you can't use the bike with the motor without the trailer attached? Surely have a battery on the bike and another on the trailer, making the trailer lighter and the bike more useful. Not to mention the lax attitude towards health and safety during fabrication...But, it's easy to be critical when someone goes and makes something when don't have a lot of experience. At the end of the day, they got something that was fit for the purpose they intended it for. I still think it's good for inspiration and to generate useful discussion.