Just lately, the almighty and all-knowing YouTube algorithm did what it does finest: give me issues to observe that it is aware of I can’t resist. This time, rest room time was spent watching a video of two males who constructed an RV on the again of a tricycle and tried a 100-mile journey with the bizarre car they’d constructed.

The cargo trike appeared to have the ability to deal with the burden, which one of many brothers figured was about 500 kilos (that’s 226 kilos for you “unamerican” individuals on the market). Given my expertise serving to construct homes and sheds for a household enterprise as a youngster, that is about proper. The wooden and steel is very similar to you’d discover in a yard shed, and it doesn’t come out mild!

Once they struggled to pedal their RV up even a lightweight grade, it was fairly clear that aerodynamics wasn’t the perpetrator. Certain, the design in all probability has a drag coefficient better than 1.0, however they by no means received the factor going quick sufficient for that to even matter. The primary downside was attempting to maintain it shifting with the ability of human leg muscle tissue, and gravity was getting the higher of them on any sort of uphill incline.

The video itself remains to be value watching, as they overcome this and a number of other different challenges. Police gave them the dreaded “the knock” RVers discuss on-line after they parked the car in a residential space and tried to sleep in it, in order that they needed to go on to a Walmart car parking zone the place that was allowed. The following day, they purchased an affordable Walmart bike and used a towing strap to create a “tandum” bike, doubling the horsepower and torque, permitting the factor to really transfer.

Regardless of the design mainly being a catastrophe for sensible use, individuals cherished it. Cyclists, individuals working drive-thru home windows, and lots of different individuals stopped them or rode alongside them and instructed them how a lot they cherished the thought. So, it’s clearly an concept that human beings typically admire and love. As a result of individuals find it irresistible, it’s in all probability value exploring additional.

How Can This Design Be Improved?

The plain factor to start out with can be to start with a greater platform, and add some electrical pedal help. Whereas industrial choices for e-trikes appear to be dwindling as a result of some states set width limits on them, they nonetheless exist. Right here’s an instance of a UPS cargo trike from a couple of years in the past:

This type of a motorcycle platform would make it lots simpler to push a trike RV round and even make it up some hills. There’s loads of room in such a field so as to add a bigger battery pack to get much more vary than the typical e-bike, too. So, you’d find yourself with one thing you may in all probability go 100 miles in two days with (this was the purpose the brothers within the first video failed to realize with their non-electric trike RV).

However, 750 watts would nonetheless be a battle with a 500-pound field on the again. As many people know, pedal help is barely help, and even simply pushing your personal physique round, an e-bike nonetheless wants plenty of human energy to make it up the steepest hills. So, some thought wants to enter lowering weight.

The most cost effective technique for a DIY undertaking can be to go along with “foamie” or PMF (poor man’s fiberglass) construction. Plywood, lumber, and sheet steel get to be heavy, however we’ve seen individuals construct entire tenting trailers that weigh in beneath 500 kilos. One undertaking even concerned a small camper {that a} Vespa scooter may simply pull round. For a industrial construct, it will in all probability be higher to go along with higher composites, however both method, going with lighter supplies is essential. Making the tenting field solely weigh 200 kilos would make for a a lot simpler time on hills and to get higher vary whereas nonetheless having niceties like a sink and range.

Having extra room can also be good. With weight discount, it could even be potential to have some extra room within the little RV with out inflicting any issues. Having a pop-top roof of some type and perhaps even an identical lean-to tent may all be methods to get much more area.

Lastly, let’s not overlook that carrying a roof round is a good alternative so as to add some solar energy to maintain the entire setup (together with pedal help energy) off-grid. This might not solely make such tenting journeys simpler, however would make them extra environmentally pleasant than grid energy. With sufficient solar energy, it could be potential to skip battery charging stops fully.

A Full Redesign Can Be Extra Enjoyable & Sensible

Even with weight financial savings, electrical pedal help, and solar energy, there’s nonetheless one very large shortcoming to this entire design: it’s nonetheless extra of a cramper than a camper. So, if I used to be going to set out on a protracted biking journey, I’d rethink the entire thing and go along with one thing that might be extra snug.

I’d personally fairly have a motorcycle than a trike, so I’d begin out with a motorcycle trailer behind an e-bike. However, individuals who wish to persist with three wheels may do all the following just about the identical. The benefit to a trailer setup is that when spending a number of days at a time at a campground, you’d be capable to discover with the e-bike alone and go away all of the heavy stuff at camp. Plus, the load might be distributed with members of the family or pals who’re alongside for the lengthy experience.

Whether or not on a trailer or on the again of a trike, I’d go along with a setup impressed by overlanders, however miniaturized. I’d put a body on to go away area on the underside for slide-out drawers, maybe with a sink or tenting range. On high of the body, I’d put a small rooftop tent or a cargo rack for a Shiftpod tent. Both choice can be much more roomy than a field on the trike or bike trailer itself whereas not giving an enormous weight penalty.

However, there are a lot of other ways individuals can camp with bikes and e-bikes. A fast YouTube or Google search exhibits all the pieces from small popup campers to folding campers to tremendous light-weight backpacking setups that don’t require a trailer.

Everybody has to discover a steadiness that works for them, however few individuals will wish to pull a 500-pound field with a non-electric bike!

Featured picture: a screenshot from the embedded video towards the start of the article.