Super Super Ultra light trailers

[Borden]

Bicycle Micro Camper | Home Design, Garden & Architecture Blog Magazine

[Mike Magee]

It makes my legs hurt just to think of all that pedaling! But my second thought is, why not have an electric motor turning the drive wheel of the bike and use the trailer as the platform for battery and solar recharge. Hmmmm....

[Andrew Gibbens]

40kg (88 pounds) unladen is impressive, but you wouldn't want to be trying to tow that into a head wind, would you?

A more realistic design is the Wooden Widget Foldavan that collapses inwards sideways for road travel so it will be in the wind shadow of the rider.

[Glenn Baglo]

Imagine it in a cross-wind.

[MC1]

Originally Posted by Mike Magee

It makes my legs hurt just to think of all that pedaling! But my second thought is, why not have an electric motor turning the drive wheel of the bike and use the trailer as the platform for battery and solar recharge. Hmmmm....

I'm an avid cyclist and understand the drag factor and weight when riding. Thinking Mikes idea with the electric assist would be the only way you could get any kind of speed out of that rig. I find riding at anything under 20klm's and hour is very boring. 25 to 35 klm's per hour brings on the endorphin's.

[June Bug]

The bike below appears to be an e-bike, based on the large hubs and odd down tube.

Originally Posted by Andrew Gibbens

A more realistic design is the Wooden Widget Foldavan that collapses inwards sideways for road travel so it will be in the wind shadow of the rider.

[honda03842]

Wayne,

I didn't bike for endorphins. What I liked about biking was riding the same road I drove and getting a new view, seeing the many views from a bike that go unobserved when driving.

Another view is always interesting. Back in the political days, we rented a steam train during the Centennial year to recreate a yearly town trip (pre-WWII) and take the town to Block Island. The train track paralleled a road I've driven 100's of times but from a different perspective, a truly marvelous and unforgettable trip. The tracks were far enough from the road that you felt you were traveling thru a new countryside.

Of course the spirit of the trip, town members 'picnicing. on the train and the boat to Block Island, the youthful feeling of a oneness.

RVing is much like that. Last night we had a dozen Escapee RVers, mostly long range travelers, over for a happy hour and it was so enjoyable to here the common stories of the wonders of their travels. Even though we're not traveling much for the next 3 months, we enjoy these shared moments and will be visiting some of the mentioned places we missed.

RVing is for us a slowed down traveling, stopping whenever we want and 'tending not to rush by'.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by MC1

I'm an avid cyclist and understand the drag factor and weight when riding. Thinking Mikes idea with the electric assist would be the only way you could get any kind of speed out of that rig. I find riding at anything under 20klm's and hour is very boring. 25 to 35 klm's per hour brings on the endorphin's.

What sort of bike do you ride? My guess is that a real world speed at 35klm(22MPH) over any distance would require a road bike unfit for heavy touring (let alone trailering).
I think any bike up to the task of pulling that trailer would require an athlete of your caliber to maintain close to 20klm (12mph) with the trailer and minimal gear over any distance, on a calm day, on flat ground.
I live way south of you and have been off the bike for a month already.
I do miss the endorphins!

[David Tilston]

Try really hot food.

[MC1]

Originally Posted by floyd

What sort of bike do you ride?
I live way south of you and have been off the bike for a month already.
I do miss the endorphins!

Hey there Floyd, I'm guessing you are a rider too. My bh and I got into serious off road racing 15 years ago and just recently stepped down from that to just casual and cardio building rides. Age finally affects the body and there is no way mine can take the violent crashes anymore. (ouch).

We still have a number of bikes in the stable. My 13 year old Trek Fuel 98 race level FS is my all time favorite. The geometry and fit is so good I can usually keep up with most roadies out on the roads. On a downhill I once had it up to 82KLH (50MPH) and it felt very stable at that speed.
PS. my bh was right behind me that day. (women in their 50's can fly too!)

Here are our bikes... My Bikes Photos by CF105 | Photobucket

What are you riding Floyd? Do you prefer road or off road riding?

[floyd]

Originally Posted by MC1

Hey there Floyd, I'm guessing you are a rider too. My bh and I got into serious off road racing 15 years ago and just recently stepped down from that to just casual and cardio building rides. Age finally affects the body and there is no way mine can take the violent crashes anymore. (ouch).

We still have a number of bikes in the stable. My 13 year old Trek Fuel 98 race level FS is my all time favorite. The geometry and fit is so good I can usually keep up with most roadies out on the roads. On a downhill I once had it up to 82KLH (50MPH) and it felt very stable at that speed.
PS. my bh was right behind me that day. (women in their 50's can fly too!)

Here are our bikes... My Bikes Photos by CF105 | Photobucket

What are you riding Floyd? Do you prefer road or off road riding?

I like pavement best, and trails with limestone screenings come in second.
I too am getting old, but I never was much for pain!

I'm a big TREK fan, especially older CRO-MO.
I have two 19.5" 1989 TREK 820s. I love the original so much that I bought another a year or so ago (in new condition) and custom modified it for street use (sorta like a modern hybrid)
I have a Trek 700 (nightrider) with enough lighting to look like a UFO coming down the street.
I also have a small frame TREK 800 on the wall as a loaner.
I have two aluminum bikes...
A 1989 TREK 1400 road bike with custom bars and seat and 25s.(very fast)
And a 2001 Cannondale H400 for trail use.
Oh! And a Dahon folding bike in the attic!

This past year I culled the herd and sold my Specialized MT bike, two TREK 850s and my Giant REVIVE.

I get a couple hundred BigBox store bikes per year which are donated to a local charity and collected from elsewhere.
A couple of times, the local police have dropped off as many as 40 bikes at once! (that's a lot of sorting out)
I repair and recondition them,(using some for parts for the others). They are then sold, through their thrift shop, by "Under His Wings Ministries" which helps girls and their new babies.


Last summer I took my 820 down Hardin Ridge (IN). A big sign at the top reads something like "STEEP GRADE, GET OFF AND WALK YOUR BIKE" Thanks to good brakes I was able to keep it down around 50MPH. Of course coming back up sure dropped the average speed!

I have never suffered a serious crash, but I did read that road deaths edged up last year in only two categories .... Big Trucks and bicycles!
Be safe and vigilant out there!

I'm looking forward to our Florida trip soon, to get in some winter riding!...

[ruscal]

Originally Posted by floyd

I have never suffered a serious crash, but I did read that road deaths edged up last year in only two categories .... Big Trucks and bicycles!
Be safe and vigilant out there!

I think the increase in biker deaths is due to TEXTING drivers being distracted. Everywhere I look there are drivers with their heads down gazing at an electronic device. It's epidemic. I have noticed that when the traffic lights turn green the drivers in front don't respond and it take a horn beep to get their attention, and many drivers drifting out of their lanes. This is very scary for bicycle riders. Too bad for us.
Russ

[MC1]

Originally Posted by ruscal

I think the increase in biker deaths is due to TEXTING drivers being distracted. Everywhere I look there are drivers with their heads down gazing at an electronic device. It's epidemic. I have noticed that when the traffic lights turn green the drivers in front don't respond and it take a horn beep to get their attention, and many drivers drifting out of their lanes. This is very scary for bicycle riders. Too bad for us.
Russ

I think there is a lot of truth to your concern's Russ.

Originally Posted by floyd

I like pavement best, and trails with limestone screenings come in second.
I too am getting old, but I never was much for pain!

I'm a big TREK fan, especially older CRO-MO.
I have two 19.5" 1989 TREK 820s.

OMG floyd you really have the "bike bug". A huge Trek fan too.

My bh still has her first real bike a Trek 6500. She won a lot of races with that one. She is keeping it around for the grandson. Cheers to ya Pal!

PS... I ride a 19.5" too.

[deryk]

Here is a nicer one Bicycle Powered Micro Vardo | Paleotool's Weblog

[Donna D.]

I think anyone handy could probably make a one-off lightweight trailer to be pulled by a bicycle.. if they so desired. Where everything starts going sideways is no one tows an empty trailer. By time you add cooking equipment, food and clothes and depending on how long you wish to be out... the weight can go way up. Unless you want to wear the same socks and underwear for days

[MC1]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Unless you want to wear the same socks and underwear for days

Real bike shorts are worn without underwear Donna.

[Perryb67]

Originally Posted by MC1

Real bike shorts are worn without underwear Donna.

Real bikers don't wear bike shorts!

Enjoy,

Perry

[Cathy P.]

How about bicycle built for two? "Double your pleasure, double your fun?"

[MC1]

Originally Posted by Cathy P.

How about bicycle built for two? "Double your pleasure, double your fun?"

Cathy, now we are talking pulling grunt!!! Wow, two people power!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HCY3evE44c

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by honda03842

I didn't bike for endorphins.

For me, this is the main reason I ride, and prefer mountain biking. I do it for the exercise and to get places, but mostly for the thrill. Mind you, I am a young 'un around here at 57, but I still love riding the mountain trails, the hard climb up, to earn the thrill of blasting the downhills. I do enjoy road riding too, as it is a great way to see things, while covering more ground easier than walking. Other than downhill, mountain biking offers little speed, and even then while bombing through trees, the speed is not super high, but boy, does it feel like it.

Okay, this has got the spring bug going even more than the though of pulling the trailer out of its winter resting spot.