Ultralight Teardrop Trailer – For a Bicycle!
Well if you didn’t think I was crazy before… let me introduce you to the teardrop trailer for a bicycle. Don’t get too excited and whip out any credit cards this is just a crazy idea and I’m certain many bicycle enthusiasts will tell me a some very good reasons why this is just plain silly… but it was still fun to draw and day dream about.
The idea is simply to have a tiny habitable trailer that is lightweight and aerodynamic enough to be pulled by a bicycle. I found a few cargo bike trailers on the web but Logan at RowdyKittens pointed me toward a little company in Eugene Oregon called Human Powered Machines that makes some very stout bike trailers that can carry up to 500 pounds. Logan and Tammy at RowdyKittens have been living car-free for quite some time now.
To build such a trailer you’d need to start with a heavy duty custom bike trailer that is about 8-feet long and 3-feet wide. I’d then put down a floor and erect two curved side walls made from thin plywood (or OSB) and bond a sheet of polyisocyanurate foam board to the outside. Then I’d cover the arch with more wood, build the doors and window, and finally cover the exterior with a thin layer of aluminum. Since the length is just under 8-feet and the height is 4-feet, each side wall could be cut from a standard 4′ by 8′ piece of material.
The interior is long enough for a 6-foot person to sleep and their feet would tuck under the kitchen area. There’s a little shelf or cabinet inside for personal items too. Around back the kitchen area would provide a place to store and prepare food. The rear hatch hinges up like most traditional teardrop trailers.
You could add a couple small solar panels on the roof but you’d probably want to spend the extra money and buy lightweight batteries. Lead acid batteries would probably become a real bummer after the first few miles.
Is this totally crazy? Could this work? How can you imagine using such a trailer?
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55 Responses to “Ultralight Teardrop Trailer – For a Bicycle!”
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i have been working on mine for 2 months , it is 12′ x 4′ long and rolls on 4 wheels i have been working on learning how to weld and all the new (to me) things about gearing and how to build this thing. hope ya’ll like it . i hope to have it finished for spring
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WOW Monte looks like you are making great progress! Looking forward to seeing it come together more!
I love your blog, especially the bike trailer concept.
Keep building up and testing the ideas on this one. This is a natural extension of finding the extreme bare minimums (even deeper than the 9 square foot project). It has a distinct advantage that this can be parked and used in almost any outdoor location. This could provide a reasonable shelter and toilet for plein air artists, birders, fishermen, hunters and more.
1) Light weight is going to be crucial. Having some parts that provide structure and points for fastening things (acting like studs in housing), other parts that provide weather resistance (like aluminum sheeting, fabric, or corrogated plastic), and light weight insulation (to reduce cooling and heating demands, fuel and mechanisms). Light weight glass is available from racing supplies and various plastics and screening can also fill the role of ventilation and view in a much lighter way.
2) The bike itself will need beefed up brakes like those used on ATV’s and motorbikes. Gearing may have to be set up to help with the extra load of the trailer.
3) The trailer may need two configurations – (a) one when being pulled and (b) perhaps a more vertical or upright configuration when parked and being used for eating, sleeping, bathroom, etc.
4) The trailer shape may also need to be further optimized to be even more aerodynamic. Although slow speed pulling will be the greatest burden to the rider (where lower weight is most important), once up to a reasonable speed, the wind resistance presented by the trailer shape will add a huge amount to the effort to move the trailer. The Sunrayce cars have taught us that shape can be optimized and even help to push the vehicle and drastically cut drag from wind resistance. The trailer will need brake lights, slow vehicle warning lights, and turn signals.
Thanks Mike… excellent ideas and comments. I really like #3… definitely out of the box thinking
Here is something very interesting as well http://store.kamprite.com/catalog/Midget-Bushtrekka-p-16143.html