(touch to make it bigger)
(that's what he said)
Yeah. I had been wanting to build a simple bike trailer for a while, and somehow about an hour ago my mind was like "well why not take it further, giving you the bicycle motorhome construction project of your dreams?"
The picture is just a rough visualization. Here are my goals...
- For those of you who think this is too big/heavy to be pulled by a bike, you're simply wrong.
- large enough inside to sleep one adult - i was thinking 6.5'x4' for the base... high enough inside to accommodate chillaxing while sitting up
- fully enclosed and rain-tight
- safe enough to tow with a bicycle on public roads - tail and side lights, reflectors, etc
- freestanding sans bicycle
- window on front and each side, locking door in rear, some means to let in air while keeping door closed
- 12V electrical system to power LED/CFL lighting (both inside and out), ventilation fans (probably PC case fans), stereo with iPod input - possible inclusion of a small 120V inverter, maybe even PV array wired in series on the roof for charging
- sort of lightweight (50 pounds? 100 pounds? who knows. I only weigh about 125 and I'm not at all averse to pulling something heavy)
- use of as many recycled/second-hand materials as possible - for the purposes of this project I'm acting as if I'm nearly broke
I was thinking a wood frame of 1x2s and aluminum sheeting for the exterior. I think that will make it super easy (and hopefully cheap) to build. The sheet metal could be scavenged from an old above-ground pool. Windows could be made with plexiglas. I already have a set of 18"ish wheels in great shape, scavenged from my early childhood mountain bike.
How neat would it be to go on a trip with one of these? The spacious (compared to a typical bicycle trailer) interior would allow you to store everything you need for camping, all without the hassle of loading up a touring bike. You could even stick your friends in (as long as they sit near the axle). Personally, I'd also just haul it around town to look badass.
Incidentally, my research has shown no current or pending legislation regarding restrictions on what one may pull behind a bicycle. I don't think it would be much wider than one of those tricycle-bikes. I'd love advice and input, as this project is unlike anything I've done before - actually, AFAIK unlike anything
anyone has done before.