Tiny Home eBike

[arkmundi]

eBikes and small homes go together into a world more human scaled, downsized and sustainable. My eBike is only part of the world I want, as I also consider building a small home. To stimulate my imagination, I recently bought Tiny Homes: Simple Shelter. On page 181 is this picture of a small home that is an ebike. Very clever.

 

[grindz145]

Dude, I want to tour on something like this. I feel like a tadpole configuration with a big sleeping cabin up front would be really sweet.

 

[grindz145]

Like this but with a large aerodynamic sleeping bunk in the front. It could double as a windshield for the rider.

 

[Kent]

eBikes and small homes go together into a world more human scaled, downsized and sustainable. My eBike is only part of the world I want, as I also consider building a small home. To stimulate my imagination, I recently bought Tiny Homes: Simple Shelter. On page 181 is this picture of a small home that is an ebike. Very clever.

A man after my own heart. I've always felt that e-bikes should be part of our lifestyle and not just a weekend toy.

AS far as traveling, how do you feel that this built-in concept compares to a converted tiny trailer? At least with the trailer, you have the option of parking it and then having your e-bike freed up for doing errands, etc.

Thoughts?

 

[arkmundi]

The small home I'll build won't be that. But yea, to travel around in? I'm still dreaming about an extended tour via eBike, maybe just around here in New England, maybe that East Coast Trail trip I've threatened myself with (kinda scary, but oh so exciting). If I were, it'd be with a small utility trailer packed with tent & camp equipment and enough battery to get me a decent distance, on the order of 60AH. I can't see lugging around that kind of wind resistance while trying to ebike it. But very, very amusing. Like the surfboard on top!

 

[dogman dan]

Narrow shoulders and people on phones make me choose not to tow anything by bike.

This is one of the primary reasons I felt my longtail had to have full suspension, so I could ride off into the gravel at 30 mph and not shit my pants.

I carry plenty of camp comforts on the longtail. A good tent, with practice, sets up in just 5 min. But, I do plan to tour when and where the weather won't be biblical. I might get rain soaked, but I won't be going camping if the temps will be below 20F at night. Camping as much as possible at RV type campsites to have a plug, means you can always hunker down for a few hours in the restrooms and showers.

But I keep looking at building a mini camper to tow behind my Subaru. But then I come to my senses, the Subaru makes a great mini camper by itself. But I'd do it if I had a shorter car.

But for other purposes than long distance touring, I love the camper bike/trike idea. How perfect for living rough at Mission Bay San Diego for example. Not traveling miles a day, just able to roll your house from 12 to 2 am as the cops require there. No traffic then. Circle the bay real slow twice, park again and go back to sleep. Next morning, wake up and go windsurfing.

 

[agniusm]

I dont like that one on the first post. There is video on ytube and its like crap looks like would fall apart. I was thinking about it too. My understanding is that it should be a tandem trike, cabin at the back with 2 wheels and tandem setup bike at the front. Lots of batterie in the cabin floor and roof covered in solar panels. The area is huge so could be enough reasonable power

 

[dogman dan]

Interesting idea. I like the tandem concept, as well as the delta trike form. My mind is picturing a tandem bike up front, and a small camper welded on behind it. Maybe even have the rear wheels very small diameter, like not even bike wheels.

 

[agniusm]

Yeah, exactly my thinking. I think wheels would be good in 20" flavour. I have salvaged some disability carts and these wheels have thick axle on one side. Course there will be issues mounting brakes and all. I wander what sort of output one could get say from 700w of solar panels? Would that be something like 3.5kW in 5 hours minus looses?
I like this one for its design:

But i think this one makes a lot more sense. It has drop shape which should be most aerodynamic:

 

[dogman dan]

That teardrop shape one looked cool, just have it welded to a trike front end, like a pedicab with a house instead of a seat. My worn out and dead trike still in the yard just for suck a kooky project.

I also like the idea of a wedge shape, your feet only need 12" of height. Tall enough to sit up in back end. Or a pop top, flat and low, then pop it up to inhabit it. Hard walls for the win in a rainy climate though. Safe enough bet 10 mph is the max you'd ever go anyway though. Chain drive to a very low fixed gear. Or a golf cart rear end? For show, pedal to a generator?

I'm not thrilled with carrying much solar panel. So heavy. But a long sunny afternoon putting in 500wh makes sense to me. Carry at most 100-150w of panel. Again, not really meant to go long distance. Rather like your place to live in, for a month at the beach. You can plug in chargers to get there, but then not need charging once you are there and only doing a few miles a day.

Perfect for urban camping. Out in the wild, a tent is fine. But in the city, even a lightweight lockable door gets nice.

For a pop up camper with a solar top, I thought this bike looked like a winner. Perfect to park with the top half way open facing the sun.

 

[r3volved]

bahaha bicycle coffin?
This looks like you're ebiking someone to the cemetery.

 

[Tench]

bahaha bicycle coffin?
This looks like you're ebiking someone to the cemetery.

I thought the same, just tip it up and deliver them!

 

[arkmundi]

bahaha bicycle coffin? This looks like you're ebiking someone to the cemetery.

What a sublime design and idea. Kudos. I'm thinking when I'm ready to go, pull up in some public place with a note attached to my chest telling them where to bury me, bike and all, and a monument with one of those tablets embedded in perpetual loop of my happy times riding around. Plant the solar panel topside to keep it charged. Thanks. :lol:

 

[John in CR]

How can you call it home if you can't stand up in it? Use a tent instead.

Here is a tiny home. Just add batteries and a motor. Who could resist solar panels on top?

 

[arkmundi]

Haaahaha..... home is for lying down. Prone is the best position. There are many, many things one can do when in the horizontal position, many many things. Haaahaaaa! :lol:

 

[made_in_the_alps_legacy]

I love this one

I would open completely the upper stiff cover to make a solid floor
and release an auto deploying tent made of flexible solar panels

Then travel the sunny world endlessly

 

[dogman dan]

No reason the pop up tent in the coffin bike couldn't be 6' tall inside. 4' tall is enough to get dressed inside, sitting on a low chair. Used to change in to wetsuits in a van all the time.

What the coffin bike would really kick ass for, is taking a load of produce to the farmers market. Open the lid, and the display is all set, and shaded.

 

[r3volved]

What the coffin bike would really kick ass for, is taking a load of produce to the farmers market. Open the lid, and the display is all set, and shaded.

I bet it work work well with the mobsters too. eMafia Special

It would make a slick mobile garden too and you could eliminate the grocery store. And clean the air as you bike! Super Eco

 

[arkmundi]

What the coffin bike would really kick ass for, is taking a load of produce to the farmers market. Open the lid, and the display is all set, and shaded.

A fine idea. What motor would you put on it?

 

[dogman dan]

Something like that would beg for a stokemonkey. But maybe not through the crank but rather permanently very low geared. Left side chain drive I mean. Gear it for about 12 mph max. It will be heavy and handle like a pig.

Not a thing for cross country, but a short haul to a market. Of course, you could also just tow a trailer of similar design. But then you get into various issues, tongue weight wheelies, etc. Towing with a trike can solve some of those issues.

I was a farmers market vendor for 5 years, though I did not sell produce. Setting up twice a week sucked. The car or truck had to be taken off the area. But this bike would easily fit inside the vendor square, and be allowed to stay. Set up would take 30 seconds. 5 min if you brought an EZ up.

 

[arkmundi]

I haul a load of groceries up the hill I live on, so know how heavy it can get, therefore how much I can buy before its too much for my 500 watt geared Heinzmann to handle. Its been one of those intriguing ideas that periodically hassle my brain - farming and food delivery in a post-industrial (car-free) society. When I confront my climate activist friends on why they still own, maintain and drive an ICEr beastie thingee, it comes down to the convenience of household chores, keeping the frig stocked and all that. Is it not just a design issue now? A permaculture solution set that seriously addresses the movement of essential goods. Now here's an idea:

credit: http://sdbikecommuter.com/forums/comments.php?DiscussionID=10. Lo'ts of pictures and discussion of franken cargo bikes.

 

[dogman dan]

I bet that one corners real sweet.

Ability to haul more groceries home at a time is part of why I built the superpanniers on my longtail. I couldn't afford the extracycle kit stuff. It's got a burly 5304 on it now, but to get up hills better I'm putting a 5305 on it today.

God knows enough diesel got burned making this food appear at Sams Club, the least I can do is haul it home by bike. But carrying the gigantic warehouse store boxes is not easy with a regular bike. When I build the cargo boxes, part of the design criteria was, will the stuff I usually buy fit? Then the top deck remains free for carrying a take and bake pizza.

 

[arkmundi]

Nice build Dogman! Admire your ingenuity.

 

[gogo]

I love this one

I would open completely the upper stiff cover to make a solid floor
and release an auto deploying tent made of flexible solar panels

Then travel the sunny world endlessly

That manufacturer is in my city and I was offered a job there, but regretfully didn't take it. The owner is an unconventional inventor type of guy and I've thought of soliciting his sponsorship for an electric bicycle camper.

 

[dogman dan]

Bummer missing the employee discount on those flexi panels.

The thin film type panels produce less watts per square foot, but should be the lightest you can get to cover a bike trailer or whatever. Though not big enough to recharge a huge pack, even a 40w setup would add a few miles a day. Anything 6' long and 3' wide should be large enough to fit at least a 40w thin film solar panel. Also there is the possibility of rolling out some more when you park.

Some places, you wouldn't want to cover more than 30 miles a day anyway. No desire to blast past Big Sur, you know. It would be awesome to go do the Alcan Highway on a solar recharged bike.