Velovan Bicycle Caravan

[Pat "5mph"]

Not a recumbent, but didn't know where else to put this.
An interesting project by a Glasgow bike mechanic worth following, weights 60kg for now, the next version should be about 40/45 kg. Maybe he should also make one that can be towed by 2 bikes?
Looks good imo.

 

[steveindenmark]

If you look round the internet there is lots of these around.

I can never see the advantage over a tent. But there are some interesting designs.

 

[raleighnut]

It shouldn't be too bad weight wise (I've had 50Kg on my trailer which weighs in at over 10kg on its own) but I would not fancy it into a headwind, that front end would be a bit of a stopper but if it were reversed (slope at front) it may be easier.
The hitch also looks to be a touch 'overkill' and a fair bit of weight could be lost there by going to a clamp-on or bolt on (kiddie trailer) type, like I said my trailer coped fine with a bag of cement and a bag of building sand aboard.
Nice looking job though.

 

[Bodhbh]

That guy must really hate pitching tents.

Looks good for an overnighter with the kids or something. Are they're any legal implications for lugging about something so huge tho?

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Not a recumbent, but didn't know where else to put this.
An interesting project by a Glasgow bike mechanic worth following, weights 60kg for now, the next version should be about 40/45 kg. Maybe he should also make one that can be towed by 2 bikes?
Looks good imo.

View attachment 63282

That would be perfect... for taking my cats to the vet.

Two things would bother me about it; it would be a bugger to haul up any hills, and it would be a bugger to stop going down them. Are there brakes on the trailers wheels?

Looks nice though.


GC

 

[Fubar]

I wouldn't like to get into a "tail wagging the dog" situation on a bike, bad enough towing a caravan in a car! And I would have thought you would need 3 wheels on the bike for stability.

 

[roadrash]

do you mean 3 wheels like this

 

[roadrash]

or how about recumbent

 

[raleighnut]

I wouldn't like to get into a "tail wagging the dog" situation on a bike, bad enough towing a caravan in a car! And I would have thought you would need 3 wheels on the bike for stability.

I tried mine out for stability on its first 'tour' up to Derbyshire. When returning home there is a section I had earmarked for this on the Ashbourne Rd, a section of dual carriageway about 2 miles long that's quite steeply downhill with no turnings. I ran out of gears (52-12 on a 26" wheel MTB) and was holding station with the cars on the inside lane so I guess 45 MPH or so with the trailer absolutely stable and a grin a foot wide (at the bottom of the hill)
I later had a good look at the trailer and found out the wheels are not in line but toe-out about 5mm so that the tyres scrub slightly and try to pull the trailer down into the road, not enough to cause problems but it adds to the stability when attempting something a bit stupid like this. The other thing that helps is that the hitch is next to the wheel spindle so it has no leverage to 'wag' the back end but that puts a 'heck' of a lot of stress on the rear wheel/spokes but the bike had been fitted with (I'd made a Raleigh Mustang look that nice it got stolen in a burglary and they moved the Carlton to get it. ) a Handlaced 4 cross rear to cope.

 

[KneesUp]

It looks nice, but if you don't mind pulling weight behind you so you have a nice place to sleep that's easy to set up, why not get a trailer and an inflatable tent? Lighter, more room and probably cheaper.

 

[raleighnut]

It looks nice, but if you don't mind pulling weight behind you so you have a nice place to sleep that's easy to set up, why not get a trailer and an inflatable tent? Lighter, more room and probably cheaper.

That's what I do, I take a 16 foot long 3 hoop tent (1/2 inner-1/2 porch) tent to act as a 'basecamp' with all the sleeping bags, stove and pans etc, and tour from there sometimes returning home on just the bike so that's Maz and me can travel up by train/bus to have a long weekend in a tent that's already up with me carrying a rucksack with her stuff in it, then we return and I cycle back up (60-65 miles) carry on with my holiday then bring the tent back in the trailer.

 

[xilios]

Wonder how they would handle in strong crosswinds.

 

[Donger]

That would be perfect... for taking my cats to the vet.
GC

Jeez! How big are your cats?

 

[MarkF]

Wow! I take 5kg touring, 8-9kg if camping, good luck to anybody trying that out in Cantabria/Asturias, my usual haunts. It's a lovely design though, canvas & 10kg and I'd like one.

 

[snorri]

, why not get a trailer and an inflatable tent? .

The difficulty of fixing shelving and picture hooks for your family photos springs to mind.