For many, international travel is currently out of the realm of possibilities. What’s to blame? The COVID-19 pandemic of crouse, which is why 2020 has quickly become the year of the road trip. Traveling across the country in your own vehicle, stopping at campsites, and enjoying the great outdoors is perhaps the safest way to vacation this summer, and there is more than one way to do it.
The most common choice for a trip such as this is a camper van or trailer of some sort, but have you ever considered other methods of travel? If you’ve ever thought about biking across the country but couldn’t figure out how to make it logistically possible, there’s a new solution out there and it’s just for you.
The bicycle camper allows you to pedal your way from state to state while providing you with a comfortable place to sleep, dine, and even entertain.
Read: A Couple Spend $3K to Turn an Old RV Into a Cozy Home For Five
The Bicycle Camper
The Wide Path Bike Camper provides some of the benefits of a travel camper without the huge environmental footprint. It is a bike-towable micro camper that can be pulled by a regular bike or an e-bike.
According to the Wide Path website, the bike camper is more than just a mini RV:
“[The bike camper is] a mobile house-party easily deployed in urban, suburban, and natural spaces.”
They describe the camper as durable, collapsable, lightweight, and spacious. It’s unique shape and hardshell exterior makes it feel both cozy and secure, and provides a safe place to store your belongings.
When open, the trailer 110 inches long, 39 inches wide, and 57 inches high on the inside, with a 78-inch by 35-inch sleeping area. Once it is folded up, however, the camper’s length is cut nearly in half, and measures a mere 59 inches long [2].
It’s small and compact size allows it to be stored easily in the off-season without taking up too much space, and is what makes it fairly easy to tow on a bicycle. It provides a unique opportunity for a different type of road trip, or just a fun little place to hang out with friends.
“Our mobile tiny houses offer instant shelter from the weather, a comfortable bed for up to 2 people, and a convertible space for 4 adults to dine-in, relax, and camp in style.” [1]
The Wide Path Bike Camper doesn’t come cheap, however, and retails at 4,200 dollars. For an additional cost, you can add an optional package that includes a solar panel, battery, LED lights, and a fan, as well as additional upgrades like a kitchen or outdoor eating packages [2].
Things to Think About Before You Hit the Road
Before you jump in and ride away with your mini camper, there are a few important considerations to take into account, one of them being your biking ability and strength. While it is very compact, the camper still has an empty weight of 88 pounds, which may be heavy for some people to pull over long distances.
That weight, of course, does not include the weight of whatever you choose to put inside the camper, which can really start to add up. Even with the empty weight, learning how to ride down hills with it or in windy conditions may be a challenge, one that is exacerbated with another fifty pounds of gear added on.
As previously mentioned, there is an opportunity to pair the trailer with an adequately powered e-bike, however you will need to ensure that it is matched correctly in terms of battery capacity and motor size, and that it is geared correctly to make sure it is capable of hauling the bicycle camper [2].
Alternatives to the Bicycle Camper
If you don’t feel as though your biking skills are strong enough to pull a camper around, Wide Path has other options available to you.
The Homie is a small car camper and is light enough to be towed by a smaller vehicle or regular-sized car. It is available in two widths, includes a solar package, and can be towed by any car with a towbar.
Their third option is the Ape Camper, which is designed to be towed by a Piaggio Ape50 or any small cargo vehicle.
So if you’re itching for an adventure this summer, or your original travel plans were cancelled, perhaps the great American road trip- with a bit of a twist- is just what you’ve been waiting for.