Hello, I'm trying something completely different...

[hallalujah imabum]

Hello!
I have been fortunate to have lived most of my adult life in the Eastern Sierra of CA, and chose not to rent, but enjoy the outdoors courtesy of Smoky Bear (I've had reasonably good relationships with USFS LEOs.) I made the mistake of going back to graduate school in middle age, and now nomadic life is mandatory, with the student debt I've taken on.

So, my micro home Hyndai Accent is now terminally parked, and I can't find anything reasonably affordable that I can smog in Cali. I had a tense encounter with a campus LEO (who wasn't supposed to tell me that I couldn't sleep in my car, but I don't argue with LEOs) so I bought an electric cargo trike. I can sleep in it because I have bad acid reflux and need to keep my head elevated, but this is def. not a vehicle that is safe on most streets because of its 45" width. It would be fine back in the Eastern Sierra, though.

So, I'm not ready to get rid of the trike yet, but I want to go super light, yet remain safe (enclosed.) That's a difficult trick. I ruled out a motorcycle like a TW 200 for that reason, although I'd love to have one. I can store more stuff in the cargo box of my e-trike than on two wheels w/o a trailer, but the trike can't handle hills w/o the motor getting too hot. So, I'm thinking of designing a 30' wide trailer that can be pulled by a powerful e-mt. bike (my trike can't be charged by solar panels because the charging system requires at least 1500 W. I want my next setup to be solar-charged, even if it takes a couple of days to do it.)

Has anyone gone super micro? Or should I say, nano rv? I'm thinking of using folding panels of lexan and coroplast for my trailer structure. I know that I'm going at this super-low income, but I'm tired of fixing used cars and spending a good chunk of my money on gas (Mono Co, CA has some of the highest prices for gas in the nation, sometimes rivaling HI.)

 

[highdesertranger]

Welcome iamabum to the CRVL forums! To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips, Tricks and Rules" post lists some helpful information to get you started.

Most of our rules boil down to two simple over-riding principles: 1) What you post should provide good information (like your introductory post), and 2) Any response to someone else's post should make them feel glad they are part of this forum community.

We look forward to hearing more from you.

I am confused(not hard) Mono County doesn't have a smog requirement.

highdesertranger

 

[bullfrog]

I have seen pusher trailers for bicycles that work using solar and storage batteries and one electric bike using 2 batteries as well as a power pack charged by solar while traveling. The problem is grades and weight creating heat. It might be possible to combine a pusher trailer and an electric bike and running the bike till it gets warm then running the pusher trailer while the bike cools. Solar could be mounted on the trailer to charge both or possibly a small generator. Some of the more expensive bikes generate a charge while coasting or brakes are being applied. Maybe a front and rear motor with their own power supplies could be used alternately? I would think trying to cool a one motor system would be difficult. So is your present 3 wheeler enclosed? Paul Elkins has some good videos you might want to check out.

 

[hallalujah imabum]

[quote pid='483528' dateline='1580308558']
I always buy used cars and they have to pass smog before title can be transferred. Fortunately after that, you don't need to smog it again unless you sell it. Right now I'm in NM, and most used cars here that I think are affordable won't pass even ABQ smog checks. I've kinda given up on the idea of another used car. Maybe I just want to build a very tiny home. I need the exercise, anyway (my trike is peddle-assist with a 20 mph speed limit; it is not something you register or drive out in traffic unless necessary.)
[/quote]

 

[hallalujah imabum]

Paul Elkins' ideas are definitely inspiring! I have (well, the battery needs to be rebuilt) a Bionx kit on a folding Montague, but Bionx went out of business so I'm thinking of putting a Bafang BBSHD mid drive on it or something sturdier with smaller wheels. My trike is a RadBurro with the largest cargo box and a rolling window. This thing can carry 700 lbs, but not up steep or prolonged inclines. It's a great home if you are on the flats. A mid drive is really what I need, I'm thinking about a pop-top trailer, maybe on a handtruck frame so I can take it indoors (30" width) to prevent theft.
[/quote]

 

[ckelly78z]

My wife, and I both have Ebikes, she has a 350W 36V 26" front wheel assist with throttle control, on a 1 speed cruiser bike. It does well at "assisting" her along on our 20 mile rides in the flat lands of Ohio, but is running out of juice, and assist after 20 miles, and 1.5 hours, and she doesn't have any cargo, or trailer, and the whole bike with her on it is about 250#. She has a small 5 amp battery, and a spare battery that she carries along.

My bike is a 24 speed mountain bike with 29" wheels, and a 500W 36V front wheel that has pedal 5 levels of pedal assist, and throttle control. I have an 11 amp bottle cage battery that does really well for about 30 miles, running 15-20 mph, with an occasional blast to 30 mph. With me on it, it weighs about 250# also, but neither of them has excess power to be pulling a living quarters trailer.

Even with a big 20-25 amp battery, you won't have much pulling power for very long distances. If you take it easy with just the trike, you might hit a 50-75 mile range if you are also pedaling at the same time.

The Bafang mid-mount is one of the best, but gets expensive (roughly $400-$500 for the motor/controls), and another $500 for a decent battery. I like the front wheel motors because I retain all of my gears, and can easily ride the bike, as intended, but with 2 wheel drive.

 

[bullfrog]

So if you go pure solar, how far each day do you need to travel and how much weight will you be trying to move? Where you stop will you be able to wait 2 days while batteries charge? Is this going to be practical for you to do? Solar power and electric bicycles are expensive to purchase and easily stolen if left sitting around. Some people tour on electric bicycles and one in England has built one with a trailer. I believe it was on Youtube a while back. Maybe using the flexible panels or making the box out of panels could be possible but heavy and expensive. I have often been told "Poor people have poor ways." by people watching me spend way too much money trying to build something cheaply. I met a guy broken down in remote Utah with a K Mart bicycle and a homemade trailer made out of a milk crate with an axle. He had already traveled from Oregon on his way to Texas. He was determined but about dead. Anything is possible but sometimes the cheap way ends up costing a lot more. Many have plans for push carts that convert into small campers and it may be possible to motorize one of those with panels sort of like those self propelled lawn mowers that have a cart for the driver to stand on. It may be easier and cheaper to walk beside the bike up hills then coast down. The Teardrop and Tiny Trailers forum I believe has a thread on small solutions for the homeless which may give you some more ideas. A lot solutions will depend on your location / situation so research and let us know what you find. I just looked at the tnttt forum and they have bike trailer builds also!

 

[highdesertranger]

"I always buy used cars and they have to pass smog before title can be transferred"

and it is the SELLERS responsibility to smog the vehicle, private party or not. at least in California.

highdesertranger

 

[highest_vision]

Right now I'm in NM, and most used cars here that I think are affordable won't pass even ABQ smog checks.

Get an address that isn;t in ABQ. I don't have to emissions anything in Santa Fe county. I think Bernalillo county is the only emissions county in NM. There is a place in Santa Fe you can register at for an address. Can't register to vote there, though.

 

[Dan 1]

"I have seen pusher trailers …" Whuts uh "pusher trailer"?

 

[wayne49]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pusher_trailer
"A pusher trailer is a device attached to the rear of a vehicle or bike that provides force to assist the vehicle."

 

[Dan 1]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pusher_trailer
"A pusher trailer is a device attached to the rear of a vehicle or bike that provides force to assist the vehicle."

Thanks "wayne 49".