We often hear that it's the little things in life that count, but we often don't believe it. A complete DIY (do it yourself) project on a budget, this solar-powered bike camper proves that when it comes to wanderlust, you can truly go the 'simple is best' route.
Photo: YouTube/Far Beyond Ordinary (composite)
The debate over van life and all its variations has been going on for several years now. It's not difficult to understand why. People today feel stressed, overwhelmed, unhappy, burdened, and stuck in a rut. Vanlife is proposed as a kind of miraculous escape from all that while still making a living.
In an ideal world and social media, the modern nomadic lifestyle would be a collection of solutions to most modern problems and ills: meaningful experiences, affordable housing, lower costs, and carbon emissions. We offer monetization opportunities to everyone who dares to reduce the amount and even donate. try it. The temptation of this dream is irresistible, even if we are adults and know not to believe everything we see on the gram, but the exorbitant pricing makes it difficult to resist. The charm is slightly reduced.
Of course, there's always the DIY (do it yourself) route. Today's example is a great example in this sense, offering an alternative to all the super expensive e-bike campers and trailers that are starting to appear.
Photo: YouTube/Far Beyond Ordinary
The basis of this project is an electrically assisted recumbent tricycle, also made from scratch. Far Beyond Ordinary's Dan describes himself as a modern-day nomad with a fixed base in Wisconsin and an inventor who believes electric cars are the future. He usually travels in a van that he has modified himself, but for short trips he prefers a smaller vehicle like the one we're featuring today.
Taking inspiration from European velomobiles, which are essentially enclosed trikes with or without motor assistance, this bike camper was developed over a year. Dan said he began construction in late 2021 and completed in the fall of 2022. He continued to play around with it as he took it out before deciding on the best configuration.
In the summer of 2023, Dan went on a 400-mile (644 km), 6-day adventure in a solar-powered motorcycle camper and found it to be the ideal small camper. EV For adventurers looking to experience wanderlust on a budget, with some comfort and unlimited range.
Photo: YouTube/Far Beyond Ordinary
In fact, this was Dan's fourth build of this kind, and he later said it wasn't the lightest or fastest of the bunch. This would be his second velomobile, but it turned out to be very light and capable of reaching speeds of 20 mph (32 km/h) without motor assistance or effort, but unfortunately had only a limited range on a single charge. It was 30 miles (48 km).
This is much slower, but doesn't recognize this kind of limitation. The reason is that it is longer, more angular and heavier than its predecessor, and on the roof it has four flexible solar panels. They total 600W and power a mid-mounted motor with the help of an internally mounted 30ah 24V battery located on the back wall of the camper section of the build. On completely cloudy days, the bike has a range of 25 to 30 miles (40 to 48 km) on battery power alone.
To assist the motor, Dan opted for a two-speed sprocket on the front wheel and a six-speed derailleur on the rear. The vehicle comes with taillights with brake lights, front headlights, strobe lights on the panels (front and back), a loud horn, and a windshield to protect Dan from the elements.
Photo: YouTube/Far Beyond Ordinary
The problem of range anxiety is more or less solved, and this bike camper also meets the digital nomad's other needs. It offers a comfortable sleeping area with a USB port for your devices, a phone mount, and most importantly, a drop-down tent hidden on one side of the lightweight shell.
Dan shows us the setup in the video tour below. Once you've parked your camper and covered the cabin to protect it from rain and prying eyes, lift the sides of the one-piece tent and get to work. Just like a regular tent, poles and ropes must be secured to stabilize the structure. Since it is made of coroplast, it needs to be secured as much as possible to prevent the shelter from falling apart in the wind.
You might argue that this difference between campervan and bikepacking isn't that important since you're still sleeping on the ground. You're right, you're still sleeping on the ground, but the back section of the camper has enough storage space to carry all your gear, food, and an air mattress, which is more comfortable than anything you can cram into a bag. Overnight accommodation.
Photo: YouTube/Far Beyond Ordinary
As a mobile shelter or mobile home, this bike camper pales in comparison to larger structures or products designed specifically for e-bikes. But it's cheaper than all of these, and as long as you don't get too picky about your accommodations, there are virtually no operating costs while meeting the adventurer's basic needs.
More importantly, taking out a bike camper like this comes with a sense of pride that you probably don't get with something purchased from a well-established company: the pride and joy of knowing that this is something you built yourself. Dan's smile when he talks about it speaks louder than every word that comes out of his mouth.