Cargo Bike Trailer (for a tiny house?)
I’ve gotten several comments on Tiny House Design in response to my nine square foot house design that ask for a house small enough to be pulled by a bicycle. Well I think I just found the perfect bike trailer for that tiny house concept. It’s a little expensive but it can hold 300 pounds and the bed is 64″ by 27.25″.
I’m not planning on making Nine Tiny Feet a bike trailer house but I am thinking that I should design a tiny house that can be pulled by a bike. I’ve already been trying to figure out a way to build a ultra-lightweight tiny house, but the 300-pound limit is going to be a challenge.
Hey Michael!
Great idea! Have you heard of Human powered machines (http://hpm.catoregon.org/)? Its a business located in Eugene, Oregon and I believe its part of the Center for Appropriate Transportation http://www.catoregon.org/
HPM’s trihauler bike http://hpm.catoregon.org/?page_id=73 has a capacity for 600 lbs and I believe their trailer http://hpm.catoregon.org/?page_id=83 is rated for 1/4 ton!
Good luck!
~Logan.
I’ll check it out! Thanks Logan
I actually live in Eugene for a year and I never drove my car. Great bike town.
Regarding the weight problem, Bill Kastrinos might have a few ideas. His Tortoise Shell homes are much lighter than traditional wood framed houses due to his recycled steel framing approach. If you went with plastic or aluminum for your interior design material you may save even more weight. I’m thinking carbon fiber and titanium may be a bit expensive on a house sized project
.
As another idea for weight saving tips you may want to check out the light weight backpacking community (E.g. http://www.backpackinglight.com ). You could post your goal on a few of the online community forums and I bet you would get alot of enthusiastic feedback since backpackers are used to small shelters.
Cheers,
L
You’re right Logan… Bill is using steel framing modules fabricated by Codding http://www.coddingsfs.com/
I like the idea of thinking outside the box on building materials. I’m actually playing with the idea of thin plywood bonded to (green) foam panels and use metal brackets to hold it all together.
Finding the right green materials and adhesives is the trickiest part.
Thanks for the lightweight backpacking link too.
[...] Oregon that makes things like heavy duty bike haulers and bike trailers. Logan from RowdyKittens posted a comment on a recent bookmark I posted and pointed me at this great little bike [...]
What a great idea for mobile living! You might also consider growing vegetables on the roof.
Thanks Jared.
Actually I’d love to put something on the roof. We’ve got a big flat roof and it gets super hot. There’s no money for a real green roof or even a cool roof but a few big pots, squash plants, and drip irrigation might just give us the shade we need to stay cool in out 100-degree Sacramento summers.
I think that the way you have the sleeping arrangement designed is terrific. Possibly you could save the space (and weight) for the lumber needed to provide the sleeping surface by using a hammock that attaches to hooks in the bay windows. The hammock can be rolled up and stored away very compactly.
Good thinking James. I usually forget the hammock option because I’m not sure I could sleep in one; although it is nice napping in hammocks
Maybe I should give it a try.