Tiny House on a Bike Trailer

Started by GreenAccountant, March 28, 2011, 04:57:11 PM

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GreenAccountant

Right now the sturdiest bike trailer I can find will support a maximum load of 150 pounds.  I am trying to find one that will support 300 pounds ideally, but I will take 200 pounds.  This leads me to be building with light weight materials.  That is where I am stumped.  My house would be 8 x 10 when assembled. The floor would pull out to four sections.  Since it is not as permamnent structure, I can do away with a lot of building codes. 


Squirl

Bike as in motorcycle, or something you are going to peddle up hill?


John Raabe

If you're planning to transport this by muscle power I would think you might want to stick with a tent configuration that might use the bike trailer platform as a kitchen counter.

If you expect to have a solid floor of 8'x10' you have to devise something like four panels each of 2.5'x 8' size that somehow interlock. And you need beams that keep this floor solid and rigid. Not easy to do in a lightweight structure.

If the whole structure is fabric then it has a tent floor you spike to the ground and you don't have to carry around your foundation.
None of us are as smart as all of us.

dug

If you are talking about a bicycle trailer to move materials with then this is a good one-

http://www.bikesatwork.com/bike-trailers/model-96a-bike-trailer.html

A little pricy though. I have seen people move amazing loads with these!

GreenAccountant

#4
I am using a 48cc motor so it would still be considered a bicycle.  I thought about using a balsa frame and door skin exterior, but I don't want the house to lok trashy.  So, I would also like to know what i could use as decorative trim around the seams.


jeramiez

If you google 'bicycle camper' or 'bicycle trailer' (especially as an image search) there are a lot of good ideas out there that people have tried... 

Might give you a few ideas you may not have considered...

one of the funnier yet functional ones I found is:


GreenAccountant

I have found plenty, but I don't want it to look like a camper but an actual mini-house.  Since I am currently living in Taiwan, I think my choise of building materials will be extremely cheap and I will be able to mail the house home.   Here is what my current plans are.  You tell me if this is feasible.  I plan to either be on the road again by September teaching ESL or have a local job as an accountant before moving into a more stable structure after a year of portable housing. 

Use a balsa wood frame that is weatherproofed.   Then use PVC corrugated board for exterior walls.  I will use either a dine powder like ground up plastic or a water proof glue in place of stucco.  The interior walls will be made with tissue as in the wings of model airplanes.   This way it will give the interior that Japanese feel.  The power source will be solar panels.   

Here are some interesting ideas, but I do not like them. 

http://www.ecofriend.com/entry/eco-homes-bike-trailer-house-makes-its-inventor-live-green-in-a-cramped-space/

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/11/bike-trailer-homes.php

http://tinyhouseblog.com/tag/bike-trailer/

http://www.tinyhouseliving.com/tag/bike-trailer/