Downsize my overland rig to a human powered overlanding rig?

[UgotWheelz]

I should pre-face this with I am an adventure or ultra cyclist and I was a bicycle manufacturer in the past.

Am I going crazy in my advanced years or just been cooped up inside to long?? As I have posted at length about already I currently have a 2021 BroncoSport. It has a tow rating of only 2000lbs. I can't find a suitable camper that is under that weight at a price I can afford. However I still want to be able to bring my recumbent tricycle with me and it got me thinking; I have bike & back packed all over the world why not downsize to an e-assisted trike or even some type of custom velomobile. I would not loose much capability or capacity just reduced travel speed I could use a cargo trike or trike and trailer, even a bike camper trailer is possible for gear storage.

What do you think or do I just have to much time and not enough sense??

 

[billum v2.0]

Being an ultra, you have more first hand knowledge than most, certainly more than me......

Been a road cyclist for a long time. Toe straps, nail on cleats, down tube friction shifter kinda long time. Still avg. 3 - 3.5k miles annually. Live where most folks are actively courteous to non-dumbass cyclists. Riding the same handful of paved rural routes for decades. Route selection was based on wind direction, etc.

After a few close calls with distracted drivers, route selection became driven by time of day, traffic patterns, and shoulder width. No problem, on me to appreciate current conditions and adapt.

But current conditions have changed rapidly to no tolerance for me on the road, period. Two lane paved road, good visibility for a quarter mile, no approaching vehicles from the other direction and yet their passenger mirror is a few inches from my bars on the way by. Happening more often to the point of considering hanging up the road cleats, buying a drop bar cyclocross bike, hitting the secondary roads and taking my chances with the loose gravel, over achiever turf protective farm dogs, tractors and livestock trailers.

What's your take, especially on a trike?

 

[Billiebob]

Not crazy, but kinda limiting where you travel. I only worry about other drivers anticipating a low wide recumbent on the pavement.

Why not keep the Bronco, put the recumbent in the trailer, cycle when the opportunity happens.
If yer willing to go with just the recumbent, why sleep in the trailer.

 

[genocache]

I've done some touring, Pacific Coast from Astoria to Santa Cruz(home) and done half the Great Divide. Both times with a B.O.B. trailer. I really like it and if it hadn't been for that crash in Colorado in 07.... I am 70 and if my hip worked like it should I'd be out there riding now.

I'd seriously look at an electric quad and do more back country traveling. You can not see the Country as well on anything as you can a bicycle.

Let me know if you want to buy a used B.O.B. I have a Yak and an Ibex.

Have you looked at Utah Trikes - Online Recumbent They have some great reviews on their youtube channel.

 

[Billiebob]

I still want to be able to bring my recumbent tricycle with me and it got me thinking; I have bikepacked all over the world why not downsize to an e-assisted trike or even some type of custom velomobile. I would not loose much capability or capacity juts reduced travel speed I could use a cargo trike or trike and trailer, even a bike camper trailer is possible for gear storage.

This is intriguing.

I do love the idea of downsizing. I'm down to a TJR plus a Square drop, for me thats as small as I'm likely to go. But the more I think about your goal of a e-bike, trailer, the more I like the idea. I think it would need to be more of a hybrid for me. Capable of 50mph. Comfortable thru rain or sleet. Safe at night. There are lots of concepts out there. And hey for a retired bicycle builder an excellent challenge.

Something between


and...... but capable of blending in with traffic


towing a mini my pod....


obviously running on bicycle tires, 1/3 the width, no higher than a pup tent, on a tubular bicycle frame, with solar to charge the battery powering the lighting
even if it could only do 30mph..... what a great way when time travel is unlimited for a retiree

heck add solar to all the roofs, recharge the motor batteries too
supliment it all by pedalling
think regenerative braking

I think the big issue is width, once you go recumbent and trailer you are no longer skinny enough to ride the shoulder which is often no wider than the white line
for that reason you need to blend with traffic, I'd even say 50mph could be life threatening.



people are just not paying attention