Very soon, a new RV will hit the market in Britain. Hopefully it won’t be long before this “jumps the pond,” as they say. It’s a bicycle travel trailer. Cute as a button, it resembles a teardrop trailer, without the galley hatch in the back. It does have a door on the side.
The United Kingdom’s Environmental Transportation Association, or ETA, has commissioned such a vehicle for commercially viable bicycle RV.
Named the QTvan, the bicycle trailer (caravan, as they’re called in Britain), costs 5,500 pounds Sterling. The exchange rate conversion as of 16 September 2011, was $8,681.20. With mass production and good sales, the price will eventually fall. No word yet on export to the U.S., though.
The Trailer’s Statistics
The dimensions are approximately 6ft, 6in. by 2ft, 5in. wide. Those sounds skimpy by most RV standards, but remember a bicycle pulls this.
It’s big enough inside for a twin air mattress, and has a shelf running the length of the inside. The shelf looks about 6″ wide. It comes with a radio, a 19″ flat-screen TV with antennae, drinks cabinet and tea-making facilities.
A bookshelf sits above the TV with an alarm clock, if you need one while camping.
In Britain, it will be equipped with 240V electrical power, but in the US, wiring for 110 or 120V AC is a matter of switching wires and an outlet or two. A standard power cord (15amp) for patio use, with a 30amp to 15amp adapter will work at any RV park or campground.
Two large windows on the door side and a rear window allow the camper a wide view. Installing curtains inside would take nothing more than lightweight café rods and epoxy glue.
Optional goodies include- solar panels, satellite dish (yes, I’m serious), gaming console, central heating, luggage rack (for the top of the trailer), and bespoke paint.
The trailer’s tires look like 12″ tires, and even come with the cutest hubcaps you’ll ever see.
If you don’t want to pedal, an electric bicycle is more than capable of pulling the trailer. Keep in mind that the more weight you pull with the bike/equipment/trailer, the faster you’ll drain the bicycle’s battery. Perhaps that solar panel, an inverter, and charger can make the trip with you.
The bicycle has a hitch and jack similar to a travel trailers. A special frame is fitted to the bicycle with the (1.96″) ball. No need to practice backing up to hitch up this trailer.
The pictures provided by the ETA’s website, don’t show any stabilizers under the trailer. A stabilizer is a jack or blocking designed to keep the trailer stable when someone is inside so it doesn’t rock around or flip when you sit down on one end. Lightweight stabilizers could be purchased and carried easily in this trailer.
With panniers, trunk, backpack, front luggage rack on the bicycle, the trailer and gear in back, anyone who can ride a bicycle would have a great camping trip. Talk about having a zero carbon footprint.
Automotto.com shows the QTvan hitched to a mobility scooter. Bicyclists aren’t the only ones who can pull this trailer. It will also hold a week’s worth or more of groceries.
The ETA’s information doesn’t specify the weight of the trailer, but it’s light enough for almost every bicyclist to pull it manually (by peddling). It appears to be made of fiberglass, which would make it lightweight indeed. I’m guessing it has Plexiglass windows that don’t open, since I didn’t see any drip edges.
Release Dates
Unfortunately, the ETA doesn’t give a release date for the bicycle trailer. I would love to see it here in the U.S.- it will go over big- huge with eco-campers, long-distance riders and campers of all ages.
I wonder what RV parks would charge for a bicycle travel trailer?
One thing is for sure- all those friends/co-workers/relatives who want to borrow your regular travel trailer will suddenly have excuses for not borrowing this one. Then again, you never know.
I could make this into a nice weekend camper. I’m 5’2,” so I wouldn’t need all of the 6′ length- that gives me space for a box to hold a golf cart battery- make the TV a 12volt model, add a 12volt skillet, or a Coleman propane grill, an ice chest, a porta-potty and tent, and I’m ready to go. I’d only like it to be slightly wider.
How about a future model with slide outs?
Source: Staff article, “The Caravan Designed to be Towed Behind a Bicycle,” ETA.co.uk website, 23 June, 2011
Source: Sanchita Mukhopadhyay, “Introducing QTvan, the World’s Smallest Carbon Neutral Caravan,” 19 April 2011