You’ve Heard of Bikepacking—But What About Bike Glamping?

If you’ve tried bikepacking and just can’t get used to the minimalist sleeping-on-the-ground routine, this might be for you. (Not really—but it’s certainly amusing, and you know there are engineers out there perfecting the setup.)

The YouTube famous Dangie Bros, known for survival challenges and DIY projects that they put to the test, built their own RV-style camper top for a bike. Their goal was to take the rig on a two-day, 100-mile trip, but things didn’t exactly go as expected. Even after attempting to add a second bike to the setup, it was a lot of work.

Jeff and Chris, the famed brothers, built the camper setup, and honestly, it does look a lot like something you’d see on the back of a pickup truck, albeit smaller. The exterior is made mostly of plywood and aluminum siding, while the interior looks like a small motorhome.

The camper top weighed in at around 500 pounds—not to mention the weight of the person not pedaling—and was created to be pulled by a simple human-powered bike. It included all kinds of features, such as running water, a stovetop, lights, fans, and a bed.

Jeff and Chris planned to take turns pedaling their way down the road, while the brother not pedaling would push from the back when the hills (or even slight inclines) appeared. But as it turns out, 500 pounds is just a lot to pull or push.

When they had only gotten 10 miles into their trip after the entire first day, they edited their goal down to 25 miles—just make it to the beach. Along the way, they encountered all kinds of unexpected slowdowns, like, well, making turns. And having the cops called. But they also met lots of helpers and supporters.

The trip took them down various roads, bike paths, and a drive-through while navigating traffic and obstacles. It’s entertaining, to say the least. The camper top and bike came away with a few dings but nothing catastrophic.

We’re looking forward to the next version of this kind of rig, but maybe at half the weight!

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