DIY Bike Trailer Camping
Summary
TLDRIn this video, Steve showcases his DIY e-bike camper contraption, built over four days with improvisation and friends' help. The camper, made of lightweight materials like coroplast and styrene, is designed to be towed by an e-bike and includes features like a roof hatch and a removable door. Steve tests the camper on the road, sets up camp at a scenic site, and shares his experience with the contraption, including its capabilities and areas for improvement. He also enjoys a drink from a lemonade stand, attempts to cook hot dogs with a portable jackery, and contemplates modifications for future trips. The video concludes with Steve's reflections on the project and his plans for more content.
Takeaways
- 🛠️ The video features a DIY contraption built by Steve over the course of 4 days with improvisation and the help of friends.
- 🚴♂️ The contraption is designed to be towed by an e-bike and has a hitch repurposed from a smaller trailer for flexibility.
- 👀 Steve gives the contraption a trial run, noting the need to give oncoming traffic lots of room due to its size.
- 🍹 Steve stops at a lemonade stand and purchases a Gatorade to quench his thirst, highlighting the contraption's ability to carry necessities.
- 🛤️ The contraption is taken on a back road to test its off-road capabilities and Steve's ability to navigate with it.
- 🏕️ Steve sets up camp at a site chosen for its location on a hill and lack of a steep incline, showing the importance of site selection.
- 🔨 The contraption's build includes materials like styrene and coroplast, with a total cost of around $600-$700, emphasizing the project's budget.
- 🔋 The video mentions the contraption's electrical system is not yet complete, indicating future improvements and upgrades.
- 🍿 Steve includes a fun camping activity by making popcorn and hot dogs (referred to as 'glizzies'), adding a personal touch to the experience.
- 🌌 There's an attempt to film the Northern Lights, but the result is underwhelming, showing the unpredictability of nature.
- 🔧 The video concludes with Steve reflecting on the contraption's performance and considering modifications for future trips.
Q & A
What was the main purpose of the contraption Steve built?
-The main purpose of the contraption was to create a portable and lightweight camping setup that could be towed by a bicycle.
How long did it take Steve to build the contraption?
-It took Steve 4 days of trial and error to build the contraption.
What type of drink did Steve purchase from the Lemonade Stand?
-Steve purchased Gatorade from the Lemonade Stand.
What feature did Steve hope the ebike would have for traversing the gate?
-Steve hoped the ebike would have a walk feature to help him get the contraption over the gate.
What material was used to make the contraption rigid?
-Styrene was laminated over coroplast to make the contraption rigid.
How much did the entire build cost in terms of materials?
-The entire build cost approximately between $600 to $700 in materials.
What was the power capacity of Steve's ebike?
-Steve's ebike had a power capacity of 250 watts, which is about a third of a horsepower.
What did Steve use to cover the wheel wells of the contraption?
-Steve used wood to build the wheel wells to cover the space where the wheels were.
What kind of food did Steve prepare for his camping meal?
-Steve prepared hot dogs, which he referred to as 'glizzies', for his camping meal.
What did Steve use to secure the door of the contraption?
-Steve used old propane access hatch clips from an RV store to hold the door open.
What was Steve's plan for the inside of the contraption?
-Steve planned to add some finishing touches to the inside of the contraption, such as a fold-down bed, storage, and possibly a small kitchen area.
What did Steve do to protect himself from insects while sleeping in the contraption?
-Steve used a bug-resistant RV light and a screened window to protect himself from insects while sleeping.
Outlines
🛠️ Building the Contraption
Steve introduces his DIY camping contraption, a portable shelter built over four days with improvisation and the help of friends. The contraption is tested on the road, and Steve purchases Gatorade from a lemonade stand to quench his thirst. He navigates through a gate and discusses the contraption's features, including its flexibility and the temporary use of zip ties for adjustments. The shelter is set up at a campsite on a hill, and Steve plans to level it and attach a sticker. The contraption's construction is detailed in a how-to video on Steve Wallace's Step 2 Channel.
💡 Setting Up Camp
Steve continues his camping adventure by setting up the shelter for the night. He repurposes a hitch from a smaller trailer to provide flexibility and uses zip ties as a temporary fix for the low-riding hitch. The shelter is lightweight, and Steve sets up a sticker and a hard-earned campsite. He also mentions friends coming over to camp, hence the multiple step twos. He cheers with a drink and discusses the contraption's construction materials, which cost around $600-$700, and its professional appearance. The lights are not yet wired up, and Steve plans to cook dinner and hopes to see the northern lights.
🏕️ Exploring the Campsite
Steve explores the campsite and its surroundings, discussing the contraption's interior and exterior features. He mentions the use of checker plate, bicycle hooks, and laminated materials. The lights and wiring are still a work in progress. Steve uses various items like a window from an RV, clips from an RV store, and lights from Princess Auto in Canada. He also discusses the contraption's interior, which includes a roof hatch for comfort and wheel wells made from wood. The hitch from an old camper is repurposed, and the wiring is planned to be organized. Steve reflects on the contraption's potential for modifications and tweaks, and he considers various uses for the interior space.
🌌 Nighttime at the Campsite
As night falls, Steve sets up for the evening, discussing the contraption's mattress and the possibility of adding a fold-down bunk that could also serve as a table. He considers the contraption's size and comfort, noting that it is not as claustrophobic as expected. Steve also talks about the potential for adding storage and a kitchen area. He mentions the need for blinds and finishing touches inside to make it more homely. Despite the smoky conditions due to a wildfire, Steve enjoys the evening, watching a game, and eating hot dogs, which he refers to as 'glizzies.' He also mentions the Aurora Borealis, which did not put on a strong show that night.
🌅 Morning Reflections and Future Plans
In the morning, Steve reflects on the night spent in the contraption, finding it cozy and comfortable despite the need for blackout curtains. He discusses the practicality of the contraption and the potential for modifications, such as a more powerful e-bike to tow it and the possibility of adding solar panels for endless driving. Steve also talks about his plans for future projects and videos, expressing his enthusiasm for continuing to create content. He acknowledges the challenges of forgetting essentials and the need to improve the setup. Finally, Steve thanks his viewers for their support and hints at more adventures to come.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Contraption
💡Improvising
💡Ebike
💡Lemonade Stand
💡Gatorade
💡Wildlife
💡Camping
💡DIY (Do It Yourself)
💡Coroplast
💡Styrene
💡Northern Lights
Highlights
Steve builds a unique contraption for camping that took 4 days and improvisation.
The contraption features googly eyes added by some Jokers for a fun touch.
Steve acquires necessities for the day using the contraption, showcasing its functionality on the road.
A Lemonade Stand offers refreshments, and Steve chooses Gatorade to quench his thirst.
Steve plans to camp at a site not located on a big hill, which he successfully finds.
The camper's hitch is repurposed from a smaller trailer, demonstrating resourcefulness.
Steve levels the camper using a cool sticker and zip ties as a temporary fix.
The shelter is set up for the night, and Steve feels the need for a drink.
Steve builds a makeshift door using an old propane access hatch from an RV store.
The contraption's build process and materials cost around $600-$700, offering a professional look.
Steve uses a variety of repurposed materials, including a checker plate and bicycle hooks.
The inside of the camper is unfinished, with potential for a fold-down bunk and table.
A roof hatch is included for ventilation and comfort, a thoughtful addition to the design.
Steve wires up a light for outdoor use, showing the camper's adaptability for various situations.
The camper is towed by a 250W e-bike, which Steve considers upgrading for more power.
Steve dreams of building such a contraption since his 20s, and now it's a reality.
The camper's interior is cozy and not claustrophobic, contrary to initial expectations.
Steve considers adding blinds and finishing touches to make the camper more comfortable.
The camper's weight and dimensions are acceptable, with room for minimal modifications.
Steve reflects on the successful maiden trip of the camper and contemplates future improvements.
Despite some hiccups, Steve is committed to producing more content and improving the camper.
The video ends with Steve considering another day of camping due to the relaxing experience.
Transcripts
okayy guys welcome to camping with Steve
this is a beautiful Contraption uh took
a little trial and error 4 days of
building it uh with kind of improvising
as we went some Jokers put some googly
eyes on here couldn't have done this
without the help from some great friends
here so let's see how this works on the
road all right here we go
okay we've acquired today's
Necessities obviously with this
contraption I'm going to give oncoming
traffic lots of room let's
go I think I'm going to have to get some
iced tea or lemonade from this Lemonade
Stand cuz I am
thirsty yeah I'm thirsty what do you got
for sale today ice tea lemonade and
Gatorade oh I think a Gatorade hit the
spot for me you ready yeah thank you
thanks and how much are these guys take
that and
I don't need any change from you thank
you have yourself a good
day going to go around the gate and take
this back road should work I
hope this
uh this ebike has like a walk feature so
I can take that down and if I hold this
down it'll power the
it'll power the
thing keeps the cars out but it can't
keep me out this thing can go anywhere I
think I ding this side of it a little
bit that'll buff right
out okay now this little Trail
thank you that's my hard work
yeah I had a site and I got a cool
sticker here so uh I asked for a site
that's not up a big hill uh and I think
we've achieved that so going to put the
sticker on and we'll head off to our
sites here we
go this site should work quite well I'll
just pull the camper over and get it
leveled we repurposed this hitch off of
a much smaller trailer cuz it has the
spring in there and I can get the flex
to it uh but it was riding low so we've
used zip ties to the rescue here and
it's temporary but it has to do for
now it's really very
light this
yeah I'd say shelter is set up for the
night and I'm feeling
thirsty got these little Clips hold the
door open here it's an old propane
access hatch uh from the used RV
store I got the guys that helped me uh
build a thing coming by to camp out here
so there's going to be some company
hence why there's so many step twos
believe me I have to be able to bike out
of here in the morning so I got to take
it easy but cheers
everybody step
two this whole Contraption styrene on
the top laminated over top of uh
coroplast makes it really rigid like
that there's a how-to video on how we
built this on the Steve Wallace Step 2
Channel Wherever I can put a
link and
anyway the whole build probably in
materials was 600 bucks 700 bucks uh and
it looks a lot more professional than I
thought got our Checker plate down
there bicycle hooks on with
the this guy here
repurposed um some of the stuff is
coming laminated cuz we didn't know what
we're doing but uh none of the lights
are wired up yet that's a project for
future
Steve um probably
tonight
and
yeah we'll do a tour inside there's not
much to see it's not finished yet but uh
I'll pull some stuff out get some dinner
started and hopefully we get some
northern lights tonight they're talking
about
it not camping without
popcorn and popcorn's not a
meal hot dogs I think we're supposed to
call them glizzies now is the new thing
I wasn't completely sure where I was
going to camp tonight but we picked this
spot because there was an Open Sky it
has electricity but I did not plan on
that so I got the Jacker and that's good
because my extension cord is not long
enough to reach the power so somebody's
bringing me an extension cord and I
think we can get the hot dog started
here that's at about the maximum
capacity for this jackary it's only
supposed to do 5 00 so we'll see how it
holds
out couldn't find any actual corner
molding so this is vinyl wrap tape from
3M might do the job okay uh window from
a used RV guy uh same with the access
panel here this was for a propane hatch
on a on a camper I can tell because of
the propane warnings on the back uh we
got these little
Clips um from an RV
store these
lights were from Princess Auto in Canada
which is like Harbor Freight this was
from an RV store we had to go find one
of these little cheap normal light and
uh let's go
inside
okay nothing is finished at all uh this
is the inside of the coroplast
uh we do have this little roof hatch
which I crank open because that will
make things so much more comfortable in
here especially when the Sun Shines on
this uh we built these little wheel
wells just out of um out of some wood
there to cover the uh to cover where the
wheels
are
uh go
outside everything else in here the
wiring is still all out here
and I'm going to try to put that in
today if you watch the build video you
can see um it was originally going to be
like a fifth wheel type of hitch on the
back of the bike that ended
disastrously uh so we changed the
mounting point to the bottom
there and we've achieved very good
results with that so uh this old hatch
from the outside that one actually looks
okay we put more of that styrene on it
but uh it was one of these crusty old
'70s camper ones probably full of his
bestas
um and you know another window there at
the back that was out of obviously like
an RV door or a bathroom or something
like that it's frosted and gives some
privacy and this is okay this is going
to be the mattress for tonight so I'm
going to get back out we'll lay this
down
there and uh shortly I'm going to start
wiring up some lights so that I can hang
out outside by the fire and enjoy the
glow of a yellow bug resistant RV
light haven't even got to enjoy my
Gatorade yet from that Lemonade Stand
Gatorade stands a great idea the zero
sugar stuff uh at least it's got
electrolytes if nothing
else
and yeah this is two of these uh 3in
foamies should give me a nice good
cushion we're hunkering down
tonight
and
oh
yeah something
to a nice little seat to chat with you
guys
um just the first trip out with this
thing obviously modifications and tweaks
didn't want to take it on the highway
for too far at all until I knew it
wouldn't fly out of control and kill me
uh nothing inside's finished there are a
lot of possibilities I could have a bunk
that folds down and turns into kind of a
table it is big enough in there to sit
up and uh
but this yeah this mattress I got fits
right in between there
perfectly just trying to get my chair in
here
oh that's
perfect okay sitting on a regulation
height camping chair a foldable one I've
turned the mattress around here uh just
kind of bunched up out of the way for
now but I could see like a little flip
down fold out type type of thing would
add some room more room in here for
activities um definitely I'm just going
to put a little blanket or something
over to cover this hole until I get it
patched up more
permanently and a shorter chair would
actually work like I really could sit
around here relax on a rainy day read a
book put up a movie somewhere I can you
know it could be a little fold down
thing there like a kitchen it is full of
P possibilities and I welcome you guys
suggestions from the far end in here uh
from where the camera is it really isn't
that claustrophobic which I was kind of
expecting so something for the walls on
these 2x2s uh is probably going to be
extremely light almost like cardboard
with wallpaper on it or something if you
know of a product that might work let me
know about that but yeah this
is like storage right up here can easily
lay down a fold down bed I've been
dreaming about building one of these for
ages and I'll show you how it came
together here in a
second I knew I wanted something in
proportion to the bicycle so I looked up
kind of a little fifth wheel type of
arrangement I figured the overhang is a
great use of space on top of the back
wheel but that's not going to work so
then I sketched out
this little thing with some rough
Dimensions there uh not very pretty
but that was the next
step and then I whipped out the graph
paper and I came up with
this this might look a little familiar
to you I didn't know what size of
Windows and Doors I'd be dealing with
but that was just a rough guess I
figured the wheels at 10 in outside
diameter would be in proportion to this
H they don't look quite that good but
close 12-in Wheels in there would look a
little bit
better uh the deal we just kind of went
with what we had and you know the rear
view of that I figured uh something like
that with spare tire uh that's just a
placeholder Tire because that won't
actually fit on here but we had to put
something there and there it is
okay that jackary is burning through the
power it has not been on very long and
down to 43% from a 98% charge but those
hot dogs
or glizzies as we're supposed to call
them seem to be doing okay uh hope my
extension cord gets here soon cuz I want
to pop a little corn watch a little
hockey we got our extension cord a
moment too soon Jack's down to
33 and it's feeling
hot just watching the game I know I
should be filming a video but uh got to
watch this I'll be back when it's over
we'll light a fire Chow Down on some
dogs and uh have a good old night
okay I was filming the Aurora Borealis
which turned out to be lackluster
everybody else posted amazing pictures
boiler's
one and it's time to get down to
business
I assumed the game would not go into
over time and I assumed I would have
time to hook up the wiring you know what
happens when you
assume you reach a logical conclusion
based on the information you have at
hand just going to hook up that one
light
I'll tie that up nicely so the two ends
won't meet and Arc
out um the battery has fail safe
protectors in it
but it's really hard on the
battery pretty darn sturdy for a polymer
composite uh
like really it is
solid uh and light the whole thing
probably 160
lb and I've been dreaming about building
one of these since I was in my
20s and we're at the age where
technology from like an off-the-shelf
bicycle can tow this thing and it
doesn't even have that big of a motor on
it like 250 W third of a
horsepower and I can take this pretty
well anywhere I want to uh 500 wats is
legal um which I'd have no problem at
all I could even extend the Checker
plate around it and add a little more
weight but uh there's enough space on
the
top that I could put the solar on there
to just keep driving it um endlessly
I was expecting more people to come by
so I have a surplus of
dogs both dogs and buns
all
right oh it's really awesome in here
actually
Ow like poke my thumb here on one of
these nails so these have got to
change this will be more more than
plenty so with the width here you know I
got room either side a few inches
and worked for
shoes uh of course behind the camera
there there is more
storage I put the shoes there too
exceptionally
cozy definitely need some blinds some uh
some finishing inside to make it a
little more uh
domestic but uh I don't see any of those
flying ants in here that's a great thing
going to turn off the light
outside just like
that and I'll do the old reach around up
there to lower my door
I can't believe I tow this on the
bike uh to go to bed I want the door
kind of latched there is no locking
mechanism
here in fact there's barely a latching
mechanism I have to
like pull that in and turn it by
hand and
uh same over there
in all honesty without all the stupid
stuff uh hauling around like the popcorn
maker and stuff like that this would
be almost practical I have to say this
is perfect temperature for me I'm going
to sleep like a baby so glad we got the
roof
vent and this window there with the
screen
enough rambling see you guys in the
morning good morning that worked just
great in here last night just need some
uh blackout curtains or something like
that but yeah this is like the perfect
size this is absolutely perfect um this
is my rundown on the situation just
going to get out of here walk around a
bit stretch these legs out
and recap on this Mission this thing
Towes great except I could use a more
powerful ebike uh this one's 250 wat
about 30w
horsepower and I'm allowed to have 500
watts here in Canada um rules yeah um
but that would be okay with 500 WS with
twice the power I pull this thing no
problem and what's even better I got an
ebike but they have ebike kits so this
one's got the back wheel that's powered
I put a wheel onto the front of this
bike from an ebike kit and have like a
double ebike uh this that would tow this
around no problem at all weightwise it's
acceptable it's not going to get any
lighter than this I could go around um
trying to take off wood here and there
that's not necessary uh but I think when
I load it up with gear anyways water is
going to be like the biggest weight that
I'm carrying so that's about all I can
do weightwise um
the wiring and then the inside I don't
know exactly what the best way is maybe
you guys have some ideas that you can
let me know but uh you know it's it's
framed it's 2x two framing
coroplast um I think you
know it's not ugly but it could be
beautiful um so I I got to come up with
something lightweight that I can put on
there I made the very very rookie
mistake of um running to the washroom
and I left Buns on the table and I got
back and there's no buns but there's a
very happy looking Crow flying around
that is likely full of buns it's really
Smoky today there's a wildfire somewhere
that's blowing in here um so I don't
want to do a marathon bike trip with
this up a hill today uh and I'm
encrusted in mustard um from those hot
Lizzies hot dogs um so yeah I'm G to
pack up here um it's it's great to be
able to uh to get another video this is
the type of projects I'm talking about
um it's going to keep coming I'm already
thinking of the next one and the next
one and this can kind of round out my
experience um when I can't get to a
stealth camping video I can build
something like this and if I see
something good and stealthy I'm going to
Camp there but uh it takes me longer
than a week to find a place like that
and get to it and check it out and plan
it so um we're going to be messing
around with this type of stuff so it was
it was great to film another video I
know it's been like months since there's
been some regular decent content up and
what I want to do is keep the train
going cuz I am feeling pretty good
healthwise um so mentally I'm I'm doing
great so I'm just going to keep on going
pushing forward and um getting getting
the hiccups out of this because I for
forgotten batteries I forgot uh half the
stuff I had to you know call my friend
and get and bring stuff out to me that
I'd forgot like flashlight all the
simple stuff that I I thought I had in a
certain bag but I haven't used this
stuff in a while so um thanks everybody
for stopping by
uh I I might just hang out here another
day and and Camp here I'm not sure cuz
uh I I really don't want to bike this up
that big hill in the Smoke um after I've
been up till like 4: in the morning
waiting for Northern Lights to happen uh
I just want a little bit of a relaxing
day so cheers everybody thank you so
much for stopping by please consider
subscribing if this is your first time
on the channel uh it gets weirder than
this uh so buckle
up thanks everybody uh we're back in
business
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