DIY Bike Trailer Build Video

My friends and I built a tiny camper that can be pulled by an e-bike. The total build weighs approximately 160 pounds and I wanted to pull it with my shelf 250 watt bike. Many improvements to come but this Is how we built it and the first few tests.
Full camping video here-
• DIY Bike Trailer Camping

[@mphelps7919]

As soon as Steve mentioned this on the main channel I paused and came straight here. Two videos in one day bud, nice!

[@bennetts-revenge_2]

Me too!

[@paulahiggins4467]

Same

[@Superclint999]

💯

[@kayfse8373]

I did as well

[@kyleRS87]

So did I!

[@JTBurkard]

I know we all came here for the camper build but can we all just take a moment and be impressed how nice the house is coming along? We might need an acreage update too.

[@nunuvyerbizniz6803]

Dumb comment, but that's a beautiful front door

[@jenniferconner7534]

Crazy Neighbor is smiling!! Great build!!

[@shannonbannanie4370]

That was my first thought! Crazy neighbor would have gotten a kick out of this!

[@WisconsinAdventures]

@@shannonbannanie4370 for real! I can hear him laughing!

[@romanteni]

Why wasn't he a part of the build?

[@jenniferconner7534]

@@romanteni he passed away a few months ago 😢

[@romanteni]

@@jenniferconner7534 wow did not know. That is unfortunate. He was an amazing guy. Will be missed. I was so looking forward to another raft down the river this summer :(

[@MV1890HHT]

I honestly felt like Glen was there with you in spirit while you were building this. It's just the sort of thing I could see him getting excited about. Much love to you, and Garbage.

[@ClintTheriault]

Noticed on the main channel video that you had some questions about wiring up the lights and stuff. If you're still in the Edmonton area I'm willing to lend a helping hand. (I got a bunch of free time this summer anyway) I'm a student at NAIT taking Electronics Engineering and I've worked on similar projects to that one before. Here's the tips I'd give for your setup. - Use automotive parts, first off, they're easy to get (princess auto has most of it), and they're usually pretty light. - Wire your battery up to a fusebox (something from a used car or something should be fine) as the first thing in the circuit. Last thing you want is your camper to catch fire due to some frayed wire somewhere slowly heating up while you sleep. - Fumes from a leadacid battery are pretty toxic, make sure it's a sealed leadacid battery. (Like the kind used in boats) - For routing the wires, I'd just screw in some cable guides into the wooden supports you have there. I think you can even find these at Dollarama. They should be more than capable of supporting some basic wiring for the lights. Wiring them inside the walls is a bit trickier and will probably require some lookups in the Canadian electrical codebook as at that point your camper might start to qualify as a proper trailer. - Some sort of 12v 140mm PC fan might be a nice addition to add some airflow in there. There's some 3D printed brackets that you can make that should work pretty well with that setup. - BMS and whatnot for the Solar panels will definitely complicate things, especially if you want to be able to feed your bike power as you're riding it. It can be done, but it'll definitely confuse whatever control system is currently on the bike. - Along with kits for a second motor, there are also kits online for signal lights. It might be a good idea to add one of those kits to your bike, then add some relays to the trailer so you can pull the light signals from the bike without drawing extra amps from the bikes system. Bake lights would also be a must for that setup if you plan to go on the road for long periods of time.

[@ness4019]

Wow awesome suggestions!!

[@webg03]

can you be my neighbour? you sound almost as good as Glen

[@dananorth895]

1 or 2 extra bike batteries would proved backup. Especially if you had solar panel on roof and charge controller/bms charger for appropriate voltage.

[@RenayEmond]

1:42 🐱GARBAGE😻LOOKING GOOD❣🐈

[@noonenowhere6920]

Can't wait to see Garbage out there camping with Steve!

[@RevBTB]

yes! gratutious cat sighting!🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛

[@eventsotherthingswithchris9019]

I just hope when it happens that "Garbage" doesn't decide to wander off, never to be seen ever again! That'd be sad, even more so with all the other things Steve's been through lately.

[@klw8771]

Garbage is supervising and doing a great job! Maybe the ‘supervisor’ needs a GPS device so he doesn’t wander off..into coyote land

[@DidYouReadEULA]

1:40 Garbage is one gorgeous kitty!!

[@karlhuttenmeister]

I came here as soon as you mentioned the channel Steve! Amazing work sir. We love you here in Australia. Always welcome to hunker down Down Under!

[@susanbattermann8235]

Happy to see Garbage again.

[@dallastrujillo7540]

Aww…thanks for looking out for Garbage! Ohhh, Garbage is allowed outside now. I hope we get to see more of him here. 1:37

[@TheRealAnarchrox]

Instead of a Winnebago. It's the Wannabeerbro, the mobile hunker haven or the eco friendly step two sleeper offerer. That's a groovy build.

[@Spectrum184]

Needs BIG wheels. The biggest bicycle wheels you can find. Will be much easier to pull.

[@jlucasound]

Refine your design further. Make the hitch pole a little longer (so the camper top is not hitting you in the back). DO put the 12" wheels on. Put the wheels on _before_ you put a new hitch pole on (it will be taller). In hindsight, your original "fifth wheel" design made for some nice storage space. High up storage space. (Flash flood, emergency stream crossing, etc.). This is so awesome, Steve. I know you will refine this properly and use this to camp anywhere! 😁😃🤩🥰❤❤❤

[@fredsimmons2793]

This is called laying on of the hands from friends,a mighty blessing for Steve and all of us.The song "Thank you For Being a Friend" is a good sound track to this adventure.

[@nathansmith1085]

It's gonna be hard watching these videos without Crazy Neighbor. Both of yall have a special place in my heart for helping me get through some stuff. Your river floats are by far my favorites!

[@australo88]

Could add a canoe rack up top!

[@ignacioperez13]

What happened to crazy neighbor???

[@gvn-xk6eq]

@@ignacioperez13passed away unfortunately

[@thehaveners1229]

Bro too soon with this comment lol

[@ignacioperez13]

@@gvn-xk6eq damn i didnt know that. Im a new fan and was just binge watching his 2020 videos with crazy neighbor a few months ago

[@adamguymon7096]

I love this. If I were you I'd put a small motor onto the wheels of the trailer so when the bike starts to go the wheels would have a power assist system on like those manual wheelchairs that have power assist units that help make it easier for a person who is pushing their manual wheelchair. If I were you I'd put a solar panel on top between the back and the roof vent with a small closed-in space where you can store things that you don't want inside the trailer but don't want to just leave outside on the ground. During the day the things that you need at night could go up there between the roof and the solar panels would hold those items and then at night you could do the opposite.

[@tanner1602]

Multi purpose space would be a good idea. I suggested an elevated bench that doubles as a bed. I would have done the main door differently. Not being able to just walk in there is going to get old really quick. I’d also want a second door on the back for quick access to storage or an escape route. I would agree that airflow is a must have in an enclosed space. I would also want visibility on all sides when I’m inside. Nothing worse than a bear/person walking up on you and you not knowing it. He could prolly hang a hammock in there! I’m curious how sturdy it is when he’s moving around inside. I’d bring a bike lock in case you needed to step away from the camp site. Great idea!

[@1582881]

The moment you find a rough road you'll wish you had bigger wheels and tires. Other than that, I love it. Good to see you back Steve

[@hazelmurison2086]

I was going to say the same thing

[@mapleleaf1185]

Brave little toaster's got a sibling, way to go!

[@uuuultra]

the comically small wheels tho😂😂😂

[@avalonkemi]

I skip a beat when Steve uploads

[@kemikemi756]

Me too~

[@uuuultra]

you love him

[@kemikemi756]

@@uuuultra He's handsome af

[@lauriepage8357]

You just made my Thursday night, Steve. ❤

[@jasonyesmarc309]

The "YES!!" was super cathartic to hear, lol. Love when engineering comes together like this!

[@Slikx666]

Dave. Thanks for looking after the property and Garbage, it helps Steve so much. And also, well done the rest of the crew who help Steve, you're all awesome. Steve. Just carry on being you. 😀👍

[@TomChaton]

Just seeing how many people are enabling this madness warms my heart.

[@dallastrujillo7540]

1:47 Garbage is so pretty now! Not scared of the saw either! Outside but staying close to home! So glad he is able to go out now and glad he’s been so well trained.

[@davidharris2151]

So good to see you smiling and laughing again

[@lindy-nightowlparanormaltn]

Hey Dave! Howdy from Tennessee, and just so you know, you are now officially adopted into the Steve Wallis internet family, lol! Awesome to see videos from you, Steve, you are SOOOO loved!!!! Loving this, I LOVE watching people build stuff, this is exciting!!!!

[@Windygirl1958]

Cool 😎 I’m in E. Tn

[@ASMRPeople]

Cool to see Scott with you still. The camping YT community seems strong.

[@scottkyba]

Thanks for the shoutout! 😊

[@eventsotherthingswithchris9019]

​​@@scottkyba Hey Scot! I just subbed to you! I may have a camping video coming up somewhere in July '24 once I figure out certain factors that I'm not fully aware of yet. I may not do a "let's set up the tent" thing, but, it'll be more of a "festival camper's camp" thing. You may not know Leon Trout as a band, but he & a bunch of others are coming into my area in July. The band has some "live while playing" wherever videos out in KZbin if you're interested. They're kind of a more heavy & slightly more proggy version of the band "PHISH"& certain parts of their songs remind me a lot of a friend of mine's band from the late 80's known as "Quick Fever". ( You can see some live stuff from them & hear most of the demo they had going way back when on YT)

[@scottkyba]

@@eventsotherthingswithchris9019 thanks for the sub! Sounds interesting.

[@MichaelEdelman1954]

A clever little pod! But I think you could make it stronger and more roadworthy while cutting the weight in half. Put a frame of 1” square aluminum channel around the perimeter and you have something to attach walls and wheels to. Replace those wheels with 20” or 26” bicycle wheels. Far less rolling resistance. You’ve got a lot of dead weight in those 2x2s, each of which can support several thousand pounds in compression. Same goes for the wood floor, and that steel axle. Consider stressed skin construction. Laminating two sheets of plastic or 1/8” plywood door skins or very thin aluminum with a sheet of rigid foam insulation between creates an extremely string and lightweight structure. I’d shorten that front shelf- it looks like it could bump into you while pedaling. Also consider tapering the trailer towards the rear. You don’t need head room over your feet. Keep up the great work!

[@maineiacial]

def bigger wheels

[@edwinacaparelli9911]

Love the garbage footage. Such a cutie

[@macsloan58]

1:42 - OMG, that’s a beautiful cat. Stunning.

[@mrknoch]

How absolutely, hilariously, and wonderfully Canadian. We Michiganders love you folk.

[@DoctorOfSpice]

I'm stoked that Scott is still here helping create Hunker Junkers !

[@MarcCoteMusic]

I am amazed a 250 watt motor can haul this. But props to Steve and his friends... it looks like a great little trailer.

[@dananorth895]

The 500 and 750 watt models are pretty cheap now. I guess 750 watts the limit in most places before licence/restoration requirements. I definately think government has become corrupt and obsolete. It's become the OPPOSITION PARTY to the citizens themselves!

[@MarcCoteMusic]

@@dananorth895 - Hard to argue for more government oversight, so I tend to agree with you. Still, I recently got a 500 watt e-bike and that thing can rocket along... not sure I'd want to see anything more powerful on city streets unless they were hauling a heady load and just needed it for torque and not for speed.

[@vacationocean]

The smile on your face and step 2 after the new hitch worked was a very glorious and deserved sight to see. Cheers Steve!

[@gnollman]

Garbage is such a majestic looking fellow. I'm glad you guys figured out the tow method, that first idea looked a little dangerous, there. Looking forward to the new adventures with this new toy!

[@jonathanwortley1643]

I luv steve's channel

[@glenday7217]

I think you should name it 'The Crazy Camper' in memory of Glenn.

[@P_RO_]

You can find "Foamies" like this being made with "Poor Man's Fiberglass" covering, but this is the first I've seen using cloroplast which is probably lighter still. Great Job!

[@MrBradleyMac]

Drinking a step 2 while watching step 2, it doesn't get any better than this!

[@JohnDoe-xm9ql]

Beautiful Steve and associates. You might need a little more distance between you and the trailer..

[@lovelyhawaiigal]

YAy! A video from Steve! Just when I'm about to start drinking (for the first time since 1988, and no, I'm NOT an alcoholic!) Just a special ed teacher about to lose my mind! I love teaching, but I'm a grandma and after 24 years, I am Ready to RETIRE! I did a lesson about the Northern Lights today and the kids actually liked it and made cool pictures. I love the cute little bike trailer! Great to see you out and about, Steve!

[@ness4019]

Happy retirement and enjoy your step 2!!!

[@eventsotherthingswithchris9019]

On Northern Lights, my area in Western Massachusetts was supposed to be able to view them, but, a certain something that's been a practically everyday "occurrence" since the mid 2000's decided to make the sky so overcast that nothing was viewable. I've missed out on a bunch of "sky events" thanks to this including certain "blood moons", certain meteor showers, a few other things. It cheeses me off that this is going on as frequently as it is & has been for a good portion of time. My 1st encounter although I didn't know then what I do now with this "phenomenon'" was in the mid 70's when I was going into my teens. After that, it took awhile but, by the late 80's & going into the 90's it started to become more & more frequent. One of the last fully visible night sky events would've been Hale Bop & Hyakutaki, after this, maybe 4 of the meteor showers that come around June, sometimes July; 1 supposed "blood moon" which looked normal to me & 1 lunar eclipse back a few years ago.

[@janellemiller1195]

Great to see you ,Steve.

[@stephenbartley8133]

Made my day that you included a moment with Garbage Steve .. Thanks mate..

[@JK-xz1lt]

Sweeeeet!!!! Steve uploads a video and I'm right here ready to go.

[@chrismoore600]

Outstanding job look forward to seeing it used.

[@Bill-cv1xu]

Garbage got his own P.A..😂

[@camp.fish.repeat]

Yessssss , he's back 🎉

[@debbie6703]

Hi Steve!!🙋🏻‍♀️🇨🇦. Loved the test drive!! 😆👍🏼 I like that little trailer!! 😉👌

[@williezer0]

After watching your camping video with this I really think a part 2 is warranted for when you finish the inside and wiring for the lights! I would love to see the finished product

[@einzelkampfer2006]

You should put a roof rack/bike carrier and a spare bicycle on top. Awesome Work, the trailer looks absolutely prefessional.

[@matthewclarki]

Throwback to the “HD Forest Services” bus!

[@dominickoliveri1423]

Hello,buddy! Great to hear and see you again.❤

[@vonheise]

I suppose this is a step 3, definitely a nice change of pace... Bikes like to lean, you may need a three wheel bike or put a pivoting hitch at the hub level like on motorcycles. If you don't pedal much the battery won't last as long. Nice project...

[@jongroover3606]

Good to see you Steve!

[@KLiNoTweet]

Good to see Steve rolling again. CN and BW would approve 😅

[@hdcsp3]

Crazy Neighbor is smiling down on you Steve. He'd be so proud. Enjoy your new homestead.

[@tomonagaoutdoors]

YES!!! Thank you, Steve.

[@davidturmel6861]

Hey Steve, Glad to see you back on both channels. I have an idea for the open space where the original trailer hitch location was. Close off the hole that was cut out for the access of the hitch and panel off the area inside and put a large hatch to get access from inside and use it as storage space as you mentioned in the blog. Also a little Insulation for the walls and ceiling ,if you plan on camping out in the early fall at night, to keep the chill out!

[@thesehandsart]

The tiny spare tire is the icing on the cake❤😂❤ scratches and pets for Garbage 🐈

[@AuntieD.]

2 Videos in 1 day!!! I'm watching the build before the main channel usage of this crazy camper. I grew up camping in my parents' Travel Queen truck camper. Brings back happy memories. Thanks Steve & friends!

[@breakit46]

Great to see it in control and working after the fix. Do your bike to 500 watt Steve. Avoid front motor it will mess steering up, 500w on rear wheel will be smooth. Brilliant job all round.

[@jefflupp2587]

Step 2 Mantra: " Anything worth doing, is worth overdoing" ... Step 2 Gold!

[@MaroonMilk]

Happy to see a post from you once again. I hope things are looking up and getting better for you, Steve. Thank you for always doing your best to keep us entertained. We all appreciate it more than you know!

[@Of_the_House_of_Black]

Camping with Steve Security.... I absolutely love it.

[@cathpeterson1944]

Garbage kitty she’s the star of the show so adorable 😻

[@DocScience2]

I hope you find this comment. I would recommend to look at using fibreglass mix with fibreglass mat for sensitive areas and even Kevlar mat with the fibreglass mix where corners meet. That is what many small boat builders use, so you could look at some small boat building videos.

[@suezaple4950]

This is exciting a trailer build Nice. Garbage is such a pretty marked cat , Could you use a bit larger wheels, regardless it looks cute for towing behind a bike. Happy you got the issues worked out , shall be cool to see you camping in it . Thanks Steve .

[@ryanwalker6966]

Steve, you asked for suggestions for interior wall material… you might look into Gator Foam Board. It consists of a styrofoam core sandwiched between thin layers of plastic. It’s very lightweight and quite durable. Might be a good option for you.

[@theathjr]

Here after watching the hotdog popcorn camping video. This is one of the coolest camper builds Ive ever seen. Well done Steve and nice friends. I hope they only work for step 2’s.

[@adamdykstra7913]

steve! you should list your bus on air BNB!!

[@bethdoublekickchick8007]

I feel so spoiled getting 2 videos this morning, what a treat! Cheers Steve ! 😊 So lovely to see Garbage again, hes a gorgeous moggie 😻

[@pandapolygon]

2 videos in one day. love it steve. glad you doing well. i love your content. i binged all your videos since 3 weeks

[@williampresley3000]

Beautiful cat

[@Ob1sdarkside]

Go Steve!

[@thewhitebackground]

For the gaps, consider the spray on sealant from a brand like flex seal to waterproof those openings.

[@barbarashirland9078]

It's obvious it steers WAY better with the low rider hitch. Yay! I LOVE the idea of a bicycle camper since I already know how to live my life riding a bicycle. Cool!

[@djphilipj]

Love it.

[@cathymc8365]

Love seeing everyone involved in helping build it out and figuring out the issues! Now I have to go watch the camping video!

[@JOE-on4pi]

What a great group of people! I would have loved to share a slice and a beer with you guys! That test drive was hysterical! 🍻

[@MellyMelBel]

Great job everyone! Thanks for letting us watch your build ❤

[@brockly4443]

I’m glad you’re back Steve, I hope you are happy ❤

[@petersutherland7482]

Beautiful job Steve! Came right over from the main channel, lovely build! :-) Happy days !

[@LauraDelvecchio]

11:47 holy SHIT that was immensely satisfying. What a great first run. Looks great, Steve (and gang!)

[@Codingale]

I had a few notes about the build if you're interested: You can probably treat this with some kind of paint or resin to prevent yellowing (as the old RV part had) by both weather and UV, also more safety tape to add reflection to more would be always welcome. You can also add some netting to the upper half of the storage like those car trunks have, I saw some cheap netting online from Princess Auto, also keeping the cutout could let it vent a lot more since the plastic isn't going to absorb the humid air like the wood. However, the main thing is probably to figure out a way to adjust the axle, the reason the bike is lifting is because the fifth wheel is behind the bike tire's center instead directly over it causing the front to lift it seems. Lowering the mounting point closer to the middle as it is now drastically helped, but the issue could go in reverse if too much weight is behind the current wheel base, causing the rear tire to lift but it's not super serious. You don't have to make a full on adjustable fifth wheel, and axel like it's a semi-truck trailer... but it would be cool. I'd recommend just keeping the mounting low as it is now though as it being at the top could run into strong winds pushing the trailer and thus the connection and bike more.

[@mindjal19]

Good seeing ya Steve!!

[@accastillo6046]

I really needed your bike camper video today. Thank you! I havent seen this level of creative camping since the "Bring My Own Sign" stealther next to the freeway. I didnt think youd top that one but here we are. The imagination you have is a thing of eternal youth.

[@eventsotherthingswithchris9019]

Nice to see "Garbage" back in action Steve! I missed ( & am certain other folks did too) seeing the cat!

[@darrellid]

Those tiny wheels are going to be a problem. Most bike trailers come with 20-inch wheels. You'll see why. But overall, what a fun project. Glad you enjoyed your maiden overnight in it. Keep on keepin' on.

[@brendaerickson678]

You never cease to amaze me. Awesome build. Makes me want to buy an E-bike and make a Steve camper. lol. It’s so great to have a Steve vid. Luv ya!

[@jeremiahwaller1283]

Just found out Steve has 2 channels now I've got so much to binge!

[@pandapolygon]

im still binging since 3 weeks LUL

[@candui7278]

This is genius at work! The fifth wheel hitch is brilliant because the load is stabilized. The hitch load point would be forward of the rear axle (attached the the seat post).

[@user-cd6rz2on2v]

So good to see you having a fun time with good friends! Can't wait to see the maiden voyage!!

[@lcpltylerhanyzewski]

I love this!! Crazy neighbor would be enjoying this. Would be cool to see a decal of him on this somewhere

[@sabrinalynn1673]

Looks great.cant wait to see more camping with Steve videos. The only addition I would do to it would be to spray the bare wood on the bottom with some type of rubber or truck bed liner so it doesn’t get wet and rot away on you. It also allows you to wash it if it gets really muddy on the bottom. Best of luck with the new addition.

[@Steve.Cutler]

Great to see you back at your property!!

[@kompressahdnb]

Awesome build! And we are all lucky to have 2 videos today! Heck yeah.

[@delucain]

Super77 is fantastic and holding things like that down. The trick is to apply a thin layer on both pieces you're joining, let them get tacky, and then join them.

[@englishdomo4894]

Almost an hour of Steve in one day I vote yes. I say buy some more camo net and become stealth camper Steve with the bike.

[@karena.williams4945]

That is a cherry little wagon! It's a beauty. I just watched your maiden voyage so I already know it works great.