Camper Bike: The Viral Home On Three Wheels Has Now Been Created for Real!

After the below image of a camper bike went viral on social media, including our own Facebook page, we decided to find out whether a pedaled RV really exists. (Spoiler: it does!)

The image that has made so many people go “Wow!” features an RV bike designed by Kevin Cyr back in 2009. Although he called it “a functioning sculptural piece,” Cyr created the three-wheeled home with the intention to showcase it in his paintings and drawings, rather than use it in real life. That said, as you can see it on his website, the camper bike didn’t just remain a design project and a prototype was indeed built – but as a piece of art to be viewed, rather than to be slept in.

But that has all changed now, because as soon as the Dangie brothers – who run a popular YouTube channel for fascinating DIY projects and adventurous challenges – saw Cyr’s design, they thought, “is it actually possible to take one of these on a road trip?” So they built one to find out, attempting to take a 100-mile (160 km) road trip in two days. So yes, a fully functional RV bike does exist! Just look at this!

The camper bike Jeff and Chris built is definitely not your ordinary bicycle. It’s a custom-made trike with a wooden frame and aluminum siding that resembles a mini RV. It has all kinds of features, such as running water, a stovetop, lights, fans, and a bed.

Assembly and disassembly of the bed on the upper “floor” can be achieved using a few lumber and plywood pieces. However, as demonstrated in the video below, there is a tendency for the bed to unexpectedly come apart during the night.

The camper top weighs in at around 500 pounds (227 kg), not to mention the weight of the person not pedaling and basically acting as dead weight. The brothers planned to take turns pedaling their way down the road, while the other one would push from the back when the hills (or even slight inclines) appeared. Sounds simple enough, right?

Well, not quite. As it turns out, 500 pounds is a lot to pull or push, especially on a bike. The brothers soon realized that their speed was much slower than they expected, and that every turn, bump, or obstacle was a major challenge. They also had to deal with traffic, curious bystanders, and even the cops who were called by someone who thought they were stealing a trailer.

Although their original goal was to cover 100 miles (160 km) in two days, after covering a mere 10 miles on the first day, they revised their objective to simply reaching the beach, setting a new target of 25 miles.

The following morning, they obtained an inexpensive pedal bicycle and used a tow rope to ride in front of the camper, pulling it along. Enhancing the manpower for the mini-RV enabled the pair to achieve more significant progress on the second day, ultimately covering around 25 miles before reluctantly concluding their journey within the time frame previously set by their wives.

Despite all the difficulties, they also had some fun moments along the way. They met some friendly people who offered them help or encouragement. They stopped by a drive-through to get some food and drinks. They enjoyed the scenery and the fresh air.

The bike camper was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the Dangie Bros. They proved that they could build something amazing and take it on an adventure. They also learned some valuable lessons about engineering, endurance, and teamwork. They might not have reached their original goal of 100 miles, but they still had a blast.

So yes, yes, yes. The camper bike is indeed a thing! A real thing. And we can’t wait to see it being mass-produced!

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5