[Harold]

I am not concerned about the canvas on a popup when it's in good shape. My concern with the canvas is when it's NOT. Repairs would involve patching, which isn't really a permanent fix, or replacing the entire canvas, a rather expensive operation.

I like teardrops. I sorta always have, ever since I learned about them first, years ago.

I stumbled across this builder while browsing through the tnttt site:
TC Teardrop Camping Trailers

I like these a lot. Looking at a 5x8. The trailers themselves are way better than what I'd wind up with using a HF trailer. Plus the finishing touches are quite likely a bit more refined than what I'd be able to do. Lots of options in the end, but I think I'd be pretty happy with a trailer that had very few of them. Biggest things I think I'd want are the toolbox, spare tire, and shore power. Maybe a table and a Yeti cooler, though I wonder if I'd be able to track down one for cheaper. I think eventually I'd want to add a solar panel, but that could wait.

Looks like they can be also ordered with a hitch receiver on the back, and I'm wondering about that option for bikes instead of putting the bikes between the vehicle and the trailer using the dual receiver deal. IIRC, Kuat does not recommend putting their rack on the back of an RV. It's also tempting to get the Yakima rack so I could put a gear basket on the roof of the trailer. Ahhhh, the options (and the cost overruns)!

Hmmmm...may have to leave the Kuat rack at home when using the teardrop. Cheapest way looks to be mounting fork mounts onto the cargo box lid. Probably the most flexible option would be to get regular 9mm QR mounts, and use Hurricane adapters to swap between axle types. I've been hauling bikes around lately in my Honda with 3 different front axle types, so that's something to consider. Probably need to bring along a separate workstand for bigger trips, since I wouldn't have the workstand on the NV.

 

[H0WL]

We go back and forth on building a teardrop. I'm pro building a teardrop; DH is more for an expedition trailer for gear, and sleep in the van.

This design doesn't have the traditional teardrop profile, but certainly in the spirit. The flat back looks so much easier a building option than the curved hatch; for the kitchen, my design solution would be to have a large size RV luggage hatch door to access a galley kitchen with a counter and shelves. This design has a drop down hatch cover, but it also could just swing down part way and be a counter.

View attachment 980207

We rented a Little Guy 5-wide a few years ago to go to a mtn bike race and enjoyed it, but it definitely adversely affected gas mileage by about 4 or 5 mpg.

After renting the Little Guy, I know if we go this route (building a teardrop), it has to be 5-feet wide, with a door on each side.

The Hall of Fame on the Teardrops and Tiny Travel Trailers forum has pictures of every kind of teardrop and tear drop variant imaginable. Check it out here.
People have even made teardrops out of foam board covered with painted canvas (foamies).

 

[Dream Plus]

My wife bought a Little Guy 5 wide. We're small so no problem. We go camping a lot more often now, and I almost talked her into winter camping. Our little guy has a battery(12V) and plug in electric where available. The battery only powers lights. We towed it with a 1999 CRV with roofracks for bikes up until last week when we got hit by a car running a light. We now have a 2011 CRV and no racks for bikes yet. I like the dual hitch idea. I hadn't thought of that. Our trailer has a hitch mount on the back, but I like to see the bikes.

I had to remove the roof rack off the old car and carried the bikes home inside the trailer. I could fit 2 MTBs no problem, (small Trek 930 and a Scott 29 Spark)

While camping last week we saw a couple who got a "murdered out" Little guy 4 wide from Gander Mountain. Gander had applied all black vinyl to the sides. They also sold camo covered Little Guys. The couple paid a ridiculously low price.

 

[Harold]

I am leaning more strongly towards the TC Teardrop with the platform on the trailer, and a roof rack with a gear basket or cargo box on top so I can carry supplies without needing to put them inside the sleeping space in the trailer.

Kuat doesn't want you using their racks with any kinds of extensions, either, which the dual hitch accessory is, at its simplest. I think it would simplify things a lot to put the bikes on the cargo platform in front of the cabin. Maybe mount a couple 1up USA roof trays onto that platform.

I contacted TC Teardrop with a few questions, and they definitely meet my needs. Only difficulty is what essentially amounts to a 6 month build time, since they're custom built. If I placed my order NOW, it MIGHT be done in time for a weekend camping event I've got planned in early October. And then there's the uncertainty of actually getting it to Indiana from WI within the timeframe.

I'm thinking right now that given the timing, I'll wait to place my order until the fall, so it can be built over the winter and I can have it ready to go for the 2016 season. That means that I'll probably need to hit my old tent with some extra waterproofing and seam sealing so I can get it through this year.

 

[kai_ski]

I don't want to hang the rack off the rear of the trailer. Primarily because I've read some horror stories of similar sorts of situations, and because I don't want to pull the rack off to use the galley.

Kuat doesn't want you using their racks with any kinds of extensions, either, which the dual hitch accessory is, at its simplest. I think it would simplify things a lot to put the bikes on the cargo platform in front of the cabin. Maybe mount a couple 1up USA roof trays onto that platform.

I had a small utility trailer I used to move around a few times. I had a 1 1/4" receiver welded to the trailer tongue just behind the ball so my T2 would fold down towards the trailer box. It was perfect for me, but did add to the tongue weight a bit. I've been thinking seriously about doing a teardrop, and I would definitely work enough space into the design to fit the rack on the tongue again. It's particularly nice when you set up camp you can just remove your tow bar and move the bike rack to the car for driving to trailheads, etc.

 

[Harold]

I had a small utility trailer I used to move around a few times. I had a 1 1/4" receiver welded to the trailer tongue just behind the ball so my T2 would fold down towards the trailer box. It was perfect for me, but did add to the tongue weight a bit. I've been thinking seriously about doing a teardrop, and I would definitely work enough space into the design to fit the rack on the tongue again. It's particularly nice when you set up camp you can just remove your tow bar and move the bike rack to the car for driving to trailheads, etc.

That's an interesting idea. Would certainly address the concern of trips where camping would be done at some location maybe several miles from the trailhead, so leaving the trailer at the campsite and hauling the bikes on the car to the trailhead would be necessary. The platform on the trailer would address the space necessary to do something like this...but it could be an issue with regards to placement of the trailer's spare tire. That said, it's something I could have the teardrop manufacturer potentially do during manufacture that would keep things looking clean and professional. I'd be curious how much space the rack would occupy on the trailer, and how much would be left on the cargo platform.

This is a TC Teardrop. I believe the sides on the cargo platform are not necessary, and it can be had with a naked platform that would give room for the bike rack.

 

[Whacked]

I know these are over your budget and weight limit but I think they are badass

Tumbleweed Tiny House Company

 

[bigflamingtaco]

Some of the preceding suggestions are scary considering you are working with a class I receiver.

Producers of receiver mounted bike racks don't want you using an extension because receiver's weren't designed for usupported weight. Bike racks can place a lot of stress on receivers. Extending the rack multiplies that stress.

I used 1up's blueprints to calculate that a rack with 4 XC bikes will apply about double the 350Lb my class II receiver was rated to handle.

They don't make double receiver adapters for Class I or II, so you'd have to use a Class I/II to Class III/IV adapter, extending the rack out ever further.

I'd aim for mounting the bikes elsewhere, or replacing the receiver.

 

[kai_ski]

That's an interesting idea. Would certainly address the concern of trips where camping would be done at some location maybe several miles from the trailhead, so leaving the trailer at the campsite and hauling the bikes on the car to the trailhead would be necessary. The platform on the trailer would address the space necessary to do something like this...but it could be an issue with regards to placement of the trailer's spare tire. This is a TC Teardrop. I believe the sides on the cargo platform are not necessary, and it can be had with a naked platform that would give room for the bike rack.

That's a nice little teardrop.

I think you could easily mount the spare tire on the back, would add some ballast for the bike rack up front. Ballast is the key for mounting the bikes on the trailer tongue.

 

[Harold]

Can't mount the spare onto the rear. That is the galley hatch. Wouldn't stay open like it should.

Class II can accept adapters and extensions. Class I cannot. Trust me, been there. Yes, it does "reduce" the vehicle's tongue weight capacity. I don't know the formula, but I do know that it's significant.

 

[Cleared2land]

Car Camping

Sorry Nate, I'm not trying to hijack your thread, just a few car camping pix to inspire what you have to look forward to when you get finished with your teardrop.

 

[Harold]

Dredging this one back up from the (almost) dead.

The teardrop went to the back burner a bit, but has come to the front again. Found a teardrop company that builds 'em right here in town.

Hiker Trailer -

I went and spoke to the builder for a few hours recently, and he'll do lots of custom touches that aren't advertised on the website. In particular, we talked about putting a receiver on the trailer tongue so I can plug my Kuat into it, so we can use it for shuttles and excursions outside the campground. That is a custom mod he has already done for another customer, so he's comfortable with it.

There was a 5x10 available for rent, too. So the wife and I have decided to rent it for our Brown County Epic weekend next month. We're going to use that as an opportunity to decide on options.

Buildout time for the Hiker Trailers tends to be around 3mo or so, but I found out that TC Teardrops are over a year. That, combined with the local component of the Hiker Trailers, really pushes hiker trailers up the list.

This summer, I got my certifications to coach mtb skills, so I think the teardrop could be pretty useful for that for lining up skills clinics out of state, too.

 

[life behind bars]

A used Burro seems like it could fit your needs, well under 1400 lbs. in a 12 footer.

 

[Cleared2land]

Dredging this one back up from the (almost) dead.

The convenience of working with someone local has its benefits.

What are you thinking about getting and the setup?

 

[Harold]

Wife likes the extra space of the 10 footer so I think that is on the list. Hitch receiver on the tongue for a bike rack. Full electrical capability so we can have a bit of temp control capabilities and multiple recharge options. Also want the ability to add solar panels down the line. Roof rack so we can add accessories like awnings, screen rooms, and whatnot. Maybe even one of those pressurized showers. Electric brakes for the trailer itself. I think I can even pull it behind my Fit if I do that. I want a receiver on the back of the trailer so I have options. I do not think I will get a cargo platform on the tongue because that is where the bikes will go (I will probably get a locking box for the batteries and other electrical components). But a cargo platform in the rear receiver might be useful if I need to balance out the load to reduce tongue weight.

The rest are options we can figure out as we go and add as necessary.

 

[Cleared2land]

Thoughtful planning is as much fun as taking delivery and taking a road trip.

 

[Harold]

A used Burro seems like it could fit your needs, well under 1400 lbs. in a 12 footer.

I've considered other similar types. The ability to stand up inside is nice, but I want to keep the weight down. The teardrops I'm looking at are generally a good bit under 1,000lbs. My Honda Fit has no tow rating, technically speaking. I can get a class I hitch for it, though. And since my Fit is out of warranty and paid off, that's not much of a concern to me. So I want to keep both the trailer and the tongue weight down as much as possible. Also why I'll be getting brakes installed on the teardrop.

When it comes down to it, the real reason the wife and I want something like this is for sleeping comfort, anyway. We don't mind the rest of the aspects of tent camping. We still enjoy backpacking, for that matter. Car camping for mtb trips has a unique spot for us, though. We're doing a trip to maximize our biking enjoyment. And as we get a little older, we're less comfortable sleeping with tent camping in campgrounds. Sleeping on the ground tends to make us even more sore. For me, especially in places that don't allow me to hang my hammock (or places where there's simply no place to hang it), where I get the most comfortable sleep. Having a fully sheltered sleeping space with a degree of temperature control will let us get a better night's sleep without needing to pay for expensive hotel rooms (which we've been doing for the past few years, and that expense forces us to keep our bike trips to a minimum). This year, we've severely limited our bike trips because of that reason (we wanted to start building our savings this year). The only ones we have done have been also associated with work trips. One for my wife where we both got to go, and her employer reimbursed her for hotel, flight, and food expenses (all we had to pay out of pocket was to transport the bikes, and for my own plane ticket). The other bike trip was one for me, associated with my skills coaching training. I got to ride some that weekend, but maybe only 5-10mi per day because I was spending most of my time in the course, studying, and working on lesson plans for the next day type stuff. That trip I get to write off on our taxes next year, at least. So none of our trips were pure vacation so far this year, because of hotel expenses.

The one we're doing in October, we're renting the teardrop, and are quite excited about it. We're doing another short one in November for the Iceman Cometh race in Traverse City, MI. We have friends in town we're staying with, so that helps. Once we get the teardrop (hopefully for next year), we have some destinations in mind already. Lots of places in the single overnight range where camping is really the only option.

 

[Cleared2land]

One for my wife where we both got to go, and her employer reimbursed her for hotel, flight, and food expenses (all we had to pay out of pocket was to transport the bikes, and for my own plane ticket).

Not to hijack the thread, but how was the experience of flying with your bikes? Any problems, hassles or damage?

 

[Harold]

Not to hijack the thread, but how was the experience of flying with your bikes? Any problems, hassles or damage?

Only damage was a couple of slightly tweaked derailleur hangers that we didn't notice until after our first ride. As much my fault for not protecting them adequately as anything else.

No major problems otherwise. We flew Southwest, so cost was $75 per bike per direction. In the end, the cost was a wash between taking the airline and shipping via UPS. For my wife's bike (a carbon Santa Cruz Blur XC), the airline was more expensive than shipping. But my bike was a bargain on Southwest, being a Salsa Bucksaw FS fatbike. My wife's bike fit in a Thule hard case. Mine was in a cardboard bike box and was pretty tough to handle.

The airports were hit-or-miss. Indianapolis Int'l was awesome (there's a reason it's been consistently rated the best airport in the country since it was rebuilt). Curbside dropoff. The curbside attendant took my wife in front of a line of probably 100 people to pay for our extra luggage. Shuttle bus drivers loaded our luggage. Great service. Our destination in Vegas treated us awesome when we arrived. For example, they put us on a shuttle bus to the rental car station all to ourselves because of the oversized luggage. Shuttle bus driver loaded it all for us. Was every bit as good as when we left Indianapolis. But they made it an extra PITA when we left. Shuttle bus driver helped everyone EXCEPT us load their luggage. They tried making me push the luggage cart with two bike boxes and our suitcases through the stupid rope lines. They started to give me hell about my refusal to do so until I demonstrated that it was physically impossible to push that giant cart through without hitting people and the posts. THEN they let me wait outside the rope lines, so my wife could wait IN line, and when it was our turn, they opened a route so I could pass directly through. But then the terrible airport design forced me to push all of that oversized luggage through a massive crowd of people that didn't want to let me through, just so I could get to the oversized luggage dropoff (there's no separate place in Indy - they take it all in the same spot).

In general, I'd fly with bikes again. Just not to Vegas. The riding outside Vegas was great, but the city itself absolutely sucks.

 

[life behind bars]

This may interest you.

Teardrop Camper - Page 2