Bikekamper

"vernon" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Does anyone have, or know someone who's used a Topeak Bikeamper tent. If
so? How useable/practicable are they?

http://www.topeak.com/products/Topeak-BikamperProdcutlisting.html

Mildly curious...

Vernon

We had this discussion in an online bike forum not so long ago. (here
perhaps?)

It uses your front, 26" or 700c class wheel as the "frame" on one end of the
tent and your bike to support the other end. This is a problem if you ride a
recumbant or folder with smaller wheels.

General consensus was to get a similarly small tent from Kelty or Mountain
Hardware and use it for other things too.

vernon came up with the following;:

Quoted message said:

Does anyone have, or know someone who's used a Topeak Bikeamper tent. If
so? How useable/practicable are they?

http://www.topeak.com/products/Topeak-BikamperProdcutlisting.html

Personally I'd go more for something from Vango, probably the adventure
range.

What happens with the Bikamper if you want to stay at a site more than a
day, but want to ride around and explore the area?

--
Paul ...
(8(|) Homer Rules ..... Doh !!!
ebay stuff 6802526343

Looks interesting, the sort of thing you might design on the back of a
beermat.
If you're really looking for a lightweight tent I could recommend one of
these. Lighter, yet more roomy, proper flysheet that comes all the way down
all around etc. etc.

"vernon" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Does anyone have, or know someone who's used a Topeak Bikeamper tent. If
so? How useable/practicable are they?

http://www.topeak.com/products/Topeak-BikamperProdcutlisting.html

Mildly curious...

Vernon

vernon said:

Does anyone have, or know someone who's used a Topeak Bikeamper tent. If
so? How usable/practicable are they?

http://www.topeak.com/products/Topeak-BikamperProdcutlisting.html

Mildly curious...

AFAICT, pretty pointless. A purpose designed lightweight tent for one
like a Hilleberg Akto won't weigh any more or take up more space, will
keep out the weather better and give you more flexible and comfortable
living space arrangements, *and* you'll be able to use your bike while
the tend is pitched.

One of those things where the Big Idea has been pursued without
realising it's forcing compromises that make it worse than the
alternatives it was meant to improve on.

There's a Dutch project to make a trailer tent in a bike trailer, but it
looks to me like it suffers from the same problem.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Quoted message said:

vernon came up with the following;:

Quoted message said:

Does anyone have, or know someone who's used a Topeak Bikeamper tent. If
so? How useable/practicable are they?

http://www.topeak.com/products/Topeak-BikamperProdcutlisting.html

Personally I'd go more for something from Vango, probably the adventure
range.

What happens with the Bikamper if you want to stay at a site more than a
day, but want to ride around and explore the area?

So far I've failed to find a review written by someone who's used one.
The notion of wanting to ride somewhere after pitching the tent is not
a problem for me. When I get to a campsite, I've done everything that
I need to do for the day.

The tent, though listed as three season, seems to be pretty exposed to
the elements with the flysheet not really shielding the inner tent much
making the contraption more of a single skin tent than a double skin
one.

All of the online retail reviews seem to have cribbed from the same
Topeak press release/sales literature.

I use a Vango 250TBS on longer tours as I'm a big fella and like the
space. For a one nighter I use the one man tent sold by Argos last year
though I'm not sure how long it will last hence looking for a compact
(when packed)durable one-man tent though there's no desperate hurry to
purchase owt now.

Sorry, forgot link to Saunders Jetpacker!
http://www.robertsaunders.co.uk/pages/jetpacker.html

Quoted message said:

If you're really looking for a lightweight tent I could recommend one of
these.

vernon said:

The notion of wanting to ride somewhere after pitching the tent is not
a problem for me. When I get to a campsite, I've done everything that
I need to do for the day.

Will that always be the case, though? How about if you decide to
explore a nice area on a "day off" from your through route? Or want to
save time on a provisioning trip to the local farm fro fresh eggs, or
some such?
On last year's tour I rode into town to book our train home as soon as
the station was open while Roos had a snooze back at the tent, and since
the train wasn't for several hours afterwards and the weather was a bit
variable it would've been a pain to strike camp early.

And from the other side of the "do you want your bike tied up in your
tent?" argument, if you ever want to go camping without the bike you're
a bit snookered...

Quoted message said:

The tent, though listed as three season, seems to be pretty exposed to
the elements with the flysheet not really shielding the inner tent much
making the contraption more of a single skin tent than a double skin
one.

Well, quite. For me the biggest nail in its coffin is it doesn't weigh
any less than an Akto. I can't see where you gain anything from this
contraption.

Quoted message said:

I use a Vango 250TBS on longer tours as I'm a big fella and like the
space. For a one nighter I use the one man tent sold by Argos last year
though I'm not sure how long it will last hence looking for a compact
(when packed)durable one-man tent though there's no desperate hurry to
purchase owt now.

The only thing I've ever heard against the Akto is the sit up height of
90cm is a bit low for some. But compared to the Argos tent you've got
/acres/ of space. It does cost rather more, but if you want the best
then it costs :-( Some of Hilleberg's two man tents are still very
light (the Nallo 2 being an obvious example) so give you loads of space
while still being light.
Terra Nova Laserlite is lighter than the Akto, but not as sturdy. Some
of the lightness comes from CF pegs which I'm not sure I'd trust long
term in stony ground.
Saunders do good light, low bulk tents. The Spacepacker is good if your
"big" is girth rather than height, but for taller campers the sleeping
length can be restrictive. The JetPacker is very light indeed and has a
similar ground plan to the Argos tent, but twin skin and much higher
performance fabrics.

See http://www.hilleberg.se
http://www.robertsaunders.co.uk
http://www.terra-nova.co.uk

Of course, these aren't the only games in town, but they are where I'd
start. Nothing wrong with Vango tents, but if you want the lightest
stuff without too much loss of strength in a user-friendly package I'd
say the above are a better bet, albeit for more money.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Peter Clinch said:

vernon said:

Does anyone have, or know someone who's used a Topeak Bikeamper tent. If
so? How usable/practicable are they?

http://www.topeak.com/products/Topeak-BikamperProdcutlisting.html

Mildly curious...

AFAICT, pretty pointless. A purpose designed lightweight tent for one
like a Hilleberg Akto won't weigh any more or take up more space, will
keep out the weather better and give you more flexible and comfortable
living space arrangements, *and* you'll be able to use your bike while
the tend is pitched.

One of those things where the Big Idea has been pursued without
realising it's forcing compromises that make it worse than the
alternatives it was meant to improve on.

Perhaps we'll go the way of motorhomes and see people towing a Brompton
behind their bike for riding around on at the destination while their
main bike is propping up the Bikekamper ;-)

--
Tony

"I did make a mistake once - I thought I'd made a mistake but I hadn't"
Anon

Peter Clinch came up with the following;:

Quoted message said:

I can't see where you gain anything from this contraption.

Very good point. more cons than pros, methinks.

--
Paul ...
(8(|) Homer Rules ..... Doh !!!
ebay stuff 6802526343

In article said:

vernon said:

The notion of wanting to ride somewhere after pitching the tent is not
a problem for me. When I get to a campsite, I've done everything that
I need to do for the day.

Will that always be the case, though? How about if you decide to
explore a nice area on a "day off" from your through route?

[...]

Quoted message said:

And from the other side of the "do you want your bike tied up in your
tent?" argument, if you ever want to go camping without the bike you're
a bit snookered...

Except in the case where your bike breaks or is stolen and you want
to continue on foot, you would know that in advance, and take a different
tent. No-one here seems to have a problem with the idea of multiple
bikes for different purpose, so _if_ this had advantages for a cycling
tour, multiple tents would be equally valid.

However, as you say::

Quoted message said:

Well, quite. For me the biggest nail in its coffin is it doesn't weigh
any less than an Akto. I can't see where you gain anything from this
contraption.

In article said:

There's a Dutch project to make a trailer tent in a bike trailer, but it
looks to me like it suffers from the same problem.

It looked a little more sensible to me (you could at least use the bike
while the tent was pitched), but now I can't find the web page. Didn't
it have "lobster" somewhere in the name?

in message <[email hidden]>, Peter Clinch

(') said:

vernon said:

Does anyone have, or know someone who's used a Topeak Bikeamper tent.
If
so? How usable/practicable are they?

http://www.topeak.com/products/Topeak-BikamperProdcutlisting.html

Mildly curious...

AFAICT, pretty pointless.

I really disagree. It has one very significant advantage - there's /no/
chance of your bike being nicked while you sleep. I'd agree, though,
that unless this is a consideration it doesn't have much else to going
for it, and although I was impressed with it I don't expect to replace
my Vaude.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they
;; do it from  religious conviction."          -- Pascal

On 19 Sep 2005 15:17:54 +0100 (BST), [email hidden] (Alan

Braggins) said:

Except in the case where your bike breaks or is stolen and you want
to continue on foot, you would know that in advance, and take a different
tent. No-one here seems to have a problem with the idea of multiple
bikes for different purpose, so _if_ this had advantages for a cycling
tour, multiple tents would be equally valid.

Indeed. I have three. A lightweight 2 man tent for backpacking and
cycle touring, an expedition 3 man tent for base camping and winter
backpacking and a crappy one for emergencies.

I spend about 40 nights a year under ripstop nylon.

POHB said:

Sorry, forgot link to Saunders Jetpacker!
http://www.robertsaunders.co.uk/pages/jetpacker.html

Quoted message said:

If you're really looking for a lightweight tent I could recommend one of
these.

If you want to spend that sort of money, go for one of these:

http://www.mountainhardwear.com/Product.aspx?prod=1488

Simon Brooke said:

I really disagree. It has one very significant advantage - there's /no/
chance of your bike being nicked while you sleep.

Get something like a Hilleberg Stallon or Saunders Galaxy and there's
enough room for your bike in one of the porches in any case, still
leaving you one for cooking and wet gear.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

I'm sure there are pros and cons but the Approach is smaller and yet heavier
than the Jetpacker plus.
I've used the Jetpacker walking the Pyranees "High Route", in Africa
(including Toubkal) and plenty of windy clifftops in the UK. Its nice to
have the "bell end" (ahem) for cooking out of the rain and stowing damp
gear.
Mind you, thats all a few years back. Now its all "family" camping in a
monster size tunnel tent.

"Bertie Wiggins" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

POHB said:

Sorry, forgot link to Saunders Jetpacker!
http://www.robertsaunders.co.uk/pages/jetpacker.html

Quoted message said:

If you're really looking for a lightweight tent I could recommend one of
these.

If you want to spend that sort of money, go for one of these:

http://www.mountainhardwear.com/Product.aspx?prod=1488

Bertie Wiggins said:

If you want to spend that sort of money, go for one of these:

http://www.mountainhardwear.com/Product.aspx?prod=1488

"Tipping the scales at under 5 lbs"... it isn't exactly in the same
lightness league as a Jetpacker, which is about 3. A Spacepacker is
somewhere between the 2 for weight (4 lbs) but unlike the MH model each
of 2 occupants has their own large porch and a choice of 2 doors.

I have yet to be very impressed by US tents, they tend to use PU coated
fabrics rather than silicone elastomers which makes the fabrics weaker
to start with and more prone to UV degradation, and they seem overly
obsessed with freestanding designs which, while they have their uses,
are a way of making tents heavier for often little gain on typical
sites, and most always pitch inner first, which is a Bad Idea in the rain.
US camping involved little inside cooking (very good idea, if you don't
want bears visiting), so the porches are accordingly rather hopeless
(the above example gives 0.8 m^2 for two people, for example).
US makers are also a bit overkeen on mesh inners for my liking. Very
nice in a heatwave, but rather chilly when it's rather chilly.

I don't really see much reason I'd want an MH Approach rather than a
Hilleberg Nallo (assuming I could afford the Nallo). The Nallo is
easier to pitch, going up all in one, has more porch space and is made
from better materials while having the same basic groundplan.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/