Anybody Slept on Their Bent Trike?

[Psamathe]

Some time back I watched a youtube video from a US bent trike rider who was talking about a long trip he did and one night, unable to find a place to camp ended-up sleeping on the trike (from memory using a space blanket). Stuck in my mind because he was saying how where he was was "no camping" but Police could not move him on because he wasn't "camping".

For some reason I remembered this and wondered if anybody has done this before?

Ian

[Stradageek]

Some time back I watched a youtube video from a US bent trike rider who was talking about a long trip he did and one night, unable to find a place to camp ended-up sleeping on the trike (from memory using a space blanket). Stuck in my mind because he was saying how where he was was "no camping" but Police could not move him on because he wasn't "camping".

For some reason I remembered this and wondered if anybody has done this before?

Ian

I came close once whilst cycling to work on my SM two wheeler. It was a lovely warm sunny morning and a quiet country lane. I suddenly noticed that I'd closed my eyes as I pedaled along and swiftly decided this was not a good idea

[UpWrong]

I haven't but I imagine it's something which has been done by recumbent riders participating the ultra long distance events like PBP, or LEL.

[milarmon]

I did it...






Don´t you love having friends who inmortalize your moments?

[belgiangoth]

The thing that strikes me from that photo is that your front wheel look really big - a trick of perspective I think. Also, are your handgrips horizontal?
I know there's someone sleeping on your bike, but that's the fourth thing I noticed (third was your rear rack and bags).

[Trikeyohreilly]

I have in the past given this a lot of thought specifically for this reason.

You surely can't be considered camping. I always thought that a " I just stopped for a rest and must of dosed off" laugh with them and ride off would cover most sinarios.

Wild camping seems to be becoming harder to get away with due to those who have large fires and leave a lot of rubbish types. Being able to sleep, for more than a nap, would surely open up so many options.

I like quite an upright seat angle but I purchased a headrest and parked on a slope with parking brakes applied, can get really quite a comfortable position. Even in bad weather, a poncho, insulated trousers and my wide brimed gortex hat work well. On my ICE trike there is even room to put a couple of layers of insulating camping roll mat.

[Trikeyohreilly]

Sorry, insulated mat applied to the gap under the seat mesh in between the frame posts.

[triker131]

Yes, in a rotovelo velomobile in 2015 whilst riding to Le Mans and back from the Caen ferry. Friday 4th September, probably about 7C overnight low, got held up in Le Mans by a big street market on the main road through town. When I did eventually get through Le Mans I was running out of daylight to get to my planned overnight campsite which was still 20 miles away. Spotted a big deserted picnic area at the side of D23 road and pulled in. Didn't want to risk setting up my tent in case cops turned up during the night - also - been quite tempted for some time with the idea of sleeping in the rotovelo. Didn't get much sleep and was running up and down at 3am to get some circulation flow into my feet to warm them up. Pleased when it got light the next morning. I had a motorcycle cover (a tenner from Lidl) which completely covered the rotovelo and removed the curiosity factor and used this over my body inside the rotovelo. Was still cold and suceeded in getting chain oil all over the cover. Ironically I'd made a cardboard cover for the chainwheel and exposed chain in anticipation of this but didn't take it with me due to lack of space and the expectation of sleeping at camp sites each night. The next night I was at the municipal campground in Alencon and slept for 12.5 hours! Never done a repeat trip to France as Brittany Ferries said they would charge motorcycle rates for velomobiles from 2016 so a £110 return bike rate would have been close to £450 (don't know if this would also apply to recumbent trikes as similar footprint on deck). Exchanged emails with their sales director, no give at all. If I ever cycle to France again it will be via Newhaven Dieppe which is a 50 mile ride to Newhaven vs about a 21 mile ride to Portsmouth.

I asked the same question about sleeping in a velomobile on the bentrider forum and there was a guy in Tucson who had done this on a cross country trip. Very sadly he was killed just over a year ago in his quest velomobile by a drunk driver. RIP Airmoose.

The whole trip to visit a velomobile exposition south of Le Mans and was written up on bentrider online in the velomobile forum.
See https://www.bentrideronline.com/message ... p?t=122483
Lots of photos of velomobiles!