Topeak Bikekamper tent

[DebW]

I was at REI last Sunday, one day after their Garage Sale. They had leftover items from the sale still available, and I ended up buying a used Topeak Bikekamper tent for $45. This is the funky little tent that uses your bicycle as the tent poles. You put the front wheel in one end of the tent and attach the other to your handlebars with the fork mounted to a special ground stake. I don't expect this to be my go-to tent for all bike tours, but it may join me on selected tours. It weighs 3.3 pounds, which is 2 pounds more than my floorless tarp-tent and one pound more than my hammock, but one pound less than my double-walled one-person tent. The Bikekamper is a single-walled (ie coated nylon) tent with partial rainfly. Ventillation looks reasonable and it's sealed against bugs. I might worry about having my bike stolen if I left my campsite with it attached to my tent rather than locked to a tree or picnic table. And you can't set up camp and then bike somewhere. But for $45, seemed like something worth trying.

[Melalvai]

I'd love to hear what you think of it. Sounds cute. I'll be getting a tent for a 45ish-day tour next year, if not sooner, and I haven't settled on a tent yet. I probably wouldn't get one that uses the bike as tent poles, like you said you can't go anywhere after you set up camp because your transportation is not available. Plus my front wheel has a dynamo hub and the wires on that get more worn each time I unplug them so I'd rather not be unplugging it daily. But if I had a touring-dedicated bike, that wouldn't matter as much.

What is your double-walled one-person tent and would you get it again?

[Sky King]

always interested in hearing what others use. We have been experimenting with using the "click stand" as a tent pole with our hennessey hammocks when trees aren't optimal.

[Tri Girl]

I've looked at that tent in the past and thought it was pretty creative and a great idea! And for $45- that is a STEAL ($230 new). Let us know how you like it once you've tested it out. I thought about using it for some mtn bike camping trips where you wouldn't necessarily need to use your bike once you've set up camp.
Congrats on the great find!!

[DebW]

The Bikekamper is actually what I'd call a bivy-tent, ie. you can't sit up in. It would be pretty miserable for a 45 day tour if you had to spend bad weather in it or needed a refuge from bugs during waking hours. My double-walled tent is a Kelty Clark, but it's heavier than I'd want to carry on a bike tour and the poles are long. For a long tour where a hammock wasn't appropriate, I might go with something like the Tarptent Moment for lightweight, bug protection, and sit-up room inside.


I'd love to hear what you think of it. Sounds cute. I'll be getting a tent for a 45ish-day tour next year, if not sooner, and I haven't settled on a tent yet. I probably wouldn't get one that uses the bike as tent poles, like you said you can't go anywhere after you set up camp because your transportation is not available. Plus my front wheel has a dynamo hub and the wires on that get more worn each time I unplug them so I'd rather not be unplugging it daily. But if I had a touring-dedicated bike, that wouldn't matter as much.

What is your double-walled one-person tent and would you get it again?