You can do a lot of things with the Tesla Cybertruck, but you can't tow it behind your ebike to sleep in on "bike-packing" trips. You can, however, do exactly that with the Cybertruck-inspired Cyberdrop trailer – or at least you will be able to, once it reaches production.
The Cyberdrop was designed by Jeremiah Brown, a Canadian cyclist, author, entrepreneur and Olympic silver medalist in rowing.
"In 2021, I toured from Peterborough, Ontario to Newfoundland on a mountain bike that I converted into an ebike with a large custom battery built to fill the inside area of my mountain bike frame," he tells us.
"I had so much fun on that trip, but the one drawback was that I didn't sleep well while tent camping each night […] I looked at other products that had been brought to market, and really just wanted to buy a bicycle camper that would meet my requirements. But nothing out there met all my criteria."
That experience prompted Brown to build the fully functional Cyberdrop prototype.
The trailer features a welded 6061 aluminum frame, an 8-foot (2.4-m) bed length that includes a storage area at the feet, and a 46-inch (1,168-mm) cabin height that allows taller users to comfortably sit up and change clothes, prepare meals, or just hang out and relax.
It's insulated with 1-inch XPS (extruded polystyrene) sheeting, plus all of the aluminum surfaces within the interior are covered with neoprene to prevent condensation. The whole cabin is additionally finished in a hard-wearing hull liner fabric. A powered roof vent helps with cooling and air circulation.
The Cyberdrop's front wheel incorporates a Grin Technologies hub motor, so the ebike that's towing it doesn't have to do all the work – in Brown's current setup, a Bullitt cargo bike equipped with front and rear hub motors does the towing. Power for both of those motors and the trailer's motor is provided by a 72-volt/9.5-kW lithium battery pack located in the bike's cargo compartment.
For regular cruising, the motors in the trailer's wheel and the Bullitt's front wheel augment the rider's pedaling power. When some extra assistance is required, the motor in the ebike's rear wheel is also activated.
Depending on usage, this particular setup is claimed to deliver a range of up to 130 miles (209 km) per 8-hour battery-charge. An optional solar panel (along with a regenerative braking system) can be used to boost battery life, or to power electronics such as the cabin lights and vent fan – although the main battery also does so.
Brown is now planning out the production process, and will begin accepting preorders once he has a good estimate of delivery dates. He states that pricing may start at around CA$8,999 (about US$6,770), ebike not included. Prospective buyers can email him at sales@cyberdrop.ca
"I wanted to have a consistent riding experience where I didn't have to worry about looking behind me every few minutes to make sure the trailer was OK," he says. "Riding with the Cyberdrop in tow is a pure joy, and puts a smile on my face and on the faces of so many people I pass on the road."
The features of the trailer are outlined in the following video.
Source: Cyberdrop