The Topeak’s Bikamper requires a bicycle to setup. The one-person, three-season tent is made from water-resistant urethane-coated 45D ripstop nylon, with a waterproof fly. Your 26-inch or 700C front wheel slides vertically into the foot of the tent, to give it structure, while the rest of your bike is parked nose-in at the head.
There, loops at the top of the canopy attach to your handlebars, while the fly proceeds to hook around the back of your seat. Adjustable-length tie-downs keep everything from blowing away.
The bike fork anchors that slide into the front dropouts, then stakes down into the ground. The whole thing weighs in at 1.63 kg (3.59 lbs), and stuffs down into a small pack that can be strapped to your handlebars or rack.
It definitely looks like a neat idea for bicycle tourists, so long as you keep in mind that once you’ve got your tent set up, you won’t be riding your bike again until the next morning. The Bikamper is available at various retailers, for around US$150-$200.
