Can you really use wheels to set up a tarp when bivvying?

I’ve seen pictures of it but how practical is it really? I’m thinking of bivvying where there aren’t trees, and wondering if I can avoid taking poles. My tarp is quite small, not long enough to lie completely under so my feet stick out, which. makes me think the wheels idea is less practical.  Come to think of it, so is the poles idea. I’ve only used it once and that was in trees.

Yes you can, but a pole is a lot easier in my experience

Yes but I found it a poor solution compared to a single pole.

I have a carbon bearbones pole that lives between my frame bag and top tube

This company makes bike tents…. Moruta.com

Wasn’t there something similar from Topeak a few years ago?

Wasn’t there something similar from Topeak a few years ago?

Wasn’t the bikcamper about the only thing ever to get a unanimous poor review in the mags ?

Haha… No idea. Never used one nor do I read many reviews.

Get a pole. You have to remove a dirty wheel and remember not to squeeze your brake by accident. Then you can’t get in and out of the tarp at the end with the wheel. Never used/tried it for these reasons!

Yeah as above. Possible, but a pole is a whole bunch easier and doesn’t weigh a lot

I have but it’s less than ideal. I’ll dig out a couple of photos.

It’s a massively amount of faff considering how good and easy poles are to use. There is very little weight penalty. I’ve never bothered due to the faff

FWIW, I’m selling a couple of carbon poles on the bearbonesbikepacking forum if interested

Sounds like poles are best for now.  I am not sure I’ll go with a tarp long term, I didn’t really enjoy it last time.  I might get one of those Alpkit inflatable 1-person tents, they aren’t expensive.

Fair point, *any* chance of rain (or midges) I’ll go tent. If I need to pack a tarp, a tent is probably just easier.

I have got an Aeronaut, but have only pitched it in the garden so far. I need an adapter to convert it’s Schrader valve to presto too 🙂

I did a search for bikamper out of curiosity to see what it looked like and this awesome/terrible option showed up 😀

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/125731539828?chn=ps&_ul=GB&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=710-134428-41853-0&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=125731539828&targetid=1403035015427&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9180823&poi=&campaignid=17218284410&mkgroupid=142217514411&rlsatarget=aud-1164958979180:pla-1403035015427&abcId=9300867&merchantid=6995734&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIqrPtw6PghQMVPJaDBx1j1gheEAQYBSABEgK-xfD_BwE

the video makes it

I.. I actually quite like that! Not so keen on that guys bike though.

I have just blown all my dosh on car parts so I might just have to find some trees, but they’re in short supply in the hills of South Wales.

Edit: ah, I watched the vid, it’s far too wide. It could be half that width and still work fine and you’d be able to ride it in bike places.

I use the saddle at one end and the front wheel to raise the foot end of the tarp.  It’s a little faffy but as a bonus the bike can’t be quietly walked off without dropping the tarp and you can reach your water bottle/hang your glasses and deadtorch on the bike from the sleeping bag

Yes. Wasn’t difficult and perfectly stable. Kept the rain off for about 5 hours until it stopped and I packed up and got on my way.

That eBay trailer tent up there^^ would be the perfect tent to go with the folding ebike with back to front handlebars that it’s pictured with.

Afraid I’m in the prefer a tent to a tarp club but think a wheeled camp bed / trailer tent might be a bit OTT.

Yes, and if I could post a picture I would. Sorry for being a bit thick, but I have nothing showing how to edit/post anything bar text!

I guess your experience differs as your tarp is looking about twice the size of mine.

I pitch mine with a drop corner and have my bivvy out one of the open sides.

Sorry for the hijack – I have a 3×3 tarp from alpkit and was planning on using the bike but sounds like the pole is a better idea. They have two fixed length poles, is bigger better (120 and 170cm fwiw). Sorry if this is a dumb question.

You can tension the tarp to a wheel that’s a couple of feet away if you need space, I do that when using a 1.5 x 1.5 tarp. Just wrap a long line around the tyre and tie off at the right point.
I’ve used my bike to support a tarp often, works well but takes a bit longer than poles. A wheel can be good when the wind is high, it can roll/move a little to allow the tarp to move/give.

Aha… Here’s a couple more

Sorry for being a bit thick, but I have nothing showing how to edit/post anything bar text!

Found it, “Enable Fancy Editor” in account settings. I’m sorry, but I just feel I’ve been taken back 20 years in time! 🙂

Just why?

And it seems I’m on a dial up modem as well LOL

You can tension the tarp to a wheel that’s a couple of feet away if you need space

Ooh yes good idea..

You don’t have to remove the rear wheel.

A couple of observations;

1. The tarp tends to drop in the middle if you don’t have A LOT of tension across it’s length (worse with larger tarps)
2. This can be exceedingly annoying at the front as it makes the whole pitch very low. While experimenting I tried a short pole halfway along the front.
3. If it’s very windy, the tarp can slip over the wheels, and they can fall. I wrapped the guyline around the tyre to prevent this happening.
4. It’s a very low setup and you need to be able to “roll” in and out of it. Not pleasant if the grass is soaking wet.

A couple of lightweight poles are easy to carry and save you having to use a muddy wheel. TBH, I much prefer a smaller tarp and waterproof bivvy bag. It’s also possible to set that up using the bike if you’re being desperately weight-weenie.

Moruta.com

I initially thought this was a little bit expensive for what it is. But looking again its not bad really, and in comparison to other set ups its not far off. Plus you have the benefit of a groundsheet, the ability to close it off entirely from the wind.

Groundsheet is essential in my humble. Any rain, water always seeps under, and its better to sleep dry than risk a super lightweight down bag getting anywhere close to moisture.

I use the saddle at one end and the front wheel to raise the foot end of the tarp.  It’s a little faffy but as a bonus the bike can’t be quietly walked off without dropping the tarp and you can reach your water bottle/hang your glasses and deadtorch on the bike from the sleeping bag

Adding pic.  The other benefit of this setup is its protected on 2 sides (hang a coat on the bike and its protected 3 sides!) and with a little practise you can tension it so it doesn’t flap in the wind.  The downside is if you don’t get it quite right the headroom can be quite low.

I don’t know anything about bikepacking or bivvying but this just popped up in my Facebook.

Looks a bit of a nuisance having your space partitioned like that and needing to go outside to get round, and making the highest point in the space unusable. Could work well if there’s two of you and two bikes though.

I’ve used this method before and it worked well for sleeping, not so good for cooking etc but then it was a small tarp.

I have tended to use the saddle extended as high as it will go – similar to pic above but both wheels still on

It’s a very low setup and you need to be able to “roll” in and out of it. Not pleasant if the grass is soaking wet.

+1, I experimented with the idea and gave up.

Looks a bit of a nuisance having your space partitioned like that and needing to go outside to get round, and making the highest point in the space unusable. Could work well if there’s two of you and two bikes though.

Bear in mind bikes are only about 4ft long. That’s really just a cover to poke your heads under with a bivi-bag. Which would be sort-of OK, but you could do something similar with a smaller tarp and a single pole.