“Are you ready for something new?,” Germany-based Maxmess Design says at the beginning of the description for Martha, an all-new e-bike trailer meant to make bikepacking obsolete and bring RV comforts to cyclists. Here’s to hoping the answer is in the positive.
Not all of us have the money or the desire to invest huge amounts in a full-size recreational vehicle, even if it’s a smaller van conversion. Luckily, more affordable alternatives are available, and they also include upgrades for cyclists used to roughing it or sleeping in motels. e-Bike trailers are the most popular, and Martha aims to improve on existing ones by bringing downsized RV comforts to the table.
Martha, or Fahrrad Wohnwagen Martha by its full name, is the latest product of German maker Maxmess Design and, according to New Atlas, its main appeal is in multi-functionality, in what is perhaps a first of its kind e-bike trailer. Since it was designed to be practical on the road and offer downsized RV comforts, it lacks the more appealing design of other, similar e-bike trailers. But you know what they say, it’s what on the inside that matters.
And it’s inside where Martha makes a difference. Whereas other e-bike trailers are, at most, scarcely furnished shells, Martha is a complete tiny RV.
Photo: Maxmess Design
Inside this angular box on two wheels, there’s a comfy space that can easily become one adult’s bedroom, remote office or kitchen, on the sole condition that said adult doesn’t ask too much of such a space. It’s basic, is what we’re saying, but for a trailer you tow with a bicycle, it’s actually quite impressive.
Maxmess says that Martha weighs 48 kg (106 pounds) fully loaded, including cutlery, stationery, mattress, and even a clothesline. It and can carry a maximum payload of another 25 kg (55 pounds) in luggage and provisions, and can be towed by a standard, pedal-powered bike by a sportier rider on level grounds. That said, works best with pedal-assisted or fully-electric bikes and trikes.
Martha is 2 meters (6.5 feet) long, and offers an interior of 1.95 meters (6.4 feet) in length, 0.9 meters (3 feet) in width and 1 meter (3.2 feet) in height. It comes with a mattress, four interior storage compartments and two underbody storage units, a folding table that can be set up inside as a desk or outside for a quick meal, a door that doubles as awning, a solar panel and battery bank, LED lights, USB chargers, and even a small command center. The 30-Ah battery and 30W solar panel power the movable reading lights, the taillights and the front ventilation fan, while the command center allows you to monitor consumption and adjust settings to save energy, if need be.
Even for a single person, Martha provides very close quarters, so Maxmess included three porthole windows and a skylight, to create the impression of more space and offer proper cross-ventilation on hot days. The portholes come with privacy curtains, so you won’t have to worry about nosy visitors. A small weather station is available, providing temperature and humidity readings both from outside and inside Martha, as well as a carbon monoxide detector.
Martha is described as a three-season e-bike trailer, so the aluminum walls, floor and ceiling are completely insulated with “comfortable fabrics.” According to the same media outlet, the maker is currently working on a heating solution for winter use. At camp, Martha sits on retractable pegs, and rides on 24-inch wheels with 22 cm (8.6 inches) of ground clearance.
Photo: Maxmess Design
Because of Martha’s low center of gravity, it’s easy to tow even on windy conditions or on rough terrain, Maxmess says. The trailer is compact enough to allow riders to still ride on bicycle paths and dedicated lanes, and even to clear jamming grids that block auto access onto them. Basically, wherever you can ride your bike, you can tow your Martha.
“You can practically always have your hotel with you,” the maker says. “You win twice with this team: health-promoting activity and resource-saving mobility.”
As it happens, this double win doesn’t come exactly cheap. The introductory price for Martha is €4,450 ($4,556 at the current exchange rate), and it’s only available until the end of this month, after which it will be €4,850 ($4,966). On the other hand, for this kind of money, you get a complete, ready-to-go solution, down to the cutlery and the fitted sheet on the mattress – your very own pocket-sized RV. The only thing you still need is the towing e-bike – and six weeks’ worth of patience, to await delivery.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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