It’s all very well and good to hear what big companies like Apple and Toyota are up to, but if you really want to be inspired, there’s nothing like seeing what regular folks have made in their own backyards and garages. Quandell Williams is just such a maker, and his DIY weatherproof ebike enclosure is definitely inspirational.
Williams lives, works and invents in Staten Island, New York with his wife and kids. He tells us that he enjoys “building things that make our lives more convenient and enjoyable.”
In recent years, one of those things turned out to be an enclosure that would allow him to ride his bike in the rain without getting cold and wet. He built a few different versions, some of which incorporated soft tarp-like bodies. The model he has now arrived at is a considerably sturdier hard-shell version, mounted on a folding fat-tired ebike.
Quandell Williams
The enclosure – which still needs an official name – features a PVC-pipe frame, fiberglass-reinforced polymer (FRP) foam sandwich panels, acrylic side windows, and a polyethylene-film windshield and roof. It reportedly tips the scales at about 70 lb (31.75 kg), and can be removed from the bike reasonably easily.
Along with its ability to keep out the rain, some of its other features include latching doors with slide-up/down windows; dual side mirrors; a rear hatch with an integrated swing-out clothing rack; a rear cargo compartment that can support the weight of a child passenger; upper and lower dashboard storage areas; plus dual removable kickstands.
As can be seen below, Quandell has even come up with a method of sleeping in the thing.
So sure, the enclosure is certainly an impressive piece of DIY engineering, but what’s it actually like on the road?
“The bike handles great, [although] it does change the dynamic of the ride to a more subtle control,” Williams tells us. “It doesn’t have much fogging because of the opening in the bottom which allows the air to flow.”
If you live in the greater New York City area and are interested in getting an enclosure of your own, Quandell is open to custom-building them – he’s unsure of pricing for now. You can reach him at customizedenclosurebyq@gmail.com, or on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok via @Diyeverythingfly
“I want the world to benefit from this,” he says.
And if you like the idea of staying dry on your bike, but find his enclosure to be a bit … much … you might want to check out the simpler Veltop or Softtop.
