When camping there are space and weight limitations to what you can bring with you and use, therefore many items are built specifically for camping, ie: beds, "houses", coolers, TV's, computers, etc. Most of these require power of some sort to set up and operate. If you're in a car, roadside camping
conditions can easily be managed by using an ubiquituous 12v lighter attachment to power devices which have little weight/size constraints.
But when you're bike-hiking/camping, requirements are more strict: equipment must be lighter and smaller.
THE BICYCLE POWER-TAKEOFF:
is a set of modifications to the rear-wheel that allow you to dispense with much of the gadgetry required to power/use equipment *while* using the most efficient human-power conversion device ever devised, ie: the bicycle. Features include:
LEFT SIDE (riding) PTO:
The non-geared-side axle is extended from where it's fluid-clutched inside the hub, to a square-head mounting point. The semi-permanent attachment is a hybrid-power/braking-regen device such as an electrical generator attached to an underseat capacitor/battery system.(Other hybrid systems are in development but we'll stick with this one for now.) Since we're modding the hub anyways, we've replaced the caliper brakes with a waterproof internal hub-brake to better integrate with the hybrid-system.
RIGHT SIDE (stationary) PTO: The gear-assembly-axle is extended, secured to the frame and terminates as a square-head mounting point. A direct-clutch is inside the hub separating the gearing axle from the wheel. Since this side extends several inches outwards from the wheel, attachments are normally mounted only while the bicycle is parked for balance reasons.
KICKSTAND: raises the rear wheel off the ground and is further extended for a more splayed footprint for stability during stationary operation.
LOCKING: The hub, brake, clutches, kickstand and attachment-points can be keylocked as a unit into whatever the current configuration is. This makes it impossible to pedal the bicycle away, thus deterring opportunistic thieving and borrowing. (Use of a third-party attachment bikelock is still advised of course.)
OPERATION:
Riding: normally the off-side PTO is used exclusively for hybrid power/regen, however you may want to use another attachment to fill your scuba tanks or cool your beer or something if your battery's already full and you've hit a long downhill section. The fluid-clutch allows a device to be engaged/disengaged while moving, without wear worries.
Stationary: Attach your whatever to the gear-side PTO and go to it. The existing gearing allows you to adjust the power-conversion ratio to your own preferences and the clutch allows for flywheel or flywheel-less operation.
ATTACHMENTS:
Bog-standard stuff: stationary-generator, air compressor/pumps, water pump, refrigerator<link>, knitting and portable sawmill units.