Bicycle Trailers

[wind_magic]

Valiente mentioned on another thread something about bicycle trailers and I thought i would ask about them here since we all share similar sorts of challenges. Who has a bicycle trailer, what kind do you have ? I have been considering making one of these bamboo trailers for my own bicycle, slightly modified from this plan.

http://www.carryfreedom.com/bamboo.html

I like that one because you could take it apart and store it fairly easily. And it also looks easy to make, just a saw and some steel plate, couple bicycle wheels, bamboo, looks easy.

I'm definitely going to need some kind of a trailer to haul things.

What is everyone else using ?

[sailaway21]

The rear bed, axle, and half the frame of a '97 Ford pick 'em up truck should meet your every conceivable need. And I just happen to have one that you could drive home prior to the conversion; price negotiable.





sorry, Windy. I couldn't resist. Well, I was resisting-up to the point where I envisioned you developing legs that would put a Singaporean pedi-cab driver to shame. btw, it's painted green. (g)

[wind_magic]

Originally Posted by sailaway21

The rear bed, axle, and half the frame of a '97 Ford pick 'em up truck should meet your every conceivable need. And I just happen to have one that you could drive home prior to the conversion; price negotiable.

Haha that is funny.

sorry, Windy. I couldn't resist. Well, I was resisting-up to the point where I envisioned you developing legs that would put a Singaporean pedi-cab driver to shame. btw, it's painted green. (g)

Yeah, if I am pulling around the ass end of a Ford truck they would be!

[CapnHand]

I don't have one, but I'm thinking of making or buying something like this to handle my tender on land. Light weight and compact, it's a minimalist "less is more" idea.

We used ones like these (except they used mountain bike wheels) for portaging canoes and gear in B.C. Beats the hell out of carrying everything on your back.

This looks cool for hauling cargo http://biketrailershop.com/catalog/p...9b492d3586bd6a .

[rewell6]

We have a couple of these
http://www.chariotcarriers.com/html_...h/corsaire.htm
They worked great, but now our 3, 4, and 5yo all ride without training wheels. They can be converted to strollers or joggers. The down side is one of these would take up a whole v-berth.

You can buy just the part that connects to the bike. That would make that part of making one from scratch a lot easier. Here is a link to that part
http://www.rei.com/product/696017
It comes with everything you would need to connect to a bike. The trailer end would be up to you. You could probably find it cheaper, like on ebay. I was just posting a link for visual purposes.

If you want I could take a couple of detailed pics of the bike connection on ours.

If you build something with skinny tires and try to take in the sand you might as well just carry the load.

Another idea find a used one, well used and take the kid part off. For storage the wheels come off the axles with a push of a button. And the bike part comes off to.

[Valiente]

I have two of the Chariot carriers, one a two-kid version with plastic spoke wheels, and the older, slightly larger one that is the "converting to a jogger" version with support bars running on the outsides (handy if it rolls when empty on a sharp corner).

I also have one of these older inline trailers: http://www.tomswenson.com/bob.htm ( a review with a picture)

I would take none of these on a boat for long-term cruising. The volume penalty is too high and there are easily corroded parts on all of them. I would instead do the following:

1) Purchase a set of front and rear pannier frames made for the standard 26 inch mountain bike. They need to be steel for strength.

2) Paint them thickly in two-part epoxy for maximum resistance to corrosion.

3) Duplicate their clamps, pins and bolts/nuts so I'm never short of spares.

4) Buy light, tough nylon pannier bags that can be locked to the bike or to the frame. Get the type that can be carried easily in the hands when off the bike.

5) Bring a crappy, fat-tire mountain bike and spray it down with Boeshield or whatever. Wrap it in tarp and leave it on the rail. Make sure it's the quick-release type that can break down (but NOT a folder...too weak usually and too small)

6) When at the destination where one needs a bike, assemble panniers. Take ashore. Shop. Tour via bike.

7) When bike gets too corroded, remove pannier frames and sell locally for ten bucks or whatever, or trade for old but uncorroded similar cheap mountain bike. If none is available, buy bike at next stop and sell bike before you leave.

My point is that you spend money and stowage on the panniers and bags, not the bike, on the reasonable assumption that there will always be at least an adequate bike nearby, rather than bringing "your" bike (a magnet for thieves and a magnet for rust that *won't* arrive uncruddy having spent two months on deck). Not only is this more sensible (roads in the developing world rarely conducive to wind sprints), it saves space, provides protective colouration (you'll have a crappy local bike the same as everyone else), and makes you a good yachtie when you sell the bike back into the local economy at a slight "loss" (who cares when we are talking $20 for maybe a hurricane season's worth of local transport?)

And you keep the excellent, modded for sea time panniers and frames.

[AlpineSailor]

Check out the Burley Flatbed, which is an open, haul stuff type trailer.

We have the Burley Solo, which is a kid carrier, and it is a quality piece. Lightweight, packs small, is very easy to use, attach's to the bike in seconds and pulls very smoothly behind.