Found this excellent website on Friends of the Earth Forum.
http://bikecart.pedalpeople.com/index.html
D.I.Y. bicycle trailer
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ATB.pete
Re:D.I.Y. bicycle trailer
You could also look here
http://re-cycle.org/trailer/instructions.html
http://re-cycle.org/trailer/instructions.html
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troywinters
Re:D.I.Y. bicycle trailer
no need for welding, heavier construction maybe but nuts and bolts ( hi-tensile 8 8s aren't much dearer than cheapo ones ) 6mm for most joints and 8mm for the few heavy ones will do the job. the pic shows one clearly with 27" wheels this is great for speed and comfort just like a bicyle but bad for loading, as aaron says go round a corner too fast and its goodbye wheels. conversely too small a wheel drops in every hole and is harder to pull. personally I'd recommend 20" as best compromise.
mild steel angle 2 to 3mm thick and at least 25mm by 25mm. can use old bed frames but these tend to be a harder steel which requires great care in drilling else you'll burn the drill bit. and once a bit has been burnt it's almost useless unless you grind it right down past the overheated part. suprisingly unlike motorcycles us pedallers have no size or weight restrictions in law. if less than 800mm wide only 1 reflector and 1 rear light is required, else 2.
a fit person can pull 100kg but this is tiring over the distance and requires a low gear for starting and hills i.e 30" oh and GOOD brakes. it's simply if you try to fit a pair of brakes on the trailer and safer as it won't push you. otherwise particularly going down hill if you brake hard the trailer will push causing the bike rear to lift meaning only your front brake is useable and then only to the extent your weight holds the bike back down. when cornering brake before the corner then gently pull around the corner to reduce the push of the trailer straight on. else limit yourself to less than half your own weight.
mild steel angle 2 to 3mm thick and at least 25mm by 25mm. can use old bed frames but these tend to be a harder steel which requires great care in drilling else you'll burn the drill bit. and once a bit has been burnt it's almost useless unless you grind it right down past the overheated part. suprisingly unlike motorcycles us pedallers have no size or weight restrictions in law. if less than 800mm wide only 1 reflector and 1 rear light is required, else 2.
a fit person can pull 100kg but this is tiring over the distance and requires a low gear for starting and hills i.e 30" oh and GOOD brakes. it's simply if you try to fit a pair of brakes on the trailer and safer as it won't push you. otherwise particularly going down hill if you brake hard the trailer will push causing the bike rear to lift meaning only your front brake is useable and then only to the extent your weight holds the bike back down. when cornering brake before the corner then gently pull around the corner to reduce the push of the trailer straight on. else limit yourself to less than half your own weight.
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troywinters
Re:D.I.Y. bicycle trailer
oh and dont use your best bike to pull it as it is quite a strain actually and quality bikes actually wont survive long, better off with a mountain bike just for the job.
dont think much to the idea of using conduit, as it's not a structural steel so you getting weight without the strength but it is easier to get hold of in small quanties.
it never ceases to amaze me the can do attitude of the americans, but seriously, a beginner just welding up a trailer for road use will come unstuck ( or unwelded ) coded welders train for a long time.
dont think much to the idea of using conduit, as it's not a structural steel so you getting weight without the strength but it is easier to get hold of in small quanties.
it never ceases to amaze me the can do attitude of the americans, but seriously, a beginner just welding up a trailer for road use will come unstuck ( or unwelded ) coded welders train for a long time.
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jb
Re:D.I.Y. bicycle trailer
A 100kg !!
That’s like having a big bloke on the back of a tandem that won't peddle - possible - but I think I'd be telling them to walk.
That’s like having a big bloke on the back of a tandem that won't peddle - possible - but I think I'd be telling them to walk.
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troywinters
Re:D.I.Y. bicycle trailer
I didn't say it was easy and it quite possibly knackers your knees all that stress but it's perfectly possible, in fact with a special trailer I made up with motorcycle wheels and using 50x50mm angle I pulled....wait for it.... 350kg ( soil ) took about 1/2 mile to reach maximum speed of about 8mph on the flat and I certainly needed every low gear I had. One morning I was wheeling the combination over the rough ground to the starting area when I must of had the load too far back as suddenly the trailer pitched back taking my bike up in the air, I laugh now but it was annoying bending the tow hitch.
on a similar note. a cyclist intending to follow this path to high capacity towing needs to start small and become accustomed to the art of towing. I'm sure few cyclists realise on a daily basis that when they appear to gracefully and smoothly pedal away that they are in fact accelerating in spurts with each leg movement and when you're pulling a trailer this becomes really obviouswhich for the first time could be disconcerting.
on a similar note. a cyclist intending to follow this path to high capacity towing needs to start small and become accustomed to the art of towing. I'm sure few cyclists realise on a daily basis that when they appear to gracefully and smoothly pedal away that they are in fact accelerating in spurts with each leg movement and when you're pulling a trailer this becomes really obviouswhich for the first time could be disconcerting.
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jb
Re:D.I.Y. bicycle trailer
Excellent, I think you deserve a meddle.
I don't think you would have the same success round here as every direction eventually meets a climb of some sort. Although there is one chap I see who persists on trailoring everything around but I have not made contact yet.
I suppose a hub geared bike would be better for the task as you can change when you want - how you want - is the trailer stable empty?
Cheers
John
I don't think you would have the same success round here as every direction eventually meets a climb of some sort. Although there is one chap I see who persists on trailoring everything around but I have not made contact yet.
I suppose a hub geared bike would be better for the task as you can change when you want - how you want - is the trailer stable empty?
Cheers
John
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gar
Re:D.I.Y. bicycle trailer
I saw a pedestrian push trolley yesterday which would have been marvellous for all my trailer
needs except for one thing, the wheels were inadequate, just made of thin plastic and a spindle
which didn't look much better, but the bag was just the right size and the trolley the right size, and the cost the right size... £30.
I'm on a recumbent front wheel handcrank.
needs except for one thing, the wheels were inadequate, just made of thin plastic and a spindle
which didn't look much better, but the bag was just the right size and the trolley the right size, and the cost the right size... £30.
I'm on a recumbent front wheel handcrank.
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gar
Re:D.I.Y. bicycle trailer
[url=http:///bikecart.pedalpeople.com/index.html]/bikecart.pedalpeople.com/index.html[/url]
re-cycle.org/trailer/instructions.htm
both of these sites are fun but the high wheels would not be much good on bikecart. Re-cycle has at least got the small wheels.
I have had a cart for carrying my bee hives around for years; it is still functional and I got it from SJsCycles at about £100.
re-cycle.org/trailer/instructions.htm
both of these sites are fun but the high wheels would not be much good on bikecart. Re-cycle has at least got the small wheels.
I have had a cart for carrying my bee hives around for years; it is still functional and I got it from SJsCycles at about £100.
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troywinters
Re:D.I.Y. bicycle trailer
with a 'mega-range' block I can drag about an all up weight of 50kg up the local 1 in 10 just listen out for the language if some git baulks me half way up as it's almost impossible to restart on the grade.
the only time I've had a trailer topple is when I had it loaded with a roll of rockwool insulation on top but normally it's stable enough for the speed, I wouldnt tow it behind a motorbike at 50mph though. just apply commonsense and you'll be ok, visualise the centre of gravity and draw a 45degree line down if it's within the wheelbase then it's stable. a homemade trailer is likely to weigh at least 15kg, my regular trailer been an enclosed box is 25kg and I can fit a whole trolley load of shopping init unless it's 40 bottles of pop. if designing a trailer it's sensible to aim for no more than 25kg because the chances are you will have to carry it sometimes i.e into a shed, over a fence or whatever and a large bulk is harder to carry than a small bulk of the same weight. and remember to have both the right pump connections if using say presta on bike and thingy on trailer.
the only time I've had a trailer topple is when I had it loaded with a roll of rockwool insulation on top but normally it's stable enough for the speed, I wouldnt tow it behind a motorbike at 50mph though. just apply commonsense and you'll be ok, visualise the centre of gravity and draw a 45degree line down if it's within the wheelbase then it's stable. a homemade trailer is likely to weigh at least 15kg, my regular trailer been an enclosed box is 25kg and I can fit a whole trolley load of shopping init unless it's 40 bottles of pop. if designing a trailer it's sensible to aim for no more than 25kg because the chances are you will have to carry it sometimes i.e into a shed, over a fence or whatever and a large bulk is harder to carry than a small bulk of the same weight. and remember to have both the right pump connections if using say presta on bike and thingy on trailer.