Luggage

thirdcrank · Post by **thirdcrank** » 18 Sep 2008, 4:50pm

If you decide to fit the flashing amber beacon the box should be just about big enough to carry enough car batteries to power it all day.

On a more serious note, I'd be interested to hear your experiences in due course. While a hard box (with padding if necessary) must normally be the ideal way of carrying something for which it was specifically made, when the load is unpredicatable and variable, people have generally used bags, holdalls, and similar because they are more adaptable. (I'm not just talking about cyclists but shoppers and travellers generally.)

I should have thought that a 70 litre box would cerry less stuff than a 70 litre bag. I understand that a bag gives less protection against impacts, but stuff shaking around loose in a box can be damaged hitting the sides so with either container you have to protect fragile stuff.

GrahamG · Post by **GrahamG** » 1 Oct 2008, 12:35pm

Following my last post, I received a reply from Carry Freedom confirming that the XL bag would be fine on the small Y frame load bed, they also pointed out that the large load bed could (just!) fit onto the small chassis. So I think I'll be going for the large bag - just have to put something between the bag and the grip tape surface to stop it getting scraped up.

Post by **Mick F** » 1 Oct 2008, 2:58pm

Hi Graham,

I measured up the XL bag during my research, and was a little concerned, that although it would just fit, it could be rubbed by the wheels. It would be a close fit and I thought about mudguards or sides to the load bed.

There's nothing special about the CF load beds, you could make anything you wanted. I removed mine when I built my wooden box, it seemed daft to bolt a wooden box onto a wooden base. This time, I made a thinner plywood base that fits exactly inside the inner ridge of my alu box.

PS.
Thirdcrank. I envisage using bags and containers inside my box.
When I use the whole thing in anger, I will certainly give a report. I feel this box is super value, of high quality, and just may be what the trailer-using public would be interested in.

Alastair K · Post by **Alastair K** » 1 Oct 2008, 8:11pm

Sorry if this is a bit late Mick, but I've got one of these on my little CF and it's great. Made from the type of plastic that doesn't split or shatter, and with a pair of decent clips to keep the lid on. Haven't tried it in torrential rain, but it's fine and dry in normal English summer rain.
I hold it on the wooden bed with a decent bungee. If I was touring with it (and I might), I'd probably bolt it on.
Sorry, can't remember which size it is - I'll post a pic tomorrow.

http://www.reallyusefulproducts.co.uk/u ... itreXL.php

Post by **Mick F** » 1 Oct 2008, 9:08pm

Thanks Alastair,
I have looked for years (and I mean years) for a decent plastic box and never found one any better than something only strong enough for the loft or under the bed. You seem to have found one that might do the trick.

Would it stand, do you think, up to 3 weeks away in harsh conditions, with the possibility of turning upside down in Dalwhinnie through some roadworks and hitting a traffic cone? My Orange Suitcase did, and lived to tell the tale!

GeoffL · Post by **GeoffL** » 1 Oct 2008, 9:20pm

Mick: A few days ago, I saw some almost identical style boxes on special offer in one of the DIY chain stores - Homebase in Liskeard (used to be Focus) IIRC, or perhaps Argos in the same complex. I didn't post info about them because you'd already sorted out that aluminium box.

Geoff

Post by **Mick F** » 1 Oct 2008, 9:26pm

Funny innit!
You "invent" something new, or a new idea, and the market gets flooded!
How did they know I wanted something like that?

I bet my Alu box is better..........
It better had be, after all the money I coughed out!!!

Alastair K · Post by **Alastair K** » 1 Oct 2008, 10:45pm

I think it'd be better upside down than aluminium - it doesn't dent! Although I'm fully aware that 'impact resistant' doesn't mean 'impact proof'....

I don't think 3 weeks touring would be a problem. They're billed as suitable for air freight and courier work - if they can survive the baggage handlers, they can survive me plodding along for a couple of weeks. Probably.

I've had four of them in a 'work' capacity (ie not being battered around, but being used for static storage) and they are certainly a couple of rungs above the usual B&Q stuff.
Must admit, the aluminium looks nicer......

cranky · Post by **cranky** » 1 Oct 2008, 10:57pm

Alastair K wrote:Sorry if this is a bit late Mick, but I've got one of these on my little CF and it's great. Made from the type of plastic that doesn't split or shatter, and with a pair of decent clips to keep the lid on. Haven't tried it in torrential rain, but it's fine and dry in normal English summer rain.
I hold it on the wooden bed with a decent bungee. If I was touring with it (and I might), I'd probably bolt it on.
Sorry, can't remember which size it is - I'll post a pic tomorrow.

http://www.reallyusefulproducts.co.uk/u ... itreXL.php

I think you'll find the plastic used for these boxes is somewhat brittle. I have stacks of them I use for storage (in smaller sizes) and while they're tough enough for most things I've found the plastic can shatter if it's hit hard enough.

Also, they're not watertight, they'd allow road splashes to get in under the lid. Also, who wants to see your dirty smalls

Alastair K · Post by **Alastair K** » 2 Oct 2008, 6:54am

I've found the plastic can shatter if it's hit hard enough.

Um, I would imagine most objects would be damaged if you hit them hard enough...

Also, they're not watertight, they'd allow road splashes to get in under the lid. Also, who wants to see your dirty smalls

[/quote]

In reality I've found that water doesn't get under the lid - but if you go for the belt and braces approach, a bit of draught excluder around the top edge would create a fully weatherproof seal.
As for the smalls - I think there are website dedicated to that (and the extra strong versions of the boxes are opaque).

cranky · Post by **cranky** » 2 Oct 2008, 10:22am

Alastair K wrote:....(and the extra strong versions of the boxes are opaque)

One of my smallish (3L) boxes had it's lid shattered on the corner and I've no idea how that happened but I suspect it wasn't hit as hard as it would be if a trailer flipped on it. This is only anecdotal, of course, and may not be representative of the RL boxes in general.

I can't see any 'extra strong' versions, can you give me a link?

Alastair K · Post by **Alastair K** » 2 Oct 2008, 1:40pm

The link for the 'extra strong' boxes is here
http://www.reallyusefulproducts.co.uk/u ... itreXL.php

cranky · Post by **cranky** » 2 Oct 2008, 1:46pm

Alastair K wrote:The link for the 'extra strong' boxes is here
http://www.reallyusefulproducts.co.uk/u ... itreXL.php

Cheers, I should have paid more attention to the original link :oops:

Post by **Mick F** » 9 Oct 2008, 12:03pm

Maiden Voyage!

Brilliant!

Just returned from the shops, it was wonderful to have a proper box on the back that was lockable and secure. It wasn't raining, but if it had, everything would've been dry. No rattles or strange noises from the back, empty on the way in, or full on the way back.

I deliberated for ages about how to secure the box. I made a new load-bed to exactly fit the recessed bottom, but didn't want to drill through the box. I tried straps and webbing, and even tried bungy cord. But nothing I did seemed simple and elegant. I had a go at designing a clamp thingy to hold down the bottom lip, but there wasn't enough lip to get a secure hold.

In the end, I had to drill.

Load-bed is bolted down to the trailer chassis, then the box is bolted down to the load-bed. I used 6mm nuts and bolts, stainless with stainless washers and nylock nuts. I utilised some half-inch tap washers for seals.

The underside

Allen headed 6mm bolts and tap washers

There are 8 bolts through the bottom

Padlock

GrahamG · Post by **GrahamG** » 9 Oct 2008, 12:17pm

That looks great!