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Trailer advice

(17 posts)
  • Started 7 years ago by ReeBee
  • Latest reply from Bhachgen
  • This topic is not resolved

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  1. ReeBee
    Member

    Hi there,

    Hoping to pick brains on here (again), as I've had brilliant advice from you lovely folk in the past.

    I was wondering if anyone might be able to offer info/advice on bike trailers and associated gubbins.

    A friend of mine is looking to add a bicycle delivery element to his business, and I'd like to help him get that up and running if at all possible. One less car, and all that ;)

    Ideally, they'd go the full cargo bike route, but obviously that's a big initial outlay, so we're thinking for now to maybe experiment with a trailer and see how it goes.

    Loads won't be overly heavy, but will be a bit fragile (delicious foodstuffs, mostly). Given the state of our roads in these parts is this a foolish notion?

    I've had a quick scout around and something along the lines of a Carry Freedom looks like it might work. Bonus points for being easily detachable (?) and foldable, which would solve a bit of a storage issue.

    Having never carried more than a rack and panniers, I'm a bit clueless and so open to suggestions. Any advice at all would very sincerely appreciated :)

    Posted 7 years ago #

  2. chdot
    Admin

    "Loads won't be overly heavy, but will be a bit fragile (delicious foodstuffs, mostly). Given the state of our roads in these parts is this a foolish notion?"

    Kinda depends how fragile - and how well packed.

    I have a Yak (plus bag) that I could lend for a trial.

    There is a suspended version

    http://www.bobgear.com/bike-trailers

    Not particularly cheap, but cheaper than a van!

    Posted 7 years ago #

  3. Dave
    Member

    You can transport a huge amount on a Carry Freedom, it does fold down ironing board style to almost nothing, and it's inexpensive... winner! (Probably a little initial thought required to get a nice padded box or something to go on top).

    The main downside is that it makes you quite wide on the road - hard to filter past traffic on our narrow streets. On the flipside you can pull it with multiple / any bike which adds a lot of flexibility.

    Not as much branding opportunity as with a cargo bike...

    Posted 7 years ago #

  4. kaputnik
    Moderator

    I also have the Carry Freedom, and it's great. Big, flat loadbed, strong, light, folds down, economical to buy, well made. It also handles well, it follows exactly where you go so right from the off there's no getting used to the handling.

    The only downside is that it is fairly light and with nothing (or little) on the back, it bounces round a bit on rough surfaces. Not a problem if you're just transporting stuff to the dump or whatever, but if you're carrying delicate items I'd be concerned they might not arrive in 1 piece. You might want to experiment with a borrowed trailer before you outlay on one as it might just not be suitable for your purposes.

    Perhaps consider a bike with a huge basket or porteur rack on the front?

    Posted 7 years ago #

  5. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    I can vouch for single wheel non-suspended trailers being quite hard on fragile loads. Take it easy bumping up kerbs and so on if you're hauling quails' eggs.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  6. neddie
    Member

    with nothing (or little) on the back, it bounces round a bit

    Sounds like you need to ballast it with red roofing tiles...

    ...no, wait

    Posted 7 years ago #

  7. neddie
    Member

    Anyone have any experience with the EBC Avenir Mule trailer:?

    http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/products/avenir-mule-cargo-trailer

    Posted 7 years ago #

  8. Klaxon
    Member

    Been getting a pang for a trailer myself. Since I got rid of the car there's been various projects - attic clearance and some DIY stuff - that I've just put off and off. It's not worth the investment for only a couple trips, though, and I'm concerned about general usability.

    Those of you who take a trailer to the shops, what do you do to secure it? The thought of having to string two wheels and the platform into a d-lock with a giant 3 metre cable seems annoying.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  9. MediumDave
    Member

    Usually I just put the cable through the holes in the platform and leave it at that. Touch wood, nobody has thieved any part of it so far (Carry Freedom Y-frame, so detachable everything).

    Carrying it up and down the stairs to the flat and storing it there is the main barrier to usage.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  10. SRD
    Moderator

    We rarely worried about locking our trailer, but the kiddie sortmay be less attractive to thieves?

    Posted 7 years ago #

  11. Dave
    Member

    With the Carry Freedom hitch there is a "grenade pin" sort of thing that keeps it attached to the bike, so I've just replaced that with a cheap padlock. Obviously a thief could undo the quick release skewer and steal it that way, but I've never worried about it. It looks locked on to the walk-by thief, and at least a smarter thief will be able to take it without sawing my chainstays off...

    If I was leaving it outside overnight or something then I'd take the wheels off and lock the wheels and deck through the same D-lock I was using for the bike.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  12. sallyhinch
    Member

    We've just got the Avenir Mule for Cycling Dumfries. Haven't used it in anger yet but did tow it through Newcastle (for complicated logistical reasons) with a lock and a backpack in it. On that brief test it was fine - the lock made a tremendous noise on the cobbles, suggesting it was quite rattly, but it followed the bike nicely so getting through gaps wasn't a problem (I'd never towed a trailer before). I will be taking it out laden tomorrow so I'll let you know how it goes - but we'll mainly be transporting campaigning materials and possibly home baking so nothing that delicate.

    It needs a hitch on the bike so you have to take off your back wheel to fit it initially, after that it clips on and off reasonably easily.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  13. Klaxon
    Member

    Now Dave's idea is the sort of faff free security I like. Locked to the bike using a mechanism you'll be using anyway. Should be easily good enough for short trips into shops.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  14. crowriver
    Member

    Depending on the size/volume of the load, a porter style delivery bike may be a better option than a trailer.

    I have a couple of trailers, but really only use them for stuff that is just too bulky, long or heavy to carry safely on a bike.

    For most everyday carrying duties I now almost exclusively use the Pashley Pronto which I picked up second hand on fleaBay for less than the price of a Carry Freedom. Sturmey Archer Gears (3 speed), hub brakes, dynamo front lamp, and a big front rack attached to the frame, plus a longer than normal sturdy steel rear rack. I added a pair of European 'Dutch' panniers at the back, and the front rack takes a variety of bags. boxes, crates, baskets. Oh there's a really sturdy bipod centre stand, and a rear wheel lock for just popping in and out of shops, etc. (For a longer stay I use a big armoured cable lock to secure the frame to something immovable).

    Here's a photo of it carrying a box of stuff back from a supermarket, about 6kg and too bulky/fragile for the panniers. Have had quite a lot more weight on the front before, I like to balance the load on the rear. Does not affect handling at all, indeed the front wheel is slightly smaller (24") than the rear to allow the rack to sit a bit lower for stability.

    (click thumbnail for larger image)

    P.S.:- You can still find the odd one with identical spec to mine on fleaBay (ex TNT post/Whistl). Otherwise there's the Elephant Bike, which is an ex-Royal Mail Pronto: alas these lack the dynamo light and chainguard, and have a different front rack option, but still sturdy delivery bikes. http://elephantbike.co.uk

    Posted 7 years ago #

  15. LaidBack
    Member

    Carry Freedom can be run with tyres around 40psi or less as unladen it will go airborne. But of course if you have heavier load you do have to pump up again...

    We also have a Circe Atlas folding trailer in shop. Uses CF hitch but much smaller wheels. Flat board like CF.

    I would say the Circe Helios with Cargo back is a good item to take big loads though city quickly with potential to make smaller or hang from front wheel as we can do in shop. Around 2m long bit handles quite nimbly. 18 speed Shimano with good gear range. It's the only load bike I've carried up a spiral stair case on quite a few occasions.

    The 8Freight is a lightweight dedicated load bike. Longer I think but again you could hang vertically. Chdot uses one.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  16. Harts Cyclery
    Member

    edd1e_h I sold an Avenir Mule to a guy who got banned from driving last week (along with a bike!). I had a wee go before he collected - genuinely great bit of kit for the money. Has a solid bit of plywood on the bottom and comes with a tough cover etc. Hitch is simple, but effective.

    As with all load carrying, the main thing to stop rattling is some sort of foam on the base (an old carry mat type of foam) and, if you're carrying fragile stuff, to tie the loads down/to one side.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  17. Bhachgen
    Member

    Another Carry Freedom user here. I really like it but for a fragile load you would definitely need to pad out your box well. It's light and very simple to use and to fold. Pretty robust and the wheel size means tyres are plentiful which helps.

    Posted 7 years ago #

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