How about you let Mini-Chief be the pilot, and you can be the stoker?
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Questions/Support/Help
'Bike' trailer - Is this a mad idea?
(87 posts)- Started 7 years ago by HankChief
- Latest reply from HankChief
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Posted 7 years ago #
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@HC re @klaxon's suggestion. I have a £100 Amazon trailer similar to the ebay one he linked to that you are welcome to borrow and experiment with just bunging the bike in.
Posted 7 years ago # -
Thanks @greenroofer, I'll take you up on the offer to give me an idea of a low engineering option.
We do have 3 broad options
1. Attach (& raise) the towed bike's front to the rear of the towing bike (with front wheel on or off).
2. Put the towed bike onto/into a trailer (various ways up)
3. Attach the front towed bike's front wheel to a trailer.
I have to wonder what the advantages of using the trailer to lift the front wheel are? Wouldn't that make us a very very long vehicle. Maybe it is easier engineering on the blank canvas of a trailer than trying to fit something onto the existing rear of the Helios.
Posted 7 years ago # -
Cripes, didn't realise how cheap those trailers were.
Posted 7 years ago # -
@steve
Yes...but caution. I have destroyed two cheap trailers in a matter of days, though admittedly in harsh circumstances.
Posted 7 years ago # -
@HC. How many panniers will you need to carry when riding in convey on way to school and when in towing mode when leaving school?
Posted 7 years ago # -
I have destroyed two cheap trailers in a matter of days, though admittedly in harsh circumstances.
Last time I looked even the cheap ones were double that and the first time you needed to be able to weld to get one!
Yeah I doubt I'd be using it off road, goes against my
fastlight sensibilities!Posted 7 years ago # -
@steveo
They come and go in price, change name and everything but I've used the 'C1 Adventure' single-wheel trailer which is fine until it breaks and then it isn't.
On reflection it's pretty dim on my part to build a bicycle with tried, tested and quite fancy kit and then hitch a wafty trailer to it. Like volunteering for an Achiles' heel transplant.
Posted 7 years ago # -
MiniChief and MicroChief both successfully rode my Brompton at the weekend. With flat handlebars they would have been more comfortable. With a suitable trailer I think we have a solution. Yes a very expensive solution.
Posted 7 years ago # -
"Other (cheaper) folding bikes are available..."?
I guess a Brompton is more adjustable than some, though?
Posted 7 years ago # -
The Henshaws at A to B magazine certainly had their son(s) riding a Brompton, not sure from what age, but reasonably young I seem to recall.
Brompton is certainly quick to fold and would fit in a modestly sized trailer. Other folders would possibly be more of a faff.
My Birdy fits quite neatly in my cheapo single-seat child trailer; a Brompton might even need some padding to stop it rattling around!
Posted 7 years ago # -
Dahon folders are pretty well made in my experience. Lots of options including a mad single speed with a coaster brake I rode once in the south of England.
Posted 7 years ago # -
As someone with a bit of experience towing bikes on the Carry Freedom, I would say that just attaching the front of the bike to the towing bike would be preferable.
If you wanted the flatbed trailer for other reasons then you may as well chuck a roof rack on it (if you already have a roof rack for the car) - that's basically the situation I'm in. But it is unwieldy riding with a trailer. Just riding along with a bike hanging off the back of your bike will be much simpler.
Can you do something as simple as bungee it to a pannier rack with a bit of camp mat in between as padding?
Posted 7 years ago # -
Prototype bike trailer for carrying a bike now complete. It is a double kids trailer with the sides and canvas removed and a roofrack type bike carrier attached. The drawbar had to be extended to allow for the extra length of the carried bike. I tested it by taking in around my local BMX track. The trailer with bike on remained stable over the jumps and banked corners. Last light I connected it to Hanchief's big bike. He did a brief test ride. The trailer will need lights and reflectors at some point. Also looking at a way to carry and pannier on the trailer. Sorry no pictures yet. Hopefully Handchief can add some.
Posted 7 years ago # -
Further trials have gone well, so will be trying it for real next week! May affect filtering and chicane negotiations.
Bike trailer by HankChief, on Flickr
Posted 7 years ago # -
That, is the canine's accoutrements.
Posted 7 years ago # -
@HankChief
I dare you to park that at the office. Top work.
Posted 7 years ago # -
@IWRATS- parking it at work is all part of plan. Good job I have my own dedicated 'big bike' parking space :-)
Posted 7 years ago # -
Very nice. My passenger will be delighted if he gets to spot you now. He was reminding me today about the bike with three seats and the same number of wheels as us.
Posted 7 years ago # -
Successful ride in this morning.
Mini-Chief did great - even had lots of energy to race up the hill and leave me in his wake.
But...
100m from the school gate, a numpty behind us tries to overtake round a blind corner that I can see a car approaching from.
I shout, he aborts & then over takes once the road straightens out.
In the school car park he winds down his window and shouts at me for an unlit trailer as it was dangerous... at 8am...
The trailer worked well although I have just realised I will have to make a large detour to get home to avoid the tight chicanes on West Edinburgh..
Posted 7 years ago # -
I will have to make a large detour to get home to avoid the tight chicanes
The temptation to get the angle grinder out of the thatch must be strong, but well taken photos/video of you struggling through would make a great mini-campaign. He offered.
Posted 7 years ago # -
Sunrise was a 06:55 this morning in Ravelston. No lights required to be lit or carried after that. IIRC.
Posted 7 years ago # -
The mk1 version of the trailer lasted for half a dozen trips before succumbing to the vibrations. Perhaps not a surprise as it was based on what was to hand.
It was a sufficient proof of concept for a mk2 version to be planned based on a carryfreedom trailer.
After waiting a while for the new trailer to arrive, Biketrain & I finally got chance to fettle with it this afternoon & using the roofbars kindly donated by GDR we set to work on working out to affix them.
I have to say I'm impressed with the robustness & stability of the Carryfreedon trailer, so I gave Biketrain the challenge of also being able to use the trailer for 'stuff' (I'm trying to decide on how big a crate to use - will 75litres be enough?)
Our first thoughts was on attaching a wooden frame that could be changed between bike rack and crate frame. Then we hit on a brainwave of turning the trailer over...
Luggage carrying trailer by HankChief, on Flickr
Bike carrying trailer by HankChief, on FlickrIt works pretty well - ground clearance isn't as bad as I feared. Trying to think of any downside with this approach. Two small issues is the tyre tread is uni-directional and lighting it may be a challenge, but we like challenges...
Need to order an additional attachment for the towing bike and a few fixings, but expect to be on the road in a week or so, when I'll start getting to grips with the humongous turning circle...
Posted 7 years ago # -
That's amazing!
Posted 7 years ago # -
I tried to photograph it landscape but ended up needing to use the panoramic function ;-)
Big bike got bigger... by HankChief, on Flickr
Posted 7 years ago # -
I can't quite imagine why you've done this but I'm very pleased that you have.
Posted 7 years ago # -
@IWRATS, there is a very good explanation but it is quite hard to follow.
Posted 7 years ago # -
For an much easier switch between bike and load carrying capabilities. Simples :-)
Posted 7 years ago # -
And the roof bar looks so much better than on Mrs GDRs old Toyota!
Posted 7 years ago # -
Uberuce made reference to an 84 or 86-litre crate for his Carry Freedom, though I don't recall which size trailer he used.
Posted 7 years ago #
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