Bicycle Modification

ed&tortuga · Post by **ed&tortuga** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 8:21 pm

Does anyone out there in burnerville know how to attatch a trailer to a bicycle? Or what the attachment is called? I'm building a trailer to pull with my bike and can't think of how to attach or what to attach it with. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Kinetic IV · Post by **Kinetic IV** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 8:30 pm

Start here, look at the various links at the bottom. There are multiple ways to hook up trailers such as extended rear axles and even seat post connections.

http://www.bikeroute.com/WhyTrailer.htm

As for a specific name for the part I can't find anything. I do hope the links give you an idea or two so you can come up with your own homegrown version.

Chai Guy · Post by **Chai Guy** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 8:58 pm

I simply bought a used "burly" style bike trailer (the kind yuppies use to haul their offspring in), removed the kid hauler parts and added a large wooden box and ubrella, decorate and ta-da instant Chai Cart. I think I probably saved money and certainly time on building my own.

If you really want to buld your own here are some designs for you:
http://bikecart.pedalpeople.com/plans.html
http://www.ibike.org/economics/trailer.htm
http://www.biketrailers.20m.com/MAIN.htm
http://www.motherearthnews.com/library/ ... le_Trailer
http://www.humboldt1.com/~mhp/trailer.htm
http://www.ihpva.org/people/tstrike/bui ... railer.htm
http://www.re-cycle.org/trailer/

Gravity Mike · Post by **Gravity Mike** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 8:32 am

I concurr with Chai Guy - get a used one and modify, depending on what you're trying to do.

I built my own last year, let me list the problems. Of course, my trailer was a 7-foot high mobil observation tower (that people kept asking me 'is that a shower?'), which you'd never be able to make out of a used hippy cycle offspring trailer - not a wide enough stance:

I used a frame extention that went behind the back tire - connected to the trailer with a shackle = lots of lash, the trailer jerked me back and forth (not the good way). Caused a few wipe outs where I was almost run over my by own trailer.

I used 10" inflatable tires = hard to pull. Bike tires would have been much better.

I spent a couple month of weekends building the thing, just to make the 'basics' work.

If your idea is consitent with building onto existing infrastructure, then do it!

Gravity

Zhust · Post by **Zhust** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 9:36 am

I made a bike trailer a couple years ago. I'm going to retire it (hopefully this year) with a custom trike.

Anyway, I struggled with the hitch for a while. I looked at other trailers but they seemed to have lots of parts I didn't feel like fabricating as I have primitive metal-working tools and a welder (no lathe, though, which might have changed my design). I started with the idea of attaching to the seat post but found that my side-to-side motion on the bike made the trailer swerve all over, so I decided to go as low as I could.

The hitch is mounted to the left-side axle bolt (i.e. not near the chain). I used a piece of perforated angle steel like they use for mounting garage doors -- 1/8-thick galvanized steel angle stock with 1/4" holes every inch or so on both sides.

Oh, to hell with it ... digital camera here I come:

Here's the part that's on the bike:

And here's the part that's on the trailer:

I take out the U-bolt and put it through the ring on the trailer then tighten it all up. I use polyethylene tubing over the bolt to keep it from squeaking. The linkage allows for a high degree of rotational motion with just a little play directionally.

I found that most commercial bike trailers were very excited about how easy it was to attach and detach. Mine requires tools, and I think that helps prevent casual theft.

ed&tortuga · Post by **ed&tortuga** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 3:07 pm

Thank you guys so much for your help. Now I have an idea of what I need to do and can incorporate a few ideas into one. If anyone has anymore suggestions let me know.

Burn Baby Burn!!!!!

MrChevere · Post by **MrChevere** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 7:07 pm

here's a solution

http://www.instructables.com/ex/i/1A501 ... 143E7E506/

Niacin · Post by **Niacin** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 8:11 pm

Semi-related question: if I make a bike out of, say, 1 3/4" PVC and glue, will it fall apart quickly, or might it hold for a day or two?

Lassen Forge · Post by **Lassen Forge** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 9:28 pm

It prolly won't be strong enough to support the weight and dynamic force - not necessarily break, but prolly would sag and go too far out of alignment to work. Maybe Sched 80 would work, tho I kinda have reservations about even that. Not even counting the road surface, a bike frame takes a lot of punishment...

Best way is to build it and find out. But do it before you hit the Playa - You don't want to be stuck taking it just to have it fail on Monday evening and end up lugging back a huge chunk of moop...

bb

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 5:27 am

And don't use your own weight to test it first...When PVC shatters it makes lots of sharp and bladey bits that can really mess you up.

You ARE talking about a BIKE frame, and not a TRAILER frame, right? 'Cause a PVC trailer should work fine, if you don't overload it.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 6:23 am

Niacin wrote:Semi-related question: if I make a bike out of, say, 1 3/4" PVC and glue, will it fall apart quickly, or might it hold for a day or two?

Shirley, there is no 1-3/4" PVC. I think you mean 1-1/2".

It's cheap enough that you could try, but it wouldn't impress me unless you built the frame, forks, wheels, cranks etc. all out of PVC.

Zhust · Post by **Zhust** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 8:57 am

Without trying to be a troll or flame or anything, I discourage the use of PVC because of its environmentally ugly production (it's hard not to accidentally make dioxin; vinyl chloride is a pretty nasty carcinogen) and environmentally ugly disposal (there's no way to safely dispose of it: burning is bad and burying leeches nasty stuff over time). It's too bad that during its lifecycle it's useful, strong, and easy to work with.

I'll recommend metal or wood instead, but if you've got your heart set on it, at least try getting it from scrap. There was a related discussion on Tribe.net about PVC Framed Bikes as well.

Chai Guy · Post by **Chai Guy** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 9:07 am

bamboo might be a nice alternative.

Kinetic IV · Post by **Kinetic IV** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 9:27 am

Chai Guy wrote:bamboo might be a nice alternative.

Yeah, maybe so, but would it impress Bob? That's the big question.

Niacin · Post by **Niacin** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 9:41 am

Chai Guy wrote:bamboo might be a nice alternative.

Okay, scratch PVC, I'm going to try this and see what happens.

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 12:54 pm

I know I've seen something, somewhere, about bamboo bike frames...maybe on the MAKE magazine site...I'll dig around.

Desert Duck · Post by **Desert Duck** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 2:00 pm

I know this is going backward a bit, you guys seen the bike carts at Recycle Camp? They're clunky, but sturdy and can hold a lot. Also you can make them entirely out of recycled materials (one shopping cart, two bikes, and an eyebolt).

Sharky · Post by **Sharky** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 6:00 am

Here's a great link to a bike page that has just about everything you need to build, buy or modify in the world of bike trailers. Great DIY stuff including hitches and complete trailer plans, etc.

http://bikecart.pedalpeople.com/links.html

Here's another:
http://www.re-cycle.org/trailer/

A fantastic DIY bamboo trailer design that can also be used with other recycled materials. Some additional plans on the bottom of this page:
http://www.carryfreedom.com/bamboo.html

How about a bicycle wheeled shopping cart? Well here's the pans!
http://www.motherearthnews.com/library/ ... pping_Cart

Good luck, have fun and see ya' on the Playa!

Xta_G · Post by **Xta_G** » Tue May 02, 2006 12:14 am

This is my lightly modified kiddie tra ... pen! X.

wildilocks · Post by **wildilocks** » Fri May 12, 2006 11:32 pm

That hoop trailer is so cool - won't have trouble finding you on the Playa!

Xak · Post by **Xak** » Mon May 29, 2006 7:24 pm

This is a small article about a bamboo bicycle...

http://www.americanbamboo.org/GeneralIn ... cycle.html

_Xak

Kinetic IV · Post by **Kinetic IV** » Mon May 29, 2006 7:36 pm

I like the trailer but the colors on all those hoops make that image great for calibrating my monitors and LCD screen. There's literally every color in the rainbow in there or so it seems.

Bicycle Modification

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