| |
Main
Date: 18 Jan 2006 09:46:47
From:
Subject: DIY cargo trailer
|
A while ago I built my third trailer, made without welding. And this
time I did a full photo documentation as I went along:
http://drumbent.com/trailer_big.html
Cheers,
k
|
|
| |
Date: 20 Jan 2006 11:46:09
From:
Subject: Re: DIY cargo trailer
|
My friend is not using the trailer at the moment, since she has not yet
become a winter cyclist (making it handy for me to borrow back until I
build my own). But once she starts using it in the Spring we plan to
get photos of her towing her dog in it.
k
|
| |
Date: 20 Jan 2006 09:22:57
From: ellis
Subject: Re: DIY cargo trailer
|
<k@drumbent.com > wrote in message
news:1137606407.687409.79990@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
>A while ago I built my third trailer, made without welding. And this
> time I did a full photo documentation as I went along:
>
> http://drumbent.com/trailer_big.html
>
> Cheers,
> k
>
Nice. I want to build one to haul my dog around.
|
| |
Date: 19 Jan 2006 14:01:28
From:
Subject: Re: DIY cargo trailer
|
Peter Cole wrote:
> joseph.santaniello@gmail.com wrote:
> > Peter Cole wrote:
> >
> >>Lorenzo L. Love wrote:
> >>
> >>>On Wed, 18 Jan 2006 11:24:52 -0800, <joseph.santaniello@gmail.com> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>>k@drumbent.com wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>A while ago I built my third trailer, made without welding. And this
> >>>>>time I did a full photo documentation as I went along:
> >>>>>
> >>>>>http://drumbent.com/trailer_big.html
> >>>>>
> >>>>>Cheers,
> >>>>>k
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>Nice.
> >>>>
> >>>>I am contemplating building a single wheel trailer (similar to a BOB)
> >>>>for carrying children. I don't like the wide unwieldy feel of a 2-wheel
> >>>>trailer with such valuable cargo.
> >>>>
> >>>>Anyone have any suggestions or tips?
> >>>>
> >>>>Joseph
> >>>>
> >>>
> >>>Don't. One wheel trailers are excellent for light cargo but any
> >>>movement in the trailer will be transmitted to the bike. I used to use
> >>>a BOB Coz and now use a BOB Yak and then I take my cat to the vet in a
> >>>carrier in the trailer her movement can be felt significantly. A child
> >>>doing what a child does could knock your bike around to a dangerous
> >>>extent. Two wheel trailers are more unwieldy, but more stable for live
> >>>cargo.
> >>>
> >>
> >>I don't know about that. I pulled a child for 5 years with a
> >>trailer-bike, and have used a BOB Coz for several years also. Most of my
> >>riding with them was/is on single-track off-road. 2-wheel trailers want
> >>to tip, 1-wheelers don't, since they lean in the turns. The downside is
> >>you'll feel the cargo shift since the trailer is free to flop, but I
> >>never found it dangerous from a control POV.
> >
> >
> > Most of my riding with the kids will also be on single-track. I was
> > figuring on a secure 5-point belt and NASCAR-type webbing to keep the
> > arms inside. The seating would be low with the kid's rump about 10" off
> > the ground. Given that the kid will be only able to move the head and
> > arms and within the width constraints of the narrow cage, and being so
> > low, I don't see how they could affect the balance that much.
> >
> > Crashing would be a bad thing, but with a single wheel trailer we can
> > ride where our only hazards are trees, vs being stuck on roads (lightly
> > travelled dirts ones) with a wide trailer where we risk getting mowed
> > down.
> >
> > Joseph
> >
>
> Practically speaking, if you're going on single-track, one-wheeled
> trailers are the only way to go. That said, given the bumpy ride, the
> "window" for a trailer might only be between ages 2-4 (earliest for
> off-road trailer to earliest for trailer-bike), so I don't know whether
> it's worth the effort.
>
> I pulled my daughter from age 4 - 9, a weight change from perhaps 40-90
> lb (reaching the limit of the trailer-bike spec.). The trailer-bike had
> a u-joint seatpost mount as opposed to the BOB's rear axle attachment.
> The t-b (Adams) always had a significant amount of play in the joint,
> allowing it to "flop". As my daughter got older and heavier, the flop
> had more effect on balance, but she got much better at balancing
> herself, so flops became rare. Part of the equation is the ratio of
> parent to child weight, I'm sure. I'm a big person (6'10", 235), I'm
> sure a smaller person would have more difficulty with control.
>
> The low CG of the BOB is nice, but I have caught it on rocks/logs a
> couple of times, once tossing myself over the bars when I came to an
> abrupt stop. The structural members of my BOB are significantly bent
> from frequent collisions. Likewise, the trailer-bike's pedals and
> chainrings got smashed a few times.
>
> I never crashed with my daughter (100's of rides). You have to be
> careful not to weave too close to trees and the combination rig has a
> tendency to jackknife, especially on soft surfaces with too much front
> brake. On the plus side, the tongue weight completely prevents endos on
> the steepest trail descents. I've never had wobble with either trailer,
> at any speed.
>
> I would think of a DIY as being a sketchy proposition though,
> particularly with hitch design/fabrication. Some of my friends expressed
> concern over the kind of riding I did with my child, and I admit to the
> occasional second thoughts. I had a few data points such as the Adams
> design being used on tandem trailer-bikes with heavier loads. Even being
> an engineer, I'm not sure I'd have the confidence in my own design/build
> skills to trust my kid's safety to them (or I'd so over-engineer it'd be
> a pig).
>
> I could see buying a BOB and using it as a platform to mount a child
> seat. It probably wouldn't be any less safe than a lot of the
> contraptions people carry children with, but on singletrack, with such a
> small rear wheel, the ride would would be dangerously harsh for a
> toddler. I'd just wait for trailer-bike age. Although I did less of it
> than the woods, we took the trailer bike on city streets many times,
> even negotiating busy downtown (Boston) loops. The agility of the
> trailer-bike works very well in those conditions.
The whole point is to open up new possibilities for rides with the
kids, who are of varying ages and cycling abilities. A trailer that was
"cool" and was enough fun that other kids would even want to try is the
idea. My kids like action and speed, so I want to give it to them for
as long as I can, til the day comes when I can't keep up with them
anymore.
The main issues I have thought about so far are stability, and
survivability. A crash isn't that big a deal if everyone is well
protected, and there is no danger of being run over by a car. I was
figuring on some sort of dual ball-joint type of flex coupling, mounted
on some sort of bracket to the back skewer, or clamped to the stays.
The idea is to have some adjustability to be able to tune the
stability, and ball joints so as not to have any slop/flop. I built a
few race car suspensions a million years ago, and no one got killed, so
I'm not too worried about building a robust trailer. A strong
bash-gaurd/skid plate was also something I planned on so as not to have
the whole contraption get caught on a root or something. I was also
thinking about using a suspended 24" wheel.
Joseph
|
| |
Date: 19 Jan 2006 13:44:54
From:
Subject: Re: DIY cargo trailer
|
Bob wrote:
> joseph.santaniello@gmail.com wrote:
>
> > Most of my riding with the kids will also be on single-track. I was
> > figuring on a secure 5-point belt and NASCAR-type webbing to keep the
> > arms inside. The seating would be low with the kid's rump about 10" off
> > the ground. Given that the kid will be only able to move the head and
> > arms and within the width constraints of the narrow cage, and being so
> > low, I don't see how they could affect the balance that much.
> >
> > Crashing would be a bad thing, but with a single wheel trailer we can
> > ride where our only hazards are trees, vs being stuck on roads (lightly
> > travelled dirts ones) with a wide trailer where we risk getting mowed
> > down.
> >
> > Joseph
>
> Helmet, roll cage, secure 5-point belt, and NASCAR-type webbing all
> sounds safe enough (and I'm sure the kids will really enjoy the ride)
> but why stop there? Simply weld a 55 gallon barrel to a BOB Yak
> trailer, insert kid(s), and fill with polystyrene packing peanuts.
>
> Regards,
> Bob Hunt
The view would be lousy!
The idea is to make it safe enough to be able to go fast enough for it
to be fun, in an amusement park sort of way.
Joseph
|
| |
Date: 19 Jan 2006 10:22:07
From:
Subject: Re: DIY cargo trailer
|
>From what I've read, the seatpost is not the best place for attaching a
trailer (though it is easier to concoct for the homebuilder).
What happens upon sudden braking is that the unbraked trailer keeps
pushing ahead into the bike. If it's mounted to the seatpost it can
tend to push the bike either up, which is not good if it actually
causes the rear wheel to lift, or push sideways, which is not good if
you're trying to maintain control.
As Peter has stated, his size and weight would probably resist most
efforts the trailer and cargo might make to influence the bike with
this design. But for anyone smaller / less weighty the seatpost hitch
seems to be a risky idea. That's why you no longer see them on
commercially-built trailers. it's much better to keep the attachment
point down low, but more difficult to make a good hitch design for that
by yourself.
k
|
| |
Date: 19 Jan 2006 07:44:24
From: Bob
Subject: Re: DIY cargo trailer
|
joseph.santaniello@gmail.com wrote:
> Most of my riding with the kids will also be on single-track. I was
> figuring on a secure 5-point belt and NASCAR-type webbing to keep the
> arms inside. The seating would be low with the kid's rump about 10" off
> the ground. Given that the kid will be only able to move the head and
> arms and within the width constraints of the narrow cage, and being so
> low, I don't see how they could affect the balance that much.
>
> Crashing would be a bad thing, but with a single wheel trailer we can
> ride where our only hazards are trees, vs being stuck on roads (lightly
> travelled dirts ones) with a wide trailer where we risk getting mowed
> down.
>
> Joseph
Helmet, roll cage, secure 5-point belt, and NASCAR-type webbing all
sounds safe enough (and I'm sure the kids will really enjoy the ride)
but why stop there? Simply weld a 55 gallon barrel to a BOB Yak
trailer, insert kid(s), and fill with polystyrene packing peanuts.
Regards,
Bob Hunt
|
| |
Date: 19 Jan 2006 05:02:18
From:
Subject: Re: DIY cargo trailer
|
Peter Cole wrote:
> Lorenzo L. Love wrote:
> > On Wed, 18 Jan 2006 11:24:52 -0800, <joseph.santaniello@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >>
> >> k@drumbent.com wrote:
> >>
> >>> A while ago I built my third trailer, made without welding. And this
> >>> time I did a full photo documentation as I went along:
> >>>
> >>> http://drumbent.com/trailer_big.html
> >>>
> >>> Cheers,
> >>> k
> >>
> >>
> >> Nice.
> >>
> >> I am contemplating building a single wheel trailer (similar to a BOB)
> >> for carrying children. I don't like the wide unwieldy feel of a 2-wheel
> >> trailer with such valuable cargo.
> >>
> >> Anyone have any suggestions or tips?
> >>
> >> Joseph
> >>
> >
> > Don't. One wheel trailers are excellent for light cargo but any
> > movement in the trailer will be transmitted to the bike. I used to use
> > a BOB Coz and now use a BOB Yak and then I take my cat to the vet in a
> > carrier in the trailer her movement can be felt significantly. A child
> > doing what a child does could knock your bike around to a dangerous
> > extent. Two wheel trailers are more unwieldy, but more stable for live
> > cargo.
> >
>
> I don't know about that. I pulled a child for 5 years with a
> trailer-bike, and have used a BOB Coz for several years also. Most of my
> riding with them was/is on single-track off-road. 2-wheel trailers want
> to tip, 1-wheelers don't, since they lean in the turns. The downside is
> you'll feel the cargo shift since the trailer is free to flop, but I
> never found it dangerous from a control POV.
Most of my riding with the kids will also be on single-track. I was
figuring on a secure 5-point belt and NASCAR-type webbing to keep the
arms inside. The seating would be low with the kid's rump about 10" off
the ground. Given that the kid will be only able to move the head and
arms and within the width constraints of the narrow cage, and being so
low, I don't see how they could affect the balance that much.
Crashing would be a bad thing, but with a single wheel trailer we can
ride where our only hazards are trees, vs being stuck on roads (lightly
travelled dirts ones) with a wide trailer where we risk getting mowed
down.
Joseph
|
| | |
Date: 19 Jan 2006 10:49:43
From: Peter Cole
Subject: Re: DIY cargo trailer
|
joseph.santaniello@gmail.com wrote:
> Peter Cole wrote:
>
>>Lorenzo L. Love wrote:
>>
>>>On Wed, 18 Jan 2006 11:24:52 -0800, <joseph.santaniello@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>k@drumbent.com wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>A while ago I built my third trailer, made without welding. And this
>>>>>time I did a full photo documentation as I went along:
>>>>>
>>>>>http://drumbent.com/trailer_big.html
>>>>>
>>>>>Cheers,
>>>>>k
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Nice.
>>>>
>>>>I am contemplating building a single wheel trailer (similar to a BOB)
>>>>for carrying children. I don't like the wide unwieldy feel of a 2-wheel
>>>>trailer with such valuable cargo.
>>>>
>>>>Anyone have any suggestions or tips?
>>>>
>>>>Joseph
>>>>
>>>
>>>Don't. One wheel trailers are excellent for light cargo but any
>>>movement in the trailer will be transmitted to the bike. I used to use
>>>a BOB Coz and now use a BOB Yak and then I take my cat to the vet in a
>>>carrier in the trailer her movement can be felt significantly. A child
>>>doing what a child does could knock your bike around to a dangerous
>>>extent. Two wheel trailers are more unwieldy, but more stable for live
>>>cargo.
>>>
>>
>>I don't know about that. I pulled a child for 5 years with a
>>trailer-bike, and have used a BOB Coz for several years also. Most of my
>>riding with them was/is on single-track off-road. 2-wheel trailers want
>>to tip, 1-wheelers don't, since they lean in the turns. The downside is
>>you'll feel the cargo shift since the trailer is free to flop, but I
>>never found it dangerous from a control POV.
>
>
> Most of my riding with the kids will also be on single-track. I was
> figuring on a secure 5-point belt and NASCAR-type webbing to keep the
> arms inside. The seating would be low with the kid's rump about 10" off
> the ground. Given that the kid will be only able to move the head and
> arms and within the width constraints of the narrow cage, and being so
> low, I don't see how they could affect the balance that much.
>
> Crashing would be a bad thing, but with a single wheel trailer we can
> ride where our only hazards are trees, vs being stuck on roads (lightly
> travelled dirts ones) with a wide trailer where we risk getting mowed
> down.
>
> Joseph
>
Practically speaking, if you're going on single-track, one-wheeled
trailers are the only way to go. That said, given the bumpy ride, the
"window" for a trailer might only be between ages 2-4 (earliest for
off-road trailer to earliest for trailer-bike), so I don't know whether
it's worth the effort.
I pulled my daughter from age 4 - 9, a weight change from perhaps 40-90
lb (reaching the limit of the trailer-bike spec.). The trailer-bike had
a u-joint seatpost mount as opposed to the BOB's rear axle attachment.
The t-b (Adams) always had a significant amount of play in the joint,
allowing it to "flop". As my daughter got older and heavier, the flop
had more effect on balance, but she got much better at balancing
herself, so flops became rare. Part of the equation is the ratio of
parent to child weight, I'm sure. I'm a big person (6'10", 235), I'm
sure a smaller person would have more difficulty with control.
The low CG of the BOB is nice, but I have caught it on rocks/logs a
couple of times, once tossing myself over the bars when I came to an
abrupt stop. The structural members of my BOB are significantly bent
from frequent collisions. Likewise, the trailer-bike's pedals and
chainrings got smashed a few times.
I never crashed with my daughter (100's of rides). You have to be
careful not to weave too close to trees and the combination rig has a
tendency to jackknife, especially on soft surfaces with too much front
brake. On the plus side, the tongue weight completely prevents endos on
the steepest trail descents. I've never had wobble with either trailer,
at any speed.
I would think of a DIY as being a sketchy proposition though,
particularly with hitch design/fabrication. Some of my friends expressed
concern over the kind of riding I did with my child, and I admit to the
occasional second thoughts. I had a few data points such as the Adams
design being used on tandem trailer-bikes with heavier loads. Even being
an engineer, I'm not sure I'd have the confidence in my own design/build
skills to trust my kid's safety to them (or I'd so over-engineer it'd be
a pig).
I could see buying a BOB and using it as a platform to mount a child
seat. It probably wouldn't be any less safe than a lot of the
contraptions people carry children with, but on singletrack, with such a
small rear wheel, the ride would would be dangerously harsh for a
toddler. I'd just wait for trailer-bike age. Although I did less of it
than the woods, we took the trailer bike on city streets many times,
even negotiating busy downtown (Boston) loops. The agility of the
trailer-bike works very well in those conditions.
|
| | |
Date: 19 Jan 2006 07:59:33
From: Jon Meinecke
Subject: Re: DIY cargo trailer
|
<joseph.santaniello@gmail.com > wrote
>
> Peter Cole wrote:
> > Lorenzo L. Love wrote:
> > >> I am contemplating building a single wheel trailer (similar to a BOB)
> > >> for carrying children. I don't like the wide unwieldy feel of a
2-wheel
> > >> trailer with such valuable cargo.
> > >>
> > >> [...]
> > >
> > > Don't. One wheel trailers are excellent for light cargo but any
> > > movement in the trailer will be transmitted to the bike.
> > > [...] A child
> > > doing what a child does could knock your bike around to a dangerous
> > > extent. Two wheel trailers are more unwieldy, but more stable for
live
> > > cargo.
My experience with single-wheeled trailers matches Lorenzo's. In
my opinion. it's also not just CYA tort-avoidance (though that may
be a large part) that causes BOB trailers to carry a warning that
they should not be used to carry kids. There are real design and
usability issues.
> > I don't know about that. I pulled a child for 5 years with a
> > trailer-bike, and have used a BOB Coz for several years also.
There's significant difference between a child on trail-a-bike and
a child in a single-wheeled trailer,-- both in the likely age and (self)
control of the kid, and in the effect of control on the (adult) bike.
I don't know of any trail-a-bike systems that connect to the
rear fork as do the BOB trailers.
> Most of my riding with the kids will also be on single-track
> [...] Given that the kid will be only able to move the head and
> arms and within the width constraints of the narrow cage, and being so
> low, I don't see how they could affect the balance that much.
I know from experience that as little as 45 "static" lbs in a BOB
trailer can make handling difficult on *some* bikes on *some*
surfaces at even only moderate speeds. Google for "BOB trailer
wobble" in newsgroups to see a number discussions over the
past years.
Perhaps it is possible to design a single-wheeled bike trailer and
bike attachment system that would work well for a purpose-built
child carrier intended for single-track use. Borrowing a BOB trailer
and trying some experiments with shifting contents that simulate
"live" loads would seem like a good starting point.
Jon Meinecke
|
| |
Date: 18 Jan 2006 18:53:14
From:
Subject: Re: DIY cargo trailer
|
Yup. Until you've ridden with a trailer you have no idea how it will
can behave, both laden and unladen, in an emergency or through driver
error. The narrow ones will tip over quite easily unless a) they are
as low as possible, and b) you turn corners quite slowly. For kids you
definitely want as wide a track as you can get away with.
My friend Mike built a trailer, and decided to attach it to the bike
from the rear ala the BOB. Though as you'll read at the bottom of his
page he was able to inadvertently make it do a complete 360 roll! See:
http://mbowler.drunkcity.com/cycling/trailler.html
k
|
| |
Date: 18 Jan 2006 18:52:30
From:
Subject: Re: DIY cargo trailer
|
Yup. Until you've ridden with a trailer you have no idea how it will
can behave, both laden and unladen, in an emergency or through driver
error. The narrow ones will tip over quite easily unless a) they are
as low as possible, and b) you turn corners quite slowly. For kids you
definitely want as wide a track as you can get away with.
My friend Mike built a trailer, and decided to attach it to the bike
from the rear ala the BOB. Though as you'll read at the bottom of his
page he was able to inadvertently make it do a complete 360 roll! See:
http://mbowler.drunkcity.com/cycling/trailler.html
k
|
| |
Date: 18 Jan 2006 13:43:44
From: Ron Ruff
Subject: Re: DIY cargo trailer
|
joseph.santaniello@gmail.com wrote:
>
> What about a narrow 2-wheeled trailer, but long for 2-kid tandem
> seating?
Off hand, I'd say you either need a single wheel or a *wide* double
wheel. With two wheels the width is what keeps it from tipping over.
|
| | |
Date: 18 Jan 2006 16:54:28
From: Ken M
Subject: Re: DIY cargo trailer
|
Ron Ruff wrote:
> joseph.santaniello@gmail.com wrote:
>
>>What about a narrow 2-wheeled trailer, but long for 2-kid tandem
>>seating?
>
>
> Off hand, I'd say you either need a single wheel or a *wide* double
> wheel. With two wheels the width is what keeps it from tipping over.
>
How about some sort of narrow tandem design with two wheels say maybe 16
inches apart?
Ken
--
You never have the wind with you - either it is against you or you're
having a good day. ~Daniel Behrman, The Man Who Loved Bicycles
Homepage: http://kcm-home.tripod.com/
|
| | | |
Date: 18 Jan 2006 23:32:57
From: Lorenzo L. Love
Subject: Re: DIY cargo trailer
|
On Wed, 18 Jan 2006 13:54:28 -0800, Ken M <kencmjr@netzero.net > wrote:
> Ron Ruff wrote:
>> joseph.santaniello@gmail.com wrote:
>>
>>> What about a narrow 2-wheeled trailer, but long for 2-kid tandem
>>> seating?
>> Off hand, I'd say you either need a single wheel or a *wide* double
>> wheel. With two wheels the width is what keeps it from tipping over.
>>
> How about some sort of narrow tandem design with two wheels say maybe 16
> inches apart?
>
> Ken
Which would be stable as long as the kids didn't shift the trailer's
center of gravity by more then 8 inches. Look at commercially made
children trailers. They are all relatively wide for a reason. Even back
when BOB made a kid's trailer it was a two wheeler. But hey, it's your
kids.
Lorenzo L. Love
http://home.thegrid.net/~lllove
"The danger of the road is not in the distance,
Ten yards is far enough to break a wheel."
Meng Chiao, eighth century A.D.
|
| | | | |
Date: 19 Jan 2006 01:03:00
From: Michael Press
Subject: Re: DIY cargo trailer
|
In article <op.s3lk00dkpheghf@ibm22761843607 >,
"Lorenzo L. Love" <lllove@thegrid.net > wrote:
> On Wed, 18 Jan 2006 13:54:28 -0800, Ken M <kencmjr@netzero.net> wrote:
>
> > Ron Ruff wrote:
> >> joseph.santaniello@gmail.com wrote:
> >>
> >>> What about a narrow 2-wheeled trailer, but long for 2-kid tandem
> >>> seating?
> >> Off hand, I'd say you either need a single wheel or a *wide* double
> >> wheel. With two wheels the width is what keeps it from tipping over.
> >>
> > How about some sort of narrow tandem design with two wheels say maybe 16
> > inches apart?
> >
> > Ken
>
>
> Which would be stable as long as the kids didn't shift the trailer's
> center of gravity by more then 8 inches. Look at commercially made
> children trailers. They are all relatively wide for a reason. Even back
> when BOB made a kid's trailer it was a two wheeler. But hey, it's your
> kids.
Time to bring back swaddling.
--
Michael Press
|
| |
Date: 18 Jan 2006 13:07:55
From:
Subject: Re: DIY cargo trailer
|
Lorenzo L. Love wrote:
> On Wed, 18 Jan 2006 11:24:52 -0800, <joseph.santaniello@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >
> > k@drumbent.com wrote:
> >> A while ago I built my third trailer, made without welding. And this
> >> time I did a full photo documentation as I went along:
> >>
> >> http://drumbent.com/trailer_big.html
> >>
> >> Cheers,
> >> k
> >
> > Nice.
> >
> > I am contemplating building a single wheel trailer (similar to a BOB)
> > for carrying children. I don't like the wide unwieldy feel of a 2-wheel
> > trailer with such valuable cargo.
> >
> > Anyone have any suggestions or tips?
> >
> > Joseph
> >
>
> Don't. One wheel trailers are excellent for light cargo but any movement
> in the trailer will be transmitted to the bike. I used to use a BOB Coz
> and now use a BOB Yak and then I take my cat to the vet in a carrier in
> the trailer her movement can be felt significantly. A child doing what a
> child does could knock your bike around to a dangerous extent. Two wheel
> trailers are more unwieldy, but more stable for live cargo.
>
> Lorenzo L. Love
> http://home.thegrid.net/~lllove
>
> "Americans are broad-minded people. They'll accept the fact that a person
> can be an alcoholic, a dope fiend, a wife beater, and even a newspaperman,
> but if a man doesn't drive there's something wrong with him."
> Art Buchwald
Sometimes I ride with one of my kids in a seat mounted where a rear
rack would go. I notice when they wiggle around, but I think my 215
pounds sort of anchors us. Do you think a kid's movment on a BOB type
trailer would have a more pronounced affect? This is a regular bike, so
the kid's center of gravity is pretty high in the rear mounted seat, vs
pretty low siting in a roll-caged BOB.
What about a narrow 2-wheeled trailer, but long for 2-kid tandem
seating?
Joseph
|
| |
Date: 18 Jan 2006 11:24:52
From:
Subject: Re: DIY cargo trailer
|
k@drumbent.com wrote:
> A while ago I built my third trailer, made without welding. And this
> time I did a full photo documentation as I went along:
>
> http://drumbent.com/trailer_big.html
>
> Cheers,
> k
Nice.
I am contemplating building a single wheel trailer (similar to a BOB)
for carrying children. I don't like the wide unwieldy feel of a 2-wheel
trailer with such valuable cargo.
Anyone have any suggestions or tips?
Joseph
|
| | |
Date: 18 Jan 2006 20:59:17
From: Lorenzo L. Love
Subject: Re: DIY cargo trailer
|
On Wed, 18 Jan 2006 11:24:52 -0800, <joseph.santaniello@gmail.com > wrote:
>
> k@drumbent.com wrote:
>> A while ago I built my third trailer, made without welding. And this
>> time I did a full photo documentation as I went along:
>>
>> http://drumbent.com/trailer_big.html
>>
>> Cheers,
>> k
>
> Nice.
>
> I am contemplating building a single wheel trailer (similar to a BOB)
> for carrying children. I don't like the wide unwieldy feel of a 2-wheel
> trailer with such valuable cargo.
>
> Anyone have any suggestions or tips?
>
> Joseph
>
Don't. One wheel trailers are excellent for light cargo but any movement
in the trailer will be transmitted to the bike. I used to use a BOB Coz
and now use a BOB Yak and then I take my cat to the vet in a carrier in
the trailer her movement can be felt significantly. A child doing what a
child does could knock your bike around to a dangerous extent. Two wheel
trailers are more unwieldy, but more stable for live cargo.
Lorenzo L. Love
http://home.thegrid.net/~lllove
"Americans are broad-minded people. They'll accept the fact that a person
can be an alcoholic, a dope fiend, a wife beater, and even a newspaperman,
but if a man doesn't drive there's something wrong with him."
Art Buchwald
|
| | | |
Date: 19 Jan 2006 07:24:08
From: Peter Cole
Subject: Re: DIY cargo trailer
|
Lorenzo L. Love wrote:
> On Wed, 18 Jan 2006 11:24:52 -0800, <joseph.santaniello@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>
>> k@drumbent.com wrote:
>>
>>> A while ago I built my third trailer, made without welding. And this
>>> time I did a full photo documentation as I went along:
>>>
>>> http://drumbent.com/trailer_big.html
>>>
>>> Cheers,
>>> k
>>
>>
>> Nice.
>>
>> I am contemplating building a single wheel trailer (similar to a BOB)
>> for carrying children. I don't like the wide unwieldy feel of a 2-wheel
>> trailer with such valuable cargo.
>>
>> Anyone have any suggestions or tips?
>>
>> Joseph
>>
>
> Don't. One wheel trailers are excellent for light cargo but any
> movement in the trailer will be transmitted to the bike. I used to use
> a BOB Coz and now use a BOB Yak and then I take my cat to the vet in a
> carrier in the trailer her movement can be felt significantly. A child
> doing what a child does could knock your bike around to a dangerous
> extent. Two wheel trailers are more unwieldy, but more stable for live
> cargo.
>
I don't know about that. I pulled a child for 5 years with a
trailer-bike, and have used a BOB Coz for several years also. Most of my
riding with them was/is on single-track off-road. 2-wheel trailers want
to tip, 1-wheelers don't, since they lean in the turns. The downside is
you'll feel the cargo shift since the trailer is free to flop, but I
never found it dangerous from a control POV.
|
|
