Bike trailers...

Bluefoam

Can anyone recommend a good bike trailer. Has to be the kind that connects to the rear dropout rather than the seat post, due to the bike type...

I was considering the Ikea one, but it seems to be permanently out of stock.
https://m.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/art/90345644/

Croozer seem to be great, bit too pricey.
https://www.bikeinn.com/bike/croozer-bike-trailer-cargo/136652202/p?utm_source=google_products&utm_medium=merchant&id_producte=5972566&country=ie&gclid=CjwKCAjwwuvWBRBZEiwALXqjw0pqWAha2huoKx1c-8LwnxFJwFnAh4Kt57gT0rg13UzCvDvdNxMBxRoCqL0QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Homcom also seem good and affordable.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B078VZV9FP/ref=pd_gwm_simh_1?pf_rd_p=65b7e0dd-f899-4e87-9d0f-a0838e16bb6c&pf_rd_s=blackjack-personal-1&pf_rd_t=Gateway&pf_rd_i=mobile&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=622TGAYPCTMXQXMR5W28&pd_rd_wg=gFpP4&pd_rd_r=622TGAYPCTMXQXMR5W28&pf_rd_r=622TGAYPCTMXQXMR5W28&pf_rd_p=65b7e0dd-f899-4e87-9d0f-a0838e16bb6c&pd_rd_w=WLedQ&pd_rd_i=B078VZV9FP

Would need to be able to carry a load of shopping, a tray of beer and occasionally a dog (not all at once).

site_owner

For just occasional use you shouldn't need to spend a huge amount of money.

Considering that the dog will be going in, I'd recommend a kids trailer and maybe just get a second hand one on adverts.

Example: http://www.adverts.ie/15261978

I have a trailer for my 2 kids and can get a week's shopping in if needed

Bluefoam

site_owner wrote: »

For just occasional use you shouldn't need to spend a huge amount of money.

Considering that the dog will be going in, I'd recommend a kids trailer and maybe just get a second hand one on adverts.

Example: http://www.adverts.ie/15261978

I have a trailer for my 2 kids and can get a week's shopping in if needed

Good advice.

Do the covers come off? I may need to move some larger items occasionally, so a flat bed type would be ideal...

site_owner

It varies trailer to trailer, but from my experience the cheaper ones are usually a basic metal frame with fabric velcro in place. So can be stripped down easily.

The difference tho is that the base is usually fabrics stitched in place permanently with a weight limit of around 50kg. If you need more weight capacity than that then they wouldn't be a good option.

There are a few general purpose trailers on adverts too and they all seem to hold resale value

tomasrojo

I have a Bike-hod (hitch at seatpost) and Chariot Cougar 1 (hitch at rear axle).

If you don't have kids, the CC1 is total overkill, but it can carry more than the Bike-hod, and more even than my bakfiets, since you can project out to the rear a lot:



I got a 2m long bookcase home a few weeks ago that way (dismantled).


On the other hand, what have you got against seatpost-hitched trailers? The Bike-hod is great for shopping and carrying long loads that aren't so heavy. Mounting is much easier and faster than the CC1.

tomasrojo

Aero seatpost maybe?

Bluefoam

tomasrojo wrote: »

On the other hand, what have you got against seatpost-hitched trailers?

The bike doesn't have a seat post.

tomasrojo

Bluefoam wrote: »

The bike doesn't have a seat post.

That seems a very reasonable objection.

tomasrojo

If you have time and are handy, there are quite a few designs online to help you build your own trailer. I got one design years ago (you had to apply to the website and they sent you the PDF; not sure why the secrecy) but I never had the time to do it, and just bought the Bike-hod instead.

Bluefoam

I'm handy enough at fabrication, so would easily knock up designs on my own trailer, but the hitch arm would potentially be an expensive item and would make the whole thing unviable. Better and more cost effective to by a cheap one off Amazon.

The more I look at these things the more I'm struck by the simplicity of the Hinterher trailer... Could never justify the cost though.

Seaswimmer

I got this recently and have used it a few times

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/carry-freedom-y-frame-trailer/rp-prod11357

It tows well, is very sturdy and the box comes off quickly to turn it into a flatbed. My only slight problem with it is that it is quite wide and just about fits out side passage of the house. I think if I was ordering again I would go for the smaller one with 16" wheels.

Having said that my first trip was to the dump with about 30kg of old paint pots so its capacity is impressive.

tomasrojo

"Hinterher" is very descriptive.

If the hitch is the tricky bit, you could just get spare parts for a commercially available trailer: basically the ball, which you can attach to a hitch arm of you own construction, and the socket/cup, which you thread onto the rear axle:
https://hollandbikeshop.com/en-gb/bicycle-trailers/thule-chariot-bicycle-trailers/thule-chariot-parts/thule-chariot-elastomer-ball-for-drawbar-arm/
https://hollandbikeshop.com/en-gb/bicycle-trailers/thule-chariot-bicycle-trailers/thule-chariot-cx/thule-chariot-cx-accessories/thule-chariot-axle-connector-for-chinook-cx/

Probably less than €40, incl. delivery.

cdaly_

Bluefoam wrote: »

I'm handy enough at fabrication, so would easily knock up designs on my own trailer,

https://www.treehugger.com/bikes/open-source-bamboo-bike-trailer-from-carry-freedom.html

https://carryfreedom.com/bamboo-trailer/

cdaly_

tomasrojo wrote: »

If the hitch is the tricky bit, you could just get spare parts for a commercially available trailer: basically the ball, which you can attach to a hitch arm of you own construction, and the socket/cup, which you thread onto the rear axle:

The hitch doesn't need to be a ball/socket. A gimbal will work nicely and is easily fabricated.

tomasrojo

I think Carry Freedom were the plans I got years ago. I printed them out and they looked very doable, but I decided the Bike-hod wasn't that expensive and suited what I wanted a trailer for better.

Tigerandahalf

@tomasrojo

Where did you get the long mudflap?

FelchWivMe

last time i bought a bike trailer i brought it down to Courtown in wexford and it was stolen. saw it a few days later in someones garden, they had turned it into some sort of sex device. needless to say i didn't ask for it back

tomasrojo

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

@tomasrojo

Where did you get the long mudflap?

It's home made. Some bits of Avonmore Easipour 2-litre plastic container, and some screws of various small sizes, some of them superglued in. I added a pedal reflector to make it slightly less mobile, and for catching a bit more of the dipped car headlights that mudflaps catch so well.

I took inspiration from here:
http://phred.org/~alex/bikes/fendermudflap.html

Tigerandahalf

And did you paint it black then?
I guess it would be very light.

I diy'd one from an old mudguard and bolted it on and then cut off the excess bolt with a hacksaw. It gives fine coverage in normal circumstances but with a bike trailer you need a very long mudguard to avoid splashes.

I bought a mudflap that works well on the front mudguard but it is still too short/hangs out on the rear. It is probably difficult to get something to cover all the way down without some stays to support it on either side.

tomasrojo

There's a bit of electrical tape around a square of some reflective adhesive tape I got in Tesco. It stops water getting into the reflective tape. Surprisingly durable. Been there for years now.

The mudflap has a bit of "wag" in it, but reasonably rigid. Think it helps that it's a few pieces overlapping, like roof tiles. With a strong wind from behind it can rub off the rear wheel a tiny bit, but overall the forward motion of the bike cancels out the effect of tailwinds moving it, and it's rigid enough not to blow upwards away from the wheel.

tomasrojo

If the plastic itself looks dark, that's just years of accumulated spray from the wheel!

Tigerandahalf

tomasrojo wrote: »

If the plastic itself looks dark, that's just years of accumulated spray from the wheel!

Ya I am surprised that there aren't a better range of mudguards out there.

On my road bike the mudguard came in 3 pieces (sks race blades I think) and that ensured it was a good fit.

But on wider tyres the options are poor.

tomasrojo

I'm pretty happy with that setup, from the point of view of keeping the trailer reasonably clean, and I made one for the front wheel to keep the chain clean. But, yeah, I seem to end up making stuff for the bike quite often, as there's a bit of a shortage of off-the-shelf utility-cycling accessories in Ireland. Rear mudflaps are a bit of a minority item even in countries with a lot of utility cycling, I get the impression.

tomasrojo

Probably should have a bike hack thread. I meant to start one ages ago. Next time I complete some homemade accessory, I'll start it.

peasant

I'm thinking about buying this kit and making my own custom trailer for our big dog
https://www.wicycle.com/products/bike-trailers/diy

Just not sure if towing a 10 stone dog behind a bike is really such a good idea...custom trailer or not

tomasrojo

If it's a placid dog, that weight (~60kg) should be ok. If it's going to move aroud a lot, maybe not.

peasant

tomasrojo wrote: »

If it's a placid dog, that weight (~60kg) should be ok. If it's going to move aroud a lot, maybe not.

Yeah..that might be the problem..he's very placid...except when he isn't