Bike trailers

[james.lea]

Anyone here use a bike trailer?

I sold my car three years ago and have been cycling to work for years in all weather conditions. It's quite easy once you get the right gear and state of mind - and even easier when you have no alternative!

However, one thing I do miss is the ability to carry heavy loads around, so recently I bought a 'Carry Freedom' bike trailer (see review at http://www.greenliving.co.uk/Articles/biketrailers.html). It's great for carrying goods around, especially up and down to the allotment.

I'd be interested to learn what steps others are taking to reduce car usage, and if bike trailers feature in their plans?

[Bandidoz]

I'd be interested to learn what steps others are taking to reduce car usage

Sleeping over at work.

[mikepepler]

I'd be interested to learn what steps others are taking to reduce car usage, and if bike trailers feature in their plans?

I bought a second-hand recumbent trike which I could hook a trailer up to at some point in the future. Recumbent trikes are very good with trailers as there's no stability issue, but they are expensive, even second-hand!

As for reducing car usage, I walk to the shops with a big rucksack to buy food instead of driving, and try to combine trips when I am driving somewhere. Then again, maybe I should drive more, as when I do my car is disposing of waste vegetable oil!

[PS_RalphW]

A good place for info is http://www.velovision.co.uk.

I used to have a single wheel trailer called a Bob Cos. Not a
great success because it had limited capacity. The Bob Yak
has a better reputation. I bought one
of these http://home.planet.nl/~mhodson/bikes/flevotrike.htm
which was brilliant until the wheel hubs disintegrated and I
found replacements were unobtainable. (also, the
front wheel drive was a pain up hills, or in snow).

[MacG]

I've been using trailers, but the two extra wheels give a lot of drag. Good for hauling really heavy stuff -even if it's slow, it's a hell of a lot better than other manual alternatives for hauling 3-400 kg- but a bit tiresome for everyday stuff.

I'm currently planning to get a kit from www.xtracycle.com . Still just the two original bike wheels, but a lot of capacity for everyday stuff.

[oobers]

I've always meant to try a trailer but have not done so yet.

A couple of months ago I fitted a Currie Electo Drive conversion kit to my bike and it has made a big difference to my car mileage. Whereas before I might often take the lazy option and go in the car instead of the bike for short/medium trips, I now use the bike for most of these, especially to the shops. The electric assist helps with hills and takes the strain if you just want to cruise along with no pedalling. Top speed unassisted is 15mph.

Range is the main problem. I am told that the NiMh battery is better but the lead acid I have lasts about 15 miles before needing a charge. However, it only uses about 0.5 kWh per charge so it is easy enough to charge with PV etc.

The site where I got mine www.electro-drive.co.uk has the 'Trailec' too, a bike trailer powered with the electro drive. Might take some of the strain out of heavy shopping loads!

[newmac]

I've got a Brompton fold up so the trailer might not be all that practical.

If I'm popping into town to get reasonably heavy items then I often take my wheelbarrow down - always causes a few smiles on the high street.

If getting a load of stuff for my diy then I've either walked the couple of miles or taken the bus to the diy shop and then got a cab to take me home. Half the journey cut (although it does depend where the cab is coming from and going back to when finished but you hope they send one close by and send it somewhere close after)

[son of ballard]

I've got a Brompton fold up so the trailer might not be all that practical.

Have a look at the Bike Hod http://www.bikehod.com/index.html

They say "It's become something of a favourite with Brompton owners, because the machines work rather well together".

[Ballard]

Welcome my son,

You'll never hide from TPTB now!

[mikepepler]

Reawakening this old thread... I'm looking to get a bike trailer, and want to know if anyone has any recommendations or warnings?

My requirements/preferences are:
- it's going to be used to carry logs back from the wood - we cycle there anyway quite often, so might as well bring something back, as it's downhill (on average...)
- Perhaps 30kg and 60-70 litres capacity as a minimum.
- Folding design pretty essential.
- larger wheels preferred, for less rolling resistance.
- Needs to be able to be fitted to both solid axle (electric bike) and quick-release axle (MTB, one with V-brakes and one with disc brakes).

From what I gather it's the last point that may be the tricky one, as not all trailers work with all axles...

I've seen cheap ones on ebay, e.g.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/110680873866 or http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/330656080319

but wondered if I should spend a bit more, e.g.
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/croozer-carg ... prod15256/

Or maybe even more than that?

Any comments?

[re]

I've researched this a bit and I think the carry freedom y-frame is the best trailer you can get for what you describe.

http://www.carryfreedom.com/Y-Frame.html

Also see the ctc forum

[biffvernon]

The bamboo bicycle trailer:
http://www.carryfreedom.com/bamboo.html




(Hat-tip Stig at http://shtig.net/ )

[mikepepler]

The Carry Freedom Y-frame certainly does look good, there's even a decent manual on their website. £170 is the cheapest I can see it, but I guess the sub-£100 ones on ebay are probably poorly built...

[mikepepler]

Just ordered my Carry Freedom trailer, looking forward to trying it out...

[lurker]

It looks really simple to make.

http://www.bs-bamboo.co.uk/bamboo_shop.html

& some Wheels

Alot easier to make if you have one to copy though rather than from a pic

Dunno how much cheaper it would work out also...