Bike trailers- what do you recommend or pictures of your custom build?

Thinking of getting a trailer to stock up on wood. Any recommendations?

Anyone got any experience of these?

cheapo bike trailer

See here…

And here…

for some previous discussion of load lugging trailers

no experience of the one you linked to, and I’ve not seen anyone else mention that one either, looks sturdy though if a little limiting in load area/shape, and that hitch could be either a blessing or a nightmare, great for pushing when detached I should think…

If you’re going to be carting wood you need something sturdy, and stable, either a two wheeler (handling compromise) or a single wheeler with a kick stand for when you stop.

Thanks Amedias. I was drawn to the price of it and the size and I want to try something 1st before spending a lot of money or time building one. I’m thinking of using it to collect small amounts often, rather than large amounts. My bike, trailer and logs all need to fit into the back of my berlingo, so I think i’ll give it a bash.

Cheers, for your help.

Sounds like a plan, I like the the handle Idea, could be good for parking the bike up, having a wander round with the trailer to collect wood and then back to the bike to re-hitch, might be the ideal trailer for you!

A wee cautionary note on that first cheapo trailer design- It attaches at the seatpost, which creates two issues for you to consider. Firstly, it will put a lot of strain on the seatpost and particularly on your frame around the post clamp. Secondly, clamped there, it will not track as well when you’re riding as a low loader will, attached to the rear axle and dropout. The axle fittings used on this latter sort of design help isolate your frame from possible harm.
On the plus sde, the two wheel design helps very substantially with balance.

thanks highlandman, I hadn’t considered that. I’m going to give it a go though as I don’t plan to cover great distances or on technical trails. It’ll mainly be used on fireroads with an old 0n 0ne frame.

Had two, one that bolted to rear axle, but it used to catch the rear wheel if you turned right to sharply, and another home built one fixed to seat pillar, witha piece of industrial hydraulic hose for articulation, both strong enough to carry an adult, one thing i learnt is pedesestrians dont look down, they seee you oass and walk out, some fell over trailer, luckily the times it happened i was stoped in traffic,

also a lower centre of gravity works beter for stability, eg try and make a box or tray below the level of the axles, and they do bounce around a bit, so if youre going down a bumpy track load it with something heavy like a tree trunk, then dispose of it other end when reloading.

Finally if using on a road remember the turning circle behind you, and space when passing vehicles, but theyre great and really strengthen your legs and arms due to the jerkiness of starting and stoping

Carry Freedom make the best trailers, they use an elastomer “lollipop hitch” which quickly mounts on a steel bracket sitting on the wheel axle, which allows a 3 dimensional movement to keep both bike and trailer stable. You get a slight tugging when moving off but otherwise its very easy to pedal.

they produce a number of different consumer trailers, this is the base model

this is our custom trailer (we took the base model which I “stretched” which a custom aluminium alloy frame and new deck) which we use for picking up customer’s bikes around the Docklands area in London, it takes 3 bikes safely.

its incredibly quick and stable when moving, and gives a good prescence on the road due to its length and size when loaded with bikes.

I’ll second the recommendation for Carry Freedom. I’ve had 3 bikes on the standard short platform (2 in picture below):

I’ve also towed a 130 litre box of shopping and a 130 litre duffle full of camping gear with a tent on top. No problems at all with handling.

It’s a very simple design, but very adaptable, and will flat pack into your van in about 30 seconds.

Ordered the cheapo before I read the posts on the carry freedom ones. I’ll give it a bash to see how it works out.

I keep hovering over the buy it now on one of these:

really cheapo bike trailer

That seems cheap enough that it’s worth a try, just for the LOLs.

Another downside of the seat pin attached trailers is that when loaded and climbing a steep hill, the pull on the seat pin makes the bike want to wheelie.

I spent quite a few of my toddler-age years in a trailer and that’s the main thing my Dad still moans about. Plus the time I threw my toys out of the trailer just before a long downhill and M&D didn’t notice until they got to the bottom, so they had to ride back up it again 😀

^^^^ Hello there you cheap beauty, hmmmmm.

After you Sundayjumper.

Foxhunter looks like the fairly common Chinese Bob copy that Edinburgh bikes sold for some years at £140 or so; mine has done thousands of miles and just needs occasional re-painting. Had no difficulty surviving a Tour de Cairngorms.

sod the trailer, this is what you need fopr collecting vast quantities of wood!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161775354601?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT