Trailer to pull with a bike

[czechsonofagun]

I have this idea to build a trailer to pull with my bike - for small local shopping and such. Already have two mountain bike wheels - they were free from the landfill. No for the frame, I see two ways to build it (I don't feel like making it wooden):

- weld it from square tubing say 1/2x1/2"; the standard, just like my big trailer, onluy scaled down and light

- use 1/2" steel conduit and tubing bender, bent pieces welded together. I dont know if there are any issues with welding conduit except the galvanization.

Any other idea? I considered plastic conduit, since it is used for soccer goals and such, but I dont trust it too much.

The trailer should carry 100 - 200 pounds, depends on situation and distance.

Thanks for any ideas

 

[Willl]

Have you tried Google Images ?

bicycle trailer - Google Image Search

 

[MikeInEburg]

Remember that, just like any other trailer, stopping is more important than pulling!
Mike

 

[sandman2234]

For weight considerations, maybe try your hand at fiberglas? Not that hard once you get the basics down. Hopefully your talking about pulling them with a bicycle, not a motorbike, as the mountain bike wheels probably won't hold up to the speeds of a motorbike.
David from jax

 

[MikeD74T]

When my son was 10 I made a sidecar for his BMX bicycle out of EMT with a flat 10 gauge aluminum deck. was tricky welding with a stick welder but it outlasted him & the kid he later sold it to. It would carry my 200 lbs. MikeD74t

 

[jdbower]

...it outlasted him & the kid he later sold it to.

Is that a testament to the quality of the build or a lament about the safety of the design?

 

[Egon]

Oh oh, did the traffic ticket mature?

Do some Googling. There are different styles of trailers. Use the lightest tubing possible as hills build character. Also stop in at a bike shop and look at some.

It will also help to switch to dehydrated beer if you can find a reliable source of sufficient quality!

Mountain Bike tires will survive at some pretty good speeds.

 

[toy]

I have this idea to build a trailer to pull with my bike - for small local shopping and such. Already have two mountain bike wheels - they were free from the landfill. No for the frame, I see two ways to build it (I don't feel like making it wooden):

- weld it from square tubing say 1/2x1/2"; the standard, just like my big trailer, onluy scaled down and light

- use 1/2" steel conduit and tubing bender, bent pieces welded together. I dont know if there are any issues with welding conduit except the galvanization.

Any other idea? I considered plastic conduit, since it is used for soccer goals and such, but I dont trust it too much.

The trailer should carry 100 - 200 pounds, depends on situation and distance.

Thanks for any ideas

You are talking about a bicycle I beleive, so in that case have you considered getting a radio flyer wagon and taking the front wheels and steering hardware out of the front and adding two peices of tubing or angle from the front of the wagon and extend out to hook up to the bicycle?

 

[tallyho8]

You are talking about a bicycle I beleive, so in that case have you considered getting a radio flyer wagon and taking the front wheels and steering hardware out of the front and adding two peices of tubing or angle from the front of the wagon and extend out to hook up to the bicycle?

Without a coupling capable of turning, such as a trailer hitch, this method would cause steering problems when trying to turn as either the back wheel or trailer wheels would have to slide when turning.

 

[Egon]

Free plans:

The Bamboo bicycle trailer