'Dime On The Dollar' Bicycle Trailer

Enlarge Image Image Gallery 1]The cart's frame is constructed from notched 1 X '2s, which are bolted in place. [2] Molding blocks are glued and nailed (or stapled) onto the edges of the plywood sections. [3] A padded seat provides passenger comfort. [4] My trailer totes loads both big and small!

On a typical busy summer day I might go shopping with my daughter and bring back a full month's supply of groceries. Then, after unloading, I might take my kayak in for repairs and return home with, say, 100 pounds of lumber. Now there's nothing very earthshaking about accomplishing those chores ... but most folks are surprised to learn that I handle the bulk of such household hauling tasks with my bicycle!

The fact is, with a good cart in tow, a bike can be every bit as useful as a car is. Furthermore, well-designed trailers are neither difficult to pull nor awkward to maneuver. I've found I can cruise level roads in high gear, even while pulling a full load.

Unfortunately, most ready-made bicycle carts sell for upward of $200. Worse yet, many of the haulers lack well-thought-out safety features and the capability of handling loads heavier than those that can be carried in saddlebags or baskets.

My homemade cart, on the other hand, should cost about $20 to build (if you have a pair of old bicycle wheels around) ... will carry 100 pounds or more ... won't turn over if the bike takes a spill ... has a padded seat for a passenger ... doesn't allow a young rider's fingers to reach the spinning spokes ... and can be built by anyone who has access to a drill, hammer, saw, and screwdriver!

THE WHEEL THINGS!

The most potentially expensive—and often the weakest—components of any bicycle trailer are the wheels. Buying two new ones, with tires, could set you back $60 or more . . . so your best bet will probably be to scavenge a pair from a broken bike. While choosing them, however, look for relatively small wheels with thick axles, in order to make this crucial part of your cart as sturdy as possible.

The carrier pictured here uses 26-inch wheels, which are slightly stronger than 27inch units would have been. To make your hauler sturdier still, try to locate a pair of 20 inchers ... the best of which are those from children's "motocross" bikes. (If you use the small wheels, though, remember that—while they'll lower the center of gravity and thus make your cart more stable — they'll require a tongue support that's about three inches longer than 'the one indicated in the "Cutting Details" drawing.)

Rear wheels, it should be noted, are :both heavier and stronger than "fronts" ;(the back rollers generally have 3/8"diameter axles rather than 1/4"). My plans call :for using one front and one rear wheel, since that combination is what most folks will have on hand or be able to buy inexpensively. If you want to use two rear or two front units, you'll have to modify the plans to account for the changes in width where the axle bolts attach to the cart's frame.