A bicycle trailer is an auxiliary vehicle that attaches to the rear of the bike frame. Used to transport anything: cargo, personal belongings and even one-year-old children! This accessory has its supporters and opponents. Some consider the trailer to be almost an obligatory addition, others calmly do without it, transporting their things in a backpack and (or) on the trunk. There are those who hear for the first time about what a bicycle trailer is. Then it's time to get to know him better.

The designs of "cradles" are different: one- and two-wheeled modifications, universal, cargo and children's. A separate niche is occupied by homemade trailer for a bicycle - an invention of summer residents and urban fidgets, who often transport goods from place to place. We will talk about all these types of bike trolleys below.

The main types of bike trailers

One-wheeled and two-wheeled. The first option is, in fact, a wheelbarrow hooked onto the frame. It has low stability, in contrast to its "tractor": it has two wheels, and the trailer has one. Well suited for transporting small and light loads, otherwise the maneuverability of the bike will deteriorate. Touring models with one wheel can withstand and more weight.

Travel bag in the travel cradle

A two-wheeled bike trailer is designed for things heavier than a one-wheeled one. It does not wobble to the sides, but it can skid when cornering. The design itself looks solid, but the bottom area of ​​the cart is larger.

Standard bike trailers with two wheels are used for small to medium weights and are called universal trailers. They will perfectly help in transporting crops from the dacha, agricultural waste from the site, large-sized, but not heavy items within the city and beyond.

For the transportation of heavy loads up to 100 kg, a special high-strength cargo trailer was invented. The design is durable and unpretentious, however, and requires the appropriate bike. City singlespeed, MTB and hybrid will do. Attaching to the road bike is impractical, because these bikes are not built for transportation, although they have good endurance performance.

Combination of strength and capacity

When using a trailer of this type, do not forget that the load should not look out of the body. How profitable is it to use it? Do you often have to change the location of bulky items (for example, TV, bricks, boards) within 10 - 15 km? Then the cargo bike trailer is just for you.

Especially for transporting small children, they invented bicycle wheelchairs with a frame mount. Not every bike has equipped child seats, and the child wants to ride or leave him at home with no one. A bicycle trailer for children will come to the rescue.

Distinctive features:

• structural stability;
• side protection against falling out on the go;
• roof;
• a lot of free space.

Children's bike trailer

In addition to covered strollers, you can also find outdoor bike trailers on sale. They are usually for older children, from 3 years old. Whether it is worth buying such a trailer is for parents to decide. Although much more useful yourself.

How to create a bike trailer at home

To create a bicycle trailer with your own hands, you will need the following:

• straight square pipes;
• corners;
• four corner pipes;
• wheels;
• eight metal plates;
• a metal sheet;
• boards;
• screws, nuts, screws, nails for hammering boards.

Of the tools you will need:

• drill;
• welding machine;
• electric jigsaw;
• spanners.

The first step in creating a trailer frame is to create a dimensional drawing. You need to come up with them in advance, based on your own preferences. In general, the drawing will look like this:

Graphic representation of the trailer frame and drawbar

When we have decided on the size and location of all the elements of the future trailer, we start manufacturing it. At the ends of pipes and corners, holes are drilled with a diameter corresponding to the screws.

Important: all holes must be aligned with each other when connecting parts accurately! The numerical dimensions of the distances of the holes from the edges are immediately indicated in the drawing.

So, the rectangle is assembled, the next task is to weld the crossbars to it. For this, pre-prepared pipes are taken, the lengths of which correspond to the width of the rectangle. Optimal amount crossbars - two.

Manufacturing of external protrusions. Using a welding machine, we weld the corner pipes to each other, and then to the sidewalls. The distance between the sidewalls and the outer tubes must match the width of the wheel hubs.

Cutting seats for wheels:

1. Four identical plates are taken.
2. Each is marked with the size of the dropouts.
3. Using a jigsaw, grooves are cut to fit the dimensions of the hub bolts of the wheels.
4. The plates are welded to the sides of the trailer frame and to the outer tubes.

Blanks for wheels

The next step in creating a trailer with your own hands is making the walls from boards, welding the metal bottom and connecting the walls to it. Holes are drilled in the bottom, into which metal corners are fixed with bolts. The distance of the holes from the edges of the bottom is selected in such a way that the corner is with inside walls. We install a plank rectangle and use self-tapping screws to fix it on the corners. The number of connections of the walls with the bottom is selected based on the size of the trailer, but the more, the better.

To complete the structure, it remains to make a drawbar, or an element for securing the trailer to the frame. Two pipes and the remaining metal plates are taken. The first pipe - vertical - is screwed to the rectangular frame of the trailer. A hole of a given diameter is drilled in the front part, exactly the same - in a vertical pipe. Then, using a long bolt, we connect both parts.

The horizontal element of the drawbar must be secured to the vertical tube and the bike frame. We take four plates and drill holes in each. Then we weld on the edges of the pipe on both sides. The horizontal part of the drawbar is adjusted to the vertical one, both pipes are firmly fixed with a bolt and a nut. We select the height of the horizontal pipe depending on the bike.

Traction mount (horizontal)

The last thing left to do is attach the trailer to the rear of the frame. The bolt seats are ready, we drive the drawbar with the plates forward and tighten. The trailer is ready. According to this principle, you can also make a trailer for children: higher walls, a seat and a tarpaulin canopy.

Bicycle cradle on the road: safety rules

With additional load, the bike becomes more dangerous both for the driver himself and for other participants. road traffic... When leaving with a trailer on the road, the cyclist must make sure:

• all fasteners in the trailer are in good working order;
• in the reliability of the connections of the drawbar pipes with each other and with the bicycle;
• in the safe location of the cargo.

Permitted dimensions of the transported cargo in width - no more than 0.5 m in each direction. It is advisable to screw a reflective element onto the trailer if it is homemade.

Either way, the extra bogie in the back makes the bike less responsive, especially around tight turns. The total travel speed with the trailer should be lower than the usual speed of the cyclist. In other words, the bicycle turns into a slow-moving vehicle.

A bicycle and a trailer rolling behind it can be serious bait for dogs. All cyclists know firsthand about their passion for two-wheeled vehicles, but imagine if they see four such wheels? The attack of animals on the bike distracts from the control, and can turn into an accident. With this in mind, we choose a safe route. It's good to have protection with you - a stun gun or pepper spray.

Bicycle trailer - irreplaceable assistant business cyclists who prefer to cope with the difficulties of transporting their belongings on their own. It will perfectly serve for trips to the country, as well as on the site. Moreover, the trailer, separately from the bike, can be used as a wheelbarrow. Fired up with the idea of ​​buying a bike trailer? Then rather to a store or a workshop to make it yourself.

As a lover of long trips with overnight stays, I often did not have enough space to place all the necessary luggage, and already in a few weeks, after buying a bike Motor Vernor XC, took up the creation trailer... At first, it was a trailed version of the trailer at the back. bike, but having made the first sample and tested it a couple of times at short distances, I stopped working in this direction, and at the beginning of last season I took up the creation of a side trailer.

In many ways, the decisive factor was that the trailer was conceived for transporting a dog too. The path to the Chusovaya River, 50 km away for a hunting dog, stretched for 100 or more kilometers. At the end of the way, it was a pity to look at the dog ... and in 2-3 days the way back was coming. I borrowed an interesting idea on the Internet for such side trailer... The essence of this idea was to connect only at the lowest point, which allowed bike and the trailer to keep the center of gravity independently of each other on bumps. The base for the frame is taken from the seat of an old car, the wheel and fork are from a teenage bike. From a long search - how to connect Motor Vernor XC with trailer- this is chosen.

The structure was originally created in a folding version to prevent unpleasant moments in very narrow sections of the path (in my cases it happens sometimes).

But it so happened that for real trailer I could not use it and I could not go to the Chusovaya river (distance 50 km one way) bike Motor Vernor XC ( there were two small trips for a distance of about 10 km). The moment of the dog's categorical disagreement with such vehicle movement. As he did not fight, he could not make the dog sit while moving bike... And time goes by and the season of 2014 is ahead. What will happen - we'll see in the summer ...

Hello, now I will tell and show how to make a bicycle stroller with your own hands.

Materials (edit)

Expendable materials:

• 1 jogging stroller (with good wheels, ideally with shock absorbers);
• hex bolts;
• lock washers;
• regular washers;
• metallic profile;
• nuts;
• metal fasteners for the bike.

Tools:

• keys set;
• angle grinder (or hacksaws);
• screwdrivers;
• drill.

We make additional holes in the frame so that the mount can be attached.

• cut the profile to the desired length;
• add a jumper;
• add another part (smaller) and add a small jumper, as shown in the photo;
• after all of the above, it is necessary to get rid of sharp corners, so as not to cut yourself and not cut the child while driving.

We fasten a piece of a metal profile using 2 nuts and bolts. One hole must be free (open).

For maximum convenience and reliability, I recommend using the existing holes in order to maintain the reliability of the stroller frame.
We connect the mount to the frame using ordinary bolts (locking), washers and nuts. It is also recommended to bend the bolt (after tightening it) or treat it with special glue so that the stroller does not in any case detach from the bike on the go.

Remove the nut from the wheel. Attach the bike trailer (mount) with the hitch bolt and pin. With the help of special mounts (of which there are plenty in bike shops), you can connect the bike with the sidecar as tightly as possible.

Ready!

Tips for using your bike stroller:

1. First of all, it is necessary to take into account all possible risks. Children can only ride at low speeds without sharp turns.
2. Also, it is necessary to take into account the dimensions of such a design. With such a design, it is problematic to drive on a "dead" road, since significant vibration in the wheelchair is possible.
3. You assume all risks (responsibility for the child).

If you do plan to roll your child in such a stroller, you need to think about safety. At a minimum, the child must purchase a helmet and equip the stroller with seat belts. You can use ordinary straps from a denim sundress or something similar for these purposes.

As you know, a bicycle is not designed to carry significant loads. One of the ways to increase the weight return of a bicycle is to use a trailed bicycle sidecar (Fig. 1). A bicycle stroller with removable bodies - boxes, containers, cradles - is quite versatile and allows you to transport various loads, up to bulk materials. If you attach a closed body from a baby carriage to such a bicycle stroller, then you can carry a preschool child in it.

Let's consider how to make a stroller for a bicycle.

The design of a bicycle stroller uses one wheel from a teenage bicycle of the "Schoolboy" type, the rest of the parts are homemade.

The bicycle stroller is attached to the tube on two easily removable clamps. The tube, in turn, connects to the bottom fork of the bike frame on two brackets. The stroller has reclining struts (stops) that allow it to stand even when the bike is disconnected.

For the manufacture of such a bicycle stroller, scarce parts are not required, except for four springs - shock absorbers. The rest of the parts are made of strip iron (steel) with a thickness of 3-5 mm, shaped iron (corners) and pipes. For dimensions and configuration of parts, see the specification and Fig. 2.

The stroller is assembled using electric or gas welding. If it is not possible to weld parts, then, as a last resort, they can be assembled using bolted corners, but at the same time it will increase slightly total weight strollers.

Carefully clean the parts of the assembled bicycle stroller from traces of rust and paint with varnish or metal paint.

Bicycle stroller parts specification

(Overall dimensions of finished parts)

Part lettering	the name of detail	Quantity	Dimensions in mm
			Length	Width	Thickness
BUT	Fork	1	270	30	4
B	Base	1	510	30	4
IN	Longitudinal plank	2	355	30	4
G	Corner	2	146	32x32	4
D	Easy removable clamp	2	110	32	3
E	Cross bar	2	330	30	4
F	Springs-shock absorbers	4	-	-	-
Z	Strut (emphasis)	2	280	20	3
AND	Crossbar struts	1	305	-	Ø8
TO	Pipe	1	370	-	Ø20
L	Pipe bracket	2	114	30	3
M	Clutch	1	38	-	Ø26

The bicycle is a long-standing invention of mankind; in itself it is a unique device. In order to expand its functionality, people began to use additional structures, including bicycle trailers. A bicycle trailer can help solve some of the transportation challenges.

What is the use of a bike trailer?

• The trailer allows you to significantly increase the amount and weight of the transported cargo, while the bike does not suffer any damage during movement, because all the weight is redistributed to the trailer itself.
• Trailers for transporting children are very convenient, the journey will seem comfortable and easy.
• Bulky loads can also be easily moved if the bike is equipped with a trailer.

A tourist one-wheeled bicycle trailer easily allows you to transport cargo when traveling, even on narrow paths, on rough terrain it is easy and simple to move with it.

A bicycle trailer for a child has stricter design requirements than simply transporting any cargo. Such trailers must be equipped with seat belts, shock absorbers. Everyone who builds a structure on their own should remember this. An industrial children's bicycle trailer must pass a rigorous test, which is not inferior in importance to automobile ones.

Views

The most commonly used two-wheeled trailers, usually structures for transporting children or trucks.

One-wheel models are a flexible tandem, so to speak, an additional place that has an independent drive, a chain transmission to the attached wheel. Such a trailer moves obediently enough along a straight section of the path, but difficulties arise when turning: rear wheel begins to drag, not roll.

Another model, which is much less common, is when the trailer is attached to the front. The bicycle does not drag a trailer, but rather pushes it. This design is the most complex and difficult to manage.

How to make a bike trailer

In the summer, many people replace the stuffy, uncomfortable transport with a light and easy-to-use bike. To make travel fun not only for adults, but also for children, many use a trailer for transportation. Buying a structure costs money, so many craftsmen invent it in their own way. So how do you assemble a bike trailer yourself? Let's describe the simplest way.

What basic materials will be required for the job?

• Three tubes with a diameter of 2 cm, each three meters long.
• Bushings.
• Copper basket or MDF sheet (which can be used to build a basket).
• Two locknuts.
• Thread cutter.
• Wheels.
• Shock absorbers.
• Seat belts.

Sequencing

When the material is prepared, you can safely, without doubting the success, get down to work. The frame will serve as the base of the trailer. To create it, you just need to prepare a drawing in advance. The pipe will bend along it. Take a large sheet, draw the shape of the future frame on it, it is better if it is an oval. Bend the pipe along the lines you have drawn.

One such curved tube will serve as the bottom for the trailer, from the other, bend the back like a sled. These two elements need to be soldered together. Along the edges of the frame, solder the bushings where the wheels will mount. Install the wheels yourself.

The next step is to set the bottom. Now you need a copper basket. Instead, you can take a thick sheet of MDF, but the disadvantage of this material is that it gets wet quickly. For the bottom, it is better to use moisture resistant materials, for example, the side walls can be made from thick tarpaulin or from thin wood panels.

If the trailer will be used for transporting children, install shock absorbers. Equip comfortable seats with

Bicycle connection

Solder a metal tube to the trailer to secure the structure to the bike. In addition to the trailed structure itself, it is necessary to make a knot connecting the trailer to the bicycle, the so-called drawbar. You can make it from an inch pipe and metal plates. Bend the pipe into an L-shape. Solder metal plates in place of the corner, insert a bolt between them, which will play the role of a clamp. Install the lower bolt perpendicular to the upper one, it should cross the hole in the pipe and connect to the lower clamp.

Don't forget the towbar. There must be a trunk on the bike. Install one hinge part on the drawbar and the other on the trunk.

In such a simple way, a bike trailer is being built with your own hands. It will be able to serve you in family travel for transporting children or for moving small-sized loads.

Exploitation

The bike trailer is not difficult to operate at all. Anyone who has tried to use it can confirm this. When rolling on a horizontal surface, a trailer full of kids is completely unnoticeable. It does not hinder movements, does not interfere with control, maneuverability.

Just remember that the trailer itself is wider than the bike, so do not forget to leave more space when making a U-turn or when driving in narrow places (between trees, along paths). Please note that the bicycle trailer moves in an internal arc when turning. When descending a hill, it is the trailer that accelerates the bike, but with proper braking, this problem can be easily solved.

Problems arise when driving on loose ground or uphill. Of course, this is due to the weight of the trailer, because it weighs together with the load, whatever one may say, not less than 50 kg. And yet it is a little easier to ride with a trailer than if you carry the same weight on the trunk.

Of course, moving on the asphalt with a trailer is much easier, but we can safely say that the bike trailer is also convenient for driving on dense dirt roads, paving stones, grass. With this design, you can even overcome shallow tracks, because the gap between the bottom and the road is not so small. There is no risk of overturning, even if one wheel is higher than the other on uneven roads in places.

Free-flowing ascents create a problem for movement. The bike and the trailer are buried in them too quickly. It is difficult to overcome any obstacles with a trailer, be it logs, ditches. Riding along narrow paths is also extremely uncomfortable, the bike hardly fits into turns and touches everything that sticks around.

In general, a bicycle trailer is a great help. Having thought out the route in advance, you can happily and easily go on an interesting trip with the whole family.