Living Car Free - Trailer

Can anyone suggest a good trailer to buy? I have sold my car, and I never want to buy another one, ever, I am done!
I always am going around with stuff, it is a habit that is hard to break. Sooooo, I was wondering if you would be so kind as to give some feedback on some of your personal experiences with trailers.

Thanks...

well it depends on what and how much you want to haul. plus how much you want to spend. I have a burley flat bed that is not too bad. limited to about 100# I have built three trailers as I wanted one that could haul up to 300# and it cost less to build them. the wider the base the less chance the trailer will flip too.
converting a kids trailer is usualy pretty cost effetive.

Whatever you need to haul, you can get a trailer here.
http://www.bikesatwork.com/

Whatever you need to haul, you can get a trailer here.
http://www.bikesatwork.com/

I almost got one of his trailers but with a 6 week wait and 450.00 I desided to build my own. I bought the wheels and axle from him but after buying the wood I had enough for another trailer. for the cost of one of his trailers I build three of them and got a cheap mountain bike to tow them. though his are ligther then mine an I like his design.

Why not try to build your own ? check this link out ,it looks good too .
http://www.drumbent.com/trailer.html

I will post a couple of pics of my trailers. I don't have a pic of the light one and I jsut got some aluminum tubing to remake the tow hitch but these are easy to build and will hold 200 to 300 pounds. I made a lighter duty one but I don't have a pic yet.

If you're looking to buy one rather than build one, we own one of these and really enjoy it:

http://www.bikerev.com/

I especially like the attachment system. I got extras and can pull it with all of my bikes...

-Darren

If you're looking to buy one rather than build one, we own one of these and really enjoy it:

http://www.bikerev.com/

I especially like the attachment system. I got extras and can pull it with all of my bikes...

-Darren

the idea is good but the price is pretty high for what you get. plus it is not very verisile since hte trailer is the tote. a burley flat bed will work better and you can do more with it. plus it is only 199.00 with free shipping. the design also puts far mroe load on the bike then the trailer since the wheels are so far back.

Just bought the Nomad from Power on Cycles and should be here by Wed. next week or you can try this site http://www.healthchecksystems.com/bicycle_trailers.htm the flatbed is $184 and shipping is free on all burley trailors.

Why not try to build your own ? check this link out ,it looks good too .
http://www.drumbent.com/trailer.html
Couldn't you just buy pvc elbows instead of bending straight pipe? I would think it would be alot easier, and the elbows and connectors are pretty cheap (the job I just left is in a home improvement store).

If you wanted a light-duty one, you could probably use the super-inexpensive (but very durable) white plastic pvc pipe, too. Pipe cement (and the proper connector pieces) would hold the whole thing together. You could even use copper tubing and elbows if you wanted; I think those are cheaper than the heavier metal pvc, but could hold quite a load, especially built in a frame like that.

I have a couple of wheels from a dirt bike (my parts bike); I may get some of that copper pipe and try it out. I have plans for a simlilar one that I downloaded in PDF; I'm not sure but it may have been from the Bikes at Work site, or certainly a similar site. I'd have to study the hitches, though; my idea was to attach it to the back of the rack part of my saddlebag-type rear baskets. I'm not sure how steady I'd be pulling a heavy load either way, but one of these days I may get the chance to try it :)

I've even seen a picture of one that someone built; it was a long flatbed trailer, with a recycled ironing board (just the metal frame, no fabric or legs) as the bed, it was pretty cool! :D

I need to build my own so that it's kind of longish, but narrow enough to go down a sidewalk; I deliver newspapers in the wee hours of the morning, and the baskets just don't hold all of the papers for two routes, or I could bike the whole thing from my house and leave the car at home. I'm up and down driveways and sidewalks the entire time. It would probably be bad if one of the trailer wheels bumped up in the grass and dumped my papers all over somebody's front lawn. :rolleyes:

Even so, I would probably only use it on Sundays, if I get the papers early enough, because they're just too big to all fit in my baskets, even one route's worth. I'm still waiting on that nifty front-and-back newspaper carrier vest for the other six days of the week :p

PVC is pretty flexy and most likly would break after awhile. copper is expnesive and pretty soft and heavy. plywood is easy and cheap and very strong.

Here's a pic of a pvc built trailer. It looks strong enough for touring but I wouldn't want to put more than 50 lbs in it.

Take a look at these:

http://www.wicycle.com/index.htm

Take a look at these:

http://www.wicycle.com/index.htm

Thanks for posting the link. These trailers look great, the prices even better, and THEIR REPLACEMENT PART POLICY BEATs THE HECK OUT OF BURLEY's. Yet, the hitch seems pretty inconvenient. Is the hitch as awkward as it looks?

Couldn't you just buy pvc elbows instead of bending straight pipe? I would think it would be alot easier, and the elbows and connectors are pretty cheap (the job I just left is in a home improvement store).

If you wanted a light-duty one, you could probably use the super-inexpensive (but very durable) white plastic pvc pipe, too. Pipe cement (and the proper connector pieces) would hold the whole thing together. You could even use copper tubing and elbows if you wanted; I think those are cheaper than the heavier metal pvc, but could hold quite a load, especially built in a frame like that.

I have a couple of wheels from a dirt bike (my parts bike); I may get some of that copper pipe and try it out. I have plans for a simlilar one that I downloaded in PDF; I'm not sure but it may have been from the Bikes at Work site, or certainly a similar site. I'd have to study the hitches, though; my idea was to attach it to the back of the rack part of my saddlebag-type rear baskets. I'm not sure how steady I'd be pulling a heavy load either way, but one of these days I may get the chance to try it :)

I've even seen a picture of one that someone built; it was a long flatbed trailer, with a recycled ironing board (just the metal frame, no fabric or legs) as the bed, it was pretty cool! :D

I need to build my own so that it's kind of longish, but narrow enough to go down a sidewalk; I deliver newspapers in the wee hours of the morning, and the baskets just don't hold all of the papers for two routes, or I could bike the whole thing from my house and leave the car at home. I'm up and down driveways and sidewalks the entire time. It would probably be bad if one of the trailer wheels bumped up in the grass and dumped my papers all over somebody's front lawn. :rolleyes:

Even so, I would probably only use it on Sundays, if I get the papers early enough, because they're just too big to all fit in my baskets, even one route's worth. I'm still waiting on that nifty front-and-back newspaper carrier vest for the other six days of the week :p

Iv'e thought about the bending ... why not use tent poles with the bends on one end ? just cut the other end to the length you want slide them together drill a hole and bolt them together ? no welding needed .

Check out the Touring section. There are a couple of good ideas there. I like this one: http://www.otivia.com/lawnchair.htm

Here are some pics of a trailer I built today out of an old babies high chair and a bent tent pole . The tent pole as you can see in the pics was a perfect size sleeve for the joints. I thought the wheel securing arms were quite clever .


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v281/Autokat/Pict0113.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v281/Autokat/Pict0114.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v281/Autokat/Pict0115.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v281/Autokat/Pict0116.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v281/Autokat/Pict0118.jpg

Coool! Nice job! :D (and nice cruiser btw hehe)

I did a little "dumpster diving" (okay, I biked down a few alleys after finishing my morning paper routes lol) and picked up the back of a nice wooden highback chair that someone was throwing out. It's very dusty, bit it's also real wood, not cheap junk, and I think it will make a very interesting flatbed trailer! I think the bend in the side pieces, under he backrest (hard to describe, sorry), will be a good place to connect a hitch. I can also use a drill, if need be, to attach the wheels, since it's good solid wood.

Also, when I went to drop the lot rent last night (we own a mobile home), I noticed somebody apparently dumped the entire contents of a house into the dumpster by the barn. I picked up five of those crate-type shelving sections (plastic, square, blue, like new) that I may find a use for elsewhere. The other thing I spotted was a small table; the top was junk, paper-covered chipboard, but I did unscrew the legs and take 'em home. Dunno if they'll come in handy for my trailer, but they might! If not I'll use them to make a chair (or, say, a table? :rolleyes: lol).

Not sure when I'll get to work on it but I'll post pics when I do.

And someday soon, when I have a little extra $, I'll take my pop cans to the recycling place, and ask about looking around for stuff I could buy/have to re-use. You never know, I may find an old bike in there, or even a trailer! I'm still kicking myself for missing an event a few weeks ago at the dump in a nearby city; they apparently had a zillion bicycles there, all sizes and makes, and were offering them to the public on a first-come basis. I forgot to go :(

Hey, that Wike cargo trailer looks great! I think I like it more than the Burley one as you can get extra hitches for it...I think I read somewhere that you can't get extra ones for the burley?

I think I like that Wike more than my BikeRev trailer!

:)

-Darren

... Yet, the hitch seems pretty inconvenient. Is the hitch as awkward as it looks?
The hitch is pretty straight forward, but it seems to favor attaching to quick-release axles and vertical dropouts more than anything else. I've not tried attaching a hitch to my nutted-axle bikes as I wouldn't want the trailer (Double Moonlite) to pull my wheel askew (I commute most frequently on a bike with horizontal dropouts). But the best thing about Wikes is that you can fold the trailer arm up and use it as a push handle. Very good quality materials and workmanship too.

What do you guys/gals think of the using one of those older red/yellow Burley kid trailers, and turning it into a flatbed trailer? I don't think that these fold, since that came later in the evolution of Burley. . . but what do you guys think of these older Burley trailers?

I ask because I recently found one for sale for about $85 . . . which is $115 cheaper then a new Burley flatbed.

Apologies for the size of this, however, the initial message did ask for more than a simple review/recommendation.

I've owned a Bikesatwork.com model 64 trailer since early July.
I use a Specialized Comfort bike as the prime-mover with economy wheels (my kingdom for a real rear wheel!)
The heaviest load I've hauled was an estimated 150lbs. (it was a Costco run with mass-quantities of canned good, frozen foods, juice boxes, laundry soap). It took me 20 minutes to get to the store and 25 minutes to make it home with the load.
The BAW trailers use 18 gallon Roughneck Rubbermaid containers which don't keep out the heat very well so I'm looking for a durable Ice-chest with about the same footprint as an 18 gal. Roughneck. if you're going to the laundromat, hauling grocieries, or you need to keep things dry the roughnecks are a great way to compartmentalize and transport things. You can even stack them if you're using some long shock cords.

Trailer Usage:
I use it at least twice a week for hauling a weeks' worth of groceries, and transporing large amounts of Diet soda (21~24 ltrs) to work and home, and transporting filtered water (~8-12 gallons).
I also use it to transport large purchases so my family can use public transportation to the mall or Costco or clothing outlets and I shuttle the cargo home.
In a week I easily put 50 miles on it.

I researched trailers looking for something which would allow me to do all the things I've mentioned and this trailer has performed admirably.
I even fashioned some guards out of thorn-resistant inner-tube for the two corners at the end of the trailer so when I lock up the bicycle I stand the trailer on it's end with the hitch-tube up and towards the bicycle and use a second U-LOCK to lock the trailer to the top-tube of the bicycle which is locked securely to a bike-rack.

Pros:
=====
Great hitch,
great wheels,
easy maintenance,
and for a 64" trailer it's pretty light (~40 lbs),
300lb. capacity,
tracks well,
suitable for heavy loads (all BAW trailers fit this spec),
fenders,
you can daisy chain multiple BAW trailers

Cons:
=====
Cost, but then I'm willing to pay to get a good product from a US company,
Socializing: If you're an introvert this trailer could be detrimental--everyday I'm riding with this trailer is another day someone asks me about it. I've talked to more people about cycling in the last 2 months than I have in the nearly 20 years I've been commuting.

you can get extra hitches for it...I think I read somewhere that you can't get extra ones for the burley?

You don't need extra hitches for the Burley. The design of the Burley hitch leaves nothing attached to the bicycle when the trailer is disconnected, so you can freely move it from one bicycle to another.

I own a Chariot kids trailer and I love the hitch. It is very easy to use and very secure. I've been looking for a good trailer for a long time and found this one. www.bikebox.ca The wike trailers look great too, but IMHO, this one is better. Give them a look!

I own a Chariot kids trailer and I love the hitch. It is very easy to use and very secure. I've been looking for a good trailer for a long time and found this one. www.bikebox.ca The wike trailers look great too, but IMHO, this one is better. Give them a look!
man that trailer has to be about the most expensive one I have seen for what you get. I built mine like that for about 140.00 including light 20" wheels.

They're nice, but way too pricey for my budget (which is almost nonexistent lol). I'll stick to building my own for now.

I absolutely agree. Very pricey for what you get, and very easy to build your own. I look for concepts and good ideas to adapt to my own projects. This is an example of good ideas that I can implement myself for far less than I could buy this one for.

You don't need extra hitches for the Burley. The design of the Burley hitch leaves nothing attached to the bicycle when the trailer is disconnected, so you can freely move it from one bicycle to another.

That is true if you are talking bicycles but they do not work on Recmbents or trikes. IMO the Burley Quick-Release Alternative Hitch is a better deal, it's a bit lighter, easy too use and it works on anything with a Quick Release.

Also, the standard Burley hitch won't work with a bike with disk brakes (like how many mountain bikes come now). I'm seriously thinking of getting the alternative hitch so I can also attach the flatbed to my mountain bike or trike.

I absolutely love my Bob Yak. I can carry several crates of beer or juice, not to mention a ton of shopping. I wouldn't want to carry a refrigerator by myself, so that fact that the yak is only listed to carry up to 32 kilos is no limitation for me. I wouldn't want to pull more than that anyway.

And the single wheel design means I never bump my trailer into anything. I got mine second hand from ebay, only cost $150. It will last for my lifetime.

hmm. I use an old Burley solo that I bought about 11 years ago when my middle son was litttle. Now we use it for cargo, but I really overloaded it last night and am on the lookout for a trailer with more capacity. The overload was grocery shopping for a family of five. I use large canvas bags for groceries and they were really heavy and I'm sure I put about 90-100 lbs on that trailer. It seemed to handle it fine, but I'm noticing some small tears in the fabric, so I'm beginning to review other trailers. Sure love 'em tho for shopping errands.

Sydney_B,

On Saturday, I borrowed a Burley Nomad from a fellow BF-er I met here who commutes almost the same path I do. I went to his place, hooked up the trailer, went grocery shopping, then headed home. I did a full week's worth of shopping and filled it to the brim. It handled well. It was just him and I, so I did not do the "cargo ship" with my son as the "fighter escort" bit.

Now I am looking into options to get a trailer myself. The two-wheel option looked and handled very sturdy. I am not sure how the one-wheel bob trailer will do with a possible uneven load of groceries. Any comments?

As of now, testing the Burley made a significant enough impact that the Nomad is the trailer I need to purchase.

Chris

Question for the folks with Burley trailers. I have one and my hitch attachment looks very fragile. Has anyone had theirs break?

The problem seems to be that the hitch(standard hitch) only swivels in one plane, when you turn left and right. But my bike has fallen a couple of times now while I've been messing with stuff in the trailer, and the problem is the joint doesnt swivel in that direction and it looks like it got really stressed. I worry about it now when I put heavy loads in it.

I do have the alternate hitch which does swivel, but it's not so easy to move around from bike to bike.

Take a look at these:

http://www.wicycle.com/index.htm

Do You have one? The "city shopper" option looks very good. It looks like you would need to keep the bike hitch attached at all times since it connects under the quick release.

If you have one, give some feedback on your use and its functionality.

Thanks,

Chris

Here's a link to lots of different trailers.

http://www.electric-bikes.com/trailers.htm

I absolutely love my Bob Yak. I can carry several crates of beer or juice, not to mention a ton of shopping. I wouldn't want to carry a refrigerator by myself, so that fact that the yak is only listed to carry up to 32 kilos is no limitation for me. I wouldn't want to pull more than that anyway.

And the single wheel design means I never bump my trailer into anything. I got mine second hand from ebay, only cost $150. It will last for my lifetime.

x2...I've had my B.O.B. Yak for a while...I believe since like 1998-9. It's seen a lot of mileage. Probably a good 20-30 miles/week for errands and I've had it on two extended bike tours that were 1100 miles and 900 miles. I've never had a SINGLE issue with it. It's a very very simple design that I don't foresee anything going wrong with it for decades. It's a single wheel design, and I thought that would affect stability, but it tracks very well...better in the corners than a two-wheel design (i.e., it "leans" with the bike). I believe 6 years ago, I paid like $275 for it new...but I've seen them on eBay (like above) for between $150-$200. Oh, and the HUGE waterproof electric yellow bag that B.O.B. makes is awesome. It's practically submergeable and you can almost carry more stuff than your legs want to push.

Conclusion: another vote for a used B.O.B. yak!!

If I were buying one today, I think I would be inclined to order one of these:

http://www.bykaboose.com/trailers/index.html

What do you guys/gals think of the using one of those older red/yellow Burley kid trailers, and turning it into a flatbed trailer? I don't think that these fold, since that came later in the evolution of Burley. . . but what do you guys think of these older Burley trailers?

I ask because I recently found one for sale for about $85 . . . which is $115 cheaper then a new Burley flatbed.

Two days ago, I purchased one of those trailers, a Burley Lite (two wheel), at a local thrift shop in Chesapeake, VA for US$25. It was certainly used and not cared for well; some small wear and tears (not obvious). Mostly, the fabric colors were faded, dirty with road grime, and stained by something, possibly mildew or cedar rust. Could not rid the fabric of the stains using either chlorine bleach or a general purpose cleaner. Also, some of the spokes had corrosion/ rust.

I removed all the side and top canopy and the seat fabrics and frames. Now I have a "flat bed" frame with the bottom fabric still attached. I was thinking of building a trailer when I happened upon this one. It is rated for 100 pounds; adequate for my needs. It seems light and sturdy. I also removed the two rear reflectors so that it can be stood on end for storage or parking. The hitch is a universal style that will fit most of the older standard style rear triangles. It fits all my rides: old mountain bike, road bike, home made LWB, and home mde tadpole style trike (uses rear triangle from old beach cruiser). Eventually, I may add changes/upgrades such as a solid platform, relocated reflectors, rain cover, additional flag poles, lighter weight wheels and tires and stainless steel spokes.

Used it for the first time yesterday to make a grocery run. So far, I am most pleased with my purchase.

I can still mount my kitty litter panniers to the rear racks of any of my rides. These handle most of the grocery runs, but I needed more capacity for bulk than for weight. With the panniers and the trailer, I have versatility in load capability.

Jim

Just out of curiosity, is there any limit to how much a bike can handle as far as weight? Either on-board or pulled behind? Or does it all depend on the bicycle's quality as far as its various parts (tires, frame, etc.)?

I can still mount my kitty litter panniers to the rear racks of any of my rides.
Jim


I'd love to see some pics of these, especially closeups of the mounting system you made for them...

:)

-Darren

Now I am looking into options to get a trailer myself. The two-wheel option looked and handled very sturdy. I am not sure how the one-wheel bob trailer will do with a possible uneven load of groceries.

If i were buying a trailer for the purpose of hauling groceries, 1 weeks worth at a time, for a family, i'd buy a 2-wheel trailer. you're not really the market that the BOB trailers are after. They're not designed to carry anything with the size, or the weight, of a week of groceries for a family. (of course, I don't really know how big or how heavy your weekly grocery purchases are, but it seems likely that you'd benefit from a 2-wheel trailer and that the extra bulk or air drag of the trailer when under-loaded wouldn't be a deciding factor for you)

I'd love to see some pics of these, especially closeups of the mounting system you made for them...
:)
-Darren

I do not yet have a digital camera nor a scanner, so no photos. Expecting to purchase camera soon. I will describe: Very simple arrangement. No modifications to the kitty litter containers if the particular style is used. Mine are white with green lid, rectangular, approx. 9 x 9 inches opening x 14.25 inches deep inside measurements. Molded into the lid is "ROPAK" and tel no 1-800-367-3779, made in Canada, material is HDPE.

The system consists of four components groups: the kitty litter containers, three bungee cords, the mounting bracket, and the rear rack of the cycle. I make use of the fact that the containers have small pockets moulded into the exterior sides of the container, near the top (open end) of the container. The pockets have the appearance of small finger lift pockets or hand holds, one per side. The mounting bracket is a piece of plywood with two angle bar "hooks" attached and onto which the panniers are hung. The ply is .5 inch thick. Make it as wide as the rack, and as long as needed to lay on top of the rack. Attach two pieces of metal angle bar to the plywood, one each to each long side and parallel to the sides of the rack. The included angles face each other. The bottom leg of each angle bar is fastened by two small bolts through the ply. The other leg of each angle bar points skyward and should fit into the "finger" pockets of the kitty litter containers. My angle bars are steel, .125 inch thick and approx. 3 inches long, legs are approx. 1.25x 1.25 inches. Fasten the block to the rack using a stout bungee cord (one wrap fore/aft does it for mine). Hang a container on each of the exposed angle bars. Secure the containers from moving by using a bungee cord around each and fastened to the rack. It is important to fit the bungee cords so as to apply some downward force to the containers. This prevents them jumping off the angle bars when riding over bumps, gutters, turf, etc. I left the metal pail handles attached to the containers and use them as attachment points for the bungees. The containers ride as a pair of saddle bags might, fastened near the top ends, but not attached at the bottom ends. I can attach or detach my panniers with in one minute if I make the effort. No other mechanical fasteners required. This design should be adaptable to most containers that have a deep enough pocket or lip on at least one side. Other than road grime, when my containers are removed from the cycle, there is no indication that they have been used in such a manner. I stack them, one inside the other. Lids, rack bracket and bungies drop inside the top container. The lot stores unobtrusively. Possibly, I could take the containers into the shop as carry baskets, but have not done so.

Hopefully this is clear enough to provide the concept.

A side note: I have modified my shopping "patterns" by patronizing those places that are more convenient and user friendly to me as a cyclist. In this town, bike racks are museum pieces. I actully pass up the nearest market (Food Lion) to patronize another (Kroger) that is an additional half mile away and across a very busy intersection because I can secure my ride and under a covered portico too. Occasionally have I patronized Walmart by cycle. It is farther away, but most importantly, it is the pits regarding cyclists; all that space and no accommodation for customers who arrive by cycle.

Cheers,

Jim

Portsmouth, VA USA

Just out of curiosity, is there any limit to how much a bike can handle as far as weight? Either on-board or pulled behind? Or does it all depend on the bicycle's quality as far as its various parts (tires, frame, etc.)?

With trailers that attach at the rear stays, the rear wheel does most of the pulling, and a light-duty rear wheel can be damaged from hauling heavy loads.

My bikes-at-work trailer is rated for 300lbs, and the company advises that I use a heavy duty rear wheel when hauling at or near max capacity. I've got a sun Rhyno Lite 26" rim on the rear and have never had any problems. My partner runs an Alex 700c rim and hasn't had trouble either. We rarely pull over 150 lbs, but obviously we use my heavier-duty (and heavier!) bike for the heavier loads.

Okay, thanks for the info :)

I know this is a bit off your question, but have you considered an Xtracycle?

http://www.xtracycle.com/html/home.php

I have one and really like it. Hauls 200 lbs in a very versatile way.

The website has a good discussion comparing it to using a trailer as well has lots of pictures of people carrying amazing loads sent in by customers in the real world.

I've got a Burley Nomad. I've had it a year and-a-half. I think it's great. I use it all the time for errands, and mostly large grocery loads when I do use it.

I wrote a review a while ago here:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=56285&highlight=nomad

Some things I'll add, with the benefit of experience.

I say "canvas" in the review, but that's not literally true, in case you were wondering. The trailer is made out of thick nylon, but I was using canvas inaccurately in a more generic sense.

You MUST- MUST- check the quick releases on the wheels before you head off with the trailer, especially if you've carried the trailer from inside. It's very easy to bang the quick release levers on a door frame or something, and open them up. You might not discover what you've done until you're passed by your trailer wheel.

I've never been frustrated by the weight capacity of the trailer, though there are some uses it would be nice to have more enclosed volume for. That the trailer can easily-- and I mean easily-- carry its rated 100lbs on such a light frame is a nice thing.

The Nomad is very nice looking, especially in comparison to some of the competing, more utilitarian brands. It's a lot better looking than a tupperware tub.

I highly recommend the Nomad for utility purposes, and for touring. I'd get it, or something like it, unless I were sure I needed much extra weight or volume capacity. I use it for huge grocery loads, hardware, generators, small furniture, telescopes, whatever, and it has always performed well. It would take an unusual task to justify one of the stronger specialty trailers, I think.

Still, it would be really cool to be able to carry a passenger. The Nomad can't do that. You need an Xtracycle, I guess. (And it's unlikely you'd just casually run into someone while you were pulling your empty passenger trailer anyway, I suppose.)

I was fortunate one day to find an old kid trailer at the curb. It was quite beat-up but the flexable hitch was in good shape. After asking the owner if it was truely out for garbage I threw it in the van and headed home. To my surprise, the tires, although quite bare, held air. Over the next day or so I removed the fabric from the bottom of the trailer but left the sides intact. I cut a piece of chip board to fit as a new floor. The only pitfall of the hitch is that it requires one to use a wrench to install or remove it. I have since left the trailer attached to the bike and refer to it as the "sport ute". More often than not I am transporting stuff like groceries or lawn chairs. Since I always travel with my cycling backpack (containing my tool kit, lock ect.) I appreciate not having to wear it on my back. The final cost, $4 for the wood.

I bought a bikes at work trailer recently, and just last night had the first opportunity to use it! it was loads of fun! Came back at night from the supermarket all stocked up w/30lb bag of cat food plus eggs, milk, bread, etc. I put some extra reflectors on the back (the kind designed for tractor trailers) and it worked out great. Had to be alittle careful over the bumps, and I had to put it into the next gear down, but it was a good experience!

Know what I found on one of my recent morning trips through the residential alleys after my paper routes? A perfectly good headboard from a double bed! (I went back for it with my car). It's the old-fashioned-looking kind, dark-colored iron, but very lightweight, I can easily lift it with one hand. It's just a long rectangle with the top 2 corners rounded, and cross bars up and down along the width of it. I think it will make an excellent flatbed trailer for big/heavy loads! :D

Just out of curiosity, is there any limit to how much a bike can handle as far as weight? Either on-board or pulled behind? Or does it all depend on the bicycle's quality as far as its various parts (tires, frame, etc.)?

You can carry a LOT more than you think. My guess is about 800 pounds if you have really sturdy trailer

Here's a picture of me from a few years ago riding a trailer-type pedi-cab in Austin, TX...

http://www.jmbzine.com/graphics/bikecabbie.jpg

Two ladies would be a very light load. Unless it was a nasty uphill ride, I could do 4 people easily (unless they were relaly heavy) and one occasion I took 6 people (all very thin girls) for a few blocks.

On the negative side of this setup, was that the strength of the rig depended on the seat post. The bike I used (a beater Schwinn that I paid $50 for used) worked ok at first but the seat post started to bend after about 6 months of riding every weekend. (but a seat post is cheap --- $15 or less)