Living Car Free - Do Child trailers make good freight haulers"

I am keeping my eyes open at garage sales for retired bicycle child trailers like Burleys. I am thinking that they could really ratchet me up a notch for being able to carry groceries, building supplies, etcetera.

Is a bicycle child trailer the way to go for this type of use? Any suggestion what to look for? For example, I see some with a full plastic shell bottom. Are these more practical than the ones with a cloth bottom?

Any suggestions for the way it connects to the bicycle?

If you find one, let me know how it goes. I've been looking and second-hand child trailers seem to be a lot more common than freight trailers.

Nothing wrong with adding a light plywood bottom and sides to a kiddie trailer for cargo hauling. I used an old Cannodale bugger for years. Had several different types of "cargo" holders adapted for it. One was a plywood box that held my carpentry tools that could be easily removed, so the soft bag for groceries or the kid cabin could be placed back in it. IIRC the Bugger was rated for 75# to me that would be the only limiting factor.

Aaron:)

I use Burleys Encore trailer extensivley with my two children. It has a large rear storage area that we carry food and the like back home with. It is very well suited to haul nothing but cargo, but is limited to a 100# restriction. I have used other trailers with inferior hitch systems, and I can honestly say, the Burley hitch system is absolutely amazing. I do not have to worry about it working loose in a hard uphill jaunt, or flying off in traffic. It is very stable too, wont rock back and forth like some others I have used when loaded to capacity.

If you are looking to carry extremely large items, or very heavy items on a regular basis, you might want to look into an xtracycle attachment for your bike. It is by far one of the most ingenious devices designed for utility cycling.

If you decided to go with a child trailer, then some modification will likely be needed as wahoonc suggested.

Most people, even if they shop with a car don't shop for more than 100lbs of groceries, nor do they shop for more than can fit space-wise in a two-child trailer. (However, if you want a little bit more space for bulky stuff it doesn't hurt to bring a backpack grocery shopping.)

If you're talking about building supplies, it really depends. Child trailers aren't so good for 10-ft lengths of pipe, 8ft boards/planks. I suspect furniture (ready to use, or flat-packed like IKEA) will usually be out of reach for a child trailer.

My typically bicycle grocery shopping expeditons will fit in 2 paper bags. I used to do a heavy monthly shopping for the staples and for a family of 4 with 2 dogs it never went over 100#. There are ways to carry long lumber, but my reccomendation is to shop somewhere like Lowe's where they have a truck you can rent for $20, haul your stuff to the house and be done with it.:p or if the load is large enough have Lowe's deliver it for you. With the neighborhood I used to live in we would all get together and use one guy's truck and make one large trip to Lowe's about once every 3 weeks for the big stuff. At the time there were 4 of us all restoring houses at the same time. IIRC he paid $750 for the truck and it got about 60 miles a month put on it:D All of us cycle commuted, it was quicker than driving.

Aaron:)

WE seem to need to define our terms a little better here. I do not see "freight" in the same catagory as kids (fragile - roll cages) and groceries (fragile - small loose pieces). The connection is a separate matter needing a secure connection, able to pivot in two dimensions, and stiff enough to transmit steering and braking forces from the bike. To me "freight" means mass and size. Multiple bags of cement, sheets of gypsum board, 4 by 4s, and pipes. Years ago a two person recumbent at an HPV event pulled a 4 wheeled flatbed trailer loaded with one ton of people. That would be serious freight to me. Wahoonc had it right. At some point you have to get the right tool for the job. I have a "freight" trailer that is built much like a shopping cart. I could carry up to 200-300 pounds of anything that would fit in a shopping cart. Plywood or kids call for other tools.

we use a modified burley. took off the top, loaded a large plastic snow
sled into the frame and bolted it down, and we haul firewood, 2 people,
chain saws...etc, all over the woods on some private land building trails.

been doing this for 3 years now still going strong, even after multiple
wipeouts and dumps on steep off-camber trails with 150lbs of stuff.


all you need to worry about is your gear inches. the trailer will haul anything
up to 500lbs no kidding. of course 500 lbs the trailer won't last doing
that every single day for a year...but no worries. the burley trailers will haul
loads and loads of weight and the bike is entirely controllable.

I bought a well-used Burley kid-hauler at a garage sale for $25, took out the child seat and removed the top cover, and have been using it very happily to haul large loads of groceries, small pieces of furniture, whatever. It works great. One of my best purchases, I'd say, in terms of overall utility.

I sometimes use my daughter's Burley Solo instead of my Burley Flatbed to haul stuff back and forth to work. It works fine and has the added advantage of having the load covered. The stock Solo won't work for bulky loads, though.

Both these trailers have fabric floors.

I see plenty of homeless and marginal folks around Portland hauling all their worldly goods or otherwise huge loads in child trailers that have not been retrofitted in any way. They do just fine.

I use Burleys Encore trailer extensivley with my two children. It has a large rear storage area that we carry food and the like back home with. It is very well suited to haul nothing but cargo, but is limited to a 100# restriction. I have used other trailers with inferior hitch systems, and I can honestly say, the Burley hitch system is absolutely amazing. I do not have to worry about it working loose in a hard uphill jaunt, or flying off in traffic. It is very stable too, wont rock back and forth like some others I have used when loaded to capacity.

If you are looking to carry extremely large items, or very heavy items on a regular basis, you might want to look into an xtracycle attachment for your bike. It is by far one of the most ingenious devices designed for utility cycling.

If you decided to go with a child trailer, then some modification will likely be needed as wahoonc suggested.

I see plenty of homeless and marginal folks around Portland hauling all their worldly goods or otherwise huge loads in child trailers that have not been retrofitted in any way. They do just fine.

I'm sure there are folks that do it and it works fine. What I meant was, with the Solo there's a limited amount of interior space and have the cover fit properly, vice the Flatbed with no cover, where I can keep piling stuff on until I become concerned about the stability of the load.:)

I have been thinking the same way..buying a child trailer at a garage sale..and modifying it to use for cargo..mainly laundry/groc..but perhaps camping.
one thing I would think is they get more respect then say a reg cargo bike trailer..as cars may think your hauling a kid? what u think?

I had one problem with the Chariot: the frame has a vital structural part at the top, meaning that even if I were to remove the fabric at the top, a bicycle or another similar bulky item would not fit because of limited vertical clearance. I could also fit large items like bags of earth, except I found it bad for my back. It was great, however, for groceries

I have been thinking the same way..buying a child trailer at a garage sale..and modifying it to use for cargo..mainly laundry/groc..but perhaps camping.
one thing I would think is they get more respect then say a reg cargo bike trailer..as cars may think your hauling a kid? what u think?

That is a whole 'nother issue:rolleyes: In light of the attitude of a lot of the drivers around here I would seriously doubt it. FWIW I saw a local statistic that nearly 30% of the drivers on the road in NC were either unliscensed or uninsured with nearly an additional 25% being underinsured! Talk about lack of enforcement:(

Aaron:)

If you are serious about routinely carrying medium to heavy stuff around in a trailer, I can't recommend blue sky highly enough. ( http://blueskycyclecarts.com/ ). I'm a co-owner of a cargo biking company that owns four of these and uses them every day. The standard configuration is very handy for almost anything, but they can also be seriously upgraded. One of our routinely carries over 300#. The hitch is very handy, too, as it allows for a full turning radius and easily detaches when not needed.

I have been thinking the same way..buying a child trailer at a garage sale..and modifying it to use for cargo..mainly laundry/groc..but perhaps camping.
one thing I would think is they get more respect then say a reg cargo bike trailer..as cars may think your hauling a kid? what u think?

I have found that I am given more room on my left by passing motorists when I'm pulling any kind of trailer, whether it be a kid trailer, flatbed utility trailer, or canoe. This in combination with my default road position means that nearly all motorists pull completely into the oncoming lane to pass, just as if they were passing another car.:)

Our daughter now insists upon the Trail-A-Bike, but the InStep Turbo Elite trailer soldiers on as a grocery getter.

Paul

I posted this earlier for another cyclist. This trailer WILL haul
up to 300# ...IF.......you build it of OAK as I did.

I built this trailer 20yrs ago and use it yet today. All of
the materials were salvaged from jobs here at home.
Even buying new materials the cost wouldn't be that
bad for a really robust durable bike trailer. My cost
20 yrs ago was $20 today might be about $80 with new
wood.

The plans call for 27" wheels but I used 20" wheels from
an old kids bike to be more stable and extended the neck
up a bit to compensate the difference. I strongly suggest
that you find and use an old OAK shipping skid for the frame
to pickup the strength of seasoned oak instead of plywood.

Enjoy!!

(see my later post for a good link to plans)

I know the question was regarding child trailers, but the specification seems to be freight hauling. I am a confirmed xtracycle enthusiast, and would recommend it for most carrying applications over a trailer. My unloaded performance is not significantly degraded over the old bicycle -- I really don't notice it's there, barring the stabler ride and wider turns (both subtle and easily learned). I have, in the month it's been attached, carried:

a twenty gallon shop vac

six bags of groceries

a full-grown adult with two pieces of airline luggage

tabla set and a djembe with two soft briefcase 'saddlebags' (30 miles)

more is yet to come. It's always there and has risen to every challenge except two full-grown adults, which taco'ed the stock wheel which I have now rebuilt for strength. Consider this option strongly, as it will do most any freighting, grocery getting and passenger hauling (children and adults) you might consider doing, while allowing you to attach a trailer if something really fun and special comes up like a bike-powered move. At that point you're guaranteed to max out your hauling ability before you run out of space to haul.

Fossil Fool is eloquent on this topic:

http://www.xtracycle.com/subvtrailer.php

I know the question was regarding child trailers, but the specification seems to be freight hauling. I am a confirmed xtracycle enthusiast, and would recommend it for most carrying applications over a trailer. My unloaded performance is not significantly degraded over the old bicycle -- I really don't notice it's there, barring the stabler ride and wider turns (both subtle and easily learned).


While I'm really glad that the Xtracycle is out there it will not do some jobs as well as bike & trailer can.
It's kinda like a PU truck vs an SUV for carrying ability. Each has it's place.

I would suggest that 90% of people who have fewer than two children and don't regularly haul construction materials, straw or the like would do better with an xtracycle than with a trailer. I am glad trailers are out there, in all their variety; I'm also glad I can hitch them to my xtra. :)

Also, there's a category of jobs for which an xtracycle is the clear winner, namely hauling long loads such as 8 and 12 foot lumber, kayaks, and surfboards; adults tend to be a drag to carry in a trailer, also. I can picture myself, with a couple reinforcing straps, carrying two fifty-pound bags of dog food on either side and two fifty-pound bags of concrete on the top, which is the rated capacity of the xtracycle. If one has a trim road bike, turning it into an xtracycle is either a drag or impossible, while hitching a trailer is likely to still be straightforward; not everyone is going to want a long bike all the time, even though most of us turn into raving fanatics about ours once we have them up and running.

If it gets you hauling your personal freight by bike instead of by motor, it's awesome.

I would suggest that 90% of people who have fewer than two children and don't regularly haul construction materials, straw or the like would do better with an xtracycle than with a trailer. I am glad trailers are out there, in all their variety; I'm also glad I can hitch them to my xtra. :)


Ah yes, xtracycle AND a trailer!! THE ultimate combo!! (if you can pull it. )

http://www.motherearthnews.com/libra...icycle_Trailer

tightwad- your link in post #20 is no good.

We can't get to the linked article if part of the URL is replaced with "dot dot dot".

Good discussion:) I've been thinking about getting on for awhile. At one time I was looking for a cargo trailer, but they all seemed ridiculously expensive ($150+). Child trailers aren't as durable, but for those of us in the city, this probably isn't important.

But remember it will take some time to get used to riding with a trailer. You don't have the same freedom to get pretty much anywhere you do with only paniers. When you turn with a trailer, you need to account for what it will do in addition to the bike.

I've got the Burley Flatbed and I've found the 100# to be more of a guidline regarding leg strength than anything else. I throw a couple of rubbermaid tubs on it, and I'm good for all our grocery shopping, costco, target trips etc. I would like an Xtracycle, just need to convince the wife. ;)

tightwad- your link in post #20 is no good.

We can't get to the linked article if part of the URL is replaced with "dot dot dot".

Rats!!!!!!! The link has been re-written with all plans and pictures removed. The new link
is text only. Damn!! Good luck with it.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/DIY/1981_July_August/Dime_on_the_Dollar_Bicycle_Trailer

You know brianp, I find that interesting. Me and the wife were talking about the weight limits of our bikes and trailers last night and were wondering why they put such low limits on them. My rear rack is rated @ 50#, yet I can sit on it with no problems at all. It does not bend or sway, and if I want to, I can pedal around while sitting on my rear rack (I weigh 195). I know the trailer will hold me standing on it because I have done it before. I have also moved a washing machine with one that was rated @ 100#.

I also know that the trailer safety guidlines state that the trailer is not to be used in speeds in excess of 10mph - yeah right. Try to pedal under 10mph with a trailer.... I believe it is probably more of an ubber-conservative safety issue, so they don't get sued or something crazy.

I also know that the trailer safety guidlines state that the trailer is not to be used in speeds in excess of 10mph - yeah right........

:roflmao:
One of my trailers came with a specific safety warning about not doing more than 10 or 15 mph, or whatever it was, with the trailer attached. My old commute had a couple of nice down-hills, one each way. I know I broke over 40 mph a few times. If I never did it with the trailer on it wasn't for lack of trying.:D

Rats!!!!!!! The link has been re-written with all plans and pictures removed. The new link
is text only. Damn!! Good luck with it.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/DIY/1981_July_August/Dime_on_the_Dollar_Bicycle_Trailer
Let me dig around...I am old enough to probably still have that issue somewhere:p If I find it I will let you know.

Aaron:)

I'm sure there are folks that do it and it works fine. What I meant was, with the Solo there's a limited amount of interior space and have the cover fit properly, vice the Flatbed with no cover, where I can keep piling stuff on until I become concerned about the stability of the load.:)

Oh, my apologies, CommuterRun, that I made it seem like I was commenting on what you wrote. Reading it now, I can see why it seemed so. :o One of the more interesting aspects of my commute to and from work is noticing the amazing things our homeless folks in Portland do with a bike and a really beat up trailer. I've often thought Burley should hire some of them as testers to determine just how much abuse they can take.


If you are looking to carry extremely large items, or very heavy items on a regular basis, you might want to look into an xtracycle attachment for your bike. It is by far one of the most ingenious devices designed for utility cycling.

I dream of an Xtracycle. Seeing it for the first time made me finally understand the desire for multiple bikes.

I believe it is probably more of an ubber-conservative safety issue, so they don't get sued or something crazy.

I think that's true for the most part. Although if you start reading about front forks collapsing under drum brake pressure you wonder what could happen if you really had to stop/manuever quickly.

My favorite part of towing the loads is how much easier it makes pedaling seem the rest of the time. =)

http://www.livingincomfort.com/chcacokit20f.html

this might work for some carriers.

Sort of veering off-topic with this, but here is a blurb about our local homeless and "marginals" who have bikes and trailers:

http://bikeportland.org/2006/05/18/the-bike-move-that-never-ends/

We have one. I think it' a good, cheap alternative to a bob.

Ours is just plastic. two kids can face backwards (only 1 adult ;)) and there is a foot area and a butt area which make 2 shelves for paper grocery bags. There was already decent walls on it (for the kids, I assume) , so we just added some bungies across the back to keep it all in. Oh and we added foam to the top "shelf" for milk / eggs ect... It works really well.

And it was only $10

great//I think thats what I want to do..is wait til I can get a used kiddie trailer..and then fengale it to be a cargo trailer.
though I don't think a kiddie trailer will work for touring/camping..
I already made up my mind..If I want to go somewehere I am going (35 miles or less each way)

The two big disadvantages to child trailers compared to cargo trailers are: 1. weight and 2. wind resistance. It isn't a big deal if you are going around the corner to the store, but the longer your ride is, the more these factors conspire against you. I think a Burley cargo trailer is about 17 lbs. Compare that to the trailers you look at. (I had a Winchester before I had this Burley-- Yeeeesh!) In a headwind, a closed child trailer can significantly contribute to your workload. The only thing worse are the old Cannondale one-piece molded plastic trailers!