Living Car Free - Child Carrier for Groceries?

Hi all, Just wondering if anyone here uses a child carrier for their groceries? I am just looking for a grocery getter on craigslist, but they are rare to find..child carriers are easier to come by. How much can you carry? Any problems?

cheers

What kind of child carrier? The kind that go behind your seat, or the trailer?

The trailer works much better than than the behind the seat model. For kids too. With the weight up that high, it really makes the bike unstable. The trailer is much more stable and capable of carrying much heavier loads more easily.

Az

I have an Instep kid carrier that I bought used. I stripped out the cloth hammocky lining down the frame and built up a flatbed out of corrogated plastic with aluminum supports. It was originally rated for 80 pounds, and I have hit something like that load numerous times. Fully loaded, it can be a beast to get going, but its not that bad.

Really, the only problem with it that I have had is that my bike has horizontal rear dropouts and the cart tends to pull one side of the axle back after a period of use. So, I have to readjust the rear wheel alignment every month or so. Piece of cake.

jim

I use a converted kid trailer to haul stuff (Including my two labs!) I took out the seat, and reinforced the floor by building a rope net underneath it.

Works great, and people give me lots of space (They can't see that there aren't kids in there)

Hi all, Just wondering if anyone here uses a child carrier for their groceries? I am just looking for a grocery getter on craigslist, but they are rare to find..child carriers are easier to come by. How much can you carry? Any problems?

cheers

I picked up this trailer for $10 at a garage sale (the bike cost $5 at a different garage sale.) I did not remove the fabric floor but for carrying groceries added 6 or 7 rubber bungee cords (from my vast collection of road side find bungee cord treasures) stretched between the bottom frame rails. Pictures are with full soda pop bottles, with plenty of capacity for more groceries, and returning empties to the recycle place.

Hi all, Just wondering if anyone here uses a child carrier for their groceries? I am just looking for a grocery getter on craigslist, but they are rare to find..child carriers are easier to come by. How much can you carry? Any problems?

cheers

One thing to remember before you "load up" or "trailer up" is your bikes brakes!! Any extra weight
will take more effort to stop and a longer distance. In fact in some cases rim brakes will fail if
you are to heavily loaded and going to fast.

Don't have a trailer or even painers yet, so I pack it all on my back. Luckally, I have only myself to buy food for and there's a store about a half mile away. Also, the mass transit goes to wallmart on saturdays. I usually carry heavy stuff (liquids) on my back and put the rest on wrists. I've found load on the bars swings too much, but a light load on your wrists is managable.

Cheapest used bike trailer I'm able to find is fifty bucks and it's a hundred miles away. I'll snag one locally for that price -- or hopefully better -- this season.

Sweet garage sale finds, both bike and trailer. Lucky.

I use one and it works great!

I got an Instep at wally world for just over 50 bucks and it is supposed to carry 80 or 100 pounds. I have loaded mine up several times with close to 80 pounds. But I do reccommend making a bottom for it.

Cheapest used bike trailer I'm able to find is fifty bucks and it's a hundred miles away. I'll snag one locally for that price -- or hopefully better -- this season.

Sweet garage sale finds, both bike and trailer. Lucky.

This is a case where one can do better with DIY. Please read this post below to find a great DIY trailer. I build mine back in the 80s' and still use it.

"Yes, you can find anything "ready made" if you throw enough money at it. But why do that?

You ,even if your a clutzy person, can build this trailer , or have it built, for under $100 with
salvaged parts to carry 300# easy. Save your money, mate, it's hard times..remember??

"For those who want a "afforable" trailer consider a DIY trailer like this one. I built this trailer
many years ago using easily salvaged material that were found or I had on hand. I use it still
today when my Worksman PAV trike can't handle the load. If you elect to follow my mods to
the original plan it will have load capaicity of 300 lbs easy.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Do-It-Yourself/1981-07-01/Dime-on-the-Dollar-Bicycle-Trailer.aspx

My mods.....
Frame... from plywood to white oak salvaged from a shipping skid.
Wheels...from 27" to 20" salvaged from a discarded kids bike (carrys more).
Neck.. from plywood to white oak salvaged from a shipping skid.
Bracing for neck (for added twist strength) diagonal from front edge of frame to 6"
behind hitch of 3/4" electrical conduit. Neck dimensions can be adjusted to fit properly.
Paint...what I had on hand in oil based enamel.
Hitch.. a piece of tire side wall or other cord reinforced rubber sheeting.
Safety... seat belt for kids and bike flag for idiot drivers.

This plan is so easy to build I built mine using simple hand tools for everything except
drilling the 4 holes in the metal conduit."

This trailer will track fine loaded or not. I suggest that when towing that you slow down so as
not to over-drive your brakes."