top tube carrier idea. -- bonus faring support.
06-07-06, 01:38 PM
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top tube carrier idea. -- bonus faring support.
mostly crossposted from -- car free lifestyle... new bits at bottom.
I thought of some pretty easy modifications to bicycles that would make them better at carrying things. What I'd specifically/ultimately like to carry is a small golf club bag, but the modifications would be useful for a wide variety of apps.
Starting with a "women's" MTB frame with sloping top tube....
welding or clamping on an infant's handlebars to the top tube about 1 foot from stem will provide extra hooks to hang grocery bags, and provide the basic wide support for carrying long items along the top tube. May as well fasten 2 sets close to the front.
A useful custom made part could provide the above, but also provide an extendible bar that angles up from the top tube, and can be extended over handle bars. The part would fasten/clamp in 2 or 3 spots along the top tube. The main advantage of the protrusion is that it would support a small load without impacting handlebar turning at all. It needs to be extendible, not only to accomodate a range of items, but also to be able to use handlebars for support with some items.
Fastening something on the seattube that can ideally slide up and down would be useful to clamp down on what you are carrying, but more importantly provide the top anchor for a strap (like the ones found at the bottom of on golf pull carts).
wide pedals would be a useful option.
The above setup would also be good for touring, allowing fairly big dufflebags to be carried along the top without interfering with knees or handlebars.
Another feature the top tube mount could provide is an alternate pair of high handlebars that can both be used by beginers/cruisers on a slow commute, and as elbow rests for aerodynamic positions for advanced cyclists getting to a destination more quickly. The linking between the 2 handlebars for cruising could be with just bungie cords.
Has this been done before? -- too much variation between top tube designs for an aftermarket attachment?
Another idea, for a dedicated cargo bike design would be for a dolly type attachment with hard steel supports to both front fork rack screwholes, that would slope 30* to 45*, goes over handlebars (without touching/interfering), and shaped to be supported by negative/underside of the toptube. You'd probably need to load the front while standing over top it or have a counterweight on back rack.
Probably can have both designs on the same bike. The front dolly type attachment would also support sectional faring (put windshield in winter, or short/long windshield depending on comfort/speed summer preferences, custum fairing for 30kph cruising or 45 kph-- ground-lift designs for faster flat cruising, or designs that don't compromise handling), which would let you cruise 30%-50% faster.
This design could furthmore allow for standardization of fairing which would bring costs down, and let you reuse fairing on future bikes, and buy some sections at a time, or after the rider has progressed.
I thought of some pretty easy modifications to bicycles that would make them better at carrying things. What I'd specifically/ultimately like to carry is a small golf club bag, but the modifications would be useful for a wide variety of apps.
Starting with a "women's" MTB frame with sloping top tube....
welding or clamping on an infant's handlebars to the top tube about 1 foot from stem will provide extra hooks to hang grocery bags, and provide the basic wide support for carrying long items along the top tube. May as well fasten 2 sets close to the front.
A useful custom made part could provide the above, but also provide an extendible bar that angles up from the top tube, and can be extended over handle bars. The part would fasten/clamp in 2 or 3 spots along the top tube. The main advantage of the protrusion is that it would support a small load without impacting handlebar turning at all. It needs to be extendible, not only to accomodate a range of items, but also to be able to use handlebars for support with some items.
Fastening something on the seattube that can ideally slide up and down would be useful to clamp down on what you are carrying, but more importantly provide the top anchor for a strap (like the ones found at the bottom of on golf pull carts).
wide pedals would be a useful option.
The above setup would also be good for touring, allowing fairly big dufflebags to be carried along the top without interfering with knees or handlebars.
Another feature the top tube mount could provide is an alternate pair of high handlebars that can both be used by beginers/cruisers on a slow commute, and as elbow rests for aerodynamic positions for advanced cyclists getting to a destination more quickly. The linking between the 2 handlebars for cruising could be with just bungie cords.
Has this been done before? -- too much variation between top tube designs for an aftermarket attachment?
Another idea, for a dedicated cargo bike design would be for a dolly type attachment with hard steel supports to both front fork rack screwholes, that would slope 30* to 45*, goes over handlebars (without touching/interfering), and shaped to be supported by negative/underside of the toptube. You'd probably need to load the front while standing over top it or have a counterweight on back rack.
Probably can have both designs on the same bike. The front dolly type attachment would also support sectional faring (put windshield in winter, or short/long windshield depending on comfort/speed summer preferences, custum fairing for 30kph cruising or 45 kph-- ground-lift designs for faster flat cruising, or designs that don't compromise handling), which would let you cruise 30%-50% faster.
This design could furthmore allow for standardization of fairing which would bring costs down, and let you reuse fairing on future bikes, and buy some sections at a time, or after the rider has progressed.
