Tujunga Kid

I've recently acquired at Burley Flatbed trailer to pull behind my mostly '60 Raleigh Sports. The Conventional Wisdom is to attach a Rubbermaid box to make it more useful,:but those plastic storage boxes are so god-awful ugly I just can't bear to do it.

I'm trying to think of something appropriate to use as the load container. I've had some general thoughts like wood (probably too heavy) and fiberglass (too messy, and still plastic). There's a guy on the net that makes custom wicker baskets, but they're kind of expensive. Or I thought maybe I could make a little containing rack out of aluminum or even copper tubing (love that verdigris), although the lockable-box concept has a lot of appeal.

It's all vanity, of course, and I should stop thinking and get to riding, but I wanted to take a moment to probe the forum's collective thoughts.

Best regards,

Mark McClure

mswantak

Check out some thrift stores; they're a good source for wicker trunks.

mackerel

Army surplus stores have a great variety of lightweight metal boxes with hinged lids.

Tujunga Kid

Well, I've been searching and thinking about the trailer box question for a couple of weeks.

I bought and returned a Rubbermaid "ActionPacker," for although it was of good dimension, it was just too hideous to contemplate pulling behind a gentleman's machine like the '60 Raleigh Sports with Full Chaincase.

The wicker and surplus [aluminum] trunk ideas are excellent, but preliminary research suggests that finding the right size at the right price could take a while.

In the spirit of "reduce, reuse, recycle," I'm strongly thinking about just staying with the cardboard box and use it until it wears out, then get another one. It doesn't rain much here, so a strong box ought to last many months. The concept has a strong whiff of homelessness about it, but I must say, aesthetically, it's vastly superior to the aforementioned Rubbermaid montstrosity.

All this thought into a box for my trailer. And to think, I'm not even retired.

Regards,

Mark

Noah Scape

I converted an old Burley to a flatbed. I made a short box with some old steel Rigida rims to hold in cargo and such. There are probably some much better design concepts, but I'm very pleased with it. The carpet is to eliminate noise of cargo drumming on the plywood deck.

Thumpic

Cardboard is very durable and easily painted. You can get some boxes that are almost as durable as plywood. With a little carefully applied paint; you can eliminate any "transient" appearance.........

QuickDraw

I have a nice old antique dynamite crate that I've been thinking about making into a bike trailer

sailorbenjamin

some art supply stores (like micheals or a.c.moore) have a pretty good basket selection. maybe you could get some basket pattern shelf paper for your cardboard box.

The Figment

How 'bout a C&V Cooler... Like This 1950's Coleman Repop-

badmother

Do you need a box / basket? I`we been thinking of making a "bag", bottom same size & shape as the trailer. Some sort of system to attach in all corners. Make it taller than you need. Roll it down in the top the way some waterproof bags are rolled. Welcro or similar to secure in the top. That way you are free to put big / long items also without remowing the box.

On my homemade flatbed trailer I use a wire (steel) basket made for storing chlotes in a wardrobe. You should be able to find bigger ones if you look around. Mine is approx 96x58x25 cm`s. I am going to combine it with a bag like described above.

karmantra

Great looking cargo trailer!

mastershake916

I too have just recently acquired one of these, thanks for showing yours.

rhm

Take a look at this Chinese cargo trike... the cargo bed has a great 'vintage' look. https://newjersey.craigslist.org/bik/722934009.html

eppoh

Noah, that is such a boss trailer!
Did you have any trouble stretching out those rims without kinking them?

Any idea what it weighs?

epicurean

If you search "trunk" on ebay or CL, you'll find some interesting possibilities. One of the medium size antique steamers listed here might look really sweet on a trailer. Some are pretty cheap, too.

https://antiques.search.ebay.com/trun...63589QQsascsZ2

ericthered

If you want to step up from cardboard, you might think about coroplast. https://www.coroplast.com/product.htm

It is the plastic sheets they make all those political signs out of. The material is durable, light, and water proof. try a sign maker/ art supplier or wait until the election gets into swing for the acquisition of material.
Eric

Noah Scape

I did not stretch them... the rims in the box are 27s; the wheels on the trailer are 20s. I think it weighs about 22-23 pounds.

Black Sunshine

I have a similar problem. I have a Micargi Tahiti NX3 beach cruiser. I pull an equally cheap 'Master Cycle' kids trailer behind it. I have been starting to plan a 'classic' looking trailer build for after my 15 month old daughter out grows the trailer. I know, I know, it's going to be a while. I wanted to throw out the rainbow stuff and find a cool container to put on it. I've decided for the container I'm going to use a grocery cart and line it with diamond plate and make a hinged flush top for it out of the same. I figured if I paint it matte black it should look pretty good behind my cruiser. Then I realized I will need to disassemble the wheels and paint the rims red to match my bike. Then I realized that it won't have sweet ducktail fenders like my bike does. So now I'm thinking of doing a ground up build.

I want to use the grocery cart so I can detach it and push it right into the store. I think I'm going to look for some replacement parts for my bike and see if I can source just the front wheel and fender then get two of them. Maybe a third mounted up somewhere as a spare. I've been wanting to learn to tig weld for a while. So, I think I will come up with a frame design and build it out of aluminum.

Has anyone seen a classic or cruiser looking full fendered enclosed trailer. If I didn't want a cart that was pushable I would build a tear drop motorcycle style trailer. Like you see going down the road behind a fully dressed touring motorcycle.

Grim

Having actually had a 50's vintage cargo trailer (in the 70's) that I used to deliver papers with I'll describe how it was done. The trailer had a full tube frame of mild steel. It attached at the seat post like a trail a bike with a very thick piece of leather sandwiched between plates so that it didn't pull out. The top rails were slanted to the back. with the hitch arm being supported but the top rail (think chariot). The floor was 1/4 inch think plywood and the rest of the trailer was covered in tent canvas.

I may have a picture I can post later. It had been recovered at that point but it will give you an idea of what it looked like.

Black Sunshine

I'm looking for something that matches the style of my bike, not neccessarily something vintage looking.