Today, I hauled some scrap metal 6.6 miles to the recycle place. I had 280 pounds metal + 40 pounds BAW trailer + 15 pound child trailer on the end of the BAW trailer + 50 pound child = ~405 pounds behind my bike. It was heavy, but I made it. 13.2 miles/1 hr 22 mins later, I was home with $38 more in my pocket.


I attached the old Bell child trailer to my BAW trailer by bolting the Burley forged hitch onto the back of the BAW trailer. It worked wonderfully, and just reinforces for me all the reasons I switched from the old Bell clamp style hitch to the Burley forged hitch with round bar connector. And, when my kids finally do outgrow the Bell trailer, I'll take off the canvas and be able to haul another 150+/- pounds behind the BAW, if needed. I've had well over 200 pounds in the Bell trailer with the Burley hitch with absolutely no problems.

My Kona Caldera is in full utility form now. I took off the stock suspension fork, replacing it with a Surly 1x1 (I got the straight version for 100mm correction). I cut a little off the fork tube, but retained some extra height by using a 1" ID copper pipe coupler I got at the hardware store for ~$4. I didn't buy regular spacers, because my LBS wanted $2/5 mm spacer, which means I would have spent about $30 on spacers compared to the $4 copper coupler. I also added a Sunlite Gold Tec front rack (identical to the Nashbar front rack) and PB Hardcore ATB fenders. If anyone's wondering, the saddle is a Velo Orange model 3 touring saddle. The seat bag is a Carradice Nelson Longflap.


Now, for a short rant about the lack of support for utility cycling in my area. In addition to all the problems encountered by cyclists everywhere, I am finding some utility cycling specific hurdles.
1- I am forced to buy garbage/recycling service in my town for ~$43/month. I could opt out and take stuff to the dump/recycle center on my own, but I still have to pay the $43 whether I use it or not. My garbage can is rarely full and I have to go to the recycle center every couple of weeks anyways because the curbside pickup doesn't take glass.
2- The dump has a minimum 400 pound charge, regardless of how much is brought in. This makes a smaller load by bike more expensive than taking a larger load by truck.
3- The local landscape place charges a $20 minimum load for bark/common rocks (crushed, washed, etc)/top soil/etc. Bark is ~$10 a ton and rock is ~$20 a ton. As I can only carry 1/7th of a ton on the trailer, I'd be paying $20 for the load of 1/7th of a ton of bark, etc. For bark, this would equate to $140/ton if hauled by bike or $10/ton if hauled by truck. What's worse is that they can't load a bike trailer, so I'd have to shovel it in bins by hand. Less work for them, better for the environment, and better for my health, yet they charge significantly more. I don't get it.

I would use my trailer even more if the local businesses and government actually took steps that encouraged people to haul stuff by bike.

Finally, this is the longest thread in the Utility Bikes forum, even longer than any of the stickies. Post #704, so WHY IS IT NOT A STICKY YET?