Hauling a trombone?
 

My tuba friend who rides everywhere is making me extremely jealous.

What solutions exist for transporting a trombone? Standard trailers seem too short, and the trombone is way too long for my rear rack.

The Burley Travoy looks like it would be perfect, but $300 is way too much to spend.

How about putting it straight up and down into a pannier and then using bungies to secure the middle to the rack to keep it from moving around too much or bouncing out?

You could also try going perpendicular to your rack, I have done it with other instruments. But you have to be very, very aware of how wide you are and make sure that you have the weight distribution figured out. I also had panniers on at least one side to help create a little wider platform.

Do you already have a trailer? I think you could make that work as well. You might need to play with the angles a bit and secure it with some tie downs to keep it in a position that works.

Do they make backpack style cases or case covers? I used to carry my viola on my back, I hooked up the strap to get it messenger style. It kind of worked but I sometimes got caught on the seat or smacked in the head. Your case might be too long to try that but you also might be able to get a better angle than I could since your case would not be as wide.

Knew a guy who did this when I was in band in school, he strapped it to hid back, bell upwards if I remember correctly, not sure how he did it, must of been a sort of deep open knapsack he slid the case into.

No way it fits in a pannier, at least not in its current case.

I have seen backpack-style gig bags, but I'm pretty sure it would hit my head while riding. I've thought about strapping it to the rack, but I'd prefer something a little more stable. It would be travelling about 6 miles each way. There's also the problem of transporting mutes and music along with it.

Trombone in its case is roughly 25 pounds.

I do not have a trailer but would be willing to try one out if it's not too expensive. The bike was only $500, so I'd like to stay around $100 or less.

edit - my case would be like a small golf bag. Maybe that opens up more options?

You could make an extended rear rack. If you keep the heavy end forward it might work.
have you tried tromboneforums?

I used to carry my Alto Saxaphone ( I know a shorter case) in a frame pack on my back when I was in high school all those years ago.

Mount to your handlebars and use in lieu of a bel.

I carried a new 25" computer monitor 8 miles by turning the box sideways and simply using a few bungee cords to hold it. Made it home without a scratch. You simply will not find a ready to use solution here, you have to improvise. Or buy a cargo bike with a LARGE box.

maybe a variation of a surfboard rack???? How to make your own surfboard bike rack - YouTube

spivonious;

A quick check on Amazon should many that fit your budget. Here are two examples under $100 delivered. Pick one that will bit your horn and ride on!

http://www.amazon.com/InStep-Single-...icycle+trailer

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00762O452?psc=1

http://www.amazon.com/gp/slredirect/...ting_sr_pg1_3?

Hope that helps

/K

Your horn in a Hard case or Gig Bag?

I suspect that a backpack-style case ought to do the trick, there are some that are hard enough. I've seen people carry double basses like this.
And just saying, in my time in Amsterdam, I was playing in an orchestra. I went to play a concert on foot, and then, when going for a drink afterwards, I travelled in the rack of a celloist friend's bike. He was carrying my trumpet in his back and I, his cello in mine (I do wish I had a photo of it), so one musician and one trombone in one bike shouldn't be that difficult ;)

The backpack style case could be a good option. You could also get a trailer like mentioned above, usually they are very cheap on craigslist used and then make some modifications to make it work well with your case if needed.

A Counter Point Tandem the front seat is the recumbent stoker's chair . the other guy steers , so you can be playing the thing.

strictly slide or that a valve trombone ?. a friend plays Both * .. at same time.

* valve trombone a stride bass clef-chord & accompany himself with the other hand on the Piano..

There are gig bags and hard cases (lightweight ones, not a heavy wood case) that have backpack straps, available that would do the job nicely. If you use a gig bag obviously you need to be careful. Protec makes some decent lightweight hard cases with backpack straps that would work. I used to do this 40 years ago without any carnage to the horn, and know a few others that still commute on a bike, or motorbike this way. See if you can borrow a case or bag that fits your horn, and try it first to see if the weight/balance/bulk is something you can deal with.

I'm pretty sure this will cost a little more than $100 but you can also use it when not cycling unlike a trailer. I had a trombone teacher who used one to lug around his Edwards trombone which was and is a really expensive trombone. He felt it was protective enough to guard his livelihood.

https://www.altieribags.com/br_trombone.html

Years ago when I was a kid I had a friend who rode his bike with the trombone to band practice all the time. He just tied it with a rope to his Schwinn Stingray's high sissy bar standing straight up :) That tells you how long it's been.

As others have stated it's possible, just find a solution that's good for you. Slung across your back seems like the most logical to me.

I've heard of several people riding with cellos. They ride with the cello as a backpack.

I see flatbed bike trailers on Craigslist pretty frequently for relatively inexpensive. Maybe keep an eye out for one of those.

Native American Travoy was 2 poles tied to the Horse, you could put a couple wheels at the end to drag along the pavement.. roller skate?

What, are you on your way to a gig? We may need to update some of these now.

Fabricate a "holster" in the form of a snug fitting pannier with the bag extending high enough to ensure it can't tip out. Probably need a back liner that attaches to the rack top and bottom, and extends more than halfway up the horn. Or be much cooler, and do without the bag and use the back support and some mounting brackets of some kind so the entire horn is visible.

Me sure to make a bell cover in case of rain, and if you want, you can fly a banner from the top.

BTW- if you're used to doing so-callad "Roy Rogers" mounts and dismounts, you'll have to give it up

Thinking about it, trombones aren't that wide, so maybe you can attach brackets on the side of the top tube and carry it there running front to back between your legs. I've carried lots of long items that way, including (once) a pair of 8' 2x4s (never again).

Just a thought here - but a backpack style carry solution will better isolate your instrument from road shocks and jolts. If you tie something to a rack, or lie it flat on a trailer there is less cusion between your horn and the railway tracks (or whatever). In a backpack you can add your legs to the suspensions equation for the instrument at will.

This is why my guitar goes in a backpack rather than using a rack or trailer.

Or course - the quality of your instrument case is also a big factor here.