Bike trailer

[ActionJackson]

The radius of a turn. the control of the bike.
Physics Gordon.

Japanese delivery services use a lot of bike trailer combinations- most of them with an evolved form of the trailer you are using, however they have shortened the “tongue” of the trailer and moved the pivot of the hitch part back to about mid wheel in the later iterations. When they first started using these about 15 years ago on several occasions I had seen toppled bikes that were obviously pushed over by the trailer during a turn. As I recall those versions were similar to yours, but I know they use a lot heavier loads than you probably carry. here’s a picture scraped from the web of what I’m talking about, pretty much the current version:

 

[PatriciaK]

FINALLY pulled the trigger on the Schwinn Day Tripper trailer! It's arriving Friday - looking forward to putting my La Free to work with shopping and errands around town!

 

[tomjasz]

FINALLY pulled the trigger on the Schwinn Day Tripper trailer! It's arriving Wednesday - looking forward to putting my La Free to work with shopping and errands around town!
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I have a Schwinn branded trailer $100 and it’s quite nice.

 

[john peck]

FINALLY pulled the trigger on the Schwinn Day Tripper trailer! It's arriving Wednesday - looking forward to putting my La Free to work with shopping and errands around town!
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Looks totally suitable; I have that same cooler. I have a major character flaw though. I can´t bring
myself to buy sumpin if I think I can make it....even though it would be cheaper, more expedient,
& work better.

 

[Readytoride]

FINALLY pulled the trigger on the Schwinn Day Tripper trailer! It's arriving Wednesday - looking forward to putting my La Free to work with shopping and errands around town!
View attachment 110906View attachment 110907

That looks like a really serviceable trailer. Congrats! I'm sure you'll like it. The LaFree is a great "work n' play" bike and will not only do an excellent job pulling, but will look terrific with your new trailer.

This is my setup with my LaFree:

The trailer is a thrift store find for $5 - a former $$$ kiddie trailer (that came with a bit of road rash scrapes) that I stripped down to accommodate carrying litter clean up bags. Love how easily it tracks as long as the tires are fully inflated (hint hint). It does get heavy when the bags are full, so expect to run a higher level assist than normal. If you need to turn the bike in a tight circle, just getting off and lifting the bike to turn it around will make that trailer spin on a dime.

Buy yourself a cute little hi-vis flag as they come in handy for people seeing both you and the trailer. I had to jury-rig a spot on the back for a bike light blinkie, but I wanted that visibility as well from traffic coming up up behind me.

PS - always make sure you park on level ground to prevent the bike from tipping over. (It can, and it will! Trust me!!)

 

[john peck]

That looks like a really serviceable trailer. Congrats! I'm sure you'll like it. The LaFree is a great "work n' play" bike and will not only do an excellent job pulling, but will look terrific with your new trailer.

This is my setup with my LaFree:
View attachment 110951
The trailer is a thrift store find for $5 - a former $$$ kiddie trailer (that came with a bit of road rash scrapes) that I stripped down to accommodate carrying litter clean up bags. Love how easily it tracks as long as the tires are fully inflated (hint hint). It does get heavy when the bags are full, so expect to run a higher level assist than normal. If you need to turn the bike in a tight circle, just getting off and lifting the bike to turn it around will make that trailer spin on a dime.

Buy yourself a cute little hi-vis flag as they come in handy for people seeing both you and the trailer. I had to jury-rig a spot on the back for a bike light blinkie, but I wanted that visibility as well from traffic coming up up behind me.

PS - always make sure you park on level ground to prevent the bike from tipping over. (It can, and it will! Trust me!!)

Nothing wrong with thrift store accessories. I´ve been adapted Goodwill finds to bike use for years.
Some have even turned out better than pricey purpose built products.

 

[PatriciaK]

That looks like a really serviceable trailer. Congrats! I'm sure you'll like it. The LaFree is a great "work n' play" bike and will not only do an excellent job pulling, but will look terrific with your new trailer.

This is my setup with my LaFree:
View attachment 110951
The trailer is a thrift store find for $5 - a former $$$ kiddie trailer (that came with a bit of road rash scrapes) that I stripped down to accommodate carrying litter clean up bags. Love how easily it tracks as long as the tires are fully inflated (hint hint). It does get heavy when the bags are full, so expect to run a higher level assist than normal. If you need to turn the bike in a tight circle, just getting off and lifting the bike to turn it around will make that trailer spin on a dime.

Buy yourself a cute little hi-vis flag as they come in handy for people seeing both you and the trailer. I had to jury-rig a spot on the back for a bike light blinkie, but I wanted that visibility as well from traffic coming up up behind me.

PS - always make sure you park on level ground to prevent the bike from tipping over. (It can, and it will! Trust me!!)

Thanks! That looks like a great set up!

Schwinn provides a flag and pole for better visibility, but I'm planning on strapping on a little blinky light, too .

 

[Readytoride]

Thanks! That looks like a great set up!

Schwinn provides a flag and pole for better visibility, but I'm planning on strapping on a little blinky light, too .

I had my bike shop install the trailer coupler on the bike's rear axle because my model of the LaFree has the carbon belt drive. The coupler was easy for me to install myself on my other bike which has a chain and derailleur.

The LaFree step through is such a lovely bike to use with a trailer. Guaranteed you're going to have fun using it for grocery getting and errand running.

I love my rechargeable blinkies!!

 

[tomjasz]

Schwinn

I shied away over the label even though I road and loved my schwinns for 3 decades. I got up close and personal with those high end trailers and found no appreciable improvements. I found a front fork mounting plate and it can be a eBike tow truck. Sadly not used as much as it could.

 

[Solarcabin]

The seat post type are less stable and can tip the bike over if they tip.

I have a a cargo trailer from AOSOM I pull behind my ebike and works great.

 

[PatriciaK]

I had my bike shop install the trailer coupler on the bike's rear axle because my model of the LaFree has the carbon belt drive. The coupler was easy for me to install myself on my other bike which has a chain and derailleur.

The LaFree step through is such a lovely bike to use with a trailer. Guaranteed you're going to have fun using it for grocery getting and errand running.

I love my rechargeable blinkies!!

Mine is the +2, which is chain and derailleur - I'm planning on installing myself, with back up from my "mechanic", if I need him .

Those lights look neat, thanks!

 

[Sparky731]

if you appreciate the home workshop variety you may like this one …

 

[Solarcabin]

if you appreciate the home workshop variety you may like this one …

I need your wood working skills for a teardrop ebike camper I am designing.

 

[billmeek]

if you appreciate the home workshop variety you may like this one

Slick! It looks like it's based on a Wike trailer or Wike DIY kit.

 

[Sparky731]

Slick! It looks like it's based on a Wike trailer or Wike DIY kit.

I wish I had the builder’s skills! It is beautiful craftsmanship. By happenstance I met him on a trail last fall taking his trailer out for its first pull. He reclaimed the wood from an old tavern bar.

 

[billmeek]

That has to be the prettiest trailer (of any type) I've seen. If you meet him again on the trail, ask about the approximate weight.

 

[tomjasz]

I shied away over the label even though I road and loved my schwinns for 3 decades. I got up close and personal with those high end trailers and found no appreciable improvements. I found a front fork mounting plate and it can be a eBike tow truck. Sadly not used as much as it could.

Too cold to go to my shop for a photo, but here's the fitting I used on my trailer.

 

[Sparky731]

That has to be the prettiest trailer (of any type) I've seen. If you meet him again on the trail, ask about the approximate weight.

I did ask him at the time. He had not weighed it. I did lift one side to find it was relatively lightweight. However, at the time, while peddling up a long, gradual uphill incline, he was contemplating the allure of an ebike to pull it.

 

[PatriciaK]

FINALLY got the trailer out for a first run this morning!

Performed flawlessly, even over the rumble plates and one-way spikes I need to negotiate to get onto the nearby military base (where I do most of my shopping).

I could have loaded it up quite a bit more, but wanted to be conservative the first time out .

 

[john peck]

I need your wood working skills for a teardrop ebike camper I am designing.

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That looks to me like a relatively simple build. I´d make the floor with fiber glass tape on 2x 2s &
3/8¨ plywood. The sides & top could be of corrigated plastic sheet or 1/ 4¨ paneling. I have a piece of
5/8¨ axle stock I could tool to fit 16¨ wheels or something that fits 5/8¨ I´ve got a slew of 5/8 bearings,
or maybe pillow blocks. I´ve a number of things i could use for the hitch, including one already
fabricated. I´ḿ almost done with the hybrid gas/electric. just cosmetics & 2 connects left. I also have
a 6¨ piece of 3/8 with 2 x 2 joists once served as a dog ramp. The slide out would be shorter & squared
off. Instead of a side door, I´d put it in back. Oh goody, a new project..