Trailers and cargo

[Andrew Chadwick]

So, inspired by posts here and reviews I've read around the web, I went
ahead and bought myself a Carry Freedom Y-Frame trailer via the LBS plus a
bundle/pile of foldable crates, tarps and bungees. And most well-made and
practical it seems too, for all that it's been on only a few short trips to
the council recycling depot. Things of note about it:

* The reflector hangers are a little exposed, which can result in broken
mountings when replacing them with Big Scary Light fittings. Mostly
when cack-handed people like me assemble and disassemble the trailer,
of course.

* The large size is slightly too wide to get through an average-sized
front door when made up. Disassembled, it fits into tiny spaces...

* The rod part of the removable bit of the trailer hitches seems a little
short, projecting only a few mm beyond the spring clip. Is that normal?

* Seems all that would be necessary to turn it into a good handcart for
shopping would be a smallish metal drill bit: unlink the arm part, turn
through 90 degrees, re-pin and trundle off with it.

Oh, and the first day I used it properly, I passed and waved at a chap
riding what I think was a VealeMobile[1] while visiting B&Q for the crates,
which rather put me to shame. Probably has to be geared *up* for use round
here - Oxford rather than Sheffield - I guess.


[1] http://web.archive.org/web/*/www.pedalpushers.org.uk/veal/*

--
Andrew Chadwick

 

[Tosspot]

Andrew Chadwick wrote:
> So, inspired by posts here and reviews I've read around the web, I went
> ahead and bought myself a Carry Freedom Y-Frame trailer via the LBS plus a
> bundle/pile of foldable crates, tarps and bungees. And most well-made and
> practical it seems too, for all that it's been on only a few short trips to
> the council recycling depot. Things of note about it:

<snip>

> * Seems all that would be necessary to turn it into a good handcart for
> shopping would be a smallish metal drill bit: unlink the arm part, turn
> through 90 degrees, re-pin and trundle off with it.


http://www.carryfreedom.com/Y-Frame.html

"Hand Cart Handle A simple handle that pins to the right hand Y-Frame
arm. This allows you to walk with the Y-Frame while keeping the load bed
level. It does not need removed for cycling. "

Now I have to say, I have a cheapy trailer (cost about 50 squids) that
has served me many years, and it utilises a ball&socket link attached to
the seat post pins. Easy to detach, and serves as a shopping trolley.
I've never really understood these axle fastening arrangements.

<snip>

 

[Tosspot]

Tosspot wrote:

<snip>

> http://www.carryfreedom.com/Y-Frame.html
>
> "Hand Cart Handle A simple handle that pins to the right hand Y-Frame
> arm. This allows you to walk with the Y-Frame while keeping the load bed
> level. It does not need removed for cycling. "
>
> Now I have to say, I have a cheapy trailer (cost about 50 squids) that
> has served me many years, and it utilises a ball&socket link attached to
> the seat post pins. Easy to detach, and serves as a shopping trolley.
> I've never really understood these axle fastening arrangements.

Bad form, I know, but its simaler to this;

http://www.bikesandtrailers.com/bike-trailers/roland_bigboy.html

 

[Will Cove]

Tosspot <[email protected]> wrote in news:[email protected]
online.com:

> I've never really understood these axle fastening arrangements.

Perhaps http://www.carryfreedom.com/info.html (particularly the section
"Which Bicycle Trailer") will help your understanding.

 

[Tosspot]

Will Cove wrote:
> Tosspot <[email protected]> wrote in news:[email protected]
> online.com:
>
>
>>I've never really understood these axle fastening arrangements.
>
>
> Perhaps http://www.carryfreedom.com/info.html (particularly the section
> "Which Bicycle Trailer") will help your understanding.

<shrug> So it's about geting it through doors. I'd take a seatpost
jobby I could push, but then I have a garage to keep it in. Fwiw, the
main use of mine is crates of beer, (the necessary ingredient for card
games) so the abiity to be able to wheel it into the supermarket,
deposit two crates in it, wheel it out and off, is quite high.

I've oft looked at more expensive models, and this is one of the rare
occasions I really can't see what 200 extra quid buys you.

 

[Erik Sandblom]

Den 2007-03-05 17:57:57 skrev Tosspot <[email protected]>:

> Will Cove wrote:
>> Tosspot <[email protected]> wrote in news:[email protected]
>> online.com:
>>
>>> I've never really understood these axle fastening arrangements.
>> Perhaps http://www.carryfreedom.com/info.html (particularly the
>> section "Which Bicycle Trailer") will help your understanding.
>
> <shrug> So it's about geting it through doors.


No, it's about the trailer tipping over. Axle-mounted hitches are consider
less tippy over than ones mounted on the seatpost.

Erik Sandblom

--
Oil is for sissies

 

[Will Cove]

Tosspot <[email protected]> wrote in news:[email protected]
online.com:

> <shrug> So it's about geting it through doors.

No - it's about stability. Axle mounts, being closer to the point of
contact with the ground, have a smaller lever length and so impart a
lower moment on the bike, and so are less likely to tip you sideways.
OTOH, seatpost mounts have a longer lever length and so impart higher
upsetting moments on the tug. IOW, the higher the mounting point the more
likely the trailer is to push the bike about.

However, axle mounts do have their own issues. For example, an axle mount
that fixes to the left of the skewer or on the left chainstay has limited
turning lock to the right. In contrast, a seatpost mounted trailer
normally has all the lock you'll ever need in either direction.

That said, I'll return to the OP:

Andrew Chadwick wrote:

> * The rod part of the removable bit of the trailer hitches seems a
> little short, projecting only a few mm beyond the spring clip. Is
> that normal?

I've retrofitted the Carry Freedom hitch to my trailer and my hitch has
the same geometry. I've used the trailer with the CF hitch for a little
under 200 miles and the spring clip has never "jumped".

However, I have heard tale of the nyloc nut on the bolt that mates with
the bike plate coming undone. I've also heard that the nyloc nut on the
bolt that connects the hitch to the drawbar can do likewise. Nyloc nuts
are supposed to be "once only" fasteners (that is, if you undo a nyloc
nut you should replace it rather than fit the same nut), so I can believe
these tales. I'm not taking chances and have applied a little threadlock
to both nuts to reduce the chance of them coming adrift.

I've also fitted a safety strap to my trailer. This is independently
attached to the drawbar (and not by using the same bolt that holds the
hitch in place) and is wrapped around the left chainstay. This means that
even if either of the nyloc nuts and bolts let go, or the spring clip
jumps out and the hitch decouples, the strap will stop the trailer from
running away - very important if you have a child or your family pet in
the trailer!

 

[=?ISO-8859-1?Q?G=FCnther?= Schwarz]

Will Cove wrote:

> I've also fitted a safety strap to my trailer. This is independently
> attached to the drawbar (and not by using the same bolt that holds the
> hitch in place) and is wrapped around the left chainstay. This means
> that even if either of the nyloc nuts and bolts let go, or the spring
> clip jumps out and the hitch decouples, the strap will stop the
> trailer from running away - very important if you have a child or your
> family pet in the trailer!

Like this I suppose:
<http://de-rec-fahrrad.de/_media/testberichte/transportanhaenger/hitch04.jpg>
It is not only important in these cases. A well balanced two-wheeled
trailer can go down the road a very long way if detached from the bike.
In continental traffic the left side mounting also results in the thing
heading directly into oncoming traffic, BTDTNT
Well, not exactly me but a friend who had borrowed the trailer. Only
minor damage, but a nasty experience anyway. So I completely agree with
the suggestion for the strap.

Günther

 

[Tosspot]

Will Cove wrote:
> Tosspot <[email protected]> wrote in news:[email protected]
> online.com:
>
>
>><shrug> So it's about geting it through doors.
>
>
> No - it's about stability. Axle mounts, being closer to the point of
> contact with the ground, have a smaller lever length and so impart a
> lower moment on the bike, and so are less likely to tip you sideways.
> OTOH, seatpost mounts have a longer lever length and so impart higher
> upsetting moments on the tug. IOW, the higher the mounting point the more
> likely the trailer is to push the bike about.

Blimey, there cant be much in it because I don't notice it with 48
bottles of beer in the back.

> However, axle mounts do have their own issues. For example, an axle mount
> that fixes to the left of the skewer or on the left chainstay has limited
> turning lock to the right. In contrast, a seatpost mounted trailer
> normally has all the lock you'll ever need in either direction.

 

[Tosspot]

Erik Sandblom wrote:
> Den 2007-03-05 17:57:57 skrev Tosspot <[email protected]>:
>
>> Will Cove wrote:
>>
>>> Tosspot <[email protected]> wrote in news:[email protected]
>>> online.com:
>>>
>>>> I've never really understood these axle fastening arrangements.
>>>
>>> Perhaps http://www.carryfreedom.com/info.html (particularly the
>>> section "Which Bicycle Trailer") will help your understanding.
>>
>>
>> <shrug> So it's about geting it through doors.
>
> No, it's about the trailer tipping over. Axle-mounted hitches are
> consider less tippy over than ones mounted on the seatpost.

<thinks> Maybe. I did tip mine over once, clipped a kerb, and I think
I could see a lower hinge point might hep. No, actually I can't, I'll
have to go blag one off someone and try it.

 

[Will Cove]

Tosspot <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

>> No - it's about stability. Axle mounts, being closer to the point of
>> contact with the ground, have a smaller lever length and so impart a
>> lower moment on the bike, and so are less likely to tip you sideways.
>> OTOH, seatpost mounts have a longer lever length and so impart higher
>> upsetting moments on the tug. IOW, the higher the mounting point the
>> more likely the trailer is to push the bike about.
>
> Blimey, there cant be much in it because I don't notice it with 48
> bottles of beer in the back.

Perhaps not too much difference with a static load - but try with thirty or
forty kilos of fidgeting children or dogs and I suspect you would notice
the difference. AFAICT, all the mainstream trailers for these purposes are
axle-mounted (Burley, Chariot, Avenir, Doggyride, and "clones").

However, that doesn't mean seatpost-mounted trailers are unsafe and, as
both of us have said upthread, seatpost-mounted trailers have some
advantages over axle-mounted ones. From what you say, your trailer is safe
enough for the use you make of it, it meets your needs - and it only cost
fifty quid. So, it's the right trailer for you.

BTW, I spotted a few of those trailers on the 'bay
http://tinyurl.com/2yvqtf and http://tinyurl.com/22wan3 for example. If
anyone's interested, the people selling former trailer seem to auction one
every day or two - so if you're patient you could pick one up for not a
lot.

 

[Tosspot]

Will Cove wrote:
> Tosspot <[email protected]> wrote in
> news:[email protected]:
>
>
>>>No - it's about stability. Axle mounts, being closer to the point of
>>>contact with the ground, have a smaller lever length and so impart a
>>>lower moment on the bike, and so are less likely to tip you sideways.
>>>OTOH, seatpost mounts have a longer lever length and so impart higher
>>>upsetting moments on the tug. IOW, the higher the mounting point the
>>>more likely the trailer is to push the bike about.
>>
>>Blimey, there cant be much in it because I don't notice it with 48
>>bottles of beer in the back.
>
> Perhaps not too much difference with a static load - but try with thirty or
> forty kilos of fidgeting children or dogs and I suspect you would notice
> the difference. AFAICT, all the mainstream trailers for these purposes are
> axle-mounted (Burley, Chariot, Avenir, Doggyride, and "clones").

Thats true. I had noticed, and wondered why all the kiddy buggies where
axle type. So yep, as always in the cycling world, fit for purpose,
don't complain!

<snip>

 

[Don Whybrow]

Tosspot wrote:
>
> Blimey, there cant be much in it because I don't notice it with 48
> bottles of beer in the back.

Sorry, but I now have an image of you cycling along singing:

48 bottles of beer in the back, 48 bottles of beer.
Take one out and pass it around, 47 bottles of beer in the back.

.....

A la http://99-bottles-of-beer.net/lyrics.html

--
Don Whybrow

Sequi Bonum Non Time

After things go from bad to worse, the cycle will repeat itself.