Shopping Trailer for Bicycles

W HY not save
wear on the
car and have
number one son tone
up his muscles by do-
ing the shopping for
the family. He can,
with this roomy car-
rier you (or he) build
in an evening. No
welding is required.
The 16-in. O.D. semi-
pneumatic sidewalk
bike tires shown come
equipped with nylon
b e a r i n g s t h a t will
carry moderate loads
at up to 20 mph. In
fact, they will take
speeds of 25 to 30 mph
for a short distance,
but they are not in-
tended for towing be-
hind a car. Of course,
two matched wheels
from a discarded bike,
will also do the job.
Make the wheel
mounting b r a c k e t s
(Fig. 3) of 1-in. angle
iron. Drill the 3/8-in.
hole for the axle, and The trailer easily carries a load of five full grocery bags. A foam rubber floor
file or hacksaw out the liner absorbs road shock.
slot. Drill the ¼-in.
b r a c k e t mounting
holes and then mount By BILL MC HUGH

the wheels on the brackets.

You'll save time by asking
your lumber dealer to cut the
5/8 x 23½ x 29½-in. trailer
floorboard square and exactly
to size. Locate the wheel slots
slightly behind center so the
trailer rides tongue heavy.
The ¾ x ¾-in. framing strips
on the side panels give your
trailer a custom appearance.
Cut the bottom and top strips
¾-in. longer than the 12 x
28¾-in. side panels, since the
corner posts overlap the 3/8-in.
end panels. Use a dark oil stain

The swiveling tow bar fastens to the

seat with removable hitch, and clears
the rear fender by two inches so you
ride over curbs and ramps.
OCTOBER, 1960
145
to color the strips; it's easier to MATERIALS LIST—BIKE TRAILER
do this now, rather than after Amt. 2
Req. Size and Description
16-in. Semi-Pneumatic Sidewalk bike tires.
Use
wheels
c o n s t r u c t i o n is completed. Available complete with threaded axle, bearings,
When the stain is dry, use a nuts; from Schwinn Bike dealers for about
woodworker's glue such as 1 5/8 $4.25 each.
x 23½ x 2 9 ½ " plywood floor board
Elmer's Glue-All to coat the 2 3/8 x 12 x 2 8 ¾ " plywood side panels
2 3/8 x 12 x 22" plywood end panels
strips, and nail into place with 20 ft. ¾" square lumber panel trim
1-in. nails spaced every few 4 ft. ¾" quarter-round corner cleats
inches. Remove any surplus 1 2 1 x 12" angle iron wheel brackets
¾ x 3¾" x 6' fir wheel guards
glue exuding from the joints. 2 3/8 x 20½ x 8" plywood wheel guards
Side Panels. Glue and tack 1 ¾" (hardware x 10' galvanized electrical conduit
and electrical stores)
tow bar
the side panels to the bottom 6 ¼-20 x ¾" fh bolts with nuts wheel bracket mounting
board; then add 1-in. wood 21 14-20 x 1¾" bolts with nuts
1X 21¼ x 2 7 ¼ " foam rubber floor
tow bar mounting
cushion
screws for added strength. Cut (available upholstery shops)
the 3/8-in. thick front and back Misc. 1" nails, 1" fh wood screws, Elmer's Glue-All,
snap, plastic rain cover, bike reflectors
Rope
plywood panels to fit, and nail
diagonally through the corner posts as you you use a piece of scrap board as a support to
glue them in place. Make two cleats of the hold the cleats firmly in place while you nail.
%-in. strip lumber and fasten to the inside by For additional strength, cut four cleats of
nailing through from the outside. It's easier if ¾-in. quarter-round and nail and glue into

146 SCIENCE AND MECHANICS

the inside corners.
Make the wheel guards of ¾-in. lumber.
If you have no table saw, it may be difficult
to cut the bevel angles, so you can substitute
a square construction. Cover the wheel guard
with 3/8-in. plywood and nail and glue in
place.
The Trailer Bar is bent of a length of
¾-in. I.D. electrical tubing, as in Fig. 3A.
You may need to alter its shape slightly to
fit your bike. If you can, borrow an elec-
trician's conduit bender (Fig. 3B). Otherwise
have the bends made at your local electric
shop. The ¾-in. tubing comes in 10-ft. lengths,
so have the bends made first, and then cut
the extra length down for a close fit to the
bike wheel. Flatten the trailer end of the bar
slightly with a vise or hammer, and drill ¼-
in. holes for bolting to the bottom.
The trailer hitch is made of a rope snap.
Used to fasten dog leashes to posts, this hard-
ware store item enables you to quickly attach In heavy traffic, remember that you need more road
the trailer to the bike saddle bar, or to a ring room. Be sure to warn drivers with the proper turn
that you can fasten to the seat post. Drill a and stop signals.
hole through the conduit and use a ¼-in. bolt
to fasten the hitch. cushion will work as well) will absorb egg-
As suggested earlier, the side framing breaking shocks when the trailer rides over
strips were stained a dark color before as- bumps. You'll find well packed grocery bags
sembly. Now stain the rest of the wood a will survive the roughest kind of street. A
contrasting lighter tone, such as light oak. few screw eyes with cord stretched across
When the stain is dry, apply several coats of the trailer will keep packages in place, and
varnish. Bolt the wheel assemblies and the you may want to add a plastic rain cover.
tow bar to the trailer, and varnish the ex- In traffic, remember that your bike and
posed axle and screw threads to keep the trailer combination is now less maneuver-
nuts from loosening. able, so allow for this in following bike safety
The optional foam rubber liner (a boat rules.