All hail the bike cargo trailer!
Bike cargo trailers are amazing tools for getting more out of a bicycle -- and keeping you a out of your car. In all their variety, bike cargo trailers are the perfect tools for hauling stuff by bike.
We cover touring, commuting, errands, and generally doing more by bike -- so we don't leave out cargo bikes and conversions.
The topics of bike child trailers and trailer-cycles are covered in our Family Cycling section.
This blog is about sharing the fun, the utility, and the creativity that bike trailers can inspire. We want photos of how you've used your trailer -- whether it's an off-the-shelf model in a beautiful or interesting setting, or if it's a Franken-trailer customized in a way only you could have conceived.
Photos help to spread ideas, and stimulate discussion. It doesn't matter if you bought from one of our shops or not -- Bike Trailer Shop, Bike Bag Shop and Bike Kid Shop. Your photos and the stories behind them want to be seen and heard.
Tom and his Vespa are at it again. “Updated photos for the BOB folks to fret over …lol.”
And again, we don’t recommend, support or condone the use of BOB trailers, or any other bike cargo trailers, on any motorized vehicles other than electric bicycles that are regulated the same as standard bicycles.
But check these out:
Looking for a part-time gig this summer? Advertise or delivery-by-bike! Edward’s sales pitch: “Green Living at it’s best! Been doing my bike delivery / billboard service for 2 years. Loving every day!” Get equipped for the summer with the Extrawheel Advert and a heavy-duty cargo trailer.
Sean & Beth recently took their new Extrawheel Voyager and hit the White Rim Trail in Utah. “Our new Extrawheel trailer performed flawlessly on the bumpy dirt!” What are your bike plans for the upcoming summer?
Angelo and Roberto are the brothers who make up the band Rotage, and they’re taking their musical act on the road. But not in the traditional sense:
In December of 2012, while discussing our own childhood and [lifelong] journey, we began to realize how fortunate we have been. Our reflection led us to see a stark contrast between ourselves and children less fortunate. How much talent and promise was there in this country, and how many of these children through no fault of their own do not have an opportunity to thrive and realize those talents? The idea was then born to use our music to help.
We’re thrilled to start the week off by humbly showing off our own equipment – the Wandertec Bongo. Working together with local metals craftsmen, Stuart Henderson, we launched the Bongo that has become the foundation of Wandertec’s new direction.
Anne Marie modified the always versatile Bongo to suit her needs as a bike commuting massage therapist.
I [modified the Bongo] to hold my massage table so I could do house-calls without a car! This worked great. Next, I’m building something on the trailer to haul my gear on a long distance ride in Oregon this summer. Stay tuned.
Love our customers’ constantly evolving innovations and will stay tuned, as promised, and look forward to receiving more of your cycling-related submissions. For your more heavy-duty, more involved hauling needs, Wandertec is also in the process of manufacturing the Tuba – becoming available near April’s end.
Anne Marie’s produces handmade organic skincare products and delivers massage therapy services by bike. For more information: AMRE Massage.
While we’re getting a taste of Spring this week in Flagstaff, apparently it’s still snowing in some parts of the country. According to Seth in Maine:
I pedaled a Surly Pugsley into the northern end of Baxter State Park in Maine hauling a converted BOB trailer. Where the trailer wheel goes, I mounted an old rear-entry alpine boot to a K2 ski and hauled all my gear on that for a mountaineering adventure hiking the Traveler Loop.
It’s like a “Where’s Waldo” looking for that white alpine boot and ski. It’s only Tuesday. No giving up til at least Wednesday.
Dave’s made a business delivering cargo by bike with his Surly Bill trailer.
I decided to buy the Surly Bill trailer when my company, Rush Bicycle Messengers, had the need to haul huge loads of stuff all around Nashville. It was pretty easily built up with old hardware to some shelving and some wood. We mainly use this trailer to distribute a local magazine and local coffee all over the city. We’ve already bought another trailer and are probably going to get more! It’s a must have if you want to be car-less!
Live in Nashville and want more info? Visit their website. They deliver everything from lunch (aka beer – by the looks of it) to prescriptions to legal documents. Or check out other Surly products and cargo trailers if you prefer to be self-reliant.
Says Eric of his grocery and gear-hauling trailer:
I modified a Frugah trailer by adding supports to either side of the fork at the front of the trailer to stop the twisting that caused the hinged side braces to snap off of the top frame. I chopped off the suspension at the rear wheel and modified it to accept a 26″ wheel, and used rod as attachment points for MTM Spud 2 dry boxes that are watertight, lockable, protect gear from impact, and add 1/3 more cargo space. I welded tabs to the underside of the trailer to receive a kick stand and casters, so that I may attach a pull bar and use as a shopping cart in the grocery store. The larger wheel rolls over and through everything more smoothly than the 16″ tire, the axle is above the center of gravity rendering the load ballast, and the large wheel has a greater gyroscopic effect that damps side to side motion. Works well and I even have an orange tire on order! I may add orange dry bag panniers to the trailer fork on both sides of my rear wheel in the future.
Similar: Big Wheel BOB
We also sell grocery and errand-specific panniers if you don’t want to put in the effort to build your own shopping cart.
Larger 26″ wheel
According to Charley:
This was an unfinished project using a Giant cruiser frame and Xtracycle. A little challenging to mount a stop and cable slot under the crank for front derailer, but otherwise routine. This bike is really Giant!
Charley also added Xtracycle Freeloader Saddlebags and SnapDeck for extra cargo carrying capabilities.
Is one of your New Years resolutions to live a healthier lifestyle, bike more, be more “green” or even spend more time tinkering around with your new tools in the garage? …or old tools that look new because you never use them…
Bill accomplished all these in 2012:
I built up a semi-custom trailer off of a Nashbar kid trailer for hauling my kids to and from school, and for hauling cargo. Welding was with my little wire feed unit using 1/2 inch square tube, and the wooden slats are cut from a cedar 4×4. I now have hitch mounts on 3 of our household bicycles. The trailer has worked out really well so far; though I suppose I often push the weight limit. I basically use it like an SUV. I was able to pick up the kids all of last year with the mild notheast winter, and I leave the trailer locked at the train station each day while I commute on the train / bike to Philadelphia.
I am currently working on a wooden and acrylic weather shell that should look like an old camper to protect the kids this winter. Next up, a home made Bakfiet using the front end of a junk Chinese scooter!
Let’s hope Bill’s kids don’t outgrow his awesome bike builds too quickly.
Not feeling so “Tim Taylor?” Chariot and Burley child bike trailers are 10 – 35% off at BikeKidShop. Also checkout trailer-cycles as an alternative.
