DIY stroller. Adult bicycles with a sidecar What basic materials are needed for the job?

A bicycle trailer is an accessory vehicle that is attached to the rear of a bike's frame. Used to transport anything: cargo, personal belongings and even one-year-old children! This accessory has its supporters and opponents. Some consider a trailer to be an almost obligatory addition, while others can easily do without it, transporting their belongings in a backpack and (or) on the trunk. There are also those who are hearing about what a bicycle trailer is for the first time. Then it's time to get to know him better.

The designs of “cradles” are different: one- and two-wheel modifications, universal, cargo and children’s. A separate niche is occupied by a homemade bicycle trailer - an invention of summer residents and city fidgets who often transport cargo from place to place. We will talk about all these types of bicycle carts further.

Main types of bicycle trailers

One-wheeled and two-wheeled. The first option is, in fact, a wheelbarrow attached to a frame. It has low stability, unlike its “tractor”: it has two wheels, and the trailer has one. Well suited for transporting small and light loads, otherwise the maneuverability of the bike will deteriorate. Touring models with one wheel can support more weight.

Travel bag in a travel carrycot

A two-wheeled bicycle trailer is designed to carry heavier items than a single-wheeled one. It does not wobble to the sides, but it can skid when cornering. The design itself looks solid, and the bottom area of ​​the cart is larger.

Standard two-wheel bicycle trailers are used for light to medium weights and are called utility trailers. They will be great for transporting crops from the dacha, agricultural waste from the site, large but light objects within the city and beyond.

To transport weights up to 100 kg, a special heavy-duty cargo trailer was invented. The design is durable and unpretentious, although it requires an appropriate bicycle. Urban singlespeed, MTB and hybrid are suitable. It is not advisable to attach it to a road bike, because... These bikes are not designed for transportation, although they have good endurance.

Combination of strength and capacity

When using a trailer of this type, do not forget that the load should not protrude beyond the body. How profitable is it to use? Do you often have to change the location of bulky objects (for example, a TV, bricks, boards) within 10 - 15 km? Then the cargo bike trailer is just for you.

Bicycle strollers with frame mounting were invented especially for transporting small children. Not every bicycle has equipped child seats, but the child wants to ride or there is no one to leave him at home. A bicycle trailer for children will come to the rescue.

Distinctive features:

• structural stability;
• side protection against falling out on the go;
• roof;
• a lot of free space.

Children's bicycle trailer

In addition to covered strollers, you can also find open bicycle trailers on sale. They are usually for older children, from 3 years old. Whether it is worth buying such a trailer is up to the parents to decide. Although it’s much more useful to do it yourself.

How to create a bicycle trailer at home

To create a bicycle trailer with your own hands you will need the following:

• straight square pipes;
• corners;
• four corner pipes;
• wheels;
• eight metal plates;
• a metal sheet;
• boards;
• screws, nuts, self-tapping screws, nails for hammering together boards.

Tools you will need:

• drill;
• welding machine;
• electric jigsaw;
• spanners.

The first step in creating a trailer's supporting structure is to create a drawing with dimensions. You need to come up with them in advance, based on your own preferences. In general, the drawing will look like this:

Graphic representation of the trailer frame and drawbar

When we have decided on the size and location of all the elements of the future trailer, we begin to manufacture it. Holes of a diameter corresponding to the screws are drilled at the ends of the pipes and angles.

Important: all holes must coincide with each other when connecting parts accurately! The numerical dimensions of the distances of the holes from the edges are immediately indicated in the drawing.

So, the rectangle is assembled, the next task is to weld the cross members to it. To do this, pre-prepared pipes are taken, the lengths of which correspond to the width of the rectangle. The optimal number of crossbars is two.

Making external projections. Using a welding machine, we weld the corner pipes to each other and then to the sidewalls. The distance between the sidewalls and the outer tubes must correspond to the width of the wheel hubs.

Cutting seats for wheels:

1. Four identical plates are taken.
2. The size of the dropouts is marked on each.
3. Using a jigsaw, grooves are cut to fit the dimensions of the hub bolts of the wheels.
4. The plates are welded to the sides of the trailer frame and external pipes.

Blanks for wheels

The next stage of creating a trailer with your own hands is making walls from boards, welding a metal bottom and connecting the walls to it. Holes are drilled in the bottom into which metal corners are secured with bolts. The distance of the holes from the edges of the bottom is selected so that the corner is on the inside of the walls. We install a wooden rectangle and use self-tapping screws to secure it to the corners. The number of connections between the walls and the bottom is selected based on the size of the trailer, but the more, the better.

To complete the structure, all that remains is to make a drawbar, or an element for securing the trailer to the frame. Take two pipes and the remaining metal plates. The first pipe - vertical - is screwed to the rectangular frame of the trailer. A hole of a given diameter is drilled in the front part, exactly the same in the vertical pipe. Then, using a long bolt, we connect both parts.

The horizontal element of the drawbar must be attached to the vertical pipe and the bicycle frame. We take four plates and drill holes in each. Then we weld along the edges of the pipe on both sides. The horizontal part of the drawbar is adjusted to the vertical one, and both pipes are firmly secured with a bolt and nut. We select the height of the horizontal pipe depending on the bike.

Mounting rod (horizontal)

The last thing left to do is to secure the trailer to the back of the frame. The seats for the bolt are ready, we push the drawbar with the plates forward and tighten it. The trailer is ready. Using this principle, you can also make a trailer for children: higher walls, a seat and a canvas canopy.

Bicycle cradle on the roads: traffic safety rules

With additional load, the bike becomes more dangerous both for the driver and for other road users. When going out on the road with a trailer, the cyclist must make sure:

• all fastenings in the trailer are in good working order;
• in the reliability of the connections of the drawbar pipes with each other and with the bicycle;
• in a safe location of the load.

The permitted dimensions of the transported cargo in width are no more than 0.5 m in each direction. It is advisable to screw a reflective element onto the trailer if it is homemade.

One way or another, the additional bogie at the rear worsens the bike's handling, especially on sharp turns. The overall speed of travel with a trailer should be lower than what the cyclist normally maintains. In other words, the bicycle turns into a slow-moving vehicle.

A bicycle and a trailer behind it can become a serious bait for dogs. All cyclists know firsthand about their partiality for two-wheeled transport, but imagine if they see four such wheels? An animal attack on a bicycle distracts you from driving and can result in an accident. Keeping this in mind, we choose a safe route. It’s a good idea to have some protection with you – a stun gun or pepper spray.

A bicycle trailer is an indispensable assistant for business cyclists who prefer to cope with the difficulties of transporting things on their own. It will serve perfectly for trips to the country, as well as on the site. Moreover, the trailer, separately from the bike, can be used as a wheelbarrow. Are you excited about purchasing a bike trailer? Then hurry to the store or workshop to make it yourself.

– the distinguishing thing is that it significantly expands the capabilities of the bicycle in terms of cargo transportation. The simplest trailer, the design of which is described in this manual, is equipped with a platform on which you can transport various items, from personal belongings to sand, bricks, and so on. As for the sides, you can also make them, but this is at your discretion.

The bicycle discussed below is made from almost waste materials. The frame was made from parts from an old golf cart (or something similar). The platform is made of such a common material as wood. Of course, wood adds weight to the trailer, but it is the most affordable material.

Materials and tools that the author used for homemade work:

List of materials:
- an old stroller (or other similar spare parts);
- bicycle wheels (if they were not on the selected stroller);
- wooden boards;
- self-tapping screws;
- steel pipe clamps;
- screws, bolts, washers, nuts;
- two wheels from trolleys (for making a fastening device);
- an old cable from bicycle brakes (or similar);
- two reflectors (installed on the trailer);
- steel fastening loops.

List of tools:
- ;
- Bicycle Pump;
- pliers and wire cutters;
- screwdriver;
- hammer;
- wood hacksaw;
- ruler, marker or pencil;
- a hacksaw or grinder (may be needed).

Trailer manufacturing process:

Step one. Preparing materials
The first thing you need to get is bicycle wheels. Finding them in good condition can sometimes be problematic. You will also need metal tubes for the frame; they can be obtained from old strollers, bicycles, and so on. By the way, previously excellent aluminum tubes were used in cornices.

Also prepare the boards; they should be strong, but as thin and light as possible so that the trailer is not difficult to pull with a bicycle.

The author disassembles the stroller using. We remove everything that is not necessary.

Step two. Let's start assembling the frame
After disassembling the stroller, the author still had axles with wheels, as well as an element in the shape of the letter “P”. These components needed to be connected. You can’t weld aluminum, you can only drill or do as the author does. We simply take steel pipe clamps and tightly tighten the elements together. For reliability, you can install more clamps. To strengthen the structure, the author drilled holes in the pipes and secured them with additional bolts and nuts. The parts are now securely connected.

Step three. Central supports
It will be necessary to make supports in the center of the frame so that the platform does not sag under load. Here you will need tubes that need to be secured. On one side, the author had already secured them, and on the other, he inserted a threaded rod across the entire frame and secured the tubes with nuts and washers.

Step four. Trailer drawbar
To connect the trailer to the bicycle you will need a piece of square steel pipe or other similar part. Cut it to the required length and attach it to the trailer frame. How to do this, choose a convenient way for yourself. The author used a steel clamp with nuts, as well as metal loops for these purposes. However, you can drill holes in the pipe and fasten the drawbar with bolts and nuts. Additionally, the structure can be strengthened with the same clamps. The most important thing is that the tongue does not come off the trailer when loaded.

Step five. Connecting a trailer to a bicycle
Due to the fact that the trailer must move up or down when driving on uneven roads, it cannot be attached rigidly to the bicycle. The trailer must also be able to turn. In this regard, the hinge must have at least 2 degrees of freedom, that is, movement must be available in the horizontal and vertical directions.

To solve this problem, the author purchased two wheels from a cart. Each wheel can move around its axis at an angle of 360 degrees. Simply remove the wheels from them, and then connect both structures using a bolt and nut. Instead of a bolt and nut, the author uses a special rod. This knot is important because it will allow you to quickly unhook the trailer from the bike if necessary.

Attach one part to the bicycle frame, the author attaches it to the rear fork near the axle, there are two suitable holes there. Secure the second part to the trailer drawbar; the author securely tightened it with loops with bolts and nuts. Select the correct mounting angle so that the trailer can change the angle within the specified range. That's all, we got an excellent unit for attaching a trailer to a bicycle.

Step six. Insurance
Just in case, you need to make insurance that will hold the trailer if the main fastening unit suddenly becomes detached. For these purposes, the author used a bicycle braking system. Remove the part that contains the brake pads from one end. Make a secure loop at the end of the cable. As for the brake lever, you can leave it.

Attach the brake handle to the trailer frame and route the cable inside the drawbar. As a result, the end of the cable with a loop should come out near the rear fork of the bicycle. Attach it to the frame in any way possible. Now, if the main tie-down unit fails, your trailer will be held in place by a cable until it comes to an emergency stop.

Step seven. Manufacturing and fastening of a wooden platform
We prepare the boards, cut them depending on the size of the trailer and sand them so that the platform is easy to clean and does not tear the packages if you transport them. It is also highly recommended to paint the wood so that it does not absorb moisture.

Well, then we use self-tapping screws and assemble the platform. It is attached to the frame using bolts and nuts, using special metal fasteners for pipes.

A bicycle, as you know, is not designed to carry significant loads. One of the ways to increase the weight transfer of a bicycle is to use a trailed bicycle stroller (Fig. 1). A bicycle stroller with removable bodies - boxes, containers, cradles - is quite versatile and allows you to transport various loads, including bulk materials. If you attach a closed body from a baby stroller to such a bicycle stroller, then you can carry a preschool child in it.

Let's look at how to make a bicycle stroller.

The design of the bicycle stroller uses one wheel from a teenage bicycle of the “Schoolboy” type, the rest of the parts are homemade.

The bicycle stroller is attached to the pipe using two easily removable clamps. The pipe, in turn, is connected to the lower fork of the bicycle frame on two brackets. The stroller has folding struts (supports), which allow it to stand even when the bicycle is disconnected.

To make such a bicycle stroller, no scarce parts are required, except for four springs - shock absorbers. The remaining parts are made from strip iron (steel) 3-5 mm thick, profile iron (angles) and pipes. For dimensions and configuration of parts, see the specification and Fig. 2.

The stroller is assembled using electric or gas welding. If it is not possible to weld the parts, then, as a last resort, they can be assembled using bolted corners, but this will slightly increase the total weight of the stroller.

Thoroughly clean the parts of the assembled bicycle stroller from traces of rust and paint them with varnish or metal paint.

Bicycle stroller parts specification

(Overall dimensions of finished parts)

Letter designation of the part	the name of detail	Quantity	Dimensions in mm
			Length	Width	Thickness
A	Fork	1	270	30	4
B	Base	1	510	30	4
IN	Longitudinal strip	2	355	30	4
G	Corner	2	146	32x32	4
D	Easily removable clamp	2	110	32	3
E	Cross bar	2	330	30	4
AND	Shock absorber springs	4	-	-	-
Z	Strut (emphasis)	2	280	20	3
AND	Cross member of struts	1	305	-	Ø8
TO	Pipe	1	370	-	Ø20
L	Pipe bracket	2	114	30	3
M	coupling	1	38	-	Ø26

The bicycle is an ancient invention of mankind and is itself a unique device. In order to expand its functionality, people began to use additional designs, which include bicycle trailers. A bicycle trailer helps solve some transportation problems.

What is the use of a bicycle trailer?

• The trailer allows you to significantly increase the amount and weight of the cargo being transported, while no damage is caused to the bicycle when moving, because all the weight is redistributed to the trailer itself.
• Trailers are very convenient for transporting children; the journey will seem comfortable and easy.
• Large loads can also be easily moved if the bike is equipped with a trailer.

A tourist unicycle bicycle trailer easily allows you to transport cargo when traveling even on narrow paths; moving across rough terrain is easy and simple.

A bicycle trailer for a child has stricter design requirements than just for transporting any cargo. Such trailers must be equipped with seat belts and shock absorbers. Anyone who builds a structure on their own should remember this. An industrial children's bicycle trailer must undergo a rigorous test that is no less important than a car trailer.

Kinds

The most commonly used trailers are two-wheel trailers, usually child-carrying or cargo-carrying designs.

Single-wheeled models are a flexible tandem, so to speak, an additional seat, which has an independent drive, a chain drive to the attached wheel. Such a trailer moves quite obediently along a straight section of the road, but when turning, difficulties arise: the rear wheel begins to drag, rather than roll.

Another model, much less common, is when the trailer is attached to the front. The bicycle does not drag the trailer behind it, but rather pushes it. This design is the most complicated and difficult to manage.

How to make a bike trailer

In the summer, many people exchange stuffy, uncomfortable transport for a light and easy-to-ride bicycle. To make travel exciting not only for adults, but also for children, many use a trailer for transportation. Buying a design costs money, so many craftsmen invent it in their own way. So how can you assemble a bicycle trailer with your own hands? Let's describe the simplest method.

What basic materials will be needed for the job?

• Three tubes with a diameter of 2 cm, each three meters long.
• Bushings.
• Copper basket or MDF sheet (from which you can build a basket).
• Two locknuts.
• Thread cutter.
• Wheels.
• Shock absorbers.
• Seat belts.

Sequencing

When the material is prepared, you can safely begin work without doubting success. The basis of the trailer will be the frame. To create it, you just need to prepare a drawing in advance. The pipe will bend along it. Take a large sheet of paper and draw on it the shape of the future frame, it is better if it is an oval. Bend the pipe along the drawn lines.

One such curved tube will serve as the bottom for the trailer; from the other, bend the back like a sleigh. These two elements need to be soldered together. Along the edges of the frame, solder bushings in the places where the wheels will be attached. Install the wheels yourself.

The next step is to install the bottom. Now you need a copper basket. Instead, you can take a thick sheet of MDF, but the disadvantage of this material is that it quickly gets wet. For the bottom, it is better to use moisture-resistant materials; for example, the side walls can be made from thick tarpaulin or thin wood panels.

If the trailer will be used to transport children, install shock absorbers. Provide comfortable seats with

Bicycle connection

Solder a metal tube to the trailer, with which the structure will be attached to the bicycle. In addition to the trailer structure itself, it is necessary to make a unit connecting the trailer to the bicycle, the so-called drawbar. You can make it from an inch pipe and metal plates. Bend the pipe into an L-shape. Solder metal plates in place of the corner, insert a bolt between them, which will act as a clamp. Install the lower bolt perpendicular to the upper one; it should cross the hole in the pipe and attach to the lower clamp.

Don't forget about the towbar. The bicycle must have a trunk. Install one hinge part on the drawbar, and the second on the trunk.

This is a simple way to build a bicycle trailer with your own hands. It can serve you well on family trips, transporting children or moving small-sized cargo.

Exploitation

A bicycle trailer is not at all difficult to use. Anyone who has tried to use it can confirm this. When rolling on a horizontal surface, a trailer full of children is not felt at all. It does not hinder movements, does not interfere with control or maneuverability.

Just remember that the trailer itself is wider than the bicycle, so don’t forget to leave more space when turning around or when driving in narrow places (between trees, along paths). Please note that when turning, the bicycle trailer moves in an internal arc. When going down a hill, it is the trailer that accelerates the bike, but with proper braking, this problem is easily solved.

Problems arise when driving on loose soil or uphill. Of course, this is due to the weight of the trailer, because, whatever one may say, it weighs no less than 50 kg along with its cargo. And yet, driving with a trailer is somewhat easier than if you carry the same weight on the trunk.

Of course, moving on asphalt with a trailer is much easier, but we can safely say that a bicycle trailer is also convenient for driving on dense dirt roads, paving stones, and grass. With this design, you can even overcome shallow ruts, because the gap between the bottom and the road is not so small. There is no risk of tipping over, even if on uneven roads in some places one wheel is higher than the other.

The loose ascents create a problem for movement. The bicycle and trailer get buried in them too quickly. It is difficult to overcome any obstacles with a trailer, be it logs or ditches. Riding on narrow paths is also extremely uncomfortable; the bike has difficulty making turns and hits everything that sticks out around.

In general, a bicycle trailer is a great help. Having thought through the route in advance, you can have fun and easily go on an interesting trip with the whole family.