Singlewheel trailers - experiences and modifications

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
andymiller
Posts: 1716
Joined: 8 Dec 2007, 10:26am

Re: Anyone use a trailer ?

Post by andymiller »

graymee wrote:P.S. That kit is not all mine, Mrs Graymee travels light.


I was going to say that I don't think I've ever seem anyone on the road with a trailer who didn't also have at least two back panniers. Does seem to be a risk with trailers.
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breakwellmz
Posts: 1982
Joined: 8 May 2012, 9:33pm

Re: Anyone use a trailer ?

Post by breakwellmz »

My neighbour was chucking one of these out yesterday,it a fishing tackle trolley.I see it as having`bicycle trailer`written all over it!

Square section 18g steel tubing,12" wheels.I`m looking to have it as a`upright`and attaching it to the seatpost via something QR.

Any suggestions on a`cheap and cheerful`for the latter?

Cheers
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BSS310[1].jpg
mercalia
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Joined: 22 Sep 2013, 10:03pm
Location: london South

Re: Anyone use a trailer ?

Post by mercalia »

I have one of those cheap bob yak look a likes. And they are mostly fine but for one thing. They all look basically the same and use the same attachment to the bike.

The QR skewer is a potential death trap and should prob be reported. I got my trailer for free as the QR skewer broke the 2nd time I used it. It broke at the lever end. This allowed me to see how it is made. The rod just screws into a little bobble at the lever end. Mine had only been screwed in by 2 theads, thats why it failed. I was able to estimate that the max number of threads that could be used was just 4!!! as mine had just pulled out not broken off.

The company i think were so embarresed and any way werent going to stock it any more that they gave me a full refund and didnt want it back. just do the maths. You can get these posted from Germany for about £50 incl postage. postage £10, profit say £25 leaves £15 for cost and transport from China!!

And rather than throw mine out I made my own skewer - What I needed was another screwon end. So I spend £15 on a skewer one from Ebay just for the screwon end, got some 5m threaded high tensile steel thread rod and made my own skewer - used a file to make spanner flats on one of the ends & just for safety put locknuts on either end. Has worked a treat
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Cunobelin
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Joined: 6 Feb 2007, 7:22pm

Re: Anyone use a trailer ?

Post by Cunobelin »

breakwellmz wrote:My neighbour was chucking one of these out yesterday,it a fishing tackle trolley.I see it as having`bicycle trailer`written all over it!

Square section 18g steel tubing,12" wheels.I`m looking to have it as a`upright`and attaching it to the seatpost via something QR.

Any suggestions on a`cheap and cheerful`for the latter?

Cheers



Yep....

The Bike Hod seatpost attachment and a length of garden hose

Image
mercalia
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Joined: 22 Sep 2013, 10:03pm
Location: london South

Re: Anyone use a trailer ?

Post by mercalia »

cjs wrote:
I've used both, an Ebay BOB copy and a LHT fully loaded.

My opinion:

The BOB copy was on a mountain bike in Spain but used on the road. The concept was good, the platform fine but the wheels and mounting to the axle skewer was total rubbish. I replaced the axle skewers twice but they did not last nor did the wheel and mudguard - cheap and nasty. Lightly loaded it was okay but with a full load, for me, it will not take it and was a waste of £75.

Compared to the real BOB there is no comparison. Forget a BOB yak copy if you want reliability. I would only consider a BOB if there was off road touring involved, then they are perfect, the real ones that is... The Carry Freedom by all accounts is a solid piece of kit.



other than the skewer which I agree is a dangerous bit of rubbish , what about the attachment to the bike did u feel was total rubbish? The method of locking the trailer to the bike axle seems not only clever but also likely to be durable, so what broke in your case?
cjs
Posts: 149
Joined: 4 Dec 2011, 10:13am

Re: Anyone use a trailer ?

Post by cjs »

mercalia wrote:
other than the skewer which I agree is a dangerous bit of rubbish , what about the attachment to the bike did u feel was total rubbish? The method of locking the trailer to the bike axle seems not only clever but also likely to be durable, so what broke in your case?


The attachment to the skewer worked fine as did the platform base. The wheel self destructed as did the mudguard.... The load bag was pretty tosh too but considering the price was OK. If the wheel, mudguard and skewer were of reasonable quality then well worth £75 or so... but as I received it I certainly would not recommend it for touring. Light use perhaps.... and then a BIG perhaps..

To be fair, a lot of use was with moderate to heavy loads - up to 2 kite surfing outfits, harnesses, summer wetsuits, helmet and 2 boards etc along with occasional loaded shopping returns.. in good weather..

of course YMMV...
Kind Regards
Chris...
mercalia
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Joined: 22 Sep 2013, 10:03pm
Location: london South

Re: Anyone use a trailer ?

Post by mercalia »

cjs wrote:
The attachment to the skewer worked fine as did the platform base. The wheel self destructed as did the mudguard.... The load bag was pretty tosh too but considering the price was OK. If the wheel, mudguard and skewer were of reasonable quality then well worth £75 or so... but as I received it I certainly would not recommend it for touring. Light use perhaps.... and then a BIG perhaps..



of course YMMV...



Sorry to press this, but how did the skewer fail? actually break & where (where the rod enters the lever?), or just wouldnt tighten anymore - or did the end bobble extension where the trailer attach actually break off or bend? As I say above I made my own skewer using 2 of the screw on bits but wonder if these are likely to stand the test of time & the extensions break off
cjs
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Joined: 4 Dec 2011, 10:13am

Re: Anyone use a trailer ?

Post by cjs »

mercalia wrote:.... but how did the skewer fail? .....


The skewer rod itself was malleable - it deformed quickly under normal load conditions at both ends of the wheel axle.

The overcentre locking mechanism failed on 2 occasions internally, the rod itself once.

If you have made alternative rod, overcentre and skewer couplings then the main components may well work well for you - personally if I was to use the frame I would dump the mudguard, put a decent wheel on and use a ortlieb rackpack as a container... but then the cost goes up...

If I was doing serious touring then my initial posted opinion would be the way forward..
-
Kind Regards
Chris...
graymee
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Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 10:11pm
Location: Witham St Hughs, Lincoln

Re: Anyone use a trailer ?

Post by graymee »

Looking at the link to the trailer on Amazon it looks almost identical to my Edinburgh Bike Coop trailer. I however haven't had any issues with the Q/R skewer and my trailer has been quite heavily loaded as you may have seen from my picture. I believe Edinburgh Bike still do spares for their trailer so buying a skewer from them might improve the situation.
I'm not old and cynical, I'm realistic!
mercalia
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Location: london South

Re: Anyone use a trailer ?

Post by mercalia »

my  skewer using 2 of the screw ends & 5m threaded rod
my skewer using 2 of the screw ends & 5m threaded rod
well here is my modified skewer - as u see I used 2 of the screw on ends of (2 of ) QR skewer, one of which I use a file to flatten 2 sides so I can use a spanner to tighten. The mudguard on my trailer isnt a full one - more likethe small plastic ones u see on mt bikes - splash guards. My wheel seem ok, has alloy rim and the spokes seem very tight and is quite true. The only thing I notice is there a bit of movement at the hub that some would put down to badly set up bearings. In this case its more to do with tolerances as the bearing are in fact self contained units that just pop in - a rather loose fit. It maybe possible to do some thing about this looseness. But in practice havent noticed any wobbling.
mercalia
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Re: Anyone use a trailer ?

Post by mercalia »

My trailer that I got for almost free
My trailer that I got for almost free
mercalia
Posts: 14630
Joined: 22 Sep 2013, 10:03pm
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Re: Anyone use a trailer ?

Post by mercalia »

by the way if any one want to do what I did - make your own screw on skewer for these cheapo trailers, you need to get another skewer for its screw on end. An Ebay shop that sells these trailers are selling them for £15 -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Skiiddii-Bike ... 6b2393b5b5

you can get the 5m threaded rod here -

http://www.ukfixings.net/High-Tensile-BZP-Threaded-Bar/

here also is a pic of the one original one that broke almost instantly -
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broken skewer.jpg
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breakwellmz
Posts: 1982
Joined: 8 May 2012, 9:33pm

Re: Anyone use a trailer ?

Post by breakwellmz »

Is that braze?
mercalia
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Joined: 22 Sep 2013, 10:03pm
Location: london South

Re: Anyone use a trailer ?

Post by mercalia »

I assume so. They screw the rod in ( by a max of 4 threads I estimate ) then lock it with "braze" As u see in my case it was the braze that was only really holding the rod in - and it didnt
mercalia
Posts: 14630
Joined: 22 Sep 2013, 10:03pm
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Re: Anyone use a trailer ?

Post by mercalia »

One of the nice things about these cheapo Bob Yak copies is that they are easy to dismantle and put back again quite quickly. They also pack down quite slim - I am working out how to take on a train - maybe strap to the bike to lift on and off with bag over shoulder. Here attached how well they pack down. click pic for larger version.
trailer  packs down nice small enough to put in a medium size garden sack
trailer packs down nice small enough to put in a medium size garden sack
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