Folding Cart for Your Bicycle or Shopping When Walking to the Market

Walking Biking Shopping Cart

I started this build over 2.5 years ago I needed a bike cart that did not take up my entire garage it had to hold at least 30 lbs I have easily hit 50 lbs its very strong and rugged . About 6 months ago I started walking for exercise and weight loss so I added a handle and leg with my bike cart, still works as a bike cart. I walk 2 miles now to buy groceries using this cart I find there are so many uses for this cart now I toss it in my car and hit the farmers market or flea market I like this cart better then the carts in the stores and I need no bags. In the 2.5 years I have made this cart I have over 200 miles on it.

UPDATE I made a second cart I ironed out many short falls second cart is for walking only but easy to add a bike towing option I don't give exactly wear to cut or bolt stuff on your cart might be a different make or a person only 5' tall I'm 6'4" so my handle need to be higher then your handle, but if you look at the photos its easy to make you just need the cart.

Step 1: Its Easy to Build

First you need to find a BagBoy golf bag cart they fold up they are very strong I have brought 3 of them all at yard sales, 2 for one dollar each, and 1 for 5 dollars one thing to watch for make sure the wheels have ball bearings the 5 dollar one only had sleeves and would start making noise if I did not keep them oiled

You will need to fit your cart for how tall you are ,and your bike I can't tell you were to cut so I put lots of photos of thing to help you watch for and tips when building your cart + some parts I found you wont find the same part but can make something or find a different solution when you have cart open its fairly obvious it really is easy to build .

Step 2: Gorilla Glue Is Great Stuff.

You will need to glue some old bike tires on the cart wheels the wheels on golf carts are for grass I used Gorilla glue small nails to hold them in place when drying I have well over 200 miles on these wheels now the Gorilla Glue is great stuff.

UPDATE. I am trying the new cart without gluing on tire covers as it just for tossing in my car and shopping at the farmers market and grocery shopping if it turns out the wheels wear fast I will put on the bike tires and add photos of how I do that.

Step 3: Leg and Handel

I had some old antenna parts but you get the idea ACE Hardware or Home Depot I have more pictures of the leg and handle coming up.

UPDATE. I used the steel plates they make for hanging light fixtures form the ceiling brought at ACE and I used the ends that you have to cut off of the cart for the leg and handle I use 2" pins to lock leg and handle this works way better then the antenna parts see all photos .

Step 4: Check Online

I looked on line at bike trailers to see how they hooked to there bikes this is how I did it.

Step 5: Compact

small fits about anywhere

Step 6: Hang It

it weights about 10 to 12 lbs so you can hang it up for storage

Step 7: Keep All the Pieces

When you take your cart keep the straps nuts bolts

Step 8: Baskets

I found the blue one a Costco and the gray one at Walmart when I am carrying something heavy like watermelons I put the gray one into the blue one

Step 9: Just a Close Up

before I added handle and leg I use a small lock when towing lock is not there

Step 10: Plywood and Metal Brackets

thin plywood and metal brackets for floor of cart.

UPDATE. just some extra shots I used Simpson metal brackets ACE or any hardware store will carry and some 1/4 scrap door skin plywood some of the shots I wanted to carry 2 baskets at a time but was not able to get were it would balance well.

Step 11: A Few Shots With 2 Baskets

2 baskets would work but had to be careful when loading them I was able to topple cart when trying 2 baskets one of the nice things about this cart in the configuration I have made it that it is so stable even when your carrying a full cart in fact it becomes easier to walk with a load in this cart over an empty cart.

Step 12: A Second or Third Better Look at Leg and Handle

A better look at how I did the handle and legs I use wing nuts so I can fold handle and leg you definitely need this to be strong

UPDATE this is only of the first cart build

Step 13: Loads How to Secure

Typical small load its very easy to roll its a 2 mile walk over dirt trails you can see the watermelon why I started using the gray hard box to keep watermelon from rolling around

UPDATE I used the Carabiner to hold the pack my bags from Costco had a stitched loop that worked perfect you might have to come up with some thing a bit different

Step 14: Score Card

I almost forgot this shot like I said earlier keep all the bits you will find them useful

UPDATE the steel plate works way better

Step 15:

I'm a bad writer so I let the photos do the talking I did a new cart for my regular 2 wheel bike I found a old cane handle I cut up cane handles are very strong they use double wall construction and are light weight I had to bash it a bit but did the job doing it this way I was able to have a very short light weight hitch piece added to my bike and then just use the pull handle as the tow bar fast and easy when shopping flip the leg into place and off I go into the market also I did not want to build a mount from me rear wheel as my bike is electric so far so good I do tend to keep the weight down that I carry using this cart to no more then 25 lbs this way because I am now carrying the weight on the hinged pull handle when I use the one on my ice recumbent bike it pulls from the cart frame see photos if you want to carry more weight I would mount from the rear wheel of the bike and fold the handles back like I do on my recumbent bike . I will also add a sleeve of pipe in the handle that slides over the pin to keep the plastic from wearing out.