Bicycle Front Transport Carrier

Some loads are just too awkward to take on the back carrier, but to hook up the trailer seems overkill (certainly when it is disassembled in the attic).

This carrier can be installed or removed in 5 minutes.

Needed: (part of) hand cart
4 nuts & bolts (M8 or so)
2 plastic furniture caps
part of inner tube

Tools: drill
hacksaw and file
vice
paint stripper, primer, paint

Step 1 Handcart

I still had the frames of 2 handcarts, bought for the axles + wheels to make a 4 wheel trailer.

There always needs to be an immediate reason to start the creative juices flowing; in this case I have only one good crate and loads of Dahlia bulbs already dug up. Frost is predicted in 2 days.....!!!
The 4 wheel cart is able to take everything in 1 or 2 rides, but I don't have the proper containers. Better to take 1 crate at a time, and ride 4 or 5 times....

The first idea was to rent a pipe bender and assemble the carrier from 22 mm or 15 mm steel conduit pipe. It would require soldering or brazing, with quite a few Tees and Ls or welding. Welding could be done, but 20 years without practice would almost guarantee burning holes in the pipe, poor welds, and gaps for water to enter.

Anyway this is soo much easier:

1: Cut the handcart frame to the proper size

2: The lower part will be used

3: Take the 'fenders' off ( these are steel plates on the sides to protect the wheels). Bending back and forth a few times broke the spot welds). Finish the sharp edges.

Comments

[atfearnside]

Another way to support the carrier is to add steel strips at a 45 degree angle to the carrier base (the steel tubes that, on the hand cart, were vertical). If you considered that, did you not do it b/c it would interfere w/ potential loads that might be wider than the carrier?

[Cimarron_warrior]

It's always interesting to hear of different names for things from around the world.  Here in the states these are called Dollies and Hand Trucks among other things.

[Anoniempje]

I knew I remembered the weather from somewhere.... Well done. Might not need to buy a Kronan now ;)

[BobS]

In Holland it is called 'steekwagen' . The base plate IS too thin, as well as the bracket. The bike could easily handle a bigger load. Right now, I'm thinking of ways to enforce the square angle between the base plate and the rack, also light and perhaps fixing the sagging steel strips..... I have to take it apart for stripping & painting anyway.... BTW: all Dahlia bulbs have been taken from my allotment to my house !!!

[camb00]

These are actually called sack barrows BTW

[toekneebullard]

Nice idea, using the old hand cart. Does the rack itself not shimmy side to side?