Cart Bike

Step 4 Stabilize the forks

The bike needs to articulate a little for the irregularities in the road. Leaving the forks hanging free makes the bike prone to leaning over when you turn. Just using a few zip ties to connect each fork to the shopping cart frame helps stabilize the bike and prevents it from falling over. I would like to find a more permanent solution. It needs to allow the fork to swing forward and back but prevent too much side to side sway.

Comments

[svstick98]

that is the best bike i,v sen cool from sam

[servion]

Instead of the tie-wraps, just fix two hydraulic suspensions: one at the end of the forks, the other end on the bottom of the shopping cart.

[zieak]

That's a great idea!

[Benjoe96]

why don`t you put the forks in the actual basket thrue the door in the back first ,for stability, then connect the handle bars.

[caseyg]

What might work is a rigid link to the door, and a spring/bungie cord holding the door partway open. That lets the door swing open and closed slightly, while giving the bike lateral stability.

[jtaronson]

I'm with Jerry, I reckon you only need two front wheels for stability, and it would definitely turn better without those casters on... Maybe a 3/4" wheelbarrow like axle with corresponding tires, welded to the structural tubes of the frame would be your best bet. also I'd add a crossbar to weld the fork to in such a way that you could pedal w/out hitting the floor while placing the steering column in such a way that it'd be more perpendicular to the ground (again to help turning). Nice one, I'm thinking of making a conversion myself!

[dane24]

why not weld a metal pipe to the cart frame and weld on hinges to the pipe and the fork

[ericcartman1717]

one problem I had was If you were to lean forward or stand up on the bike the front of the cart would lift lowering the forks to the ground it might be a good idea to put zip-ties connecting to the bar infront of the forks to fix this problem.(this might be just because the wheels on the front of the cart I use don't match the back and makes it hard to stand on the back of it without flipping. Altogether I enjoyed this instructable and would not have a use for the useless rusty cart in the yard if not for this instructable ,thanks

[zieak]

Very cool that you put one together - have any photos to share? I experimented with some threaded rod on the fork but things just didn't line up. Because of the frame geometry the forks need to swing a little from side to side during a turn. And if you ride over a dip the contraption needs to articulate a bit. Perhaps some chain bolted where the front axle belongs that is attached to the cart with some shackles would be worth playing around with. You do need to make sure that the bolt in the stem is tight or a de-facing sure is possible!

[JerryMopar]

I bet this would work even better if you stripped the standard casters off (which really are not meant for speeds above .5 mph!! :D) , and get some small 6" pnuematic tires (that you use for gas gocarts) they have sealed bearings and would be great for this appliaction. Just have them on the middle of the side of the cart, and you would be all set!!

[bovine]

I think I'd use a stick of all-thread to stabilize the side-to-side sway problem. Simply run the all-thread [5/16" or 3/8"] through the fork connectors and mark the intersect on the cart supports, drill a couple of holes and cinch the whole thing down w/ a liberal amount of nuts and washers. The all-thread/bolts are very sturdy, but will bow, allowing the "carike" to follow the contours of the road. I think I'd be looking to replace the solid cart wheels with some small inflatable tires to increase bike speed and cut down on the racket... cause when your cruising in a shopping cart you need to have speed and stealth.

[tsaylor]

If you have access to a welder, you could weld a bar horizontally between the back corners of the wheel frame and then another vertically from the center of that bar to the center of the back bottom bar of the cargo section of the cart. This second bar would pass between the forks and keep it from going too far to the side. You could make the bar wider, or put in two bars spaced wide enough, to hold the fork totally in place horizontally.