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Cart Bike

Step 4Stabilize the forks

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.
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11 comments
Sep 2, 2011. 11:46 PMsvstick98 says:
that is the best bike i,v sen cool from sam
Jul 30, 2009. 6:44 AMservion says:
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.
Jul 31, 2009. 3:39 PMBenjoe96 says:
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.
Aug 14, 2009. 1:03 PMcaseyg says:
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.
May 27, 2009. 3:42 PMjtaronson says:
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!
Mar 28, 2009. 7:48 AMdane24 says:
why not weld a metal pipe to the cart frame and weld on hinges to the pipe and the fork
Jan 6, 2009. 11:40 PMericcartman1717 says:
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
Jul 17, 2008. 5:33 AMJerryMopar says:
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!!
Aug 29, 2007. 11:33 AMbovine says:
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.
Aug 23, 2007. 5:00 PMtsaylor says:
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.

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Author:zieak(Zieak's site)
I like making things out of items that would have otherwise been discarded. Check out my other projects! Now a PE teacher in Mongolia! I don't have much time or even the resources to make much any m...
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