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Step 6Finishing Touches / Using the Trailer
I drilled a few holes to attach the lid with bungee cords. If I have a need for more capacity, I'll set something up where you can strap things to the lid.
I'd recommend a few safety measures--such as a blinking red LED, or reflectors, or both. Incidentally, it seems like most bike stores have a surplus of reflectors (they are usually removed if you're installing a rear light), so just go in and ask--I got a few of them for free.
If I wanted to be extra safe, I'd get a trailer flag (so motorists can see there's something behind you), but I haven't bothered yet.
Pulling a trailer behind you feels a bit weird--it still does "surge" (push and pull, with your pedaling), but you get used to it. This would be solved by a more rigid connection (e.g., a universal joint). Also, you can't take corners nearly as fast, and going uphill is more of a pain (depending on your load).
Also, it doesn't track terribly well--i.e., it "waggles" as I head down the road a little bit. I'm not sure if this could be helped by truing up the wheels or something. Based on random web reading, it seems like the longer the distance between the axle and the tow point, the more stable it will be... but I'm not planning on changing that.
One nice effect of the air hose quick connect is that there's a rotational degree of freedom. Therefore, you can set your bicycle down on its side, or lean it up against something, without flipping the trailer. Also, I think it makes it corner a little more nicely.
With this trailer, I've managed to reduce my car use a fair amount--grocery runs for moderately large things aren't a problem. However, Home Depot lumber runs probably aren't in the works. It's also neat because (at least here in People's Republic of Cambridge) people sometimes smile and wave when they see a homemade trailer like this passing them.
One last step I'll need to complete--putting an Instructable sticker on it, so people know how to make these things!
I'd recommend a few safety measures--such as a blinking red LED, or reflectors, or both. Incidentally, it seems like most bike stores have a surplus of reflectors (they are usually removed if you're installing a rear light), so just go in and ask--I got a few of them for free.
If I wanted to be extra safe, I'd get a trailer flag (so motorists can see there's something behind you), but I haven't bothered yet.
Pulling a trailer behind you feels a bit weird--it still does "surge" (push and pull, with your pedaling), but you get used to it. This would be solved by a more rigid connection (e.g., a universal joint). Also, you can't take corners nearly as fast, and going uphill is more of a pain (depending on your load).
Also, it doesn't track terribly well--i.e., it "waggles" as I head down the road a little bit. I'm not sure if this could be helped by truing up the wheels or something. Based on random web reading, it seems like the longer the distance between the axle and the tow point, the more stable it will be... but I'm not planning on changing that.
One nice effect of the air hose quick connect is that there's a rotational degree of freedom. Therefore, you can set your bicycle down on its side, or lean it up against something, without flipping the trailer. Also, I think it makes it corner a little more nicely.
With this trailer, I've managed to reduce my car use a fair amount--grocery runs for moderately large things aren't a problem. However, Home Depot lumber runs probably aren't in the works. It's also neat because (at least here in People's Republic of Cambridge) people sometimes smile and wave when they see a homemade trailer like this passing them.
One last step I'll need to complete--putting an Instructable sticker on it, so people know how to make these things!
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