Need side car help

[Plays_with_toys]

Ok, one of my really good friends is dating a guy who lost his leg to polio when he was an infant. In a few weeks is one of the biggest festivals our town throws called "Tour de Fat", hosted by the New Belgium brewery. She is really excited to go, but after leaving the bike shop empty handed for him (no tandem or tricycle would work)I thought I might be able to build a side car to mount onto her bike (non-permanently).

I searched on here and found some awesome ideas, but I guess I am putting out the feeler for anyone who has a sketch, a picture, an idea, anything for making a detachable, sit down side car.

I was thinking of getting a second frame of similar size and using everything but the fork, weld some extensions that go out to her functional cruiser, and then use pipe clamps to hold it onto her frame, then build a platform and mount a seat between her bike and the extra frame.

much like this design here:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=5816&p=59283&hilit=sidecar#p59283

I also really like this low profile one here (any more pics?):
viewtopic.php?f=22&t=5796&p=58842&hilit=sidecar#p58842

 

[Crassly]

You might search the archives at bikerodnkustom.com for additional ideas.

 

[user 135]

I think you have the right idea. The only other idea would be to get an kids trailer and scab on some how.

 

[Plays_with_toys]

The latest idea is to use a jogging stroller beefed up. It has 3, 20" wheels in a triangle. Ditch one and keep the others. Then build up reinforcements and attachment points. I sent out an SOS on craigslist looking for people who are able to donate a frame/wheel/tire to get this done and have already gotten several responses. I will be talking to a bike shop owner on monday, and to top it off, tonight I figured out how to fix the springer fork on my Tour de Fat cruiser! :mrgreen:

 

[IronSpadeCycles]

Are you in Fort Collins? Me and my bros have been going up there from Denver every year for the past 7 years for that ride. I guess this will make the first year I've missed it. I brought up some radical builds for the Tour every year and there some weird koots that come out of the woodwork for that event! It's a costume party alright!
Both my bro John and I have built some way cool side hacks. The last one was made just from some tubing and a 20" front wheel and fork welded to the tubing as the outrigger. The car was nothing more than some canvas sewn with rope between the tubes. I imagine if you put some thought into it you could make the base out of 1" cheap mild steel and the "car" out of conduit with canvas or plastic tarp material as the sides. Or for that matter you could just go to Walmart and buy a bolt on boat seat and mount that with a seat belt for the guy so he don't fall out. Or again you could drive down to Errie to the IMI Kart racing track and get a cheap kart racing seat for about $50 and that would hold him in like a glove. Side cars are fun but think about pedaling with another two people strapped to your bike. You've got the dead weight of the other person as well as about 45-55lbs for the rig itself. Gears are a must and so is RedBull!

Hope this helps. Shoot me a PM and I'll help you out with some drawings.

Later Travis

 

[Plays_with_toys]

^^^ Yes I am in Fort Collins. I'm worried about her ability to actually pedal the thing. She only has a single speed coaster brake, but they don't need to go fast. I've been concentrating on getting my bike done so much I haven't even thought about what kind of costume I should throw together for the event. Too bad you're not going to be up there.

Speaking of redbull, the Redbull downhill soapbox derby is in denver this year.

 

[Plays_with_toys]

Ok, the build is on. I picked up steel jogging stroller today from craigslist. Will be welding on some bracing. Also needs a new seat, and I think I will use some 1/8" rod bent into curves wrapped with canvas to make the profile more sleek.