I just bit the bullet and bought a hitch for my Hyundai. I also have a trailer now, a small flat one about 8 foot long and 6 foot wide. Anybody else hauling their bikes around on a trailer? How does it work out for you?
Bikes on trailers...any suggestions?
- Thread starter Bigcam59
- Start date
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This would be COOL 8)
Cool trailer. I have seen similar projects done before, mostly for motorcycles. The curved front donor trailers are cheap and plentiful if you know where to look, they are old single horse trailers.
Most people I have seen just go the cheap route: Harbor Freight, Northern Tool or whatever they can find at a farm store, and then attach the bikes however they want. A basic utility trailer with low solid sides is great for carrying all kinds of stuff, but if you attach bike trays you may need to remove them to do that.
The best trailer I have heard of specifically for bicycles is the Sportsrig:
http://www.sportsrig.com/
The reason it's good is because the trailer is built with a very light weight capacity--only 250 lbs for the smaller trailer--and so the (dampened!) suspension is tuned correctly for that amount. The ride is very soft and stable, even over bumpy roads.
The main downside is, it is expen$ive. The 'plain' versions don't include bike trays, you have to get them elsewhere (from Thule or Yakima or wherever).... Another disadvantage is that it's rather specialized, and--due to the small weight limit and lack of a cargo deck--is generally not useful for carrying just anything.
Worth keeping in mind though, should you win the lottery. Then you can buy me one too, just for telling ya. :wink:
The best trailer I have heard of specifically for bicycles is the Sportsrig:
http://www.sportsrig.com/
The reason it's good is because the trailer is built with a very light weight capacity--only 250 lbs for the smaller trailer--and so the (dampened!) suspension is tuned correctly for that amount. The ride is very soft and stable, even over bumpy roads.
The main downside is, it is expen$ive. The 'plain' versions don't include bike trays, you have to get them elsewhere (from Thule or Yakima or wherever).... Another disadvantage is that it's rather specialized, and--due to the small weight limit and lack of a cargo deck--is generally not useful for carrying just anything.
Worth keeping in mind though, should you win the lottery. Then you can buy me one too, just for telling ya. :wink:
No, I'm not a junk man by trade, this was moving day! lol
yoothgeye
I build stuff.
I have a flat trailer with no sides and the last time I needed to carry multiple bikes somewhere I made a quick and easy way to securely haul them and keep them off of each other.
I took some old 2x4s, I put 2 on their end (standing up 4" tall) at the front and back of the trailer. Then I layed other 2x4s on their end on top of those running from front to back of the trailer. I set them up so the gap in between the 2x4s was just wide enough for a tire and I nailed them together, so with the 2x4s standing up on the other 2x4s the support for the tires was about 7" tall, then I just used straps to hold the bikes down. I'm pretty sure I don't have a photo, so I crudely drew this:
I was very surprised at how secure the bikes stood there before I strapped them down. I just built it for an impromptu trip and basically threw it away when it was done, but I will probably use the same design to make another in the future. This could easily be made a double decker and not be any higher than an SUV with bikes on the roof.
I took some old 2x4s, I put 2 on their end (standing up 4" tall) at the front and back of the trailer. Then I layed other 2x4s on their end on top of those running from front to back of the trailer. I set them up so the gap in between the 2x4s was just wide enough for a tire and I nailed them together, so with the 2x4s standing up on the other 2x4s the support for the tires was about 7" tall, then I just used straps to hold the bikes down. I'm pretty sure I don't have a photo, so I crudely drew this:
I was very surprised at how secure the bikes stood there before I strapped them down. I just built it for an impromptu trip and basically threw it away when it was done, but I will probably use the same design to make another in the future. This could easily be made a double decker and not be any higher than an SUV with bikes on the roof.
suggestion- air bags between the bikes.I wounder if you can get them cheap at the auto salvage yard?
yoothgeye
I build stuff.
clamdigger said:
Like steering wheel airbags or suspension airbags? Either doesn't seem right. Just wait till you see someone throwing away a couch on the side of the road and grab the cushions to put in between bikes.
Inner tubes baby! 
