Go Back   EcoModder Forum > AltModding > Alternative Transportation
Register Now
 Register Now
 

Reply  Post New Thread
 
Submit Tools LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 05-29-2011, 09:08 PM   #1 (permalink)
EV test pilot
 
bennelson's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Oconomowoc, WI, USA
Posts: 4,435

Electric Cycle - '81 Kawasaki KZ440
90 day: 334.6 mpg (US)

S10 - '95 Chevy S10
90 day: 30.48 mpg (US)

Electro-Metro - '96 Ben Nelson's "Electro-Metro"
90 day: 129.81 mpg (US)

The Wife's Car - Plug-in Prius - '04 Toyota Prius
90 day: 78.16 mpg (US)
Thanks: 17
Thanked 663 Times in 388 Posts
Lazy Custom Baby Bicycle trailer



My wife loves biking, but hasn't done any since having the baby (this past October)

I pulled our bikes out of storage a couple days ago, but without either a babysitter or some way to bring the baby with, they aren't going to be very useful.

I was looking around at rummage sales and thrift stores for a bicycle trailer, but couldn't find any. At the big box store, a bike trailer is $100 on sale
I probably have enough weird spare parts kicking around that I could BUILD a bike trailer, but I am so busy with other things right now that I don't really have the time for it.

The other day, I was talking to my new friend Justin while installing new tires on the electric motorcycle. He had a semi-junked bicycle trailer kicking around and just gave it to me.

It's not a trailer that would actually hold a small child in its current form - just a frame and 2 wheels.

Our baby car seat has a removable base, designed to be left in the car, just seat-belted in place.

I modified the bike trailer frame by adding two cross supports, bolted down with u-bolts. The car seat base rests directly on those supports. I then used a ratchet strap (in place of a seat belt) to pin the base down to the frame.

Then, we just put the baby in her car seat, (complete with 5-point harness) and snap it into the base on the trailer.

Worked pretty well first time out!

The handle on the car seat acts as a roll bar, and it already has a folding shade top.

I may still add an additional roll bar, and maybe a little windshield. Pretty fast/lazy/easy way to build a child bike trailer!

Here's some photos!






__________________


300mpg.org Learn how to BUILD YOUR OWN ELECTRIC CAR CHEAP
My YouTube Videos
  Reply With Quote
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to bennelson For This Useful Post:
Nevyn (06-01-2011), Ryland (10-11-2011)
Alt Today
Popular topics

Other popular topics in this forum...

   
Old 05-30-2011, 03:00 AM   #2 (permalink)
aero guerrilla
 
Piwoslaw's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Warsaw, Poland
Posts: 3,691

Svietlana II - '13 Peugeot 308SW e-HDI 6sp
90 day: 58.1 mpg (US)
Thanks: 1,268
Thanked 721 Times in 458 Posts
Nice find! And cool kid! I hope he keeps smiling when you hit bumps. I'd put larger wheels on to keep the ride smooth.
__________________
e·co·mod·ding: the art of turning vehicles into what they should be

What matters is where you're going, not how fast.

"... we humans tend to screw up everything that's good enough as it is...or everything that we're attracted to, we love to go and defile it." - Chris Cornell


[Old] Piwoslaw's Peugeot 307sw modding thread
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-30-2011, 06:25 AM   #3 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
euromodder's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Belgium
Posts: 4,683

The SCUD - '15 Fiat Scudo L2
Thanks: 178
Thanked 652 Times in 516 Posts
Nice solution !
__________________
Strayed to the Dark Diesel Side

  Reply With Quote
Old 05-30-2011, 08:13 AM   #4 (permalink)
EV test pilot
 
bennelson's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Oconomowoc, WI, USA
Posts: 4,435

Electric Cycle - '81 Kawasaki KZ440
90 day: 334.6 mpg (US)

S10 - '95 Chevy S10
90 day: 30.48 mpg (US)

Electro-Metro - '96 Ben Nelson's "Electro-Metro"
90 day: 129.81 mpg (US)

The Wife's Car - Plug-in Prius - '04 Toyota Prius
90 day: 78.16 mpg (US)
Thanks: 17
Thanked 663 Times in 388 Posts
I did notice that my wife's bike has suspension on the seat and the front forks, but the trailer has none. (other than the padding built into the child seat)

I figure it wouldn't hurt to run the trailer tires at lower than standard pressure to make for a softer ride. Yes, it would require pedaling just a tad harder, but we bike partly for exercise anyways!

The roads we bike on a pretty smooth, other than the pedestrian path, where they put in two speed bumps!
__________________


300mpg.org Learn how to BUILD YOUR OWN ELECTRIC CAR CHEAP
My YouTube Videos
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-30-2011, 11:04 AM   #5 (permalink)
EcoModding Apprentice
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Houston
Posts: 228
Thanks: 0
Thanked 23 Times in 17 Posts
I like it.
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-30-2011, 11:24 AM   #6 (permalink)
EV test pilot
 
bennelson's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Oconomowoc, WI, USA
Posts: 4,435

Electric Cycle - '81 Kawasaki KZ440
90 day: 334.6 mpg (US)

S10 - '95 Chevy S10
90 day: 30.48 mpg (US)

Electro-Metro - '96 Ben Nelson's "Electro-Metro"
90 day: 129.81 mpg (US)

The Wife's Car - Plug-in Prius - '04 Toyota Prius
90 day: 78.16 mpg (US)
Thanks: 17
Thanked 663 Times in 388 Posts
I have a fender in my pile of bike parts. I'll have to see if one will fit that bike.
__________________


300mpg.org Learn how to BUILD YOUR OWN ELECTRIC CAR CHEAP
My YouTube Videos
  Reply With Quote
Old 06-01-2011, 11:42 AM   #7 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: 18603, USA
Posts: 759

The Crimson Crawler - '04 Hyundai Elantra GLS
90 day: 36.71 mpg (US)
Thanks: 221
Thanked 60 Times in 45 Posts
That's excellent! She looks happy as a lark back there! Also, Giant brand bikes! Double +1! They're my favorite brand.

I wouldn't go with a fender. I'd get some acrylic or something and mount on the trailer tipped towards the bike as a splash guard/windshield. A fender wouldn't do too much against debris coming off the tire at an upward angle as it is kicked/flung loose.

Too bad you have to strap to the axle. The way the blue axle mounts to the black frame, looks perfect for some mini leaf springs!
  Reply With Quote
Old 06-01-2011, 11:00 PM   #8 (permalink)
EV test pilot
 
bennelson's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Oconomowoc, WI, USA
Posts: 4,435

Electric Cycle - '81 Kawasaki KZ440
90 day: 334.6 mpg (US)

S10 - '95 Chevy S10
90 day: 30.48 mpg (US)

Electro-Metro - '96 Ben Nelson's "Electro-Metro"
90 day: 129.81 mpg (US)

The Wife's Car - Plug-in Prius - '04 Toyota Prius
90 day: 78.16 mpg (US)
Thanks: 17
Thanked 663 Times in 388 Posts
Hmm.... Maybe a dashboard like the old wagons had on them!
__________________


300mpg.org Learn how to BUILD YOUR OWN ELECTRIC CAR CHEAP
My YouTube Videos
  Reply With Quote
Old 06-01-2011, 11:50 PM   #9 (permalink)
EcoModding Lurker
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Joliette. Québec
Posts: 79

Wagon - '06 Ford Focus zxw
90 day: 29.69 mpg (US)
Thanks: 0
Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts
Nice work there.

We bought one of these 100$ on sale bicycle trailer and it's not really great for a young baby. Our son is 13 months old. The harness on the cheap one tend to slip away and the baby doesn't sit properly. I tought about modifying it with a 6 or 7 years old car seat so the baby will be more comfortable.
  Reply With Quote
Old 06-02-2011, 09:36 PM   #10 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Wisconsin, United States
Posts: 479
Thanks: 6
Thanked 20 Times in 20 Posts
Looks nice. You might want to put a helmet on her though.

  Reply With Quote
Reply  Post New Thread


Tags
baby, bicycle, bike, car seat, trailer

Thread Tools




Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.5.2
All content copyright EcoModder.com