Time to introduce myself

[Michaelwlf3]

I have been lurking here for sometime and finally signed up so I could look through the photo albums.

I have gotten loads of ideas from you guys. I have been trying to come up with a practical idea for a bicycle tear and I think I have enough information to mock one up shortly and get an idea of how much it will weigh.

Thanks for the forums - the info here is priceless.

[mikeschn]

Michael,

Welcome to the forum. Looking forward to seeing your design.

Mike...

[Michaelwlf3]

Thanks. I am torn between a small trailer with a fold out sleeping arrangement and about a 3/4 size Benroy type trailer based on the [url="http://www.carryfreedom.com/bamboo.html"]bamboo trailer[/url]type frame with coroplast sides and top.

Years ago there used to be hardsided bicycle trailers made for carrying lots of gear, but they have the same problems even a 3/4 size tear would have, like getting around corners, getting through intersections, braking, and stuff like that. I have heard of people lugging around incredibly heavy and large trailers, but you know you're not going to break any speed records with a rig like that, and if it's windy you might as well stay in camp.

I have seen something similar to what I was thinking about on this forum except it was a motorcycle trailer. We'll see.

By the way, I have enjoyed your articles and posts.

[dwgriff1]

Where is home?

Design requirements are a bit (or more) from region to region.

dave

[Michaelwlf3]

North Carolina. Your frameless tear design was very inspiring, by the way. Sooner or later I am going to get around to building a behind the car teardrop, but I am sticking my toe in the water for now.

[dwgriff1]

Thank you.

Probably good advice to spend a good bit of time thinking things through. You are doing fine.

dave

[Michaelwlf3]

Thank you.

Probably good advice to spend a good bit of time thinking things through. You are doing fine.

dave

I don't know if everybody goes through this but I am at the stage where I am wondering if I should invest in welding and brazing equipment, special tools, etc.

All the more reason to take a breath and think.

[angib]

I have heard of people lugging around incredibly heavy and large trailers, but you know you're not going to break any speed records with a rig like that, and if it's windy you might as well stay in camp.

I think the trick with a bicycle trailer is to work out how to get rid of frontal area when you are on the move. Going back to bicycling in my fifties has taught me that it's not hills to fear, but headwinds - it's hard to believe aero drag can be so important at so low a speed (and, believe me, I travel at low speeds - no lycra shorts here!).

So my plan (posted here before) is to have a lifting top that sits low in transit (blue), is raised somewhat to sleep (red) and is raised a lot to get in and out, or dress (green). The similarity of this design to a coffin (US, =casket?) is not entirely coincidental, since the space requirement is largely similar!



Andrew

[Michaelwlf3]

How did I miss this before?

I did see that square telescoping coffin thing that somebody made up, though.

Are you planning on making this out of fiberglass?

[madjack]

Hiya Micheal...our "bedroll" weighs in around 150#s...and has little or no front drag.......



oh yeah...welcome to the board...building a tear or related project is an excellent excuse to buy/aquire tools but you really don't need the welder/fire wrench...ask yourself what else are you going to use them for...you may be better off renting or finding some friend that all ready has them...as is often said to new members..."patience grashoppah, you are on teardrop time now"
madjack

[dwgriff1]

I am wondering if I should invest in welding and brazing equipment, special tools, etc..

If you need an excuse to convince your mother in law that you reallly NEED a new batch of gear, this is the time. Probably you could have it done for less, but when has that ever been the reason to buy tools?

dave

[dwgriff1]

MadJack,

That is a nice little trailer. Is it designed to pull behind a Motorcycle or a small car? Do I guess that the sides are canvas?


Andrew

Wouldn't it be possible to make a light trailer like that with fold up hard sides?

dave

[Michaelwlf3]

Hiya Micheal...our "bedroll" weighs in around 150#s...and has little or no front drag.......



oh yeah...welcome to the board...building a tear or related project is an excellent excuse to buy/aquire tools but you really don't need the welder/fire wrench...ask yourself what else are you going to use them for...you may be better off renting or finding some friend that all ready has them...as is often said to new members..."patience grashoppah, you are on teardrop time now"
madjack

That's pretty slick. Do you really drag that behind a bike?

As far as the tools go, I would really like to build a general use trailer, too. I am not a pickup or van kind of guy and I could use a small trailer for hauling (say) tree limbs to the dump and other chores. Then there's the bike trailer, and eventually a full size tear, once I have made my other mistakes.

But you're right - I want to guard against buying single use tools. I have done that before.

[Jst83]

Hiya Micheal...our "bedroll" weighs in around 150#s...and has little or no front drag.......



oh yeah...welcome to the board...building a tear or related project is an excellent excuse to buy/aquire tools but you really don't need the welder/fire wrench...ask yourself what else are you going to use them for...you may be better off renting or finding some friend that all ready has them...as is often said to new members..."patience grashoppah, you are on teardrop time now"
madjack

That is really neat. Makes me want my bike back.

[angib]

Wouldn't it be possible to make a light trailer like that with fold up hard sides?

Yes, but:
- you'd have to give up the curved sides and corners;
- fold-up hard sides is easy - fold-up hard sides with watertight joints is not easy!

I appreciate that madjack reckons the Bedroll has 'little or no front drag' but that's in motorcycle terms - in bike terms, even that 'no drag' is a lot! A cyclist travelling at touring, not racing, speeds is using around 60-80W or 0.08-0.11hp. I would expect just the rolling resistance of the Bedroll, without any aero drag, to be about 50W (0.07hp) at 10mph.

Andrew