tagalong and trailer pushers

[smapadatha]

Sam,
Curious as to what conditions you are looking at.
Denny

When I'm not at a field site, my home is in Garrett county in Maryland; serious hill country. I doubt I have more than 500 miles on my GEBE/kit, and I've already damaged the clutch shoes to the point where there is serious clutch slipping. (New clutch shoes $20 each! Kinda expensive for 500 miles.)

In 2007 I got a GEBE-ified bike on the road and this year I will cobble together something else. I was thinking about putting a Staton kit (http://www.staton-inc.com/Details.asp?ProductID=3243) on a Worksman or industrial Husky. Then I started looking at the 48V Phoenix Brute from Electric Riders (http://www.electricrider.com/crystalyte/phoenix.htm); possibly with the Li-On batteries.

But when you and BadBunny started describing powered trailers (which I had never heard of before) I started to think about the 3rd wheel model. It seems like a reasonably priced solution that solves a number of problems. The only reservations I have are:

1. Noise. It would be nice to get a serious muffler on those engines.
2. Lack of a freewheel. That would be a drag (literally) if the trailer broke down en-route. If it did, I would probably chain it up somewhere and go get it the next day with my car. Another possibility would be to get both a powered trailer AND a front wheel Phoenix Brute with SLAs, and use the electric motor as backup if the trailer broke down.
3. Fixing a flat on the mini-bike tire in the field. Maybe that slime stuff they use on car tires would work, although I wonder how a powered trailer would perform with a solid tire back there.

Thanks for your posts on this subject, which are excellent.

-Sam

 

[ibdennyak]

Sam...and maybe SRDAVO too

There may be a bit of mistaken identity here. My posts were in the electric section several months ago. I have a Yakima trailer that I put a powered hub on with a Honda GX25 driving a permanent magnet motor to keep the batteries charged. Kind of a semi hybrid I guess. I do have some ideas for a *better* one that I am collecting *stuff* for. One thing I would do is use a brushled motor next time I think. With the little genset, the power consumption isn't that much of an issue, and the brushed controllers seem to handle over volting better. (I say that because it is sitting next to me with a blown controller as of about 2 hrs ago).

Another project is to install the drive train from a 50cc and 80cc Honda elite scooter. I'm having trouble with the e bayer or it would be done by now. They are pretty quiet, and should be fairly easy to disguise, as well as giving me more speed than I have the need for.

The drag in pedal mode on the hub motor is neglible. I don't know what it will be with the scooter setup, but I guess I could just drop the trailer if I have to. Another idea I have is using a bicycle with free wheel driven by an engine. If it quits, it would just freewheel. Whether it can handle the power I will find out the first time it breaks.

Anyways, appreciate the comments. Now, do I fix the electric, or do I fix the happy time first.

Denny

 

[srdavo]

hahaha !

I seem to have my Dennys & Dennis' confused!!

My post was directed to Dennis & others (Denny, too) involved in the creation of these wonderful pushers.

 

[Large Filipino]

This thread made my day.
I wish I could weld.
Life is short.
I must learn how to weld.
Man the stuff flowing thru my mind right now.
Just as a brainstorm,let's say you got...a Chevy v8 with tranny and two wheels as a trailer for your...mountain bike..attached to your seat post. When you gun it,would both your front and rear tire go off the ground?
I'm thinking what a total stealth bike you can make here. A Coca Cola bike pulling a coca cola cooler trailer,engine well hidden..a nice 10 horse job connected via chain to a freewheel sprocket connected to the trailer axle driving both wheels. Then the engine would have a starter.
I need to weld,man.

 

[ibdennyak]

This thread made my day.
I wish I could weld.
Life is short.
I must learn how to weld.
Man the stuff flowing thru my mind right now.
Just as a brainstorm,let's say you got...a Chevy v8 with tranny and two wheels as a trailer for your...mountain bike..attached to your seat post. When you gun it,would both your front and rear tire go off the ground?
I'm thinking what a total stealth bike you can make here. A Coca Cola bike pulling a coca cola cooler trailer,engine well hidden..a nice 10 horse job connected via chain to a freewheel sprocket connected to the trailer axle driving both wheels. Then the engine would have a starter.
I need to weld,man.

I'll teach ya......if you let me watch when you lift both wheels off the ground with your V8 trailer. Actually I built a trike with an aluminum V8 (61-63buick and olds F-85) and keeping the front down was a problem. Never thought of pushing a mountain bike with it.
Denny

 

[Dennis Becraft]

Put a Cadillac on one of those dollies that lifts the front wheels. Hitch it to your motored bike & cable control the Caddy's throttle, brakes & gear selector. Be sure the Caddy's rear lights work to stay legal ! Put a revolving amber light on your bike and a sign for Large's Towing Service.

 

[Large Filipino]

I would so rule.

That is my new vision!!

HAHAHAHA!!!!!

 

[Dennis Becraft]

Smapadatha's powered trailer reservations

Smapadatha writes:

The only reservations I have are:

1. Noise. It would be nice to get a serious muffler on those engines.
2. Lack of a freewheel. That would be a drag (literally) if the trailer broke down en-route. If it did, I would probably chain it up somewhere and go get it the next day with my car. Another possibility would be to get both a powered trailer AND a front wheel Phoenix Brute with SLAs, and use the electric motor as backup if the trailer broke down.
3. Fixing a flat on the mini-bike tire in the field. Maybe that slime stuff they use on car tires would work, although I wonder how a powered trailer would perform with a solid tire back there.

I'm hoping for someone here to invent a very quiet DIY muffler myself.
Yes, lack of a freewheel makes it very hard to tow when the chain spins the clutch, but take off the chain & it freewheels in an emergency. You wouldn't have to lock it up. Take the trailer's chain off even if towing it by a hubmotored bike, the considerable drag will reduce your range.
Since there's so little weight on a properly built power trailer, there's very little wear or load on the tire. Air pressure is kept low, so flats are much less likely. I never had a flat & couldn't even detect tread wear.
I wouldn't use a solid tire. There's a slight problem with these trailers bouncing too much, especially if the engine is too close to the wheel(s). I solved it by reducing tire pressure. With almost no pressure, the tire appears inflated and deflects only when impacting bumps. My trailer carries the engine weight halfway between the hitch and wheel, so a bump lifts the engine only half as high as it lifts the wheel, and the 3/4 " tubing flexes enough to act as a suspension. Different designs may benefit from a dampened monoshock. Since there is so little weight, a small bike wheel will work well, even with a large powerful engine. You can carry an extra bike tire & tube or patch kit easily.
I've built other bike trailers for heavy hauling, but not powered ones. I'm sure a wheel can deal with more engine torque when it is not carrying the rider's weight or a great deal of baggage.

I finally got an answer from 3rd Wheel. Don't use the feedback form, use thirdwheel@cox.net .
Here is the reply:

Hi Dennis:
Still in business, lost 3rdwheels.com somehow, check us out at
www.dragnfly.org (needs updating)
Selling kits (just add motor) for $300
and complete units for $600 + packaging and shipping
Focusing on the benefit ride around the world, someday.
Planning coast to coast rides currently.
What are you doing, where are you?
Thanks, Gary Kirkpatrick 619 465-6287

 

[sensationpdx]

Gee.... and I thought I was being unique... LOL The real pioneer is Dennis...20 years ago!

I am having fun building my trailer and making lots of mistakes... so that means I will learn alot! ; )-

 

[Large Filipino]

Solution for lack of freewheel making it hard to tow:

Take a bicycle wheel with an extra long axle and mount it on top of the powered trailer. When you get a flat or if it breaks down,slide the axle in a fabricated mount you made on the side of the trailer that will raise the tire off the ground and bolt it down tight(bearings would still ride in the wheel so it would spin freely). You only need one wheel for your bike would still balance it. Then pedal away.

Or better yet. Remove the chain.