Fabian
Well-Known Member
The trailer connection is the standard "Burley" trailer hitch arm and reciever mechanism that comes with any Burley bicycle trailer.
In my opinion it doesn't look strong enough for my application and the unloaded trailer weight is at the maximum load limit for the hitch mechanism.
The Burley Tailwagon trailer is rated at around 6 kilos and the maximum carrying weight is 25 kilos.
I have used the older style Burley Tailwagon base, because i wanted a certified carrier and hitch mechanism.
The total trailer weight would have to be getting up towards 30 kilos - yes, this thing needs to be lightened being built out of 3/8 plywood for the base and 5/16 plywood for everything else.
The aluminium sections are 3mm thick (because that was the scrap metal i had access to for free) and it is surprisingly heavy but surprisingly strong.
If paying for all the materials, i would have built the sides out of 3/16 plywood to save weight and used 2mm thick 40 x 40mm sectional sized angle aluminium instead of 3mm x 60 x 40.
I suspect the aluminium and screws weighed more than the plywood.
I'll be getting an engineer to give me advise on designing a bicycle hitch mechanism capable a a maximum load capacity of 80 kilos for a good saftey margin.
Having said that, i did a test; trailer loaded up with exactly 20 kilos, for an all up weight of around 50 kilos.
In my area we have a few good steep hills that are reasonably long.
The SickBikeParts Jackshaft was so impressive. The second steepest hill in my area had the bike towing 50 odd kilos and i didn't even need to get into first gear (my cassette is a Shimano 11-32T) as it was pulling like a train in second gear.
A total all up towable weight of 60 kilos is a real possibility on steep hills with the new Shimano 12-36T cassette (with the 12 swapped for the optional 11, becoming an 11-36T) and the SickBikeParts Jackshaft working in perfect harmony.
You can now understand why i want 'trailer brakes' with 50 or even 60 kilos pushing me from behind especially down a steep hill.
Speaking of towing weight and needing a super low first gear, a company called actiontec does wonderful titanium and also extra hard heat treated titanium cassette gears that you can purchase as individual sprockets, if wanting to create your own gear ratios or a complete cassette with their ratios.
Click on pricing and ordering numbers and scroll down to titanium cogsets and heat treated titanium cogsets.
This will blow your mind - how about a 9 speed 11-39T and they say the 39 will work with a standard Mountain bike rear derailleur, because i asked.
go here: http://www.actiontec.us/ticog.htm
or if that doesn't work: http://www.actiontec.us/prices.htm
Cheers Fabian
In my opinion it doesn't look strong enough for my application and the unloaded trailer weight is at the maximum load limit for the hitch mechanism.
The Burley Tailwagon trailer is rated at around 6 kilos and the maximum carrying weight is 25 kilos.
I have used the older style Burley Tailwagon base, because i wanted a certified carrier and hitch mechanism.
The total trailer weight would have to be getting up towards 30 kilos - yes, this thing needs to be lightened being built out of 3/8 plywood for the base and 5/16 plywood for everything else.
The aluminium sections are 3mm thick (because that was the scrap metal i had access to for free) and it is surprisingly heavy but surprisingly strong.
If paying for all the materials, i would have built the sides out of 3/16 plywood to save weight and used 2mm thick 40 x 40mm sectional sized angle aluminium instead of 3mm x 60 x 40.
I suspect the aluminium and screws weighed more than the plywood.
I'll be getting an engineer to give me advise on designing a bicycle hitch mechanism capable a a maximum load capacity of 80 kilos for a good saftey margin.
Having said that, i did a test; trailer loaded up with exactly 20 kilos, for an all up weight of around 50 kilos.
In my area we have a few good steep hills that are reasonably long.
The SickBikeParts Jackshaft was so impressive. The second steepest hill in my area had the bike towing 50 odd kilos and i didn't even need to get into first gear (my cassette is a Shimano 11-32T) as it was pulling like a train in second gear.
A total all up towable weight of 60 kilos is a real possibility on steep hills with the new Shimano 12-36T cassette (with the 12 swapped for the optional 11, becoming an 11-36T) and the SickBikeParts Jackshaft working in perfect harmony.
You can now understand why i want 'trailer brakes' with 50 or even 60 kilos pushing me from behind especially down a steep hill.
Speaking of towing weight and needing a super low first gear, a company called actiontec does wonderful titanium and also extra hard heat treated titanium cassette gears that you can purchase as individual sprockets, if wanting to create your own gear ratios or a complete cassette with their ratios.
Click on pricing and ordering numbers and scroll down to titanium cogsets and heat treated titanium cogsets.
This will blow your mind - how about a 9 speed 11-39T and they say the 39 will work with a standard Mountain bike rear derailleur, because i asked.
go here: http://www.actiontec.us/ticog.htm
or if that doesn't work: http://www.actiontec.us/prices.htm
Cheers Fabian
