First Trip with the Trailer (PICS! for build too!)

[LI-ghtcycle]

Well, friend of mine was kind enough to pay me for a good trip of 30 miles to do a test of my newly covered trailer (soon to have business logo!) on a a-typical long delivery, I wanted to check out this shop anyway, and offered to do it for free, but he gave me a little money anyway. :wink:

Here is the trailer:

Started out as a typical kid hauling trailer, decent quality, steel rails which my friend added multiple aluminum C-channel to the bottom for a bed, and two large plastic totes (large waterproof "tupperware" like containers) which proved invaluable, and are apparently "beer proof" too! :lol:

Well, you know me, I can't leave anything stock, and I knew that for bulkier items I would need some more weather protection if for no other reason than aesthetics (making customers feel better about what their cargo would be transported inside).

So I got some $2 a 10ft stick PVC conduit pipe, a few junction boxes, and went to work!

The PVC pipe is bent into the curved shape under considerable stress, and then attached to the side-bulkheads of coroplast to make it "bow string" tight and strong resulting in a "stressed member" construction that uses minimal material for maximum strength, keeping things light.

I thought of just building from coroplast alone, however, with out the PVC "skeleton" I believe it would have too too prone to stress cracking at the corners, and the PVC makes a really nice symmetrical curve.

As you can see I used ratcheting tie-down straps to create the "pre-load" stress on the structure before I used zip ties and the 10mm thick coroplast side bulkheads.

The biggest stress was at the single coupling at the front which is held on by a single 1/4 x 20 inch thread bolt and washer, the washer sits on top of the middle part of the coupler giving about 75% of the normal area of the coupler for the pipe to glue into, however, one side kept loosening for some reason, but it seems to be holding together ok with the coroplast reinforcement.

Using what coroplast I had just left over from previous projects, I made diamond shaped diagonal bulkheads to "triangulate" the space between the corners of the sides of the PVC pipe "square" and mirrored it to the other side to get perfect symmetry.

If you look closely you can see the pencil out-line of the second bulkhead:

And here is the finished (well mostly finished, still a bit of a prototype) working product!

I have a video too, but not sure how to host it? It was one of those accidental ones that happens when I don't put it in still shot mode and do a movie instead. :lol:

Well, that is all for now, I will up-date this first thread page with more pics, but work calls me to the shop! Enjoy!

 

[SamTexas]

Ha ha... Nice! Make it a little taller and a little longer and you'd have a mini camper.

 

[Rassy]

That trailer looks real nice. How did it handle? Nice use of junction boxes as tees. You can also use regular water pipe (white PVC) connectors, tees, elbos, etc. with the electrical conduit (grey PVC). You just have to use the clear universal solvent.

 

[LI-ghtcycle]

Ha ha... Nice! Make it a little taller and a little longer and you'd have a mini camper.

Very true!

I must say, however, if I had not seen the numbers myself, I would not have believed how aero this trailer has turned out to be!!

I think this is due to the fact that it is so close to me and it benefits from my low profile (recumbent) and the fact that it has a square back actually helps in the aero department so I have been told by an old timer friend of mine (50's & 60's tech like the square back Corvairs) and I pics of proof of my Wh/Mi.!

*** PICS ADDED AT TOP SOON ***

 

[LI-ghtcycle]

That trailer looks real nice. How did it handle? Nice use of junction boxes as tees. You can also use regular water pipe (white PVC) connectors, tees, elbos, etc. with the electrical conduit (grey PVC). You just have to use the clear universal solvent.

Thanks!

It really handles much better than I ever would have dreamed! Even going down my favorite hill at 35 MPH+ No rattles and bangs, nor enough surface for the wind to push on. It started out a really nice sunny day of the trip and turned nasty windy & rainy at the end in the dark, and I was too lazy to dig out my warmer gloves. (bad idea)

Very true, the main reason for the electrical kind was the fact that it's only $2 a stick of 10ft and the junction boxes make a very easy way to have a square flat piece to attach to the metal with just a couple bolts!

I also took a chance taking the charger with me to just field test things, and the bicycle shop was more than happy to let me plug in, and charging the miniscule 40% that I had used getting there only took about 40 minutes to charge up.

I am converting however to all 6S packs as the 4S packs introduce too many hassles and take longer to balance for some reason (I'm guessing all the extra wires causing more resistance).

 

[dogman dan]

Looks great! As for aero, amazing isn't it, what a big dirty hole in the air a bike makes. That trailer just drafts you in the hole you made. I bet though, it won't be real fun some day in a 40 mph sidewind. I don't know about where you are, but here we get some gnarly wind in the spring. I think that issue is why the long low bob trailer got popular.

 

[biohazardman]

That's a great looking build for sure and with the non leaking containers you haul off all the body parts without anyone even noticing. Pesky parts are always getting in the way. Hard to beat that for a budget trailer build nice werq.

 

[LI-ghtcycle]

Thanks much D-man and Bio-Man!

I have had a hugely busy day, and will post some evidence of my current Wh/Mi. with the trailer asap, but first I need dinner!

 

[LI-ghtcycle]

Ok, so here are some pics of the actual trip and delivery.

My friend Gene has a mid-drive he is working on, and needs a 3/32 inch cog instead of the single speed or 1/8 inch cog. So, I took his cog and went off to Sellwood Cycle repair, about ten miles away (I had already ridden about 4 miles from Oregon City to get to his house in Gladstone).

When I arrived, I was really surprised I hadn't seen it before!

I have ridden through this same Sellwood area for years, a major bicycle route goes through, and never noticed this wonderful shop filled with both new and used bicycles and parts!

At this time I also checked the CA to see how I did, here are the miles:

I wasn't wanting to take too many chances as I had an appointment at the VA hospital after getting his part, and didn't want to use too much batter since it would just take too long to charge (long story, the 4S packs aren't working out as well as I hoped).

And here are the miles ridden so far using the power most on hills, but still using it a fair amount, to keep a brisk 15 - 20 MPH not a bad speed at all while carrying about 100lbs of trailer & cargo. :wink:

I about choked when I saw the Wh/Mi.!!

Now, this might not seem like much of a deal considering many people have gotten this kind of efficiency on an E-Bike before, but when you consider my heavy cargo load AND large frontal area of my trailer, this is a HUGE deal!!

I actually got BETTER Wh/Mi. with the trailer and added 100lbs of weight (I had oodles of cold weather gear, charger & power supply, other misc stuff to make some weight for the trip, tools, etc., etc) than I usually do just riding the bike alone! I have always sworn off trailers in the past because of the added drag just from the extra wheels & aerodynamic penalties that typically get added on. Granted I haven't had to go up any major hills at this point, but still! I usually average about 15 - 20 Wh/Mi. cruising at these speeds with out extra weight and drag of a trailer!

Here is the speed data, pretty much a typical max speed, average speed I would have any time I do a trip of around 30 miles:

Anyhow, I was here for the first time, so I parked outside and locked up bike and trailer making sure not to block too much of the sidewalk.

Upon entering, I was warmly greeted, and offered the option to take the bike inside trailer and all!

They have a huge "foyer" type area at the entrance with hand rails on both sides for just that purpose! 8)

It would have accommodated bikes with trailers like mine quite easily. 8)

I got the grand tour, and then asked if there was a place I might charge my batteries, and I got all kinds of interest in what I had, and of course an emphatic "yes of course!" as an answer to my question, and next to the kiddie area with toys, I put down my old metal refrigerator "drawer" that serves as a emergency transport for LiPo should it ever have a problem while charging.

Here is another pic of the bike & trailer parked outside:

And long story short, what could have been about a 15 - 20 min. top-up charger from 60% to 100%, turned out to take 40 min. and prevented me from being able to head for my VA appointment in time (It's really a silly appointment, wish I could just cancel it altogether) and I decided to make the trip pay for it's self, and turn in the beer cans that Gene had given me as partial payment for my "delivery" (I had offered to do so for free, I really just wanted to check out this shop and see if they had a part for me anyway).


My next stop was the Goodwill "Bins" store (this is a clearing house for various misc items that haven't sold in the retail locations nearby, and have been shipped here for bulk sale, many things by the pound) and I found a great little BMX to fix my nephew's "investment" of a previous bin store visit. (We bought a bike that had a rear wheel that was shot at the bearing races, and of course is a 14 mm axle, so pretty expensive to replace.) and went on down the road with a bike in my trailer!

I got a question from another bicyclist locking up his bike next to mine about my studded tires and if I liked them, no mention of the trailer or recumbent bicycle, which is usually the source of most Q's.

I have to say however, the "rockstar" effect is even more enhanced now that I have the trailer! I get a "right on!" or "Yeah!" from passers by as I pedal along, and it's so much fun! Talk about a job where you have your own cheering section while you do what you love! 8)

Ok, here is where the "beer proof" part got tested for the cargo bins. Even though he did a good job keeping the cans clean, there is always a little left-over beer in the can, and this makes quite a mess after a while, and one of the cargo containers got a bit of stale beer (YUK!! ) dripped on top, and also remember my 750W Meanwell power supply and Hyperion charger where in one of them, so I had to be pretty confident they wouldn't leak, and they held up just fine.

Well, since I had little luck turning in the cans on the way down (apparently "Milwaukie's Best" isn't accepted in Milwaukie Oregon very well :lol: ) and they finally were hand- counted by the attendant since the machine was only reading about 50% at best, and it was only $4, but I suffered through! :lol:

One thing I had to take a pic was these AMAZING bike racks set-up at Fred Meyer's store!!

Not only are they extremely bike friendly (they encourage you to bring a bicycle and trailer inside to get groceries! I take my bike in regularly when I shop and use it as my "shopping cart" and here they have these bike racks along one side of the building about 3 car lengths apart! This would allow for multiple cargo bikes to be parked with plenty of room at each rack!

Well, that's all for now, charging batteries, and getting some sleep before helping a friend move tomorrow. He's gonna flip when he sees what I did with the trailer I bought from him! :wink:

 

[LI-ghtcycle]

Oh! I almost forgot, one honorable mention, I had a record of sorts, (not sure if I had a tail wind or what?!) but for the 4 or so miles travel between Sellwood and Milwaukie, I got an incredible FOUR WATT HOURS PER MILE!!

This must be a fluke of some sort, by the time I got home and climbed the big hill, it was up to 17 Wh/Mi. , so maybe just a glitch or something, man that would be pretty sweet to repeat that if I could.