1 or 2 wheel trailer

[stuee147]

im looking at getting/ building a trailer for my trike my question is what is best a single wheeled trailer or a double wheel trailer ??
iv heard that single wheels ones arnt as stable but im on a trike so ill be stable but wouldn't a single wheel trailer fall over or are they designed to stay upright ????
who uses a trailer and what type. ????

stuee

 

[classic33]

Only trailer I've used was on two wheels. Partly down to the size.
I'd say that a two wheel trailer will be more stable than a single wheeler, but possibly less manouverable in use.
Greater load carrying as well.

 

[byegad]

Two wheels. I once saw a heavily laden single wheel trailer behind a big rear wheel Catrike and the flexing of the rear triangle was horrendous! The top of the back wheel was anything up to 3" to either side of the tyre's contact patch at times.

I mentioned it to the rider who couldn't see the problem, but flexing like that will fatigue the metal to the point of failure.

 

[stuee147]

i have used a trailer in the past a few times and iv always had a twin wheel trailer its just i have seen a couple of nice looking single wheels and wondered what experiences people have had with single wheel,
i think i might stick with what i know and go for 2 wheels for the stability and carrying capacity.
i dont think the manoeuvrability will be an issue as its to go on my trike so the wheel base should be about the same

thanks guys

stuee

 

[byegad]

IMHO a wise choice.

 

[ufkacbln]

As stated by Byegad....the argument is bout flexing the frame

With a single wheel trailer, the design is for the trailer to tip with the bike towing it. When you corner on a trike, the trailer will still tip, but as the trike axle does not, it exerts a twisting force on the rear frame. This flexing can cause problems.

Whether this is important or not is debatable.

Some manufacturers of commercial trikes either banned single wheel trailers or recommended two wheels, others seemed nonplussed

Personally I either use a Carry Freedom or a Radical Design Cyclone.

For big loads I use the Christiania!

 

[classic33]

http://www.bikesatwork.com/bike-trailers/customers

 

[stuee147]

http://www.bikesatwork.com/bike-trailers/customers

good link i dont think ill be going quite that big with the trailer lol having said that i wonder if i can do a caravan lol

stuee

 

[ufkacbln]

 

[Scoosh]

Don't Good to encourage him !

 

[stuee147]

Don't Good to encourage him !

i dont need any encouragement im bad enough iv been looking on youtube there is quite a few bike caravan type things the one design i have seen and like the look of is this

iv even been thinking of what to use iv been thinking of 10mm round bar for the main frame work with 6mm round bar as supports and bracing. then weld on tabs to bolt on the panelling i was thinking 1mm or 2mm thick plastic sheeting the joints can be sealed with silicone sealant. on the inside the different floor sections to save weight i was thinking of using planed 2x1 timber slats spaced about half inch once a sleep mat is layed on it you wouldn't notice the slats.

i really have been thinking to much about this haven't i lol

stuee

 

[classic33]

A bit!!

 

[ufkacbln]

Colleague of mine had a son who designed his own folding camper.... although it was more like a tent than a caravan

Basically a flat bed trailer that folded out to form a camp bed to provide the sleeping platform, the "body was then provided by looped poles fitted to the trailer bed through drilled sockets. The whole thing was then stabilised by guide lines

So it was really a tent rather than caravan, but worked well for him.

 

[stuee147]

years ago i built a little 2 man caravan type thing. i built it using the axle and wheels off an old mini back when it was the mini metro lol it worked great and was nice and small so very easy to tow and park. i ended up cutting it up and making a normal trailer for work out of it when i had my son as it wasn't big enough for the three of us.

Colleague of mine had a son who designed his own folding camper.... although it was more like a tent than a caravan

Basically a flat bed trailer that folded out to form a camp bed to provide the sleeping platform, the "body was then provided by looped poles fitted to the trailer bed through drilled sockets. The whole thing was then stabilised by guide lines

So it was really a tent rather than caravan, but worked well for him.

iv seen a few designs on the web similar to what you describe. most seen to be based around a small 6ft x 4ft trailer with sheets of ply on top that for a flat raised base on the trailer with storage underneath and you basically pitch a tent on the top of the ply, a very basic one i have seen the bloke had stapled the ground sheet of a tent to the ply so it was fixed on i think its a good idea a lot lighter than a ridged caravan but i think i would use something different to staples, maybe blue tack so i can remove it for cleaning lol

stuee

 

[ufkacbln]

years ago i built a little 2 man caravan type thing. i built it using the axle and wheels off an old mini back when it was the mini metro lol it worked great and was nice and small so very easy to tow and park. i ended up cutting it up and making a normal trailer for work out of it when i had my son as it wasn't big enough for the three of us.

iv seen a few designs on the web similar to what you describe. most seen to be based around a small 6ft x 4ft trailer with sheets of ply on top that for a flat raised base on the trailer with storage underneath and you basically pitch a tent on the top of the ply, a very basic one i have seen the bloke had stapled the ground sheet of a tent to the ply so it was fixed on i think its a good idea a lot lighter than a ridged caravan but i think i would use something different to staples, maybe blue tack so i can remove it for cleaning lol

stuee

What this guy did was drilled holes in the flat bed that took the end cap of a tent pole to hold the canvas, with a "pelmet" that reached to the ground ad pegged down.