Potential cargo trailer question - bouldering mat transportation

[Nonsteeler]

I am in need of bit of advice. I'd like to transport a bouldering mat with my bike to various nearby rock formations (ie trips no longer than 70km for a round trip). A bouldering mat is usually a cuboid object (size folded: around 100 x 65 x 20cm) and weighs 4-6kg.

I do not want to buy a dedicated cargo bike. Hence, what are my options? Trailer springs to my mind. Some kind of rack extension? Combined backpack/rack bodge?

Of course there is this simple haulage option.



^{NB: Pray for tailwind all way round.}


Thanks for your input!

[mrcharly-YHT]

Get a trailer, you won't regret it.

That will probably fit on a bob yak or carry2freedom

[Charlotte]

It's a very lightweight thing, no?

A touring bike with a rack ought to be able to support some kind of improvised wooden frame, I'd have thought.  You could clamp or bolt the frame to the rack and bungee the mat to the frame - off to one side and protruding off the back of the bike so you could still pedal.  Sidewinds would still be a bit hairy, but at least you'd not have such a problem with the headwinds!

[Nonsteeler]

It's a very lightweight thing, no?

In touring terms yes, 4-6kg.

A touring bike with a rack ought to be able to support some kind of improvised wooden frame, I'd have thought.  You could clamp or bolt the frame to the rack and bungee the mat to the frame - off to one side and protruding off the back of the bike so you could still pedal.  Sidewinds would still be a bit hairy, but at least you'd not have such a problem with the headwinds!

Sounds very interesting. Do you have a picture of a similar contraption for inspirational purposes?
 
If I go down this route I really hope lorries have the courtesy of overtaking slowly....

[Kim]

A bouldering mat is usually a cuboid object (size folded: around 100 x 65 x 20cm) and weighs 4-6kg.

That'll fit perfectly on a Carry Freedom Y Large.  Which is a lovely and useful thing to have in general.

Though at that weight, some sort of rack-mounted frame would also be a goer, and get you awesome amounts of room in traffic.

[Speshact]

plus one for the large Carry Freedom. Hugely versatile and very stable - you can find some of the uses I've put mine to here.
http://kenningtonpob.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Cargo

[Charlotte]

Sounds very interesting. Do you have a picture of a similar contraption for inspirational purposes?

Check out some of the ways surfers do it...

http://negosurf.com/2012/07/133-block-surfboard-bike-rack-rear
http://www.rodndtube.com/surf/info/surf_racks/BicycleSurfboardRack.shtml
http://www.thesurfingblog.com/surfboard-bike-rack-the-many-styles

[Nonsteeler]

Check out some of the ways surfers do it...
http://www.rodndtube.com/surf/info/surf_racks/BicycleSurfboardRack.shtml

Ohh, ahh that has tons of DIY charm...

[TimO]

Obviously it could sit flat on a Carry Freedom.  On a Yak, or conceivably an Extrawheel, it would have to be mounted vertically, so more prone to sidewinds, but narrower.

[Nonsteeler]

Obviously it could sit flat on a Carry Freedom. 

Not sure, the large CF has a load bed of 50cm x 70cm, so most mats won't fit flat. Of course, with a 'Max Load Area' of 64cm x 90cm I can transport a mat flat with some sort rack on the trailer, right?

[Kim]

Not sure, the large CF has a load bed of 50cm x 70cm, so most mats won't fit flat. Of course, with a 'Max Load Area' of 64cm x 90cm I can transport a mat flat with some sort rack on the trailer, right?

The load bed is flat.  You can overhang it substantially lengthwise (a metre is no problem), so the limiting factor is the width.  There's *measures* 65cm exactly from spoke head to spoke head (for some reason the hubs are laced radially with the spokes on the inside of the flange), and 66cm from tyre to tyre.  64cm is therefore a reasonable margin of clearance for the wheels.

So your mat might fit horizontally if it could be compressed with straps around the wheels a bit (the normal method of securing loads) - I assume these things are by nature somewhat compressible.  Alternatively, it could sit sideways in a box like TimO's (minus lid):



More about the Carry Freedom in this thread.

[TimO]

Ah, I hadn't quite caught those dimensions.  Looking at the images, I guessed it would fit, but it sounds like it's very slightly too large width-wise (65cm across, vs Max Load Area of 64cm).

If it can be compressed slightly in that direction it would fit, but it depends how easy it is to do that.

Unfortunately there's no easy way to widen the space between the wheels.  Sawing the metalwork in half would work, but I suspect you'd rather not do that immediately after buying a trailer!

[Kim]

Unfortunately there's no easy way to widen the space between the wheels.  Sawing the metalwork in half would work, but I suspect you'd rather not do that immediately after buying a trailer!

We're only talking a centimetre or so.  Couple of spacers and the right wheelchair axles should do it...

[TimO]

We're only talking a centimetre or so.  Couple of spacers and the right wheelchair axles should do it...

Aha, I didn't realise that was what the axles were.  If you can get longer ones, then yes, it would be a relatively easy way to add in that extra 1cm (although I think I'd want a bit more to allow for accidentally catching).

[Nonsteeler]

Quick round up for this thread from my side. I decided to do nothing because our mat (Black Diamond Drop Zone) fits neatly on our Chariot Cougar 2 (a 2010 model) kiddi trailer. The mat can sit perfectly between the upper roll cage bar. Impairs the front visibility for passengers but, hey, they still have their side windows...