Boxes for large Y-Frame trailer? Combining gardening and cycling!

[tonycollinet]

Slightly OT, but where is the best place to by the large y frame these days?

[Kim]

Chainreaction's clearance section, when they've got 50% off a cosmetically damaged one.   

[Arch]

I fear the kitchen sink factor with a box that large...

I reckon you could just plumb the taps straight onto the box...

And I like your custom hitch stand.

[Andrew Br]

And I like your custom hitch stand.

Yes, I was admiring the strategic use of the toilet roll 

[TimO]

Interestingly enough, I've been using a box almost identical to the ones that Adam shows in his picture, inside my Yak Bob for several years, to stop carrier bags of shopping falling out.

Mine is clear rather than dark green, and the base has started to fall apart, I suspect due to the plastic getting brittle with age, as the plasticisers evaporate.  Luckily that doesn't really stop it's use, since all I really need are the sides, since the mesh base of the trailer itself stop stuff disappearing in that direction.

I've wondered whether with a Carry Freedom, you could simply make a set of four wooden boards that clipped onto the edges of the trailer, and each other, with something suitable from a DIY store.  That could then be folded entirely flat when not in use.

I may need to invest in a Carry Freedom myself, since I fear getting two cats into one carrier is not going to be an option for much longer, and the Bob won't easily support two cat carriers!

[Mr Arch]

I made my trailer slightly differently.  It is suspended fabric and collapses for storage.


It is big enough to get an Arch in it.


At the other end of the scale I have an extending trailer made up with two folding pallet crates.


It extends to nearly twice its length too.

[delthebike]

Did you manage to find your RU box at a local retailer/wholesaler or did you order online from the manufacturer?

P.S. Does the collapsed trailer fit inside?

[Kim]

Did you manage to find your RU box at a local retailer/wholesaler or did you order online from the manufacturer?

Alas not.  Staples stock the normal brittle clear plastic 145l boxes, but everywhere else I found nearby stopped at the 84l size.  Understandable really, they are a bit huge.  So I ordered online from the manufacturer, which was by far the cheapest online price for that box.

During my searching, I found a number of plastic packaging wholesalers that do boxes that might be good alternative options, but most of them want to sell in quantity and/or ship by the pallet.  There also seems to be a hefty premium for lids.

P.S. Does the collapsed trailer fit inside?

Good question...



That'll be a "yes, if I can find a way to get the hitch arm out of the Y-frame, where it's managed to get thoroughly stuck".   

Anyone got any cunning ideas?  I've tried violence and harsh language.  I suppose it's undoing the nearby bolt securing the Y to the trailer bed and lubricants, next.

[delthebike]

Anyone got any cunning ideas?  I've tried violence and harsh language.  I suppose it's undoing the nearby bolt securing the Y to the trailer bed and lubricants, next.

Boiling water, for the tube and a cup of tea, for thinking time, in case it doesn't work.

How do you get on with the lollipop joint? Does it require new bike fittings or is it made to fit the original bracket?

[Kim]

It fits the bracket it was supplied with, unsurprisingly.  I infer from your question that the lollipop hitch is a new thing, and older models of the trailer were supplied with something else?  The bike bracket looks like this:


 

I've had the trailer for all of about a week now, during which I've been mostly ill, so it's only had an experimental 1km round trip to deliver its packaging to the local recycling bins, though I did deliberately take a route home that included a steep downward slope and some speed bumps, to see what it was like.

I'm tentatively impressed with it.  The idea of securing a trailer with a giant rubber band makes me nervous, but it seems extremely sturdy, happily twists to allow the bike to lie horizontal, and is seems quiet in use compared to most trailer hitches(disclaimer: my ears aren't currently working properly). 

[delthebike]

The original hitch is a stainless steel universal joint, that is very rattly!


The lollipop has been road tested for, at least, four years so I doubt that anything you throw at it, in normal use </discliamer>, will harm it!

[Kim]

If that works how I think it works (bolt hooks over curled end of bracket, pin prevents it moving far enough to un-hook?), the lollipop is probably marginally less fiddly to couple and uncouple, too.  Might make a difference with winter gloves on.


ETA: Got the hitch arm out of the Y-frame, by the highly scientific method of applying WD40 and getting barakta to hold it still while I yanked it.  Have filed off a little swarf around one of the holes on the inside of the frame, and applied some grease for good measure.

[EdinburghFixed]

I got a Y-frame large at the tail end of last year and am loving it. I've done all sorts of awesome stuff with it:

Carried a man's weight in fallen wood, a long coving box and even other bikes - with no modification.



Unfortunately, I forgot I had it on recently and mounted a right-angle kerb at Ludicrous Speed - the empty trailer bounced up to about shoulder height (I shit you not) and came down on one wheel, which is now a little out of true.

It is a really sweet piece of kit. I bought mine full price and it's paid for 1/3 of itself over winter in saved motoring costs.

[Domestique]

Edinburgh Fixed, going ot, but what stand is that on your Pompino?
tia

[Kim]

I got a Y-frame large at the tail end of last year and am loving it. I've done all sorts of awesome stuff with it:

That's exactly the sort of thing I had in mind when I impulsively bought it.  Not having a specific load in mind, other than generally avoiding having to find use of a car for things, it makes sense to have a really versatile two-wheeled trailer that will happily handle silly loads, especially as we have a recumbent trike available for pulling the really heavy stuff.

It's just had its first proper use, about a 10k round trip transporting a microwave from $evil_electrical_empire up the road, and then the old, considerably heavier one to the tip on Lifford Lane.  It appears that trailers are even more weird and interesting around here than recumbents - I was getting so many stares and extra room while overtaking that I thought that maybe someone was following me on a Trice 

Unfortunately, I forgot I had it on recently and mounted a right-angle kerb at Ludicrous Speed - the empty trailer bounced up to about shoulder height (I shit you not) and came down on one wheel, which is now a little out of true.

FWIW, the axles appear to be the same diameter as the ICE trike front hubs, so this botch should work for truing the wheels.

[davelodwig]

They are brilliant, I've got the Y Frame small which I've used everything from Tesco home delivery crates to under bed storage containers on. Bought the small one to go with my Brompton many years ago, was great for camping and doing the shopping. 

[EdinburghFixed]

Edinburgh Fixed, going ot, but what stand is that on your Pompino?
tia

Pletscher Twin, I got it from Amazon for £24.

Pretty sturdy and makes it easy to work on the bike (as well as leave it places). However, if there's a load on the trailer it can easily tip the bike by lifting the whole back end and swinging it about - the bike weighs only a few kilos at the rear compared with 40+ on the trailer, inevitable results etc.

@Kim, I also bought mine on impulse really (I can easily just drive around places) but has been great. 230 miles since November, so I'm hoping it should break even around the 12 month mark, including maintenance.

[Domestique]

Pletscher Twin, I got it from Amazon for £24.

Many thanks 
Ordered. Been looking for a stand to work with disc brakes.

[TimO]

Slightly OT, but where is the best place to by the large y frame these days?

At the moment, it looks like it's Wiggle.  They are £180 and there's a £15 off if you spend over £100 deal at the moment, so it comes out at £165.

[TimO]

A bit OT, but how much assembly is required to put a Large Carry Freedom together?

I'm wondering about getting one, but inevitably I'll be out when DHL turns up, and I'd rather avoid the slight ludicrousness of picking up a trailer using a trailer!

Can it be assembled using just screwdrivers/allen keys?  The mount looks like it can just be fitted to any wheel, just by unbolting it, or releasing a QR clamp.

[delthebike]

A bit OT, but how much assembly is required to put a Large Carry Freedom together?

Can it be assembled using just screwdrivers/allen keys?  The mount looks like it can just be fitted to any wheel, just by unbolting it, or releasing a QR clamp.

Mine came CKD, like a Land Rover being shipped to Africa, and it all had to be put together. Base to frame, wheels to axles, reflectors to base, etc.

Basic tools for assembly and any wheel that isn't single side mount, like the front wheel of an ICE trike, for the bracket.

[TimO]

Hmm, I guess maybe I'll use the Yak Bob and several bungees, if I have to.

If there was something essential missing, then getting the box back, on a bike, would probably be nigh on impossible!

Getting back to the thread, I'm wondering about using a Peli 1660 case.  If I could find some way to securely lock it to the trailer, and the whole shooting match to whatever the bike's locked to, it would be totally secure for going around shops and picking up things.

A Peli Case would be proof against any tool that anyone would likely have to hand.  A decent padlock or two on the case itself would need a set of bolt croppers to get through. The trick will be working out how to attach it to the trailer securely.  Possibly a metal plate on the underside of the trailer, with a couple of holes, and then insert a padlock hasp through the entire lot, although getting it around and through all the holes could be interesting.

Not light, and about twice the price of the trailer itself, but a damned good basis for a secure transport.

[Kim]

A bit OT, but how much assembly is required to put a Large Carry Freedom together?

Complete assembly instructions here:  http://www.carryfreedom.com/downloads/Y-Frame_Instructions.pdf
(Interestingly, this version shows the older style hitch.)

Basically it means bolting the load bed to the frame, and a couple more bolts of a smaller size for the hitch.  Fitting the wheels is tool-less, unless the axles need adjusting (mine didn't). Should be doable with a set of Allen keys, a small adjustable spanner and whatever you need to remove the axle/QR skewer to fit the bracket to the bike.  Oh, and a pump with a Schrader head to put some air in the tyres.

Reflectors and box mounting gubbins can safely wait until you get home.  A couple of bungee cords will suffice to secure the crushed packaging to the trailer.

[Kim]

The trick will be working out how to attach it to the trailer securely.  Possibly a metal plate on the underside of the trailer, with a couple of holes, and then insert a padlock hasp through the entire lot, although getting it around and through all the holes could be interesting.

I was thinking about this, as my effort currently lacks any way to secure the box against theft.  Realistically, I'd use a smaller box (or two) for supermarket type shopping, anyway, as you probably want something that will fit inside a standard shopping trolley, so I'm not currently too fussed about that.  If it's B&Q or something, I'm happy to wheel a trailer around, or commandeer one of their more industrial trolleys.

But yeah.  I was thinking rings or padlock hasps through the base of the box instead of the usual feet, then run a cable lock through them from the underside of the trailer bed (and optionally through the wheels as well).  I expect that's enough security for the purpose, as anyone serious enough to bring decent tools will probably nick the whole lot.

Alternatively, sacrifice the quick-release box functionality, and bolt the box directly the the Y-frame (using security fasteners of choice, if desired).  I'm assuming those boxes are sturdy enough to make the trailer bed redundant.  Would have the additional advantage of saving a substantial amount of weight.

[cycleman]

is it that crime ridden in city's now that such measures are need  ?