loky1179

Cool. I don't have a bugger, but my brother does. I think my sister-in-law still uses it to pick up groceries. No doubt this will help with the inevitable hitch maintenance.

atoddvr6

Sounds good! Let me know if you need more detailed instructions. BTW, a 12x12 block of rubber allows you to make three new hitches. We ordered that size because the next size down would have been to small to make one. There is a very slim chance that we could cut two more and sell them to two bugger owners in need. Keep in mind that you would have to supply the original hardware or find new hardware. And I don't know if it matters or not but the photo shows our bugger that we made the replacement for. So I don't know if it would work with other versions.

bernmcg3

Help
Bugger purchased in 1972. Wanting to use with grandchildren, hitch is broken. Can't find replacement part.

thanks

JohnDaly

I am also looking to rebuild my hitch. Purchased a Bugger in 1986 for $175 and this is the second hitch.
I am wondering if polycarbonate (see post above) would offer a stronger more durable option than neoprene rubber?
And did you use 2 inch block?
Thanks,
JD

glennview

I have been in love with buggers since I bought my 1st used bugger (with broken hitch) in 1980. What a wonderful design; I do not think anyone has improved upon it since. I have bought all the buggers I have had an opportunity to buy in the Chicago area since 1980. I bought a new-in-box bugger that I had shipped to me. I still have that original broken hitch, which I have shortened and reshaped; it still works. I have also made Polycarbonate hitches that work well. And I have made pull handles for when I use buggers as hand carts. The 1st link has illustrations of new and used buggers, of original bugger literature, of hitches and handles I have made. Feel free to copy my designs. The 2nd link has illustrations of another bugger I rebuilt for a special purpose. There is other information on these pages so you will have to scroll through until you get to the buggers. BTW, the lead photo on the 2nd web page was made with the aid of a bugger. I had to haul photo gear about a mile to get to the location where I made that photo.

sports.htm

35.htm

atoddvr6

Whatever you end up using, it needs to have some flexibility since (1)seat posts are not perfectly vertical, (2)your bike could fall over and possibly crack or shatter polycarbonate, (3)as you make turns, the hitch also needs to flex. Of course, if that is not how your bugger attaches to your bike then you might be ok. I've been pulling the bugger now for over a year and the rubber replacement hitch is holding up just fine.

Colorado Kid

What year is that Bugger? It had to be one of the first ones as later models looked a whole lot different.

JohnDaly

Thanks for describing how to rebuild the hitch. I am going to try and copy your approach.
I see the following from McMaster

Ultra-Strength Multipurpose Neoprene Rubber
Sheet, with Certificate, 12" x 12", 1-1/2" Thick

1310N42
Durometer
60A (Medium Hard)
$142

Is that right?
Did you cut it with a utility knife.
Could we drill out a cavity in the rubber to avoid separating the bars at the top?
And do you think the original material was neoprene?
Thanks

fietsbob

Burly Travoy hitch offers some useful parts.. https://burley.com/product/travoy-hitch/

EZ release ..

and their elastomer .. which is like a black lollypop with a hole in it..

so you fabricate a T mount to attach it to your bugger loop handle..

JohnDaly

Thanks to AToddVR6 (“Todd”)'s lead I fabricated and attached a new seat post hitch for my Cannondale Bugger.
I describe and show how in a YouTube //youtu.be/l-6UXmnsJI4 .
Some text summary:
The Rubber First
Todd had suggested McMaster-Carr. The hitch needs a bar of 1.5” thickness and at least 7.5” length and 5.25” thickness. The smallest item available in this thickness was a 12” by 12” block for $142.
Then Create a Template from the Old Hitch
I tried my best to create a cut out paper template of the old disintegrated hitch and traced the template in chalk on the rubber block.
Then I braced the rubber block with clamps. I drilled out the seatpost hole first with a 1 1/8 inch spade bit. Then I cut the rubber out with a jigsaw using metal cutting blade. The bit and jigsaw blades go through the neoprene easily.
Mate the Rubber to the Trailer
At this point Todd modified the trailer hitch pole to mate the hitch. In his words he… cut the loop of the hitch pole off so we could have two separate straight poles going into the rubber. It would have been a lot harder to keep the pole intact because we would have had to try to dig out a U-shaped hole in solid rubber.
I did not want to modify and cut the factory hitch pole. I wanted to keep it intact. So I hollowed out a cavity in the rubber to house the U shaped trailer pole. I used a ¾ inch spade bit to channel the opening. As I came closer to full excavation I needed to work with more precision. I chalked the top of the U pole:
And then kept pushing down the rubber opening to get chalk on the obstructing parts. I kept putting it on and then drilling out more where the chalk appeared. A bit like a dentist who asks you to grind your molars on articulating paper to see where he needs to file down a molar crown.
When I finally got a clean fit. I slit an opening for the seat pole. Then I applied the old hitch hardware to the new rubber. Then I pushed it onto the pole, marked and then drilled the holes for bolts (original) to tie the hitch rubber to pole. Finally I screwed these on.

It Works!
It works well and may last better than the lexan.

atoddvr6

Not sure on the exact year but it's definitely an early to mid-eighties model.

atoddvr6

That looks pretty good. I know we didn't order anything less than 1-1/2" thick.
We cut ours with a band saw which worked great.
You can carve out a cavity like what JohnDaly did. We just chose not to. That rubber is very strong and with the tubes straightened and inserted into the rubber, the whole thing is very strong. I pulled my son until he was too big to ride in it. I think he was around 60-70lbs. I even pulled a second neighbor kid every now and then and had no issues. Yes, the hitch bends under the weight but has never stretched or pulled off the seat post.
No idea what the original material was. It was harder than the rubber.

atoddvr6

Way to go JohnDaly! Hope it lasts many years for you!