Hauling PA equipment - I need ideas!
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Hauling PA equipment - I need ideas!
I've been doing the occasional live sound gig, perhaps a few times a year for the last three or four years. I've been able to get more work, and have 2 jobs tentatively booked for next year. However, I don't drive, and begging rides from friends or my wife isn't a viable option if I get a lot more work.
These jobs involve hauling around a hundred pounds or more of PA equipment up to 10 or 20 miles from home - amplifer, mixing board, large speakers, microphone stands, bins filled with cables and microphones, et cetera.
My not driving may or may not change in the near future - I'm epileptic - but I can't count on it either way.
I keep hearing arguments along the lines of "you can too do X on a bike", so... any thoughts about how I could pursue this car-free?
Thanks in advance for any ideas!
These jobs involve hauling around a hundred pounds or more of PA equipment up to 10 or 20 miles from home - amplifer, mixing board, large speakers, microphone stands, bins filled with cables and microphones, et cetera.
My not driving may or may not change in the near future - I'm epileptic - but I can't count on it either way.
I keep hearing arguments along the lines of "you can too do X on a bike", so... any thoughts about how I could pursue this car-free?
Thanks in advance for any ideas!
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#3
In the right lane
A long time ago, some friends of mine started a painting company. Of course, they did not own a bicycle, let alone a car.
They were able to get all kinds of jobs, but moving all the ladders and other gear proved difficult. Their answer was to take on a partner who had a truck. The new partner received generous expense money for his truck.
They were able to get all kinds of jobs, but moving all the ladders and other gear proved difficult. Their answer was to take on a partner who had a truck. The new partner received generous expense money for his truck.
#5
Uber Goober
Visit the Utility Forum and look around.
If you have a bike up to the job, the trailer mentioned above is probably the cheapest solution. Perhaps the best would be one of the Long John bikes. But a good one can run a couple of thousand or more. https://www.longjohn.org/ for some pictures.
Some other considerations: Do you have time constraints? (You can haul a 100# by bike, but you'll probably be riding 10 mph, not 18.) Is it okay if you get there and you're all sweaty? How to handle rain? How about riding in the dark? Hills will make a huge difference with a heavy load.
If you have a bike up to the job, the trailer mentioned above is probably the cheapest solution. Perhaps the best would be one of the Long John bikes. But a good one can run a couple of thousand or more. https://www.longjohn.org/ for some pictures.
Some other considerations: Do you have time constraints? (You can haul a 100# by bike, but you'll probably be riding 10 mph, not 18.) Is it okay if you get there and you're all sweaty? How to handle rain? How about riding in the dark? Hills will make a huge difference with a heavy load.
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#6
Pedaled too far.
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#7
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Not if I plan well.
I'd probably want to clean up when I get there, like I do when getting to work.
A lot of my gear i in plastic totes, I'd have to do something similar for the power amp and speakers and mixer.
I have good lighting, that's a non-issue.
The answer to that is the same one to hauling a heavy touring load - keep pulling it, eventually you get faster.
I'd probably want to clean up when I get there, like I do when getting to work.
A lot of my gear i in plastic totes, I'd have to do something similar for the power amp and speakers and mixer.
I have good lighting, that's a non-issue.
The answer to that is the same one to hauling a heavy touring load - keep pulling it, eventually you get faster.
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- Uke On! - ukulele duo - Videos
- Ukulele Abyss - ukulele cover videos - Videos
- Baroque and Hungry's (Celtic fusion) full-length studio album Mended.
- Artistic Differences - 8-track EP Dreams of Bile and Blood.
#8
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A dedicated trailer may be the way to go for this. Keep in mind that it's a stretch to fit all my stuff in the car, let alone on a trailer.
However, the largest thing I take a long on these jobs is a large metal hand truck. A trailer I could pull around like a cart would be great.
However, the largest thing I take a long on these jobs is a large metal hand truck. A trailer I could pull around like a cart would be great.
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Tour Journals, Blog, ride pix
My bands:
Tour Journals, Blog, ride pix
My bands:
- Uke On! - ukulele duo - Videos
- Ukulele Abyss - ukulele cover videos - Videos
- Baroque and Hungry's (Celtic fusion) full-length studio album Mended.
- Artistic Differences - 8-track EP Dreams of Bile and Blood.
Last edited by neilfein; 11-12-09 at 08:09 AM. Reason: typos
#9
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A friend of mine is a drummer and uses a cargo trike that he built himself. For extra distance he has electric assist on it.
https://www.drumbent.com/trike.html
https://www.drumbent.com/trike.html
#11
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#12
With a trailer like this you are only limited to what you can tie on or stack up.
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My preferred bicycle brand is.......WORKSMAN CYCLES
I dislike clipless pedals on any city bike since I feel they are unsafe.
Originally Posted by krazygluon
Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred, which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?
My preferred bicycle brand is.......WORKSMAN CYCLES
I dislike clipless pedals on any city bike since I feel they are unsafe.
Originally Posted by krazygluon
Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred, which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?
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The Bikes at Work trailer look pretty sturdy, but expensive! I can't see spending $500 on a trailer.
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- Uke On! - ukulele duo - Videos
- Ukulele Abyss - ukulele cover videos - Videos
- Baroque and Hungry's (Celtic fusion) full-length studio album Mended.
- Artistic Differences - 8-track EP Dreams of Bile and Blood.
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A dedicated trailer may be the way to go for this. Keep in mind that it's a stretch to fit all my stuff in the car, let alone on a trailer.
However, the largest thing I take a long on these jobs is a large metal hand truck. A trailer I could pull around like a cart would be great.
However, the largest thing I take a long on these jobs is a large metal hand truck. A trailer I could pull around like a cart would be great.
Another thing to check out for inspiration is the group 'blind pilot' - they are an indie band who tour by bicycle - check out the cool custom trailer for the upright bass that is in this video: https://vimeo.com/2975715
#15
This is no time to cheap it mate.
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My preferred bicycle brand is.......WORKSMAN CYCLES
I dislike clipless pedals on any city bike since I feel they are unsafe.
Originally Posted by krazygluon
Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred, which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?
My preferred bicycle brand is.......WORKSMAN CYCLES
I dislike clipless pedals on any city bike since I feel they are unsafe.
Originally Posted by krazygluon
Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred, which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?
#16
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There is a better solution. What if you could have a PA and not need monitors and mixers? What if you only needed two speaker cables? What if you didn't need an instrument amplifier with speakers? Your bulky equipment would mostly be gone.
Check out this system:https://www.bose.com/controller?event...tems/index.jsp
There are several videos of this system in action on Youtube. You can't hear them the same way but you can see how others use them. I have something similar in concept and it works great. The speakers weigh only 32 pounds. I need a separate power amplifier and mixer to go with them. Those weigh about 45 pounds.
Check out this system:https://www.bose.com/controller?event...tems/index.jsp
There are several videos of this system in action on Youtube. You can't hear them the same way but you can see how others use them. I have something similar in concept and it works great. The speakers weigh only 32 pounds. I need a separate power amplifier and mixer to go with them. Those weigh about 45 pounds.
#17
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@Smallwheels: Interesting, but spending money on equipment really isn't in the cards right now. I will be keeping these in mind, though.
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- Ukulele Abyss - ukulele cover videos - Videos
- Baroque and Hungry's (Celtic fusion) full-length studio album Mended.
- Artistic Differences - 8-track EP Dreams of Bile and Blood.
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Some instructions:
https://www.drumbent.com/trailer_big.html
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They are a good thing to keep in mind, we bought a set of them for our church, and they are very versatile and easily moved. About the only thing which I wish they had done was integrated a wireless microphone receiver in the base unit.
#20
The Drive Side is Within
Neodymium Speakers and Class D amps with a Switch Mode Power Supply (SMPS) Weight issue should be less of a factor.
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I can vouch for the Bikes At Work trailer. I bought one of their old-style 64" trailers years ago, and use it to haul upward of 100 pounds of sand sculpture equipment to the beach. The design is simple, construction sturdy, hitch reliable. The new version should be even better. They come in two widths now, so if your equipment won't fit within the 21" bed of the narrow, you can get the wider one. They come in three lengths: 32", 64", 96".
Years ago I used a Bugger trailer to haul PA equipment. That was pretty gnarly because there was no way to control the position of the load, so it was severely rear-heavy. On dips in the road, the back tire of the bicycle would be lifted off the ground as the trailer pitched up.
Years ago I used a Bugger trailer to haul PA equipment. That was pretty gnarly because there was no way to control the position of the load, so it was severely rear-heavy. On dips in the road, the back tire of the bicycle would be lifted off the ground as the trailer pitched up.
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The guys at Rock the Bike in the Bay Area do it every weekend using Mundos and trailers:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/rockthebike/3806562103/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/rockthebike/3807376838/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/rockthebike/3806562103/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/rockthebike/3807376838/