Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Utility Cycling
Reload this Page >

Bike tow truck…sort of

Notices
Utility Cycling Want to haul groceries, beer, maybe even your kids? You don't have to live car free to put your bike to use as a workhorse. Here's the place to share and learn about the bicycle as a utility vehicle.

Bike tow truck…sort of

Old 11-18-22, 07:06 PM
  #1  
Chukbacca
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 103

Bikes: 1988 Univega Alpina Pro

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 45 Post(s)
Liked 18 Times in 6 Posts
Bike tow truck…sort of

I used to pick up my kids from school using a tandem and a pedal trailer behind it. As they outgrew the pedal trailers, I was trying to figure a way to allow me to pick them up from school on the bike when Mom drops them off in the car.

I picked up this baby trailer off the side of the road, added a little bit of pine, and I cut up an existing bike rack. Overall, it’s a little bit heavier than I would like, but this is more of proof of concept… I don’t do anything crazy with it, and the kids school is only about a half mile away, but it works pretty well.

if I find it works well in the long run, I might weld myself up something with half inch tube, as opposed to the solid rod that the bike rack uses. Are used lumber as the base as I want to be able to haul stuff with it when the bike rack is not bolted to it.



Chukbacca is offline  
Old 11-20-22, 07:47 AM
  #2  
tim24k
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: NW
Posts: 747

Bikes: To many to list. I like them all!

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 60 Post(s)
Liked 43 Times in 32 Posts
I’ve been using my Surly Big Dummy as a tow truck for many years. I just strap the front wheel in the side bag that I’m towing and away I go.😁
tim24k is offline  
Likes For tim24k:
Old 11-20-22, 11:38 PM
  #3  
tegnamo
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 141
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 35 Post(s)
Liked 11 Times in 7 Posts
Very cool! I'd like to make something like that for my trailer.
tegnamo is offline  
Old 11-21-22, 09:20 AM
  #4  
Chukbacca
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 103

Bikes: 1988 Univega Alpina Pro

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 45 Post(s)
Liked 18 Times in 6 Posts
Originally Posted by tegnamo;[url=tel:22716777
22716777[/url]]Very cool! I'd like to make something like that for my trailer.
I’m happy to say this really worked out.… I bought a used five slot bike rack for $30 (I intentionally bought a welded one) I cut off the two slots that I wanted, and sold the three remaining slots for $40.
Chukbacca is offline  
Old 11-21-22, 10:05 AM
  #5  
RB1-luvr
I don't know.
 
RB1-luvr's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: South Meriden, CT
Posts: 1,976

Bikes: '90 B'stone RB-1, '92 B'stone RB-2, '89 SuperGo Access Comp, '03 Access 69er, '23 Trek 520, '14 Ritchey Road Logic, '09 Kestrel Evoke, '08 Windsor Tourist, '17 Surly Wednesday, '89 Centurion Accordo, '15 CruX, '17 Ridley X-Night

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 306 Post(s)
Liked 821 Times in 429 Posts
that's really neat.
RB1-luvr is offline  
Likes For RB1-luvr:
Old 11-27-22, 12:00 AM
  #6  
Rumpled
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 911
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
A friend of mine used to rig his kids' bikes so that the front wheels were hung where rear panniers would be.
Not sure exactly how he rigged it.
Rumpled is offline  
Old 11-27-22, 09:20 AM
  #7  
UnCruel 
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
Posts: 141

Bikes: Trek Émonda SL 5, Trek Checkpoint SL 5, Giant Trance X 2, Trek Farley

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 70 Post(s)
Liked 92 Times in 50 Posts
Question for the OP: Do you do anything to keep the two bikes from bumping against each other, or do they stay separated naturally?
UnCruel is offline  
Old 11-29-22, 12:20 PM
  #8  
Chukbacca
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 103

Bikes: 1988 Univega Alpina Pro

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 45 Post(s)
Liked 18 Times in 6 Posts
Originally Posted by UnCruel
Question for the OP: Do you do anything to keep the two bikes from bumping against each other, or do they stay separated naturally?
So far they just say apart naturally, but again I'm not going nuts.
Chukbacca is offline  
Old 12-08-22, 01:38 PM
  #9  
JoeyBike
20+mph Commuter
 
JoeyBike's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: New Orleans, LA USA
Posts: 7,491

Bikes: Surly LHT, Surly Lowside, a folding bike, and a beater.

Mentioned: 31 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1422 Post(s)
Liked 315 Times in 210 Posts
I tried a sidewalk bike rack once. Can't remember why it didn't work out. Changed over to a 2-bike car rear rack in the center of the trailer which was much faster getting the bikes on and off. I could easily carry 4 at a time without stacking any on top. I'll see if I can dig up a photo of the final answer to hauling multiple bikes from a bike shop to our warehouse without having to mess around with trucks and parking spots.

The bottom photo is one bike in the middle and two lashed to it.


Bikes At Work trailer.

Bikes At Work trailer.
JoeyBike is offline  
Old 12-12-22, 06:50 PM
  #10  
trailmix
Senior Member
 
trailmix's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 684

Bikes: 50+/-

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 63 Post(s)
Liked 81 Times in 48 Posts
Originally Posted by JoeyBike
I tried a sidewalk bike rack once. Can't remember why it didn't work out. Changed over to a 2-bike car rear rack in the center of the trailer which was much faster getting the bikes on and off. I could easily carry 4 at a time without stacking any on top. I'll see if I can dig up a photo of the final answer to hauling multiple bikes from a bike shop to our warehouse without having to mess around with trucks and parking spots.

The bottom photo is one bike in the middle and two lashed to it.


Bikes At Work trailer.

Bikes At Work trailer.
My Bikes At Work has two QRs at an angle at the front. This picture shows it loaded with one bike but two fit on there like a puzzle with the bars at that angle.
trailmix is offline  
Old 12-12-22, 11:36 PM
  #11  
JoeyBike
20+mph Commuter
 
JoeyBike's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: New Orleans, LA USA
Posts: 7,491

Bikes: Surly LHT, Surly Lowside, a folding bike, and a beater.

Mentioned: 31 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1422 Post(s)
Liked 315 Times in 210 Posts
Originally Posted by trailmix
My Bikes At Work has two QRs at an angle at the front. This picture shows it loaded with one bike but two fit on there like a puzzle with the bars at that angle.


Great minds think alike!
JoeyBike is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.