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Success! Cheap, DIY Flight-Compliant Suitcase-Trailer...

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Success! Cheap, DIY Flight-Compliant Suitcase-Trailer...

Old 08-04-21, 03:05 PM
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BobbyG
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Success! Cheap, DIY Flight-Compliant Suitcase-Trailer...

Since buying a 20" 2007 Dahon Boardwalk a couple of months ago I have wanted to find a way to fold the bike into a 62" compliant, sub 50lb suitcase for air travel...AND...be able to tow the suitcase behind the bike to and from the airport.

Oh, yeah, and do it on the cheap, since I don't need to do this, and may not ever need to tow the suitcase.

I think I have done it, and wanted to share the key hitching strategy that allowed me to do this.

Last month I found an old 29" Samsonite Oyster with two wheels for $15 and was able to fit the folded and partially disassembled bike in it: https://www.bikeforums.net/folding-b...te-oyster.html

I originally thought I could use the Samsonite's own wheels and handle to tow, but the handle is not sturdy enough and would certainly break (especially being 30+ years old), and the narrow wheelbase would probably allow the suitcase to tip.

So three weeks ago I bought a used lightweight collapsible luggage trolley for $5 and used a bungee to secure it to the rear rack of the Boardwalk. I lashed the cart's handle to the rear-most bar of the bike's rear rack. secured the suitcase to the dolly and went riding. The trailer bounced along but was manageable below 9 miles an hour. Above that it would bounce itself onto its side as the dolly's wheels were not as wide as the suitcase. And 9 mph is not fast enough.

A few days later I found another old Samsonite, a Silhouette suitcase with two wide-set wheels and a sturdier handle. I lashed it to the back of the bike's rack and rode home 6 miles having it flip only once when it hit a pothole. It was a bit noisier than the luggage trolley, and at the house it turned out it was slightly too small for the bike. Plus, the sturdier construction pushed the combined weight of the bike and case over 50 lbs. I was able to return that suitcase for a refund.

So this morning I revisited the luggage cart at hand and started noodling how to attach it so as not to tip. It became apparent that the cart's handle was slightly wider than the bikes back rack, and that if I lashed it to the middle of the rack there would be some overlap of the handle and the rack which would allow me to control "tipping". I thought I could use another couple of bungee cords to inhibit the cart from tipping, and in fact, I found that a longer, single cord accomplished everything.

Not only this arrangement prevent tipping, it still allowed for tight turns and other bending in all directions without slack. I can't say I am smart enough to have figured all this out; it was just a happy accident.

So I secured the suitcase to the cart and went for a ride. With the bungee dampening the side-to-side rocking of the cart it was smoother and quieter than when lashed to the very end as well. I hit 20 mph with no problems; in fact, at speed I didn't feel the trailer at all... no tugging, slackness or weird oscillations!

When folded the cart fits in the suitcase and SHOULD fit along with the bike and be under 50 pounds. I haven't tried that yet, however, if I need a more compact or lighter luggage trolley, I am confident it will work with my hitching technique as long as the handle has dual struts of a width slightly more than that of the bike's back rack.

Is it as easy or elegant as a dedicated Brompton, Tern or Bike Friday wheeled suitcase-trailer with a proper bicycle trailer hitch? No. But is it hundreds of dollars less at only $20? YES!!

At some point I may want to use it, perhaps the next time I fly to Chicago to visit my brother who resides 15 miles from the airport. I can disassemble and pack the Dahon in about 40 minutes, and reassemble it in a similar amount of time. I'm sure I could get that down to 30 with practice. The toughest part is getting the right pedal off which has required a strike from a rubber mallet on the pedal wrench. I will try using a shoe although I could pack the mallet in my carry on.

Even with the mid-rack mounting there would be room to secure a carry-on bag, and if a back pack is used as a "personal" item, that could be worn or possible racked also, especially if a front rack is added to the bike. Also, items could be put in the suitcase, which without the bike, is empty. And, of course, there is always the options of packing the bike and NOT riding it to or from the airport.

The main thing is I wanted to share the manner in which I lashed the cart to the rack...it worked out wonderfully. Here are some photos:








Last edited by BobbyG; 08-05-21 at 07:56 AM.
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Old 08-04-21, 08:15 PM
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wesgreen
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Looks great! Please let us know if you're able to fit the dolly with the bike into the suitcase.
I've experimented with carrying the suitcase on my back with attached luggage straps, like a backpack.
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Old 08-06-21, 03:48 PM
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Obviously these wheels are a big step up from typical suitcase wheels, but still they likely are not up to a 15 mile ride (maybe just one way). Ultimately you need to end up with ball bearings and pneumatic tires. The Bike Friday system can be attached to any suitcase. There used to be a Wike system for any suitcase, that might have been discontinued. However, these are not cheap, at least on the scale of the solutions you developed so far.
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Old 08-09-21, 07:18 PM
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wesgreen
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Originally Posted by 2_i
Ultimately you need to end up with ball bearings and pneumatic tires.
For anything more than a few miles, I would think so too. I still like your style!
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