CompleteStreets

Well, I took a chance on one of these Aosom bike trailers that are all over ebay and amazon at ridiculously cheap prices ($85 including shipping). My main concern was quality control issues. Sure enough, as I began assembling my Aosom trailer I discovered that one of the axles wasn't machined properly. It literally won't fit through the hole in the wheel :-/ The other axle fits fine. Some of the welds also look suspect. And who knows if the tires (and wheels) would last long. Needless to say I'll be returning the trailer to the online seller.

I'm now debating what to get instead. Two that appeal to me are:

Burley Flatbed
Wike Heavy Duty Flatbed Bike Trailer

Each costs about $230, not including shipping. So basically I'm looking at almost three times the cost of an Aosom. I don't plan on using a trailer more than once or twice a month, which is why I took a chance on the Aosom. Anyways, I've been wondering, is there some middle ground between Aosom and Burley/WIKE, particularly in terms of price?

I've been looking persistently on craigslist, but haven't had much luck. I'd love to be able to buy a decent new cargo trailer for around $150. I really like the flatbed style; great for strapping rubbermaid tubs and miscellaneous large items with bungy cords or tire inner tubes. Thanks for your help.

fietsbob

You just gave up? didn't ask for a (machine) shop etc. to help with drilling out and aligning stuff that wasn't working right?


Yard sale kid trailers .. that you modify to suit your needs .. (though I sense you are not a DIY type )

I own a Burly Flat bed.. the ones developed and sold by the employee owned co op
They supported both ends of the axle, frame surrounds the whole thing
used 2 standard front hubs and 20" wheels . co op went into bankruptcy .


new owner sent the work, building them, to the Philippines .

now 16" wheels , the single side hub pops off with a different technique..

gregjones

Should have got the single wheel version.

I didn't know if I'd like a trailer or not so I got one of the $69.99 w/shipping from eBarf before I spent 250 on a Maya or 350 on a Yak then didn't care for the trailer. The only thing I can't do with racks and bags is carry tall kitchen trash bags five miles to the county dumpsters once every other week. I read about all the stuff folks manage to cram in their bags, but I doubt they'd be any more willing than I am to transport the kitchen trash that way. Hence, the trailer.

The spokes were all tight and there wasn't any wobble or bobbles. The cartridge bearings in the wheel sucked, shielded not sealed and actually had play in them that showed up as a wobble. A whopping $4.40 got me two rubber sealed bearings that work as they should. Major problem, huh? The bag is as I had feared the rest of the package would be.....as cheap as the price. But, it held 45lbs of groceries. I did stick two bolts in the rear suspension/frame to make it solid and I think I like it better that way. I'll weld it solid next time I ride by the shop where my welder is. It weighs around 13 lbs, no bag or 14 gallon tote that fits great.

Actually, I do have two major problems with my, now almost $75.00 investment:
1. It's silver. I might go with black.
2. It works too good. Not worth the trouble or price of wheel and tire to build one from scratch. Even though I use it far more than I had expected it's not worth the difference to buy a "quality" brand. I wouldn't set out to Montana, or Alabama, with it but I have had it out the 13 miles that I've needed to without problems.

There's no Craigslist in my town of 650 to have a kid hauler for sale and I asked at the post office, no trailers even exist to be for sale in this town or the next one.

RatMudd

I would budget for a better built trailer.

I don't own any trailers, but plan on buying 3 next year. My ton of phone surfing and researching has led me to get a Surly Trailer Bill (large with 2 wheels), BOB Yak (medium with 1 wheel), and an Extrawheel (basically an extra 26" or 700c wheel capable of panniers and a rack).

You seem like you'd love a Surly or BOB.

Surly also makes a medium sized trailer called the Trailer Ted which is also two wheeled like the Bill but smaller.

BOB also makes a suspension version of its Yak called the Ibex.

In my opinion, from the researching and reading that could add up to a few straight weeks, I wouldn't look any further than these tried and true well built machines listed in this post. I'm a firm believer in that you get what you pay for.

If you really can't afford any of these, a machine shop would be very cheap. Just pick up a couple old cheap steel mtn bikes with decent 26" front rims (Ritchey comes to mind for oldie goodies), cut the head tubes off or rear triangles, weld forks to steerer tubes if need be, and get them welded to a handmade trailer frame. 150$ would be more than enough for that, I'd only imagine. I'd do some researching for a hitch, homemade or not. Theoretically, a homemade one could outlast a Surly Bill/Ted or BOB Yak, if done right, abeit heavier though.

The Google search engine is your friend. Tons of "homemade bike trailer" out there, especially from redneck survivalists like myself, although I've never made one.

Keep in mind, also, that a trailer attached to a seatpost is less stable than one attached to the axles. Stay away from seatpost mounted trailers. And a trailer with 2 wheels means you have to think about tracking more, like avoiding potholes or obstacles or turning into a sidewalk -- 2 wheels won't track the same path as your bicycle. On the other hand, one-wheeled trailers with a lot of weight put more stress on your frame because the wheel is behind the cargo area (except Extrawheel). This means a lot of the cargo weight is forced onto the frame, versus a 2-wheeled trailer is mostly centered on the trailer's two wheels.

Just food for thought and Bike Trailer 101 from my newbie-always-still-learning mind

Good luck!

fietsbob

Carry Freedom Y frame Carry Freedom Website | a bike trailer revolution and the wandertec https://www.biketrailershop.com/wand...ers-c-284.html

neither are cheap .. you tried cheap and that apparently didn't work out so well .. eh?

Robert C

I have a burley flatbed. It seems to be well made for what it is. as I posted in the Living Carfree forum, I had some trouble with th ehitch; but there are few good single point bike hitches.

I got the hitch fixed and at this point I can recommend it.

CompleteStreets

I am tempted by the Burley flatbed. The only thing I don't like about it is the rubber trampoline-like base. I'm sure it would work great for 80%-90% of my needs, but what about if I want to transport something with sharp corners, etc. One thing I'd like to transport using a trailer is other bicycles. Not sure I would want to strap down a bike on its side with the metal pedals and other protruding pieces laying against the material of the Burley flatbed. It seems that a metal or wooden flatbed would be better suited for this.

I'm looking at my folding bike. If I were to use the Burley Flatbed to transport my folder, I'd want to fold the bike and lay it on its side. Then I'd strap it down with bungies and/or inner tubes. Well, the nut and axle of the folding bike wheel are sharp and I wouldn't be surprised if they'd put a hole in the flatbed.

RatMudd

Ive seen adapters where you can attach the forks of hauled bike onto the rear of the riding bike, with no trailer whatsoever. Could easily attach loose front wheel anywhere. Could be an option for you.

MichaelW

+1
My Carry Freedom Y frame 20" has a simple, solid plywood bed that can be adapted to almost any load. It has 4 mounting holes and you can cut/drill more to suit. You can replace the plywood bed with eg a bike/canoe/surfboard rack. It packs flat for storage and is quick to re-assemble. The new polymer mount is excellent.
I strap on a tough, plastic recycling box and can carry full-sized bikes on top of this.
It is not cheap but it is good value.

findude

This. I found mine free next to a trash can. They are all over craigslist, and this is a good time of year to pick one up cheap. Use it for a few months; if it doesn't meet your needs you can sell at a profit in the spring.

ocsawdust

I got a trailer this way and did some modifications, wood deck front and sides. So many trailers out there. For a fraction of the new cost.

CompleteStreets

Well, I scored a used Burley Bee trailer on craigslist. I stripped it down and added some wooden 1"x4" planks. I plan to add a couple more boards, but for now I'm able to strap down a large plastic storage bin.

noglider 

Well done. Patience paid off. I've bought two or three trailers used, and they all worked out well.

7up

I purchased A Burley Bee from Craigslist and stripped it. I'm pretty sure its a 2002 model and I like the plank job you did to yours "CompleteStreets". Nice food for thought. I also Purchased a Nashbar 2 seater brand new in the box with the stroller option for real cheap but I hate the color.