This is the bike trailer I use. Does anyone else use something to carry longboards. This trailer weighs about 15 lbs and the board weighs 25 lbs. It pulls easily on hard sand, but if the sand is too soft, It’s easier to walk and pull the trailer. It started out a a golf cart, but after 5 years of evolution, the only remaining original part is the folding handle.
Dan
i’ve been interested in building a trailer. looking to go collapsible and lighter, carrying the board (s) under arm, rail down.
where did you come by the wheels?
The wheels are made by the company linked below. They allow the weight to be spread out over a larger area and roll over soft sand well. They are pneumatic with only 2 to 4 pounds of air pressure. The wheels in the picture are the 16.5 inch with ball bearings. I only use the trailer on the sand, so I don’t know how well the tires would hold up to pavement.
Sweet Creation
I’ve seen guys with the racks on the side of their bikes
sean
If ya see the ‘jogger’ type baby strollers in the junkyard, with the larger, spoked bicycle-type wheels, they can make for the beginnings of a pretty good board trailer. The wheels are wide enough to carry board, wetsuit, cooler-full-of-beer and sundry other stuff over anything you can pedal the bike on, besides which they are good for pavement. The baby carrier works out nice as a kind of ‘hammock’ underneath for beach toys.
You wind up using some 1" conduit to extend the front to make a long connection to the bike. Pop rivets or threaded screws with lock nuts, a couple of carabiners or another home-brew rig to attach to the bike and there you are.
In fact- my pal The Prosecutor is gonna score an old kiddie stroller fairly soon and I told him I’d convert it for him, I’ll take pictures and run through the process.
hope that’s of use
doc…
I’m thinking of building a trailer that I can take down to the beach on/in my car to transport 4-5 boards from the car to the beach, those wheels look like the shot for me, I wonder if there’s a distributor in West Oz?
You must live close to the beach. Much closer than I and I live pretty close. Because if I knew there were waves and I had to ride my bike I would have a heart attack before I made it there.
I’m almost out of my mind in traffic if I check the inlet and see good waves and I have to drive over the bridge and a few blocks north and back to the beach again.
thanks for the info. wheels are a bit pricey for my project.
basically looking to build a trundle to get from the crowded parking area to uncrowded areas within walking distance.
doc i read your note and that’s one way to go.
anyone know of inexpensive plastic or pneumatic wheels?
maybe i’ll just look for some used BIG WHEELS bikes in thrift shops?
Hi Peter,
If you’re looking for wheels alone, Northern Hydraulics has 'em. All kinds -
And for, as you say, a ‘trundle’ or something similar; small-ish inflatable wheelbarrow wheels might be the way to go. http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=6970&productId=11949&R=11949 is one, they have lots more. - see http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CatDsp?storeId=6970&N=124+7380
Typically you can snag them online for under $20 each, use a zinc chromated bolt of the appropriate size for an axle ( or, again, score something appropriate out of the junkyard ) and bend a frame for it out of conduit tubing. If you or if you know somebody who welds a bit, voila.
Though one nice thing about the jogger’s baby strollers - they are meant to fold for stowage - adding a longer beak to 'em to tow behind a bike wouldn’t add that much. And as many of them use what is basicly a pair of wheels off a kid’s bike, you could maybe find tires and tubes of greater width for better sand floatation.
Another possibility- might work better for what you’re thinking of- is to redo one of those Garden-Way-type carts, the two wheeled deals with a couple of spoked wheels on it - another yard sale score to look for.
Basicly, add a board rack to it and it’d carry boards, suits and what have ya.
Easier still, and I stumbled across this while looking for a picture of one of those garden carts-
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=44599 - they are on sale for $30 just now - about what two wheels alone would cost.
Have a look at the assembly instructions: http://www.harborfreight.com/manuals/44000-44999/44599.PDF . As you can see, swapping things around ( put the long, U shaped bar on the straight section) and adding a little pipe insulation foam and a couple bungees or nylon straps and you’d have it.
If you wanted to add a couple U-shaped sections of conduit to get the boards up more above the sand and so forth, not difficult to do, you could even lash on a couple pieces of plastic pipe if you wanted to. Just emailed a link for this to The Prosecutor - I may have to do up a couple of these for him and myself as bike trailers. Wouldn’t fold, but pretty compact by itself.
hope that’s of use
doc…
For several years I used the hard rubber 2 inch wide wheels that were originally on the golf cart. They worked fine on hard packed sand or pavement, but didn’t work well in soft sand. I debated for a long while before I bought the new wheels (after all, close to $200 is a lot of money for a surfboard trailer that up till that point had only cost about $20). As I only use the trailer on the sand, these wheels have been worth the investment.
Dan
Sweet set up Retired. What general area are you surfing (I know you aren’t giving up your bike in secret spot). I’ve been looking at these 50cc motors on ebay that bolt on to a beach cruiser. The motorized bike and board trailer with huge pneumatic tires combination would make an awesome surf explorer. You’d have to be on secluded coast though, all you environmentalists don’t even get started on me about the friggin snowy plovers.
i have a bike trailer made specifically for boards-long or short.i believe it’s called the kangaroo-i’ll have to check on name.about $150.00. knobby tires-good on pavement and off.can carry two boards for sure. i have had it for over three years now and have not had any problems at all.a pretty smooth deal…
I live in north east Florida. We have some beaches that we can drive on and some are only walk or bike on. It’s nice to park right on the beach and surf within sight of your car (along with a healthy crowd). But, If you are willing to go to a non vehicle beach and make a mile or so walk, the crowd thins substantially along with the trash large crowds leave behind.
Dan
Hi Peter Check out Quiver kaddy www.quiverkaddy.com an Australian Product
Here is what I’m working on. It’s an older Burley child trailer which is a proven design that can take the abuse of small children. I removed the nylon fabric and framework, made an extended drawbar out of 1" EMT and then added the triangulated support structure for the boards. It’s busy looking but is, or will be when I get the fourth side finished, plenty stiff and strong; I ran out of materials today so it’s not quite finished. I’l triangulate the remaining side and add two cross bars, which in these photos are wood scraps I clamped on just to check it out. It tows like it’s not even there. If I get a little bit more clever I’ll be able to remove the front/rear triangulation quickly and easily, and will be a able to fold it flat and chuck it in the wagon for my trips to St Augustine. The wheels have quick release mechanisms, so they come off easily. I’ll put a plywood floor with low sides (a few inches high) on the framework, underneath the board(s) for other beach gear, food, whatever. It’s going to work well, and is very light and, easy to set up. With this rig I’ll be able to get away from the parking lots…and the crowds.
Looking at it afresh, it looks awfully Rube Goldberg-ish, but it weights almost nothing, loading is a snap and it tows like a dream.
Can you please post pics of your hitch? I need to replace mine and am looking for new ideas.
I’d be happy to but the camera is unavailable right now but this link will take you to several hitches/photos that Burley offers, including mine.
http://www.burley.com/products/accessories/index.cfm
Mine is the one with this description:
<h3 class="accTitle sIFR-replaced"><span id="sIFR_callback_10_alternate" class="sIFR-alternate">Classic Hitch </span></h3>
<div class="accDesc">
Burley's patented pivoting hitch designed for easy attachment to most traditional bikes.
: Comes with safety strap
: Stays attached to the trailer’s tow bar and switches easily between
traditional bike frames
: Works with bicycles with Breezer style drop outs. Does not fit with most
bicycles with disc brake or rear suspension
: Does not fit mono stay bicycles
It's a pretty complex gizmo, but works well AFAIK from all the folks who haul kids in them but they also have some others that look simpler, especially for the home-builder, on the same page. I think you'll fnd some good ideas there. If that doesn't do it holler back. The camera will return and I can get some detail shots - though home building one like mine would be a nightmare!
Here is my latest surfboard trailer revision. After rethinking “first principles” (the need to elevate the board, carry a large ice chest, etc) I distilled things to the minimum. Simplify. All we need is a gallon of water, a little food, one chair, umbrella, wetsuit and a few other small things. It’s not finished but you can see the terminus; board pads, short wooden uprights to center the bottom board, a net suspended beneath for small items. As before, the wheels have quick releases and so are removed instantly, the drawbar folds back under the trailer from a “front of trailer pivot” and so is car transportable, the wooden board carriers are attached by one bolt each end, and I’ll use wingnuts for tool-less removal; the trailer is flat for easy transport. The ground to board elevation seems fine in testing thru shallow swales on the side of the road and driveway entrances though a really steep/short one might cause draging…it would have to be fairly extreme…at least for North Florida. Maiden voyage next weekend at Anastasia St Park.Waves or not.
As an aside:
The board is a 9-10 Con. I still have a copy of The Young Sportsman’s Guide To Surfing from when I was young, which featured Con Colburn and Con boards…and photos of a pretty neat board trailer made of two bicycle fork assemblies connected by a crossbar and center-mounted drawbar. It would be pretty easy to make with minimal tooling, and I can scan/post the photo if anyone wants it.
If you love surfing and the beach don’t ever leave it. No matter what. Never. Ever. You can loose 25 years in a hearbeat and there is no “reset” button to get it back. Trust me. Did I say “no matter what”?
Nice, but you might want to put the board upside down so you don’t melt the wax.
I made a “donkey” and pulled my board a couple hundred miles down the cost, with my gear strapped on. No problems - In fact, one cool thing about the strap as hitch: twice I’ve run over something with one wheel of the “trailer,” and the whole thing flipped over w/no damage done. Flipped it back over, adjusted the packs, and kept going.
As for the trip… Smallest surf I’ve “never” seen, and by the third day - no training, went with my dad at his request - I had pain and trouble getting over the guard rail or on/off a chair. I realized I probably couldn’t have stood up and rode with much effectiveness anyway, so I’s glad I wasn’t missing surf. Side note: Don’t be as reckless with your health - I’m still working out the pinched nerve in my neck three months later.
In fairness - I did use it to ride out to the local with fine results and no trailer related problems (I had a flat front tire when I got out of the water once.)