one-day course

how to build a bike trailer

venue: Hackney City Farm, London

This course is run by Nik White of Biggles Recycles, a Bristol-based social enterprise promoting cycling and recycling by turning scrap bicycles into usable bikes and trailers to 'keep bums on bikes and bikes on the road'.

Participants will have the opportunity to see recycled materials being crafted into a functional bike trailer that can carry anything from 20kg to 200kg (the latter would have to be fabricated from steel and with heavy-duty wheels). During the day a trailer will be made. Participants will see the processes involved, and have a go themselves.

First is a discussion on the availability of scrap materials that people may have themselves, or from scrap yards or skips. Participants will look at the potential for working with different scrap materials.

Next comes an understanding of the mechanical details of the trailer, for example locating the wheels onto the trailer chassis, mechanisms for coupling the trailer to the bicycle and attaching some sort of cargo-holding device to the trailer. Participants will see trailers made from different materials, and discuss a range of high- and low-tech ideas.

We will look at and use a variety of tools including work-benches, clamping systems, drills, files, spanners, cutting (saws, angle-grinders) and fixing (glues, nuts & bolts, brazing, welding and fibres, plus rivet guns and pop-riveting).

Materials can include bought or scrap timber (or even branches), bamboo, large wicker baskets, water tanks, tubular steel furniture (very good), second-hand BMX or pram wheels (or even whole prams).

Participants will receive a 12-page booklet on trailer design and build - with 2 main designs, one metal, one wood. You can also buy some specialist materials from the course tutor. Bring work clothes, and gloves and goggles if you have them; they will be supplied if you don't. Come along with your own ideas, and leave with a design for your trailer.

more on cycling


how to book:
  

if you can't open the booking form, you need Acrobat Reader - it's free
arrive:
  
for a 10am prompt start
depart:
  
after the course finishes at 5pm
directions:
  
click here for directions to Hackney City Farm
what to bring:
  
work clothes; pen and notebook; packed lunch (if you're not using the cafe)
let us know:
  
if you have any special needs
price:
  
£60
Refundable up to two weeks prior to course (minus £30 admin fee)
No refunds for cancellations within two weeks of course
lunch:
  
bring a packed lunch or you can get lunch at the cafe
discounts:
 
car sharing:
  
visit our car sharing forum to offer or request a lift
 

 

 

 

course tutor Nik with a home-made trailer, attached to the bike via the seat post

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

another ingenious bike trailer, comprising plastic boxes with lids

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

here's an interesting one - a sound system on a trailer attached to a recumbent trike via the back wheel nut
photo: bikeology.net