I've had a single speed for the last six months, a bike that's been cobbled together from used parts and a frame that was left over from a commuter bike that was run over by a car. The simplicity of my single speed has made it a blast to ride, this includes the obvious lack of shifting to worry about, but also the single rear brake. I have been using the single speed for local runs to the store and library, and I've been looking for ways to make it more capable.
I started researching cargo bikes a few months ago, and found that most of them were using either pannier bags or only a milk carton attached to the rear rack. Panniers and small uncovered plastic containers do not tend to provide much hauling capacity, and they also provide very little protection from the weather. Other cargo conversions I have seen include the use of a bike trailer to carry stuff behind the bike. Most of the trailers I researched were converted child trailers, and provided a decent amount of storage capacity, while some of the custom bike trailers were extremely large, capable of carrying oversized cargo that usually entails a pickup truck. While the trailer option would keep the bike unmodified, it would dramatically increase the overall length of the system, which would restrict me from using it on the local commuter train. I have noticed as of lately that bike manufacturers are introducing long wheelbase cargo bikes that provide cargo carrying capacity behind the rider. I have found that the cost for such a specialized bike is rather restrictive, usually starting at 800 dollars, and that the cargo containers provided with these cargo bikes are usually only large panniers that do not provide the best means of carrying or protecting items from the weather.
I was riding my single speed to the store one day, and got to thinking that I could modify it to carry more stuff, maximizing its capacity, while providing me with a 'cargo bike' for no additional money (money that would be spent on a trailer, long wheel base cargo bike, etc). And a dollar saved is two dollars earned, right! Anyway, I had an unused Rubbermaid 18 gallon plastic storage bin in my basement. I tested it and found that it could hold two grocery bags, which is half of what a $2000 cargo bike was holding in a recent bike magazine photo. If I could find a way to mount that container, I could carry half the load of an expensive cargo bike, for free! I also liked the container because, unlike panniers or any of the other systems I have seen thus far, it featured a sealing lid and sturdy walls, both of which would support the internal cargo and protect it from the elements.
I mounted a rear bike rack that was collecting dust in my workshop on to the back of the single speed. With the single speed still in the repair stand, I took the empty 18 gallon container and balanced it on the rear rack, getting an idea of how far back it would have to be to fit behind the seat. I experimented with the placement, turning the rectangular container 90 degrees to determine the best fit. I decided to install the container on the rack perpendicular to the bike to reduce the length of the bike, and the torque that the container (and the weight of the items in it) would have on the bike rack. As such, the container increases the with of the bike, but it will make for a more robust mounting and should be more durable in the long run.
The bike rack was too short, though, to provide a direct mounting of the container to the rack, so I opted to use a 12 inch wide piece of pine board to lengthen the bike rack's deck. I measured the required length, cut a piece of wood from remaining stock, painted it black, and mounted the new wood deck to the front of the bike rack with two bolts. I only used two bolts on the front of the deck and rack, because the remaining bolts would join the container, deck, and bike rack. I drilled four holes in the container and deck, and bolted the container to the deck and rack. After a test fitting, I removed the container from the deck and bike rack, applied Liquid Nails to the deck where the container would mount, and repositioned the container and bolted the container onto the deck.
Flight test! After waiting a night to allow the industrial glue to dry, I rode the bike around the block to see and feel how the container and rack felt. I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary, and everything felt sturdy, so I decided to load it up! I filled two cloth Trader Joe's bags with frozen veggies from our freezer. I lugged the test load outside, and placed them into the 18 gallon container. The container held the large bags very well, with the lid sealing them from the elements and providing additional strength to the container. I noticed the weight of the load and its effects on the once light and simple single speed bike as I began to move and mount the bike. However, as I pushed on the pedal and developed some momentum, the bike handled very well. The rear brake was still adequate for stopping my single speed cargo rig, and the few small bumps I hit didn't jar the load, container, or anything holding it all together. First test run was a success!
I will ride it to the Target store down the street and Trader Joe's which is just a short bike and train ride from my home. I may make some additional modifications, as needed, however the system is working so far. I anticipate that I may need to use more bolts to ensure that the container remains connected to the deck, but I also know that drilling additional holes in the bottom of the container reduce its strength and durability. There is a happy medium, and I will probably work toward it slowly.
More to follow as actual cargo carrying trips take place!...
I started researching cargo bikes a few months ago, and found that most of them were using either pannier bags or only a milk carton attached to the rear rack. Panniers and small uncovered plastic containers do not tend to provide much hauling capacity, and they also provide very little protection from the weather. Other cargo conversions I have seen include the use of a bike trailer to carry stuff behind the bike. Most of the trailers I researched were converted child trailers, and provided a decent amount of storage capacity, while some of the custom bike trailers were extremely large, capable of carrying oversized cargo that usually entails a pickup truck. While the trailer option would keep the bike unmodified, it would dramatically increase the overall length of the system, which would restrict me from using it on the local commuter train. I have noticed as of lately that bike manufacturers are introducing long wheelbase cargo bikes that provide cargo carrying capacity behind the rider. I have found that the cost for such a specialized bike is rather restrictive, usually starting at 800 dollars, and that the cargo containers provided with these cargo bikes are usually only large panniers that do not provide the best means of carrying or protecting items from the weather.
I was riding my single speed to the store one day, and got to thinking that I could modify it to carry more stuff, maximizing its capacity, while providing me with a 'cargo bike' for no additional money (money that would be spent on a trailer, long wheel base cargo bike, etc). And a dollar saved is two dollars earned, right! Anyway, I had an unused Rubbermaid 18 gallon plastic storage bin in my basement. I tested it and found that it could hold two grocery bags, which is half of what a $2000 cargo bike was holding in a recent bike magazine photo. If I could find a way to mount that container, I could carry half the load of an expensive cargo bike, for free! I also liked the container because, unlike panniers or any of the other systems I have seen thus far, it featured a sealing lid and sturdy walls, both of which would support the internal cargo and protect it from the elements.
I mounted a rear bike rack that was collecting dust in my workshop on to the back of the single speed. With the single speed still in the repair stand, I took the empty 18 gallon container and balanced it on the rear rack, getting an idea of how far back it would have to be to fit behind the seat. I experimented with the placement, turning the rectangular container 90 degrees to determine the best fit. I decided to install the container on the rack perpendicular to the bike to reduce the length of the bike, and the torque that the container (and the weight of the items in it) would have on the bike rack. As such, the container increases the with of the bike, but it will make for a more robust mounting and should be more durable in the long run.
The bike rack was too short, though, to provide a direct mounting of the container to the rack, so I opted to use a 12 inch wide piece of pine board to lengthen the bike rack's deck. I measured the required length, cut a piece of wood from remaining stock, painted it black, and mounted the new wood deck to the front of the bike rack with two bolts. I only used two bolts on the front of the deck and rack, because the remaining bolts would join the container, deck, and bike rack. I drilled four holes in the container and deck, and bolted the container to the deck and rack. After a test fitting, I removed the container from the deck and bike rack, applied Liquid Nails to the deck where the container would mount, and repositioned the container and bolted the container onto the deck.
Flight test! After waiting a night to allow the industrial glue to dry, I rode the bike around the block to see and feel how the container and rack felt. I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary, and everything felt sturdy, so I decided to load it up! I filled two cloth Trader Joe's bags with frozen veggies from our freezer. I lugged the test load outside, and placed them into the 18 gallon container. The container held the large bags very well, with the lid sealing them from the elements and providing additional strength to the container. I noticed the weight of the load and its effects on the once light and simple single speed bike as I began to move and mount the bike. However, as I pushed on the pedal and developed some momentum, the bike handled very well. The rear brake was still adequate for stopping my single speed cargo rig, and the few small bumps I hit didn't jar the load, container, or anything holding it all together. First test run was a success!
I will ride it to the Target store down the street and Trader Joe's which is just a short bike and train ride from my home. I may make some additional modifications, as needed, however the system is working so far. I anticipate that I may need to use more bolts to ensure that the container remains connected to the deck, but I also know that drilling additional holes in the bottom of the container reduce its strength and durability. There is a happy medium, and I will probably work toward it slowly.
More to follow as actual cargo carrying trips take place!...
1 comment:
Well its several years later, how did it hold up? LOL. Ive been looking for a way to haul around a light fold-up festival (low to the ground) chair on the back of my bike so I can escape to secluded places and comfortably write (with a seat). The thing weighs 7 lbs though and extends to about 26" long, so Ive been positively perplexed as to whether I can haul a 26" long load on the back of my bike. What do you think?
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