Fixing a trailer to horizontal drop outs

photoleary
photoleary Posts: 48
edited March 2012 in Tour & expedition
So I'm thinking heading down to Spain for a month or two to get a bit of surfing done. The plan was to buy/build myself a lightweight trailer and customise it so I can put a surfboard it. I would just be taking a tent, small cooking stove, and some clothes, surfboard or two and a wetsuit. Oh, and possibly my camera.

The problem is I only have two bikes. I have my road bike which is carbon so don't think attaching a trailer to the drop-outs would be so great. My other bike is my daily commuter. It's a fixed gear with horizontal drop-outs and only a front brake. I have recently changed the bars from drops to a more friendly sit up and beg style bar and I have also put a rear pannier on it so I don't get a sweaty back. I would change the fixed cog to a freewheel cog and add a rear brake but I'm wondering if attaching a trailer to the horizontal drop-outs is a bad idea. it certainly doesn't have a problem with my 90kg lardy ass skid stopping so in theory I think a small trailer would be OK.

Any definite reasons why to not attach a trailer.

I know the idea of cycling around the Basque country with only one gear and a trailer is a whole other talking point [I plan on finding a very flat route if possible.] :lol:

Comments

  • team47b
    team47b Posts: 6,425
    I attach a BOB style trailer on my hybrid using the QR skewers with the special ends, you can also get these special ended fittings on standard non release nuts.

    http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/product ... skewer-ct1

    http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/product ... go-trailer


    The weight will only pull the wheel tighter into the dropouts not the other way round. My trailer weighs 8.5 kilos and takes up to 35kilo load, although I don't like to carry more than 12kilos when touring. Surf boards are long right? so how long would the trailer have to be? Thinking about snaking.
    my isetta is a 300cc bike
  • photoleary
    photoleary Posts: 48
    My board is 5'8" so not super long. I was going to customise a trailer so that it sits at a 45 degree angle upwards instead of laying flat and parallel with trailer.

    Thanks for the links.
  • team47b
    team47b Posts: 6,425
    For ideas of scale possible, have a look at these...

    http://www.tonystrailers.com/cargo/


    and a seatpost coupling if you want to make a trailer that uses the space above your back wheel...

    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=25870
    my isetta is a 300cc bike
  • andymiller
    andymiller Posts: 2,856
    photleary - when you say 'horizontal dropout do you mean one that faces backwards like this?:

    220px-Horizontal_rear_dropout.jpg

    as opposed to one facing the other way? Maybe in theory the forward pul from the chain would balance the backward pull from the trailer, so if the bolts were good and tight it would work, but I'm not sure I'd want to rely on that.
    team47b wrote:
    and a seatpost coupling if you want to make a trailer that uses the space above your back wheel...
    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=25870

    looks like it might be an option, but are you sure you wouldn't be better off getting your board freighted out there (yes I know it probably won't be cheap). Or maybe buying one over there, possibly secondhand? If you were going surfing on the atlantic coast of France well it might just about be feasible, but it's a long haul to Tarifa and not particularly flat.
    Italy Cycling Guide
  • photoleary
    photoleary Posts: 48
    Yes, just like that. I should have stated track drop-outs probably. Eve if I got the board freighted out there or bought one it still won't allow me to travel around on the bike. I'm not sure where you've got the idea of me heading to Tarifa from. That certainly would be a long old ride. The plan was to cycle around the Basque part of Spain and France but I think it's far too hilly even if I get an internal 8 peed hub. Maybe it will have to just be a jaunt to Britanny and just have some panniers with very little stuff and maybe a side rack for the bike. Thanks anyway.

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