# 1 or 2 wheel trailer



## stuee147 (23 May 2014)

im looking at getting/ building a trailer for my trike my question is what is best a single wheeled trailer or a double wheel trailer ?? 
iv heard that single wheels ones arnt as stable but im on a trike so ill be stable but wouldn't a single wheel trailer fall over or are they designed to stay upright ???? 
who uses a trailer and what type. ????

stuee


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## classic33 (24 May 2014)

Only trailer I've used was on two wheels. Partly down to the size.
I'd say that a two wheel trailer will be more stable than a single wheeler, but possibly less manouverable in use. 
Greater load carrying as well.


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## byegad (24 May 2014)

Two wheels. I once saw a heavily laden single wheel trailer behind a big rear wheel Catrike and the flexing of the rear triangle was horrendous! The top of the back wheel was anything up to 3" to either side of the tyre's contact patch at times. 

I mentioned it to the rider who couldn't see the problem, but flexing like that will fatigue the metal to the point of failure.


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## stuee147 (24 May 2014)

i have used a trailer in the past a few times and iv always had a twin wheel trailer its just i have seen a couple of nice looking single wheels and wondered what experiences people have had with single wheel, 
i think i might stick with what i know and go for 2 wheels for the stability and carrying capacity.
i dont think the manoeuvrability will be an issue as its to go on my trike so the wheel base should be about the same 

thanks guys 

stuee


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## byegad (24 May 2014)

IMHO a wise choice.


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## ufkacbln (24 May 2014)

As stated by Byegad....the argument is bout flexing the frame

With a single wheel trailer, the design is for the trailer to tip with the bike towing it. When you corner on a trike, the trailer will still tip, but as the trike axle does not, it exerts a twisting force on the rear frame. This flexing can cause problems.

Whether this is important or not is debatable. 

Some manufacturers of commercial trikes either banned single wheel trailers or recommended two wheels, others seemed nonplussed

Personally I either use a Carry Freedom or a Radical Design Cyclone.

For big loads I use the Christiania!


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## classic33 (24 May 2014)

http://www.bikesatwork.com/bike-trailers/customers


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## stuee147 (24 May 2014)

classic33 said:


> http://www.bikesatwork.com/bike-trailers/customers


good link  i dont think ill be going quite that big with the trailer lol having said that  i wonder if i can do a caravan lol 

stuee


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## ufkacbln (24 May 2014)




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## Scoosh (24 May 2014)

Don't Good to encourage him !


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## stuee147 (24 May 2014)

Cunobelin said:


>





Scoosh said:


> Don't Good to encourage him !



i dont need any encouragement im bad enough iv been looking on youtube there is quite a few bike caravan type things the one design i have seen and like the look of is this








iv even been thinking of what to use iv been thinking of 10mm round bar for the main frame work with 6mm round bar as supports and bracing. then weld on tabs to bolt on the panelling i was thinking 1mm or 2mm thick plastic sheeting the joints can be sealed with silicone sealant. on the inside the different floor sections to save weight i was thinking of using planed 2x1 timber slats spaced about half inch once a sleep mat is layed on it you wouldn't notice the slats. 

i really have been thinking to much about this haven't i lol 

stuee


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## classic33 (25 May 2014)

A bit!!


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## ufkacbln (25 May 2014)

Colleague of mine had a son who designed his own folding camper.... although it was more like a tent than a caravan

Basically a flat bed trailer that folded out to form a camp bed to provide the sleeping platform, the "body was then provided by looped poles fitted to the trailer bed through drilled sockets. The whole thing was then stabilised by guide lines

So it was really a tent rather than caravan, but worked well for him.


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## stuee147 (25 May 2014)

years ago i built a little 2 man caravan type thing. i built it using the axle and wheels off an old mini back when it was the mini metro lol it worked great and was nice and small so very easy to tow and park. i ended up cutting it up and making a normal trailer for work out of it when i had my son as it wasn't big enough for the three of us. 


Cunobelin said:


> Colleague of mine had a son who designed his own folding camper.... although it was more like a tent than a caravan
> 
> Basically a flat bed trailer that folded out to form a camp bed to provide the sleeping platform, the "body was then provided by looped poles fitted to the trailer bed through drilled sockets. The whole thing was then stabilised by guide lines
> 
> So it was really a tent rather than caravan, but worked well for him.


iv seen a few designs on the web similar to what you describe. most seen to be based around a small 6ft x 4ft trailer with sheets of ply on top that for a flat raised base on the trailer with storage underneath and you basically pitch a tent on the top of the ply, a very basic one i have seen the bloke had stapled the ground sheet of a tent to the ply so it was fixed on i think its a good idea a lot lighter than a ridged caravan but i think i would use something different to staples, maybe blue tack so i can remove it for cleaning lol 

stuee


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## ufkacbln (25 May 2014)

stuee147 said:


> years ago i built a little 2 man caravan type thing. i built it using the axle and wheels off an old mini back when it was the mini metro lol it worked great and was nice and small so very easy to tow and park. i ended up cutting it up and making a normal trailer for work out of it when i had my son as it wasn't big enough for the three of us.
> 
> iv seen a few designs on the web similar to what you describe. most seen to be based around a small 6ft x 4ft trailer with sheets of ply on top that for a flat raised base on the trailer with storage underneath and you basically pitch a tent on the top of the ply, a very basic one i have seen the bloke had stapled the ground sheet of a tent to the ply so it was fixed on i think its a good idea a lot lighter than a ridged caravan but i think i would use something different to staples, maybe blue tack so i can remove it for cleaning lol
> 
> stuee



What this guy did was drilled holes in the flat bed that took the end cap of a tent pole to hold the canvas, with a "pelmet" that reached to the ground ad pegged down.


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## stuee147 (25 May 2014)

Cunobelin said:


> What this guy did was drilled holes in the flat bed that took the end cap of a tent pole to hold the canvas, with a "pelmet" that reached to the ground ad pegged down.


that sounds a better job than the one iv seen on the net that used staples lol

i do think that its a good idea and saves so much weight compared to a caravan, but its the hassle of putting it up when its late at night tipping down with rain and all you want is a cuppa and dry clothes. then having to pack away while its wet so you have to dry it out before storing it, i suppose its no worse than a tent or maybe even easier as it has its own base ect. 

i did see one a while ago it looked like a mini teardrop caravan but it was only about 3ft long 3ft wide and about 4ft high and it was ridged construction. all you did was realise the catches and the back end pulled away from the front, as it did the middle bit unfolded and was a tent type material. it looked quite good it was only designed as a 1 man sleeping area but it was more the way it folded and unfolded in a couple of seconds and it was very manoeuvrable with it being so small when towed . it was a trailer for a motor bike but i think the principles are the same and it wouldn't be to hard to adapt for my trike lol 

stuee


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## ufkacbln (25 May 2014)

Topeak had the Bikamper

This used the front wheel at one end of the tent to provide shape, and the bike iteslf attha other making for a very light package.

However it did preclude using the bike in the evening for a pub run


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## stuee147 (25 May 2014)

Cunobelin said:


> Topeak had the Bikamper
> 
> This used the front wheel at one end of the tent to provide shape, and the bike iteslf attha other making for a very light package.
> 
> However it did preclude using the bike in the evening for a pub run




thats a good idea. i like to use a tarp and hammock when im camping in the past iv always carried a couple of walking poles if i have no trees for the tarp then i use the poles and the hammock becomes a bivy bag with mozzy net. and iv been thinking if i couple use my trike as a fixing point for the tarp iv been thinking of a couple of fibreglass tent poles that could be stored strapped to the frame of the trike with Velcro or something. then have a couple of little sleeves welded to the frame that the pole can sit in and at the top of the poles maybe a T piece that the tarp can lay across and be secured onto the trike then the tarp can be pulled out to one side to for a lean to type structure. the high end by the trike for any use including if need be fixing the trike under cover and the lower end would lay my hammock set on the floor as a bivy bag. 
just another one of the many ideas i have lol 

stuee


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## ufkacbln (25 May 2014)

On the Christiania, there is a clever method where there are sockets mounted at the bottom of the box, and the supports for the cover simply slot in


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