NEW Bamboo Trailer Instructions

Bamboo trailer
01
Leave your car behind,

The Bamboo Bicycle Trailer,
carries loads.
Spread the idea and,

Build something beatiful.
Carry Freedom,
Car Free.
These plans show how to make a basic Bamboo Trailer, with as few
words and tools as possible. The appendix at the back include much
more information about the project and more building options.
Enjoy.
Copyright 2005 of Simple City, all rights reserved.

Visit www.CarryFreedom.com for more. bicycle trailers
Tools & Materials
02
Drill Hammer Spanner Ruler Saw Vice
Scale in inches. 1 Inch = 25.4mm (if printed on A4 paper)
0 Inch 1 Inch 2 3 4 5 6
12 Inches
12 Inches
1/8 Inch
Sheet Metal
2 x Bicycle Wheels
Beams Ties Nuts & Bolts

Towing Brackets
03
Towing Bracket 1
Make 3
1/4
1) Drill 2) Repeat
3) Bend 4) Bend

Visit www.CarryFreedom.com for more. innovating trailers
Wheel Brackets
04
Wheel Bracket
1 2
Make 4
1
13mm or
1/2 inch
1) Drill small holes 2) Repeat 3) Drill axle hole
4) Cut 5) Bend

Wheel Spacers
05
LEFT
RIGH
T

Attach Wheel Brackets
06

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Frame Layout
07
18 Inches 18 Inches
L L
W
Bolt Frame Corners
08
6. 9.
10.
2.
3.
8.
5.
1.
4.
7.
1. 2. 3.
& & & ........
NB. Look at Appendix iii)

for different ways to join
the main frame beams.

Trim Frame
09
4 Inches
X X
X X

Lower Ties
010

Lower Ties
011

Tension Ties
012
1) 2) 3)
Repeat page 10,11,12 for the

upper ties.

Square Frame
013
NB. When viewed end on the trailer should be

flat. With one eye closed look at the top edge
of the back beam, this should be parallel with
the top edge of the front beam.
D D

Final Tensioning
014

Wheel Attachment
015
Wheel alignment is the only thing

that needs to be accurate.
If the wheels are not parallel the

wheels will slide sidways as the trailer
roles forwards, costing energy and destroy-
ing tires.
D D

Towing Hitch
016

Fit to bike
017

The End
018
We hope that making the Bamboo Trailer has been a great

pleasure. Share your creation with others by emailing photos
to bamboo (a) carryfreedom.com. For more information on the
Bamboo Trailer and all our other bicycle trailers visit
www.CarryFreedom.com
www.flickr.com/photos/carryfreedom/

Appendix i) Beams
019
1-2
Metal Inches
Wood

Appendix ii) Ties
020
Rope
Steel Strip
Chain
Wire rope
Plywood Sheet

Appendix iii) Joints
021
Long Bolt
Short Bolt
Peg and Bind
Weld Notch and Peg

Appendix iv) Construction Notes
022
Construction notes
Read these instructions through at If your beams are not straight,

least twice before you begin. i.e. if you are using branches it
is better, when building, that the
Gather all tools and materials you center is lower that the ends, and
need before you start. that the ends are further apart
than the center. The trailer is
Make sure you know how to use all built upsides down so when its
your tools safely and have a clean righted the wheels will be at the
flat well lit area in which to work. top of the curve, and by making the
ends as wide as possible it allows
Some metal merchants will cut sheet as much clearance for the tires as
steel to size, if they do get the possible.
hitch brackets and wheel brackets
pre-cut, also get spares cut. If you are making the trailer from
irregular materials it is easier to
If your wheels have different width trim the main beams once they are
axles it is better that the wider bolted together. If you are making
wheel goes on the handle (left) the trailer using accurately cut
side of the trailer. This makes the material it is easier to cut and
towing arm slightly stronger. pre-drill the beams before they are
bolted together.
It is possible to make the trailer
using one front wheel and one rear It does not matter that much if the
wheel, meaning you only need to find trailer is not square or flat, but
one donor bicycle per trailer. make sure that the ties are well
tensioned.
If you have a rectangle made of
four lengths of material it is Tension the four ties in one level
a true rectangle if the sides first, to make sure the trailer is
opposite each other are the same square. Tension the ties in the 2nd
length and the two diagonals are level to make the trailer flat. Then
the same length. It is important re-tension the lower ties to make
to make sure the sides are equal the trailer square again.
lengthed before measuring the
diagonals. If you use an object like a barrel
drum or box as the container you
It is much easier to bolt the beams do not need any of the ties, the
surrounding the load bed together container will do their job.
first, and then bolt the outer wheel
beams to the front and back beams
afterwards. The handle beam can
wait until everything else is done.

Appendix iv) Construction Notes
023
The plans do not show how to make easier. Also if you destroy a
a load surface, it is up to you bicycle wheel, there is a spare for
to design and fit something to suit each wheel on the trailer.
your purpose. A flat made from
plywood, or from the beam material It is best to have the axle line
tends to be most useful. These beds behind the trailers center of
can serve the purpose of the upper gravity.
layer of spokes. A fabric bed can
be woven onto the lower sets of Connecting the trailer to the
ties. bicycle at its rear axle is the
most effective way of connecting
If you are making a trailer to a trailer to the bike. It is more
carry a kayak or other long object efficient, your brakes are more
it is better to make the trailer effective, and you will feel the
body short, but make the handle trailer less when cycling
long.
If you need to make a long

trailer body, for example for an
ambulance, have two sets of left-
right beams. The first set should
be at the extreme front and extreme
back of the trailer, while the 2nd
set should be as close in front
and behind the trailer wheels as
possible. The spokes should still
connect to the four corners of the
load bed.
The most durable trailer is made

by welding square section steel
together. The square section
ensures good beam to beam contact
for good welds or braizes.
The left-right beams can be used as

lifting handles to lift the trailer
over landslides and washed out
roads. Grips can be wrapped around
the beams between the wheel support
beams for this purpose.
It is useful to make the trailer

wheels the same size as the bicycle
wheels. This keeps the trailer
level, and makes carrying spares

Appendix v) Document Notes
024
HELP US
This document is a charitable work, and materials, and maximise its
it costs us time and money to make usefulness and flexability.
it happen. If you think you can
help in any way, please do. Any help in developing funding
and circulating this project is
Tell people about the project. Link welcome. We are happy to work with
to www.CarryFreedom.com/bamboo.html charities on specific projects, and
on websites, blogs, and emails. to advise as to how to make the
best use of the Bamboo Trailer for
Send us photos of the bicycle a specific area or country.
trailer you build. We will
post these on our flickr site at Legal Statement
www.flickr.com/photos/carryfreedom/ Copyright of this document and
This helps to share ideas, and any other intellectual property
inspire others. therein belongs to its creator Nick
Lobnitz. Copying or reproducing
Use the trailer, this is the best this document in whole or in part
advert possible. without prior written permission is
prohibited, with the exception of
Tell us what you dont understand, peer to peer distribution.
or of clever shortcuts in building.
Peer to Peer distribution is
This document is a work in exchange of this document between
progress, so apologies for all two private individuals, and is
mistakes and omissions. The permitted on the understanding that
ultimate aim is to have a document the document will be distributed
that can be followed and understood intact and no money changes
by most people irrespective of hands. If you want to publicize
language culture background or this document please link to
literacy. This of course will take our main Bamboo Trailer web site
a lot of time feedback and help. www.CarryFreedom.com/bamboo.html
These instructions are the 2nd
version; the vast improvement over We do not accept any responsibility
the first version has been down to for the trailers you build, or
your suggestions. the uses you put them to. You are
responsible for your own safety
Our Motivation when using tools or the trailer.
Places that need a bike trailer the It is your responsibility to decide
most, often have the least capacity whether the trailer you have made
to build or buy them. is safe, roadworthy, and legal.
Above everything Carry Freedom

is about carry freedom, money and
location should not bar access to
what we offer. The Bamboo Trailer
tries to minimize tools language


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Bamboo trailer

Leave your car behind,

Spread the idea and,

Copyright 2005 of Simple City, all rights reserved.

Drill Hammer Spanner Ruler Saw Vice

Scale in inches. 1 Inch = 25.4mm (if printed on A4 paper)

Beams Ties Nuts & Bolts

Copyright 2005 of Simple City, all rights reserved.

Copyright 2005 of Simple City, all rights reserved.

1) Drill small holes 2) Repeat 3) Drill axle hole

Copyright 2005 of Simple City, all rights reserved.

Copyright 2005 of Simple City, all rights reserved.

Copyright 2005 of Simple City, all rights reserved.

& & & ........

NB. Look at Appendix iii)

Copyright 2005 of Simple City, all rights reserved.

Copyright 2005 of Simple City, all rights reserved.

Copyright 2005 of Simple City, all rights reserved.

Copyright 2005 of Simple City, all rights reserved.

Repeat page 10,11,12 for the

Copyright 2005 of Simple City, all rights reserved.

NB. When viewed end on the trailer should be

Copyright 2005 of Simple City, all rights reserved.

Copyright 2005 of Simple City, all rights reserved.

Wheel alignment is the only thing

If the wheels are not parallel the

Copyright 2005 of Simple City, all rights reserved.

Copyright 2005 of Simple City, all rights reserved.

Copyright 2005 of Simple City, all rights reserved.

We hope that making the Bamboo Trailer has been a great

Copyright 2005 of Simple City, all rights reserved.

Copyright 2005 of Simple City, all rights reserved.

Copyright 2005 of Simple City, all rights reserved.

Peg and Bind

Weld Notch and Peg

Copyright 2005 of Simple City, all rights reserved.

Read these instructions through at If your beams are not straight,

Copyright 2005 of Simple City, all rights reserved.

If you need to make a long

The most durable trailer is made

The left-right beams can be used as

It is useful to make the trailer

Copyright 2005 of Simple City, all rights reserved.

Above everything Carry Freedom

Copyright 2005 of Simple City, all rights reserved.

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