Perhaps its the lonely BOB trailer hanging directly above my computer monitor, or maybe its just that I'm noticing a trend.
While my parents were here in NYC, I spotted a Kona Ute at the local farmer's market. Everything I read online shows gas prices continuing to rise. I'm seeing bakfiets and freakfiets all over. I just have this desire to carry more stuff.
Oddly enough, I haven't really used my BOB trailer since august, when I was retrieving things from Greyhound. I used it quite often in Vancouver, and thought I would here too.. Though, when I moved, I didn't know that I'd be on the 8th floor, with a very small elevator. That makes things more difficult.
This has led me to starting carrying more stuff on my back. I picked up a used Chrome Ivan bag, as my 3 year old Metropolis was starting to cause me grief. The capacity is slightly smaller and the load distribution is quite a bit better, making for a much more comfortable ride.
I'm pretty tempted to further uglify my Spicer by making a front rack for it.
I've seen a lot of the CETMA cargo racks on courier bikes around town, but its design isn't ideal for me.
The design criteria are as follows:
-must clear a front brake
-must work with a low rake 75° head angle
-must NOT use any bar real estate
-Eyelet mounted stays, with additional eyelets for fenders
-should hold two U-locks
-Could potentially take panniers if required.
Here's what I've come up with so far:
This picture does not show the pannier/tiedown hooks that would be on the fronts of the stays. The lock would be secured from rattling about with a toe clip strap, to this invisible hook.
Sadly, I dont have a shop to build this at right now. I think I left enough spare tubing from the BCClette's trailer back in Vancouver to make it too!
Diving even further into the murky realm of the cargo cult... I've revisited an idea I had some years ago. Before I purchased the BOB trailer, I had envisioned making my own, developing a single wheeled, U joint hitch equipped, storage box. At the time I determined it would be too expensive and I found the BOB used on Craigslist.. anyways:
Features:
-48 Gallon Rubbermaid lockable storage tote
-16" rear wheel
-Adam's Trail a Bike style hitch
-Aluminum construction
-lockable/waterproof
I think I could be onto something with this product if I can keep it under the price of a BOB, make it robust enough for courier use, and stylish enough for grocery getting.
