Bicycle Table Trailer

It carries an incredible amount of gear/food/bikes/products to your event, and flips over to become a sturdy table when you arrive!

This versatile and light weight bicycle trailer is very useful for bicycle based event organizers and entrepreneurs.

Choose your own length, width and table height! Remember that it's good if the trailer can fit through door-ways (usually 32")

The aluminum and high quality components & wheels add cost but are worth it if regularly used or heavy cargo is involved - we've carried over 500lbs at a time and have been using three of these trailers for over five years.

The whole thing can be built without any welding but if a small amount of welding is possible, it's recommended.

Expect materials cost to be $300 to $500.

Tools

1. C-clamps or welding vise grips clamps
2. 2 x long slide clamps (at least as wide as your trailer)
3. riveter
4. drill
5. saw (recommend chop saw with aluminum blade)
6. center punch
7. drill bits (1/8” short jobbers bit recommended)
8. flat work table to clamp onto (nice but not necessary)
9. hole saw & drill press (optional, for creating axle mounting holes, .875" diameter)
10. Aluminum TIG welder (optional)

Frame and wooden top

1. 2.5" x 2.5" aluminum 6061-T6 angle, 3/16 wall, 2x the length of the trailer + 4 legs worth or 3" x 3" (recommended for trailers longer than 6').
2. 2” x 1”x 1/8" rectangular tubes, length = 2x the desired width of trailer, 6061-T6 (Local aluminum supplier)
3. SS rivets for frame: (McMaster.com, MCM part # 97525A510), qty 40
4. rivets for wooden top, aluminum ok, long enough to go through plywood deck and 3/16 of aluminum, we used (MCM 97517A070)
5. plywood to cover top (marine grade is nice), recommend 1/2" thick, width of trailer desired x length (local harware store)
6. polyurethane to protect wood (local harware store)
7. wheels (BAW, see link below)

ShishKaBob Axle - Easily slides out of the trailer without tools so the wheels and axle don't get in the way when in table mode.

1. axle rod: Stainless T-304/304L, 0.625", Cold Finish Round (Onlinemetals.com)
2. locking cotter pin, (MCM part 92391A770)
3. sleave tube: Aluminum Seamless Tube 6 inches long 0.875" x 0.12" x 0.635" (Onlinemetals.com)
4. Axle Shaft Collar (MCM 6157K152.55)

Note: Requires welding sleeve tubes onto the trailer as it is designed here, but a non-welded version should be possible or you can purchase a bolt-on axle from BAW.

Hitch and Towbar

1. Hitch (attaches to bicycle) - one of the more complicated parts, recommend getting one from BAW or welding one to your bicycle
2. Retainer pin (MCM 98416A4172)

3. U-bolts (MCM 3042T91)

4. Towbar - from BAW, or build your own for a long tail cargo bike

• • 2" ID, 2.325" OD aluminum pipe
  • Rectangle tube, 2.5" x 1"
  • Round tube for pin .375" ID / .625" OD.

Recommended Material and Tool vendors

Your local aluminum dealer and hardware store!

BAW: http://www.bikesatwork.com/store/bicycle-trailer-p...Makes a similar trailer, but it lacks the ability to transform into a table. Fortunately they sell high quality trailer parts.

MCM: www.Mcmaster.com

Onlinemetals.com

Harbor Freight - inexpensive clamps of reasonable quality

Cut the frame members to the length you want for the corresponding length & width of trailer you want and legs for the length.

Drill the axle mounting holes if using the shishkabob axle design. Note that trailers are more stable with greater weight forward of the axle, so many trailers are built not with the axle in the exact center, but ~2/3 of the way back.

Use the center punch to create little divets in the aluminum where you will drill the rivet holes. Recommend using an "X" rivet pattern.

Securely clamp the parts - use a mallet to snug up the fit

Drill the rivet holes

Rivet the parts together (its ok if some of the clamps have to be taken off in order to get the riveter into position - the rivets should pull everything together). If a rivet doesn't pull things together properly, it is also possible to drill out the rivet and put in another.

The shishkabob axle is made from a steel rod with a single hole drilled in one end and a shaft collar at the other.

1. Cut the axle to length, ensure that there is enough length for all the components
2. Recommend a drill press or mill for making the small hole for the cotter pin

• axle rod: Stainless T-304/304L, 0.625", Cold Finish Round(Onlinemetals.com)
• locking cotter pin, MCM part 92391A770
• Axle Shaft Collar MCM 6157K152.55
• 
  
• Note: Requires welding sleeve tubes onto the trailer as it is designed here, but a non-welded version is possible or purchasing a bolt-on axle from BAW.

3. Weld in the axle tubes - having the axle in the tubes can help align them. Note that having the tubes stick out of the sides of the trailer a little will hold them away from the trailer sides so the moving part of the wheel doesn't rub on the trailer.

Cut the plywood to cover, paint with urethane or other protective coating, place, drill and rivet.

The tow arm we built is especially made for long tail cargo bikes which can be mounted to at their very rear - so only a short tow arm is needed. Aluminum welding required.

Now load that puppy up and get hauling!