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Tricycle carrier

DutchmenSport
Explorer
Explorer
After my knee replacement surgery last July, the Dr. told me I should never ride a 2 wheeled bicycle again (danger of falling and damaging the knee, and absolutely no high impact activities ... like running).

So I love my Schwinn Bicycle for 2 that we've had for a long, long time now, but following the Dr's advice, I'll not ride it ever again.

So, after a long hunt and a couple failures, we finally found an adult tricycle. It's about 30 years old, an original Schwinn, and needed some repair. Bought it for about $75 and took it to a local bicycle shop and put another couple hundred into it to rebuild it, differential gears, chains, cables, all sorts of stuff. It rides very nice now, easy to peddle (single gear), and absolutely love it!

The only problem is, there's no easy way to transport it. Unlike a bicycle (even a bicycle for 2), this thing is big and wide!

We'll, I've had 5 months to finally figure out how to take it with us camping. The "Ah ha!" moment happened yesterday morning and last night I fabricated a very rough prototype tricycle carrier for my camper.

We have a cargo carrier on the back of the camper, that attached with a factory installed receiver hitch. I did a little extra build on the carrier so it doesn't rock so much. The hitch has a max weight of about 800 pounds or so (label on the trailer), so weight wise, I've always been well within tolerances with the cargo carrier.

I removed the side of the cargo carrier and roughly built a frame out of old treated lumber I had behind the house a frame for the tricycle to rest on. Actually, it's quite solid!

In the photos below, the first shows the carrier as we've used it for the last 4 years, primarily to carry that black box with sewer hoses, water hoses, and our outside mat when it gets wet, and other items that get wet or dirty.

The following is my fabricated "invention". We're heading for Sante State Park, South Carolina, from Indiana this Saturday and the wife REALLY wanted to bring the tricycle alone!

Well, one thing is for sure, it that wooden frame hold up for almost a 1500 mile round trip, I think I have a winner! In the photos below, it's not secured yet with straps, bungie's, or ropes yet. But that won't be any problem.

Just wanted to share if the idea inspires some else for a DIY project!







10 REPLIES 10

armond05
Explorer
Explorer
Looks great. I like the idea!

DutchmenSport
Explorer
Explorer
1L243 wrote:
...added some brackets on the side for the rear wheels to sit in. ...


I like your modification on the carrier here! Actually, that would not be very difficult to do with my current one, and adding those tracks for the tires to sit in would not affect adding the sides of the cage back on if I wanted to use the cage again.

Now, if I can incorporate your idea and still carry that black box with my sewer hoses, I'll have a winner!

Thank-you for your photos!

Heading out for South Carolina tomorrow morning now. We're all packed, except for hitching up and getting a few more groceries.

When we return home (Jan 1), I'll have a project to figure out. And ... well ... if all that lumber works ok, then ... really ... why change it? Right?

Thanks again!

shadows4
Explorer III
Explorer III
Great job Dutch. I am a week from having knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus and will be having knee replacement surgery on the other knee in about 3 weeks. I will be asking my surgeon about the bike riding. If he bans it I will have to do something similar as you. Good luck,John
2016 4X4 F350,CC,SB,Lariat,6.7L diesel,
2015 Coachmen Chapparal 324 TSRK
B&W Patriot 16K hitch.

westend
Explorer
Explorer
If you bent that wheel bracket in a vise, I'm guessing this wasn't your first rodeo. Nice work!
Good job by the OP, as well. Those old Schwinns are getting pretty rare.
'03 F-250 4x4 CC
'71 Starcraft Wanderstar -- The Cowboy/Hilton

1L243
Explorer II
Explorer II
My wife has a folding electric trike(not folded in this picture). I got the carrier from Harbor Freight and added some brackets on the side for the rear wheels to sit in. I used ratchet ties to hold the bike to the rack. I also beefed up the bumper mounting with bumper struts that add support for the bumper to the trailer frame.

You could consider going electric you can still pedal when you want but fly when you want like going uphills.

You also want to use a hitch vice or clamp on the receiver to stop it from flopping around with the extra weight on the carrier.


Extra wheel bracket I eventually painted it


Hitchrider anti rattle vice
2017 Coleman 300tq by Dutchman Toy Hauler. 34.5 feet long and under 10k Gross. 500 watt Solar 2000 watt Inverter, 1999 Ford F250 2WD 7.3 4R100 DP Tuner, S&B Cold Air Intake, Gauges, 6.0 Trans Cooler, Air Bags.

Lwiddis
Explorer
Explorer
If what you like to do is poke around the campground on a trike thatโ€™s ok. But if you like to really ride a bicycle, Iโ€™d get a second opinion on the dangers to a replaced knee and cycling.
Winnebago 2101DS TT & 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71, WindyNation 300 watt solar-Lossigy 200 AH Lithium battery. Prefer boondocking, USFS, COE, BLM, NPS, TVA, state camps. Bicyclist. 14 yr. Army -11B40 then 11A - (MOS 1542 & 1560) IOBC & IOAC grad

DutchmenSport
Explorer
Explorer
Yeti plus wrote:
Now is there enough room to mount your black box between the front wheel of the trike and the back of the trailer? That would make it like you didn't lose any storage space at all.
Or is that phase 2 of the modification list.


Actually, I hadn't considered that. We usually bring our own fire wood and it's stowed in the back of the pick-up. Going to South Carolina in a couple days, we're not taking any firewood (I won't transport it across state lines). So there's plenty of room in the bed of the truck for the hoses, black box, and every thing else this time. Come Summer and more local camping, and this may be modified. The nice thing about fabricating something with wood? If it don't work, or you want to change it, it's easy to do! What gets messed up becomes fire wood! Pull the screws and it can be modified anyway. However, once I have a good fit, I'd like to get this modified with a metal or aluminum home made rack. I'm already considering that. Adding space for the box? Well ... now you got me thinking!

Yeti_plus
Explorer
Explorer
Now is there enough room to mount your black box between the front wheel of the trike and the back of the trailer? That would make it like you didn't lose any storage space at all.
Or is that phase 2 of the modification list.
2014 Chevrolet 3500 CC 4X4 Duramax, Tork Lift Tiedowns, TorkLift Fastguns, Superhitch and supertruss
2009 Jayco 213 SOLD
2008 Bigfoot 25C9.4

MrWizard
Moderator
Moderator
Ingenious idea, have fun
I can explain it to you.
But I Can Not understand it for you !

....

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1997 F53 Bounder 36s

coolmom42
Explorer
Explorer
I'm glad you resolved your problem.

BUT I never heard of such restrictions following knee replacement. I have NONE. The only warning I got was that I might find it uncomfortable to kneel with weight on front of the knee, and that was correct. (But I couldn't kneel at all before surgery, so being able to do it at all was an improvement.)

My replacement is designed such that the weight-bearing surfaces can be replaced separately, with much less trauma than the original surgery.
Single empty-nester in Middle TN, sometimes with a friend or grandchild on board