Bike Sidecar

A challenge when it comes to using a bike for everyday life is carrying stuff . . . or people.  Reader Juan Pablo wanted to be able to carry some very precious cargo with him and came up with a fabulous hack - that is if you do not live in a walk up apartment =)

All text and pictures credited to Juan Pablo.  If you have hacked your bike to carry precious cargo, let us know!

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I wanted a cargo bike to comfortably carry my two girls, but there is no such thing in Buenos Aires.

First I thought or ordering a Nihola or a Christiania cargo trike from Europe. But when I found out the shipping price I realized it was ridiculously expensive.

Then I thought onfmaking my own cargo bicycle, mostly modifying an old bike I had. I found several sites and pictures on the web showing how it can be done. It´s not that difficult if you know how to weld.

But researching I realized a sidecar is better, because it has some benefits in comparing it with the cargo bike:

FIRST: a sidecar can lean, which makes it more comfortable and nimble than a trike.

SECOND: I didn´t have to modify and lose my old bicycle - I just add it two hooks/brakets (to mount and dismount the sidecar).

THIRD: It can be dismounted, so if (like me) you live in a house with a small front door, you can get it inside easily.

FOURTH: The kids ride right by your side, and close to the ground, which is the safest way to ride.

FIFTH: is really cool!

This is a first try and although I made many mistakes, it works very well. The main problem is that I used overweight steel angles that made it too heavy, not to ride, but to dismount and take it up to my workshop in the first floor.

As you can see, it needed paint and several finishing details.

It rides very good, and the girls love it!  (I mean my daughters, not the other girls, for those you should look into buying a Ferrari).

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Comments

[coventry recycled cycles]

Love the sidecar- especially the little steering wheel! Does it steer like a motorcycle sidecar?

[Ron Ablang]

I like the sidecar idea but a big "but" for me is that the car should be on the other side so that the rider is more exposed to traffic than the children.

[Danielle]

That's an awesome hack! We have the Christiania and love it! Such fun to travel by bike!!

[Leo Horishny]

I don't know about that sidecar driver, that is one intense driver's expression =:-O

Very nice woodwork, but foreigners sure are a tough lot, no upholstery or padding!!?? Especially for those cuties, a little tlc.

I also like the steering wheel in the center of the dash, that way she can drive on either side of the road. Well done. Next hack for you would be a separate sidecar brake.

I think the title of this item shoulda been bikehack'd hack, or bike hack hack, or hack'd hack.
(fyi, sidecars are referred to as hacks)

[BO2K]

In response to Ron Ablang, it all depends on which way down the sidewalk he is riding the bike in order to make it so the kiddos are on the inside (perspective) ;)

[Sharks182]

This looks *very* dangerous, and I would shake my head vigorously seeing somebody transport their kin in this.
Reason being the sidecar wheel doesn't have a brake. What happens in a emergency stop is that as the bike brakes, you have 2 kids and a sidecar (50 kgs easy) transferring their momentum in a lever-action pulling the rear wheel towards the sidecar and pushing the top tube to the right (drivers perspective). In a motorcycle w/ sidecar the brake synchronisation is integral to the usability of the vehicle, and the wheel bearings/connecting joint bearings are reinforced as they are subject to *much* higher loads than a non-sidecar.
If the builder is wise he loaded this contraption with sand bags and familiarised himself with this handling aspect in a controlled environment. If not, he/she is being even more irresponsible. I'd only let my kids near this to show them what and accident machine looks like.

[Juan Pablo Cambariere]

Hi!

I´m Juan Pablo, I´m making this sidecar.

Thank you all for the nice comments!

Ron, In Buenos Aires bikes rides on the left, as BO2K thought, that´s why I did it that way. But Buenos Aires streets are not safe for this kind of bicicles, I can´t really ride this with my girls on the streets, it´s too dangerous. I mostly go to the park with it, and ride it there, but really , really slow.

Sharks182: I honestly find your comment very offensive. This is a work in progress. If you just wanted to insult me, you did it great, congratulatios!
(((But if you want to share info please ask Matt for the rest of the pictures, you will see how I take the girls to the park, sitted down and with both seatbelts. As I wrote before, Buenos Aires is traffic is too dangerous for this, I just ride this in the park, very slow.)))

Best!
Juan Pablo

[hacked]

Who ever thinks this "looks *very* dangerous" because it is lacking a brake should share their experiences with a bicycle sidecar. Perhaps you should get the owners perspective on this prior to lashing out and insulting character. Although I have driven many powered hacks without brakes that were not "accident machines" (even under extreme braking situations) I have not driven one with a bike. My assumption based on my experience is that it would contradict to your hypothesis and would be quite safe.

[Quin]

Juan,

This is great! I needed an idea to get my dog around on my bike and a modification of this will work perfect. Thank you very much for sharing.

.....And to the person drinking Hatorade....you are rude, there are plenty of non offensive ways to share your thoughts.

[car finance]

The side car looks very safe in my perspective. I bet the kids love it.

[Hermes Kellty Bags]

If you wish to be the best man, you must suffer the bitterest of the bitter.

[car loans]

The insides are reinforced and there are joint supports to hold the sidecar still so this is perfectly safe.