New bike trailer aims to help cyclists ditch their cars

August 30, 2012 • Posted by: Michael McKisson

BikeShopHub.com, a company moving to Tucson, is introducing a product that could make it easier for people to ditch their cars.

The company has created a new trailer system called the Wandertec Tuba, which BikeShopHub owner Josh Lipton said aims to help the people who want to do more errands by bike.

“We’re targeting it for people trying to do all their errands by bike,” he said.

The trailer is designed to carry about as much as the average sedan’s trunk.

The base of the trailer is the frame, wheels and hitch. The idea was to create something that people could customize to suit their own needs. They are also producing a platform, cage, bag and waterproof cover that can be added to base frame.

The prices range from $339 -$700 depending on the options.

Lipton said they saw an opportunity to create a trailer that was bigger than the touring trailers on the market and smaller than the industrial trailers being produced by Surly.

BikeShopHub.com is launching the trailer on Kickstarter in order to help pay for the initial marketing.

Lipton said even if the project isn’t funded on Kickstarter you’ll still be able to get your hands on the trailer.

“We’re going to manufacture this thing one way or another,” he said.

The project is currently about 30 percent funded in it’s $25,000 goal.

Most of the trailer is manufactured and assembled in Arizona with the exception of the wheels and the hitch.

Check out the Kickstarter page for more information about the trailer.

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9 comments

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Charles Banta aka 'Kansas' was a "Bikes Not Bombs" guy (you may still see some of those stickers around) who had a shed/carport work area on Waverly somewhere that looked like BICAS. High school students would be there breaking down bikes/sorting bike parts some afternoons and anyone could drop by and find anything you might need for a bike. He got his raw material from bikeshops in exchange for collecting their cardboard bike boxes and taking them to a recycling center. Tucson wasn't doing this yet. He made his trailer totally from recycled material, as he was committed to doing, and the hitch incorporated a piece of leather in the vertical position for flexibility in steering and strength for support across the broad surface. He later went to a laminated rubber floor mat. It attached to the end of a rear rack so you could still use the rack. I enjoyed and used mine all the time and am sad I had to leave it in Hawaii. End lesson 1--Tucson Bike History 101.

Martha Retallick

I remember Kansas! We used to be neighbors.

Except for the hitch configuration, this trailer looks similar to one designed and produced by Charles Banta here in Tucson back in the 80's. His hitch, by the way, was the most practical and creative one I've ever seen. Anyone else remember?

miguel

For those who need the hauling but don't have the cash... Every now and then a trashed trailer comes into BICAS or shows up on craigslist. You can usually get these for around 30-60 dollars. Be sure to factor in the cost of new tires and tubes if it needs those. Pull all the fabric off it (maybe save the buckles for other projects) and go pick up something to be the new base. This could be wood (heavy), an old political sign (kinda flexi) or a bread crate (personal choice). Use some bailing wire to tie secure it and off you go.

miguel

Also a note on the video...I've hauled 90 lbs on my trailer and was worried about the bicycle frame. I used very slow starts and stops. I would never recommend hauling 120 lbs on a trailer that only connect to one side of the bike.

Martha Retallick

Before everybody gets all up in arms and starts screamin' about the price, consider this: I paid 300 buckaroos for a Burley trailer at Catalina Bicycle Shop back in 1990. Nice use of the ole federal tax refund if I may say so myself. And, thanks, Bob, owner of said shop, for providing me with bike sales/mechanical employment when I really needed it back in 1997-2000. Any-hoo, that little Burley has just chugged right along behind me on my various around town adventures. But when I was out on a Brush and Bulky treasure hunt on Tuesday, I was a bit worried about the load I was pulling. Those tossed-out clay pots that I found were heavy. I was thinking that the weight might bust through the nylon fabric of the trailer. This is just the usual Martha roundabout way of getting to the point, and oh, yes, I have one: I'm very interested in this trailer. I think it could stand up to Martha's tendency to tow heavy stuff.

Orvis

I tow a Burley Nomad. I'm way bad to it. 100 pounds is a regular event as in 52 weeks a year. I use a lightweight racing frame converted to single speed fixed gear to tow with. The only problem I've ever had was my bolt on Phil Wood track hubs made it tough to fasten the hitch until I finally figured out to get Phil to custom machine me a longer T washer. Two wheeled trailers put all the weight on the trailer, not the tongue or hitch. The Burley hitch has a rubber shock mount that is supposed to be replaced at intervals. It takes the abuse, not your frame. I started out with a converted trailer. I got it free and modified it. The Burley is a whole other thing. While the conversion free trailer got me into it I doubt I'd still be towing it I hadn't bought a purpose built heavier duty trailer. I'm pretty excited that bike shop hub is moving here. Like Martha the Tuba has me quite intrigued.

Collin Forbes

I have a Burley Flatbed from 2008 (they've updated the model since). The max weight limit is 100 lbs, and it would show considerable flex at 80+ lbs. But it still held up! I use a pair of rubbermaid totes to contain the cargo and distribute the weight across the frame.