Anyone seen a bicycle sidecar/trishaw kit?

01-18-2007, 10:01 PM

I would love to have a temporary people mover attachment to fit a bike.
I see photos on the web (overseas) of these great rickshaws that are
just bolted to the side of a sturdy bike. The great benefit of this
design is that the peddler is not left alone up front, like they are
with a trailer/chariot rickshaw. Has anyone every imported sidecars to
the US? A couple hundred could be sold to people going to Burning Man.
I'll buy one!! (I really like the flimsy two passenger "sai kaa" from
Rangoon, but the Singapore Trishaw looks great too. (what I know is
from the great book "chasing rickshaws" by Tony Wheeler (lonely
planet). Maybe someone could make a collapseable version stateside.

Any leads?

Tor Clausen

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

01-19-2007, 05:07 AM

On 18 Jan 2007 23:01:43 -0800, [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
wrote:

>I would love to have a temporary people mover attachment to fit a bike.
>I see photos on the web (overseas) of these great rickshaws that are
>just bolted to the side of a sturdy bike. The great benefit of this
>design is that the peddler is not left alone up front, like they are
>with a trailer/chariot rickshaw. Has anyone every imported sidecars to
>the US? A couple hundred could be sold to people going to Burning Man.
>I'll buy one!! (I really like the flimsy two passenger "sai kaa" from
>Rangoon, but the Singapore Trishaw looks great too. (what I know is
>from the great book "chasing rickshaws" by Tony Wheeler (lonely
>planet). Maybe someone could make a collapseable version stateside.
>
>Any leads?
>
>Tor Clausen
>
>[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

There are a variety of multiple person cycling choices, but what you
describe IMO would have way too small a markey to get past the costs
of the liability insurance. A collapsible sidecar to carry passengers?
May as well get footpegs for the rear and tell them to hop aboard.

Curtis L. Russell
Odenton, MD (USA)
Just someone on two wheels...

01-19-2007, 07:50 AM

<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote: The great benefit of this design
is that the peddler is not left alone up front, (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Sidecars on motorcycles have a great effect on handling characteristics, and
I am afraid the effect on a bicycle would be well nigh intolerable.
Starting up, the extra weight on one side causes the "bike" to want to turn
to that side. On braking, the sidecar tries to keep going, turning the rig
to the opposite side. With large tires and plenty of power, motorcyclists
learn to cope with this, and even use it to advantage while cornering. I
think a bicyclist would just hate it. Picture yourself trying to cope with
this on an incline, steering to correct for the off-center load, AND NOT
BEING ABLE TO LEAN.

01-19-2007, 09:25 AM

Yes, you both are right. But my desire for this is not pratical. It is
fun. And there are one or two businesses out there that survive on fun.
I ride people all around town on my foot pegs andd on my handle bars.
we all did this when we were kids and nothing was more fun. Being close
while riding is such a blast.

I admit, I can see next to no reason for such a contraption in daily
life. I have a hard enough time finding a clear path for one track of
rubber to follow. But this burningman event is a week long of bicycing
heaven. Tens of thousands of people, all on bicycles on a flat, hard,
dry lakebed. What fun to ride a relaxing friend around while you pant
and fight your rig from doing circles.

I wonder how much liablility is involved. People sell foot pegs for
bicycles. Can it be that much worse?

Thanks for the comments!

Tor

01-19-2007, 09:36 AM

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] writes:

> I see photos on the web (overseas) of these great rickshaws that are
> just bolted to the side of a sturdy bike. The great benefit of this
> design is that the peddler is not left alone up front, like they are
> with a trailer/chariot rickshaw. [...]

As another variation, I've seen bike rickshaws where the cyclist
is behind the passengers. Such an arrangement would probably
make it easier for the cyclist to see and talk to the passengers,
and it might be more practical than a sidecar.
--
"Sanity is not statistical."
--George Orwell

01-19-2007, 02:32 PM

Ben Pfaff wrote:
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] writes:
>
> > I see photos on the web (overseas) of these great rickshaws that are
> > just bolted to the side of a sturdy bike. The great benefit of this
> > design is that the peddler is not left alone up front, like they are
> > with a trailer/chariot rickshaw. [...]
>
> As another variation, I've seen bike rickshaws where the cyclist
> is behind the passengers. Such an arrangement would probably
> make it easier for the cyclist to see and talk to the passengers,
> and it might be more practical than a sidecar.
> --
> "Sanity is not statistical."
> --George Orwell

Yes those are very cool. I started out looking thinking that I was
going to make one of them. But when I read that many of them are
unusual bears to drive, even when they are made from the ground up as a
rickshaw, I decided to steer clear. My initial plan was to convert a
standard bike into one of those, but I am betting that it would barely
work. And, I've never seen it done.

t

01-19-2007, 03:20 PM

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] writes:

> Ben Pfaff wrote:
>> I've seen bike rickshaws where the cyclist
>> is behind the passengers. Such an arrangement would probably
>> make it easier for the cyclist to see and talk to the passengers,
>> and it might be more practical than a sidecar.
>
> Yes those are very cool. I started out looking thinking that I was
> going to make one of them. But when I read that many of them are
> unusual bears to drive, even when they are made from the ground up as a
> rickshaw, I decided to steer clear. My initial plan was to convert a
> standard bike into one of those, but I am betting that it would barely
> work. And, I've never seen it done.

The one I've seen is on display at the front of a Thai restaurant
in San Carlos, CA, for what it's worth.
--
Ben Pfaff
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

01-19-2007, 03:58 PM

<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrpte: (clip) My initial plan was to
convert a standard bike into one of those, but I am betting that it would
barely work. And, I've never seen it done.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I have seen a guy riding a combination of a bicycle and piano. He plays at
street fairs and such. If you can stand the shipping cost, that would be
really cool at Burning Man.

01-19-2007, 10:22 PM

Leo Lichtman wrote:
> <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrpte: (clip) My initial plan was to
> convert a standard bike into one of those, but I am betting that it would
> barely work. And, I've never seen it done.
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> I have seen a guy riding a combination of a bicycle and piano. He plays at
> street fairs and such. If you can stand the shipping cost, that would be
> really cool at Burning Man.

Yes it would. Now if that was only parked outside some restaurant
around here.

Still wished I could come up with the neat, clean, collapsable design.
But they are said to be pretty woobily when welded, my joints would
make it downright un ridable.

Tor

01-21-2007, 05:59 PM

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] wrote:
> Ben Pfaff wrote:
> > [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] writes:
> >
> > > I see photos on the web (overseas) of these great rickshaws that are
> > > just bolted to the side of a sturdy bike. The great benefit of this
> > > design is that the peddler is not left alone up front, like they are
> > > with a trailer/chariot rickshaw. [...]
> >
> > As another variation, I've seen bike rickshaws where the cyclist
> > is behind the passengers. Such an arrangement would probably
> > make it easier for the cyclist to see and talk to the passengers,
> > and it might be more practical than a sidecar.
> > --
> > "Sanity is not statistical."
> > --George Orwell
>
> Yes those are very cool. I started out looking thinking that I was
> going to make one of them. But when I read that many of them are
> unusual bears to drive, even when they are made from the ground up as a
> rickshaw, I decided to steer clear. My initial plan was to convert a
> standard bike into one of those, but I am betting that it would barely
> work. And, I've never seen it done.

Generally what they do here is take plumbing joints and rivets and
suchlike to make a removable cargo trailer. You can see some close up
pictures in [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] which, as I
see I'm still at a daily average of over 150 hits a day with no updates
since mid-June really needs to get moved somewhere else where I can
keep updating it and get the ad revenue from the hits.

-M