Bicycling with a Backpack

[Leo Lichtman]

"Will" wrote: What did this weight do on a the descent side of a hill?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
If the hill was steep enough to make the weight slide forward, it would
apply the brakes. If all the ratios were properly chosen, the trailer would
pull back on the bike, so the rider would not have to use as much braking on
the bike. Too much, and the trailer would try to lock the wheels, which
wouldn't be good. This could happen on an empty trailer.

A better solution would be to use a sliding connection in the trailer
tongue, and have the inertia of the trailer apply the brakes. That provides
feedback which reduces the braking if it becomes excessive. This is used
some auto trailers, where they put a master cylinder into the tongue.

 

[Steve McDonald]

Will wrote:

What did this weight do on a the descent side of a hill?
---------------------------------------------------

The force needed to activate the disc brakes had a threshold, below
which no braking occurred. When braking hard with the bicycle, the
deceleration generated quite a bit more force than gravity would, on the
low angle of a moderate hill. The gravity on the hills he ordinarily
encountered didn't reach the threshold. He also had a cable that
deactivated the inertial brake, if necessary. I don't imagine he
traversed many steep hills, carrying large loads. This was intended to
be just an extra helper brake, used when hard stops were needed. I
pulled this thing one time with more than 400 lbs. of cargo, using one
of his quadraped recumbent tricycles.

Steve McDonald

 

[Edward Dodge]

[email protected] writes:

> I need to bicycle 4 miles one way to a grocery store and carry back
> about 50 lbs.. I think it can all fit into a backpack I see online but
> I'm not sure if I will be able to ride ok. Does anyone have any kind of
> experience with short distance bicycle with a heavy ooaded backpack?

I mounted a rack on the back of my bike and bought a pannier for just this
purpose. My pannier is rated for about thirty pounds, but I've put more than
that in it with no ill effects. If that's not enough capacity for you,
another pannier can be mounted on the other side. Panniers make better
shopping bags than a backpack.


--
Edward Dodge

__o
_`\(,_
(_)/ (_) --- ---

 

[Buck]

Leo Lichtman wrote:
> A better solution would be to use a sliding connection in the trailer
> tongue, and have the inertia of the trailer apply the brakes. That provides
> feedback which reduces the braking if it becomes excessive. This is used
> some auto trailers, where they put a master cylinder into the tongue.

I've seen this setup on several of the larger u-haul trailers I've
rented. It seems to work well in the rolling hills where I've hauled
one. I haven't tried it in the mountains yet....

-Buck

 

[Blue Who Who]

[email protected] wrote:
> I need to bicycle 4 miles one way to a grocery store and carry back
> about 50 lbs.. I think it can all fit into a backpack I see online but
> I'm not sure if I will be able to ride ok. Does anyone have any kind of
> experience with short distance bicycle with a heavy ooaded backpack?
>

I would invest in a back rack for 20 bucks and bungee the groceries. 50
pounds will make you unstable on your bike and if you do happen to
wreck, the weight of the books might make a simple injury into a major
injury. Plus it's much more comfortable to have the weight on a rack
instead of on your shoulders.

You can use a backpack for the lighter items.

here is the rack I use for groceries and touring. Softer items go in the
side baskets.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...ding=UTF8&n=3375301&s=sporting-goods&v=glance

 

[[email protected]]

Do the baskets come with the rack? This is one piece? Is it easily
removealable?
I don't know how much I can bungee to the rack but I probably can fit a
lot in the baskets.

 

[Leo Lichtman]

<[email protected]> wrote: (clip) Do the baskets come with the rack? This
is one piece? (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Examining the illustration closely, one can see that the central rack
portion shares a welded bar with the top edge of the basket. So it's all
one piece. Removal would require you to disconnect both diagonal braces and
the clamp that attaches just behind the seat tube. Looks like it might be
kind of a pain. And that would leave you without any rack at all. I would
hold out for removable baskets. I have a pair which hang on a standard
rack, go on and off easily, and which fold flat when they are empty.
They're made of cloth.

I don't know how much they will hold, but once I filled them with walnuts
from the side of the trail, and the weight made the front wheel go light
with each pedal stroke. It was controllable, though.

 

[Blue Who Who]

[email protected] wrote:
> Do the baskets come with the rack? This is one piece? Is it easily
> removealable?
> I don't know how much I can bungee to the rack but I probably can fit a
> lot in the baskets.
>
The rack I have is one piece. Mine is similiar to that one, not exactly
like it. What I do is put a peice of wood on the rack , pile stuff on it
and bungee.