The Bamboo Bicycle Trailer Project has been one of considerable design adaptations, material acquisition problems, construction alternatives and enjoyable evenings in the workshop. When I began, I figured the biggest challenges would be frame alignment and cutting dados, two things I had never done.
All of this has passed and I am faced with the simplest of problems: flat tires. After exchanging tubes with schrader valves for ones with presta valves, I thought I had solved a simple problem of a bad tube.
The wheels when purchased, puncture problem unknown
Furthermore, I had, with just one move, created a more efficient system by having a single type of tube to repair or replace on the road. Carry one spare and everything would be covered and no need for pump adapters.
As I always do changing tubes, I make a cursory examination of the tire and rim to be sure there is nothing in place that might be causing flats. For example, there are no thorns or glass embedded in the tire tread or sharp metal bits from the rim. I think that my examination needs to be more than cursory. The tire is flat, again, which means something is causing a slight puncture and a slow leak.
This means that after the many interesting brain teasers and pseudo-engineering feats, it has come down to a simple flat tire as the last hurdle to taking the trailer to the grocery store.
I suppose this is a lesson learned about more than this bicycle trailer project. It is the fundamentals that count. Get the basic problems or situations fixed and the rest of the work will seem effortless.
Mark:
I found your site while doing some research on bamboo bicycles. I assume you are the same Mark Reber that I built a tandem for several years ago.
Bamboo facinates me as a bicycle material and I am gathering as much information as possible on the subject and just might try my hand t building one possible even a tandem
Rodney,
It is I and thanks for visiting. I’m glad it showed up in some of the searches you did. Obviously, my trailer is not even made of bamboo, but as you would have noticed from the site, it is based upon the bamboo trailer from carryfreedom.com. If you haven’t already, check at renovo bicycles in Portland. They build bamboo bikes and really fascinating wooden frames, too.