Using the Trailer in LH/RH Drive countries

Message-Id:
Date: Fri, 18 Jun 2004 11:22:23 +0200
From: Joost van Waert
Subject: Trailer in England (Yak 768)

Hi all,
This reaction to the Yak-thread 'Trailer in England' is a bit late
because I just returned from a very nice cycling holiday in the South
of France.

In the reactions on the question I missed the real solution to
solving the difference between pulling a BF-trailer/suitcase in a
right-hand country vs. a left-hand country.
It was given to me by Hanz Scholz himself, who apparently thought of
everything when he devised the asymmetrical BF Travel Trailer.
I mostly ride in right-hand countries, but I followed his advice when
I toured New Zealand:

You simply turn the "trailer tongue" over 180 degrees and hook your
trailer onto the right chainstay instead of to the left.
The other three aluminium tubes (2 axles and 1 T-bar) remain unchanged.
You should try this out before you start off on your journey.
To turn over the trailer tongue, you have to put in the bolt from the
other direction.
Some Bike Fridays have the trailer hitch soldered onto the frame
(left chainstay), so you can't change that. BF also sells separate
trailer hitches that can be clamped on with two hexagonal bolts. You
should try out a position that doesn't hamper shifting etc.

Best of luck on your trip!
Joost van Waert, The Netherlands

P.S.
One of the key things to riding safely with a trailer is to be seen.
In city traffic you can stick a flag on the trailer (I have a
description of mounting it);
Out in the country motorists don't see the flag (too small), so
bright coloured stickers or signal-paint on the rear and or top of
the suitcase are the thing.