Brompton Flight Case/Trailer: Oct 2004

Here are some links to photographs of a flightcase trailer I prototyped for my bike last year. I decided to build it after reading other recommendations on the web and knowing too well how stuff gets chucked about during baggage handling. There are a few problems with it, and, although I have resolved them on paper, I have not applied them, as I have not needed to fly anywhere this year. The problems relate to the coupling being too flexible and the rear wheels not being large enough. This currently makes the trailer unstable when riding with it empty.

The trailer was developed on paper over an 18 month period and then built in 3 days just prior to a flight. It was made just a little oversize to guarantee I could fit the bike in it as I had already booked the flight tickets and needed the bike with me. As it turned out, it was just the right size.

The Flight Case/Trailer is a 6mm ply box with pop riveted aluminium angle corners and weighs 8K. There are two fixed wheels at the rear underneath and two castors at the front. There is a rubber stop in the middle of the underside to help stabilise it on escalators. The draw bar is detachable (made from part of a zimmer frame) and packs inside the case when in flight. The coupling is made from hose pipe.

I flew twice with it within one month and found it very useful. It protected the bike well and made a useful trailer for my baggage when riding. It is surprisingly strong and I can sit on it without it creaking. It is however unstable during towing when empty, but with about 10K luggage inside, it trails OK. The castors and wheels make it easy to roll around in airports and it can be barrowed on the back wheels with the drawbar very easily too.

I decided to make it trail with the narrow dimension from side to side for the reason that it is narrower than my elbow width and I can get it through traffic gaps. It would be more stable if turned through 90 degrees, but I didn't want to damage anyone's car.

On the last flight I did with it from Warsaw to London, it had been dropped and the bike had punched a hole in one of the walls: the bike was not damaged and I think some thickish foam from a cheap kneeling mat, strategically placed inside the box, would have prevented this.

I put a carry handle on the lid for picking it up and for rolling it by hand. This was generally OK, but on my Warsaw trip, the total weight with bike inside and luggage crammed around it went up to 30K and the aluminium drawbar bent a little. The single catch between the lid and the main box, which was only held on with four rivets, pulled out. Two catches and 8 rivets will solve this problem along with keeping the packed weight to about 25K max.

Photo 1
Photo 2
Photo 3
Photo 4