# Tool carrier beta



## airwreck (Dec 31, 2003)

gave this setup a try and I like it.
It's a Carver surfboard carrier.


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## emptybe_er (Jan 15, 2006)

Yeah, good idea. . . but, um, how do you manage to keep the bike leaned over enough to get any digging done? And what if you have to dig on the left side?  Only jokin'. Good to see the red-dirt from da aina represented! Auwrighht!


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## airwreck (Dec 31, 2003)

wait until you see the weedeater (running) setup


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## radair (Dec 19, 2002)

Wow, I never knew such a thing existed. And I used to live to surf.

How does it handle in singletrack, need to compensate for the weight on one side?

Does this price  ($85) seem about right?


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## airwreck (Dec 31, 2003)

actually handles very well, didn't feel much if any need to compensate for it. I took it straight away to some tight twisty singletrack and it's easy to forget it's there. Need to be careful when dismounting, and it's easy to get tangled up if you fall/tip over. Seatpost QR was allowing it to twist, need to run a regular non QR type. It's very well built, solid, and adjustable. $85 sounds right.

Don't know why I didn't think about this application before, stoked on it so far, few more rides and I'll be ready to recommend it.


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## emptybe_er (Jan 15, 2006)

airwreck said:


> wait until you see the weedeater (running) setup


Please tell us you _do not_ own a chainsaw. . . 

It's got to be better than using the Camelback as a carrier - from first-hand experience. Just be sure you don't wax your shovel and WD40 your board. . . :skep:


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## radair (Dec 19, 2002)

Thanks. Please post a pic from the front or rear if you get a chance so the leg clearance is shown.


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## gmcttr (Oct 7, 2006)

Interesting idea. I made this single purpose carrier a week ago.


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## airwreck (Dec 31, 2003)

leg clearance is excellent, never an issue.


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## JmZ (Jan 10, 2004)

I'd be nervous about having the blade end at the front. With my luck - I'd fall right there. Ouch.

JmZ


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## bsieb (Aug 23, 2003)

Seems like it would put a lot of lateral stress on the seat post/seat tube area if there were much weight on it. We had a problem last summer with bikes breaking from pulling a BOB with carsonite sign posts and driver. The BOB also broke, expanded metal bottom separated from the frame, so maybe it was too much weight, although it pulled fine. The incident made me aware that there is more to transporting with a bike than fastening the load to the bike.


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## radair (Dec 19, 2002)

JmZ said:


> I'd be nervous about having the blade end at the front. With my luck - I'd fall right there. Ouch.
> 
> JmZ


Put it in the back and you'd likely be hooking it on trees.


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## Empty_Beer (Dec 19, 2007)

Bad idea?


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## pinkrobe (Jan 30, 2004)

I'd run it with the head way out in front and the handle-end lashed to the seat tube cluster. People will get out of your way, and any falls to the side or rear should not be as dicey.


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## fastmtnbiker33w (Feb 3, 2004)

I like the bob so I can carry lots of tools for others to use. Most people willing to volunteer want to ride, but don't have their own tools or a way to carry them. The bob also slows me down enough to socialize with riders who I usually never ride with.

I ran this system today for the first time....usually just use the mcLeod and mattock. But I got the brush cutter for Christmas and finally figured out how to get it all rigged up. I added a Grape Hoe to the mix as well. So there's 3 tools and the weedeater, extra fuel, and the bag has the harness and safety gear as well as long pants.


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## ezybike (May 2, 2006)

My work in progress. I hope to load it up with a crew full of tools. 
The big plan is to make up a cheap easy long tail kit with tool racks that anyone can bolt on there bike. Like xtracycle.


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## Visicypher (Aug 5, 2004)

*This was not easy*

...but the BOB carried them all fine for 5 miles or so...


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## 6dogs (Feb 3, 2007)

*Really Expensive Tool Carrier*

It takes about 15 minutes to convert back to it's original purpose. Noise free, and it descends really nice.


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## ezybike (May 2, 2006)

That is by far one of the coolest yet. I realy like the tool clamps. Now where to find a tandam fully?


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## mcras (Aug 28, 2008)

I see that you have the most inportant trail building tool in the backpack - 6 packs of Fat Tire!


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## diggingtrail (Dec 12, 2009)

Thanks for the inspiration folks. I showed one of our club members some of the pictures here, gave him the measurements, and we now have a tool carrier for our BOB trailer. This is going to work out great for us.


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## crank1979 (Feb 3, 2006)

I had a look at some of the other bob trailer threads and modifications.Here is what I cam up with to hold some tools more securely on the Bob trailer. There is room for a chainsaw under there, I'll just need to cut a slot in the front rack for the bar to slide through.

I also changed the stem and rear skewer on the Devinici Magma to make it the trailer bike instead of the Giant Anthem, which I've converted back to singlespeed.




























The rack colour was dictated by what I had in the shed. Screws,nuts, washers and bolts are all stainless steel or zinc coated.

I'm thinking of using old tubes as tie-downs instead of the occy straps I've got there and havingtwo bits per tool so I can remove each tool individually if needed instead of undoing them all like I have to do now.


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## crank1979 (Feb 3, 2006)

*So I was last to post here a while ago...*

I modified the BoB again last night to carry a wheelbarrow for todays trackwork session.










Using it today was hard going! As soon as I lost momentum going uphill it meant pushing and that sometimes required another person to help get the beast up the hill. Sand was fun too, causing much amusement for onlookers waiting for me to fall off, which didn't happen! One of the other volunteers had a go and described it as riding in a stream, you just have to go where it takes you and as soon as you start to wobble hold on for dear life! I can't see the wheelbarrow being towed on the trailer ever again.


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## fastmtnbiker33w (Feb 3, 2004)

I'd think long and hard about putting that wheelbarrow's wheel on my bob.


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## crank1979 (Feb 3, 2006)

fastmtnbiker33w said:


> I'd think long and hard about putting that wheelbarrow's wheel on my bob.


It would lower the centre of gravity nicely, but in the two hours I had to make the platform before the maintenance session, with the materials I had available it was the best I could do. Fortunately, using it was a one off experience.


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## donwatts (Aug 1, 2006)

gmcttr said:


> Interesting idea. I made this single purpose carrier a week ago.


I am interested in the bike stand, did you make that? Are there plans?


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## pascale27 (Aug 26, 2011)

I love this thread, do you guys think I could modify this into something servicable


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## cheezecake (Jul 16, 2011)

definitly ^. Take the seat off, cranks, chain, handle bars. and weld on long skinny rack like some cargo bikes have and there ya go


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## Dave_schuldt (May 10, 2004)

Or if you don't have a welder leave the bars and seat post on and put a rear rack on it. This will give you something to strap tools to.


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## Chris Clutton (Nov 8, 2006)

I usually hike in with tools but the bob trailers look good for getting out a long distance from the truck. Check this out! BOB on Vimeo Whipping the Bob's!


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## mtbty (Jun 15, 2012)

Hears how you move two piece of equipment at one time.


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## TEAMGLP (Nov 7, 2012)

I am just getting into the trail building scene and looking to get tools back in the woods about 5 miles. Has anyone adapted a kids tag along for carrying tools, I have an extra at my house and thought it might work. Thanks for the great info!


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## wyatt79m (Mar 3, 2007)

The trail a bike thing seems like a good idea...


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## East Bay Rich (Jan 24, 2004)

drifty bob @ 225 is awesome : )



Chris Clutton said:


> I usually hike in with tools but the bob trailers look good for getting out a long distance from the truck. Check this out! BOB on Vimeo Whipping the Bob's!


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## ryanxj (Sep 9, 2011)

Bump! 

What else ya got?


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## gmats (Apr 15, 2005)

Wow, yeah, loving this thread...........


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## B.A.R.K. (Oct 17, 2007)

I too would like to see how you guys have modified kid haulers into trail day work trailers. These two types of used kid bike trailers had be found for really cheap on CL.


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## dillis (Dec 30, 2014)

What about a non bike tool carrier? Something that I can haul 5+ tools into the wood with without a bike? 

I was thinking using a moving dolly, with a 5 gal bucket bungee'd to it. The the tool handles/heads go in the bucket, and they are bungee'd again at the top of the dolly.


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## cerebroside (Jun 25, 2011)

dillis said:


> What about a non bike tool carrier? Something that I can haul 5+ tools into the wood with without a bike?
> 
> I was thinking using a moving dolly, with a 5 gal bucket bungee'd to it. The the tool handles/heads go in the bucket, and they are bungee'd again at the top of the dolly.


I usually just strap them to my backpack. Should be fine with that number as long as long as your pack is sturdy enough. Stick them diagonally across (or horizontally if your trail is wide) so they don't whack you in the back of the head/knees.


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## dillis (Dec 30, 2014)

cerebroside said:


> I usually just strap them to my backpack. Should be fine with that number as long as long as your pack is sturdy enough. Stick them diagonally across (or horizontally if your trail is wide) so they don't whack you in the back of the head/knees.


Well, I would but my backpack is far from sturdy. That's why I'm looking for another option for carrying things on foot.


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## aero901 (Apr 11, 2012)

Depending on how rugged the terrain is, a wheelbarrow may work. We use a lightweight plastic tub barrow a lot when we have to move a load of tools around for work days. I regularly carry a chainsaw (with fuel, oil, and PPE), 2 stacked 5gal buckets filled with smaller hand tools and gloves, and ~10 long and short handled tools. It isn't too hard to push up hills. The wheelbarrow itself comes in handy a lot of the times as well.


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## dillis (Dec 30, 2014)

aero901 said:


> Depending on how rugged the terrain is, a wheelbarrow may work. We use a lightweight plastic tub barrow a lot when we have to move a load of tools around for work days. I regularly carry a chainsaw (with fuel, oil, and PPE), 2 stacked 5gal buckets filled with smaller hand tools and gloves, and ~10 long and short handled tools. It isn't too hard to push up hills. The wheelbarrow itself comes in handy a lot of the times as well.


That's what I would do, but I have to make this transportable in a mini van... What if I got a cheap foldable thing like this to use? Milwaukee 150 lb. Capacity Folding Hand Truck-33366 - The Home Depot


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## Kronk (Jan 4, 2004)

dillis said:


> That's what I would do, but I have to make this transportable in a mini van... What if I got a cheap foldable thing like this to use? Milwaukee 150 lb. Capacity Folding Hand Truck-33366 - The Home Depot


The wheels will sink into the ground, and be a pain to get over any terrain that is not smooth.
I can't remember if it was here or another site, but someone made a wagon with a metal tray like those that go in a trailer hitch and bike wheels. Was narrow enough for trails, and the bike wheels rolled over stuff. Not the best turning radius, but enough probably until you have a tighter turn.
Also another took a pull behind child carrier and narrowed it. If you did the same to one that had the front wheel jogger attachment, you have a push cart.


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## dillis (Dec 30, 2014)

I do have access to a few 20" walmart bmx wheels... I could make something with those. I am trying to keep the cost down though.


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## aero901 (Apr 11, 2012)

Look into folding wheelbarrows. Durability might be questionable if using it for transporting sharp/pointy tools (use sheaths?).


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## crank1979 (Feb 3, 2006)

A small, lightweight golf club bag?


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## dillis (Dec 30, 2014)

I've come up with a PVC pipe plan. It is esseintally a flat wheelbarrow that you can strap things to, but is light and can be partially dissasembed.


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## Tom Shaw (Feb 19, 2014)

When a wind storm goes through we have random downed trees/large branches throughout our trail system that took a lot of hiking to get cleaned up. Bike Zone, a club sponsor and Kona donated a Minute to help with our task.


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## B.A.R.K. (Oct 17, 2007)

I used this thread for inspiration when I was looking for and building my tool carrier, so I want to contribute.. This is mostly a repost from my other thread where I modified a BoB trailer fork to work with 29" wheels.

I didn't modify the trailer frame to hold tools like I originally thought I would need to. The milk crate approach seemed to be popular, and for good reason; it is easy to install, remove, modify, and works awesome. A 6 gallon crate that measures 19"x13"x11" holds more tools and weight than I care to carry behind the bike. Pulling the weight isn't the problem, but turning and having the center of gravity shift can get sketchy some times. Not as sketchy as riding with one hand and sharp heavy tools in the other though.






















Excellent tire clearance with the extended trailer fork








Standard trail tools for me are a fiberglass handle shovel with sharpened digging edge (to cut roots, etc.), sharp ax, hatchet, chain saw, and some times a rake. I cut large u-shaped notches into the top back edge of the plastic crate to prevent longer items like a shovel and ax from sliding around. Simple bungee cords hold everything in place. In the back lower wall of the crate, I cut a window slightly bigger than the chain saw bar cover to fit through, and that holds the chain saw in position very well.
No pictures of the next part, but I used carriage bolts through the bottom grating, fender washers, and wing nuts to hold the milk crate to the bottom of the trailer grating. Wing nuts allow the crate to be easily removed for other bike related activities like hauling a beer cooler. The carriage bolts don't extend below the trailer's lower edge, and provide a smooth surface if I have to drag the trailer over something like a log.


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## flying_dutchman (Mar 13, 2007)

*Another BOB tool carrier idea*

Made this tool carrier for the BOB using an Action Packer that is bolted to the base of the trailer (lid is therefore removable and base stays firmly in the trailer bed) and a Thule Snowboard/Ski carrier (bolted to lid so that large hand tools and lid can be removed as a unit to provide access to contents of the Action Packer). It's a bit top heavy but works well with x2 Mcleod's, x2 Pulaski's, loppers and pruners.


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## B.A.R.K. (Oct 17, 2007)

flying_dutchman said:


> Made this tool carrier for the BOB using an Action Packer that is bolted to the base of the trailer (lid is therefore removable and base stays firmly in the trailer bed) and a Thule Snowboard/Ski carrier (bolted to lid so that large hand tools and lid can be removed as a unit to provide access to contents of the Action Packer). It's a bit top heavy but works well with x2 Mcleod's, x2 Pulaski's, loppers and pruners.


Very nice. Jealous of the Ibex suspension. Sometimes mine can really turn into a pogo stick when it hits a root. I never thought about putting my Action Packer in the BoB, but its nice to know that it'll fit well.


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## BruceBrown (Jan 16, 2004)

*Ideas for a solution to haul tools on the trail...*

Some great ideas in this thread.

I need to haul a weed whacker, chainsaw, 1 or 2 gallon jug of gas, hedge clippers, leaf blower, throughout a trail system. Not all at once, but at least two or three of those items at a time. Sure it's nice to hike in and out each section of 7 mile loop from various points, but having a bike that could haul what I need would be easier.

The good news is, the trail system is in a State Park where I volunteer to do trail work and the majority of it is doubletrack, so I don't need to worry about navigating through tight and twisty. It's more about convenience of hauling multiple tools throughout to be more productive on a trail work day as opposed to hiking in and out with one or two tools at a time.

My options - or at least what I am thinking about at the moment:

Purchase a dedicated Surly Big Dummy and design a box to attach to haul what I need.

Convert an old Cannondale MTB 800 tandem (which currently is hanging in the garage not being used) into a long haul trucker.

Mine is green and fits me up front as the front end is size XL (rear is size small) and set up with a rigid fork and triple chainring with an 11-34 rear cassette so I would be able to spin up the hills hauling gear.



__
https://flic.kr/p/HrBPzM
 https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/

I did locate a company called LOKO who appear to have a product in development, but sounds like you have to pre-order and they only produce once they have 1000+ pre-orders. I've tried to contact them several times to get information on the rack to convert a tandem into a cargo bike, but have never received any reply. Sounds like this option may not exist.

However, I could probably find somebody in my local area to make something for me - or I could DIY some sort of a box/rack/mount to haul what I need on the back of the tandem conversion.

I don't think the BOB trailer will work with what I want to haul, but was curious for any suggestions and help in figuring out a solution to be able to haul something as long as a weed whacker, jug of fuel, and another tool or two all on the same trip.

I do have a rooftop tandem tray to haul the bike to and from the State Park - so at least that part of the issue of getting the work bike to and from the location is solved.

TIA!:thumbsup:


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## TORQUE-29er (Nov 26, 2008)

I found this baby jogger at curbside= trash day.
Not perfect but better then carrying all this on my back.

-Chainsaw.
-2 MSR bottles gas mix & bar oil.
-Plastic wedges & tool kit.
-Handsaw & Felco#2 hand pruners.
-PPE=Hardhat, safety glasses, hearing protection, chainsaw chaps.
-Mini pick and hand trowel.
-Mini sledge hammer.
-Hand brace with bits.
-12" galvanized spikes. 
-2 pair work gloves.
-Small stiff brush for cleaning dirt around trees before cutting etc.
-Tape measure.
-Roll duct tape.
-Roll of pink ribbon.
-Water and food to get through 4-12 hour day in the woods.
-I could strap a rake or long handle tool on this as well.

-BEER for after the saw is put away and I'm dragging my ass out of the woods.


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## BruceBrown (Jan 16, 2004)

Nice!


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## laksboy (Sep 4, 2007)

That's sweet. And I own a Testigo!


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## ki5ka (Dec 17, 2006)

I've done that, worked ok...


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## ki5ka (Dec 17, 2006)

2008 this started! What a great thread, good ideas never get old. Good to have it back on top!


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## SurlyNate (Mar 16, 2006)

Recently built up a Surly Big Fat Dummy - if you can afford it, it'll haul more weight than a BOB in a better fashion. Made a box to carry power tool, stick tools, and other assorted items. Able to carry enough for a 6-7 person crew on a single bike, including refreshment. And hit singletrack on the way down without the BOB "I'm going to crash every 10 feet" feeling.


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