BATTERY FREE BIKE LIGHT

A few months ago you kindly sent me plans to build a bamboo trailer and I thought I would update you on progress to build a trailer at Mapoch, which is a rural village 40 kms NW of Pretoria in South Africa.

We could not obtain bamboo so used 50 mm thick plastic waste pipe which was bolted together, I could not obtain bolts that were long enough so I had to cut threaded rod to length and I did not have a vice so I had to buy a portable one, and having no bench I fixed it to some iron railings!!
There was no file available to clean up the holes I drilled in the axle brackets so I had to use the drill bit to try and smooth out the holes!

It all came together in the end and I have left the plans at Mapoch and purchased enough materials to build another trailer.

I received an e-mail from Jeremy of Voluntours in SA yesterday and he forwarded a picture of the trailer being used by David. David lives with his father who earns a pension of Ł36 a month and they support 11 people, David earns money by buying goods at the nearest shops and sells them at Mabopane station which is an 18 mile cycle ride. Jeremy said that he had given David the trailer to try out and as you can see from the photo he seems to be carrying steel poles, although I am concerned by the turning circle with such a load!

Thanks again for the plans, a cycle trailer will make a huge difference to David`s life and hopefully more people in Mapoch will take up the idea, I have already helped introduce bicycles to Mapoch during my stay there in August and the trailer was the icing on the cake.
Nigel Pegler

Ratz Bike & '62 Scotty Trailer.

I loved this bike since I built it, but it was too small for me to ride (bad knees) so it just stayed hung in the rafters of the garage. I sold it to a guy who said it was exactly the bike he'd been planning to build. He picked it up in his xB (2nd Gen)