There aren’t many inexpensive options for something like in this picture. Sure, walking or biking is cheap, but carrying stuff, that’s trickier.

I have a great electric kick scooter (charged by solar), and since the grocery store is only a couple of miles away, I figured shopping without a car would be pretty simple.

I’ve walked there before, but with the heat lately, I wanted a way to carry larger grocery loads so I’d have to make less trips. I don’t really wanna have to use my car. I assumed there would be small cargo trailers made for kick scooters.

Turns out, not really. Most trailers are designed for bicycles or larger motorcycle-style scooters.

I found a few niche options people have built themselves, but they’re either more expensive than I wanna spend or require more fabrication skills than I have.

I’ve decided to try building one myself, but yeah, that’s gonna take some time since I’m new at the whole “just build your own shit” brigade.

As you all know, here in the US, living without a car is possible, but it often isn’t very convenient. The infrastructure and products just aren’t designed with that lifestyle in mind.

(Shout out to my downvote stalker. Right on schedule! Thanks for keeping me in your mind all day. LMAO)

  • JeSuisUnHombre@lemmy.zip
    2·
    48 minutes ago

    Just pondering, modify a bike trailer? Whether that be connecting down to the scooter that way, or adding an upright piece to the scooter so the connection sits higher, or even attach it to a belt you wear. I don’t know about what other commenters are saying, but just wanted to throw some ideas out there

  • unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de
    1·
    55 minutes ago

    A 3D printer is your best friend for projects like this imo. You can get a used one that is still decent for like ~200$ usually. Maybe dont use for heavily loaded parts but for everything else its great.

  • RaspberryTuba [he/him]@hexbear.netEnglish
    2·
    2 hours ago

    I don’t think scooters are at all standardized? With bicycles there’s a reasonable assumption that it’ll have things built certain ways that the manufacturer can hitch their trailer to.

  • megopie@beehaw.orgEnglish
    3·
    4 hours ago

    I got my mountain bike that I stuck a mid drive motor on, and some hefty saddle bags. Was my main grocery hauler for a while. Moved recently and I’m only a few blocks from a grocery store now.

    My contraption gets a bit top heavy when the saddle bags are fully loaded because the battery is fairly large and back rack mounted. At some point I’d like to get a battery that mounts low inside the frame to lower the center of gravity, and just only put the big back battery on when I want to make a long trip.

    • PapaSkwat@lemmy.todayOP
      3·
      4 hours ago

      Yeah, I found a friend who is getting rid of their ebike, and it just needs new battery, and he’s giving it to me for free. So I may have solved my issue.

  • garbagebagel@lemmy.world
    10·
    6 hours ago

    As a scooter rider myself, this setup seems unwieldy. My back tire already has a mind of its own and turning can be an absolute pain sometimes, I can’t imagine trying to also haul a bunch of shit behind me as well. IMO scooters just don’t have what it takes to do this kind of hauling safely.

    I use a large backpack and will tie smaller bags on either side when I do a big shop, or I just take the bus. Though I understand quick and reliable buses aren’t really a thing in a lot of the US so, sorry for you.

    • PapaSkwat@lemmy.todayOP
      3·
      6 hours ago

      Good points. I am lucky because my area is very scooter friendly when it comes to smooth sidewalks and streets. Plus I don’t go very fast, so I haven’t had any issues. But you may be right about what a trailer would do. Thank you!!

  • grue@lemmy.world
    7·
    5 hours ago

    Most trailers are designed for bicycles or larger motorcycle-style scooters.

    I think there’s probably a good reason for that. Among other things, your trailer would have to connect so close to the ground that you’d probably high-center going up even shallow ramps. Balance (both your balance riding the scooter and the front-rear weight distribution on the scooter + trailer combo) might be an issue, too.

    What’s stopping you from getting a bike and attaching a trailer to that instead? (Or getting a cargo bike, for that matter?)

    • PapaSkwat@lemmy.todayOP
      2·
      5 hours ago

      Good points. Mostly because I have a nice scooter that gets me everywhere. I have a back-up car. I don’t really wanna add a bike into the mix. But you have a good point so I may revisit that plan. Thanks!

    • PapaSkwat@lemmy.todayOP
      16·
      8 hours ago

      Oh, mine is a transphobe who use to run a conservative comm here on Lemmy. So even more lame! lol

      Maybe we can trade!

  • davel [he/him]@lemmy.mlEnglish
    13·
    9 hours ago

    Shout out to my downvote stalker.

    It’s a lemmy.today user, so you may want to take it up your admins. They’re also reporting you for being a “DonaldJMusk astroturfing account.”

    • PapaSkwat@lemmy.todayOP
      7·
      7 hours ago

      Yeah, he’s been following me around for almost a year saying that. It’s been disproved many times, and I don’t even post any content that DJM would even like. How would I be a sockpuppet account since I don’t post the same content or even know, see, or care what DJM posts? lol

      So the stalker just follows me around and downvotes whatever I say regardless of content.

      Looks like my stalker was a mod of a former conservative community on here, so he seems upset that I post left-leaning articles? Or he hates me because I’m socialist? Or he doesn’t like solar power? No clue. I can’t seem to understand his beef. But the dude will downvote and then rush to send me the “popcorn” emoji in DM’s. LMAO

      Some Lemmy’s just gotta be creepy I guess. lol