Push trailer
A push trailer is a motorized trailer that relieves or even pushes the pulling vehicle . A special form is the "phantom trailer", which is controlled in such a way that the towing vehicle is neither pushed nor braked. There are both push trailers that are intended for additional loads, as well as those that merely provide the vehicle with additional propulsion by pushing.
application
The push trailer is used for vehicles with poor performance, so the most common application is hanging on a bicycle. However, there are also push trailers for attaching to an electric car . The drive is usually electric; such trailers are therefore referred to as electric push trailers.
A number of goals are pursued with push trailers:
- Relief of the towing vehicle: depending on the technical design, a cyclist can also transport large loads with a push trailer without having to accept any loss in speed. In the variant called "phantom trailer", the engine is z. B. controlled by a force sensor on the coupling exactly so that the trailer runs along as if it weren't there, i.e. simulates the acceleration and braking of the bicycle and exerts either no or constant thrust on it.
- In general, the construction-related small cargo space of a bicycle can be increased significantly with a trailer. In the next step, increased payload may require a drive motor that is installed in the push trailer with the load and not on the bike.
- Additional performance gain through the motorization: the bicycle is supplied with mechanical power by the trailer, which relieves the cyclist and he can increase the travel speed with the appropriate motor control. Such thrust followers are legally in a gray area, because it, unlike the km 25 / h limited pedelec are no clear admission requirements for bicycle trailer thrust.
- Brake aid: The greater the mass of an unbraked trailer in relation to the vehicle plus driver, the smaller the possible braking effect. The push trailer has the option of motorized braking or even regenerative braking . These can both increase the range and driving stability of the combination and reduce wear on the mechanical brakes.
Freewheel motors avoid additional rolling resistance when not in use. Two-speed freewheel motors offer a choice of gear ratio and sometimes also switch the control automatically. With two-speed motors, the best motor efficiency can be placed in the most common speed range under load (e.g. 15 km / h). The e-push trailer has the advantage that the user can continue to use his own existing bike and the push trailer can be used on different bikes.
market
Due to the unclear approval regulations, only a few models are currently (as of the end of 2014) for sale in Germany. Even if electric push trailers are available for purchase, legal operation is questionable. I.a. therefore there are often kits. There is a developed, pedelec-compliant radio control for push-bike trailers which - installed on the pedal - only "accelerates" when pedaling depending on the cadence. As long as the 250 watt continuous output and 25 km / h are not exceeded, this combination of an electric bicycle trailer approaches the pedelec definition.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Otto Fritscher: "When the trailer pushes the bicycle." In: Süddeutsche Zeitung . April 28, 2018, accessed on May 16, 2020. (online)
- ↑ Electric power for bicycles with the push trailer. Post on the show Simply brilliant of MDR television from September 12, 2017
- ↑ Push unicycle trailer with converted front wheel motor and material transport option
- ↑ Electric push trailer for a car to extend the range
- ↑ Gasoline-powered push trailer for a car to extend the range
- ↑ Prototype of a phantom trailer , as of April 2017
- ↑ Push trailer driven by two electric motors with the possibility of transporting loads
- ↑ Push unicycle trailer without the possibility of carrying loads