Pet carriers

[axolotl]

I'm looking for a pet carrier for my new ebike so I can take my dog to work, and take either the cat or dog to the vets when necessary. Does anyone else here do this? I've seen a few different carriers for sale and they seem to vary hugely in price. I don't mind spending a bit to get something decent but I'd appreciate any recommendations people have.

 

[grldtnr]

I assume the dog be a cat sized one?,if it were me I would consider one of the many cycle trailers around , then it could double as a luggage trolley when not occupied by pets .
Have in my cycling past seen this done, at cycling rallies I have attended,a conventional pet cage fixed to the trailer ,then the owner rode to the meet points. There can be many options to do this , you may even find a bargain child trailer, as obviously children soon outgrow them when grown , the trailer becomes redundant

 

[Alan Quay]

I saw a bloke the other day with a Jack Russell in a front basket. Dog seemed perfectely happy sat there, watching the world go by. Don't expect it would work with a cat though.

 

[axolotl]

No, indeed. My cat would be out of it in a flash. I was thinking about something like this, and wondered if anyone here had bought one...

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/rixen-kaul/wicker-doggy-bag-ec050261

I did look at trailers, but I'm keen to keep weight down. A trailer plus a standard pet carrier box would be quite a bit heavier, I'd have thought.

 

[Alan Quay]

£162 ! It 'd be cheaper to buy yourself a new cat at your destination, and have the dog go in a taxi.

Can't you find a way to screw/bolt/bungee/glue/gaffer tape/velcro/cable tie an ordinary pet carrier onto the rack, saving yourself a hundred quid? Even if you had to buy a new power drill and socket set to get the job done it'd still save you money.

£162? My heart is still racing!

(No offence intended, I'm just a massive tight-wad.)

 

[Wicky]

One time took my cat to the vet in the tank bag on my motorcycle but after he took its pulse, the next time I cycled carrying my moggy in a cat carrier one handed…

 

[peerjay56]

What about this one

You can get them for dogs too

 

[Geebee]

One time took my cat to the vet in the tank bag on my motorcycle but after he took its pulse, the next time I cycled carrying my moggy in a cat carrier one handed…

^^ My first thought was one of these strapped to a rear rack.
Otherwise a child trailer that can be zipped close, animals can see out but not get out, our local Xmart has them them on sale around 70 gbp a few times a year.

 

[axolotl]

Can't you find a way to screw/bolt/bungee/glue/gaffer tape/velcro/cable tie an ordinary pet carrier onto the rack, saving yourself a hundred quid? Even if you had to buy a new power drill and socket set to get the job done it'd still save you money.

Yeah, I've got a cat carrier the same as the one Wicky posted. I could certainly bolt it to the pannier rack, but it wouldn't be quick release and probably wouldn't be very stable either because the plastic base is thin and quite flexible.

To give a bit of background here, I'm selling my car, so I'm going to be using my ebike (and my pushbike too) as a car replacement. The carrier will be used several times a week when I go into the office, as the dog will be coming with me. So I reckon it's worth spending money on something that is very convenient to use, light in weight, and most importantly, that will last a long time.

peerjay - very funny! Don't tempt me. Said cat has been crying all morning because I apparently bought the wrong type of food. I'm a rubbish slave.

 

[grldtnr]

Yeah, I've got a cat carrier the same as the one Wicky posted. I could certainly bolt it to the pannier rack, but it wouldn't be quick release and probably wouldn't be very stable either because the plastic base is thin and quite flexible.

To give a bit of background here, I'm selling my car, so I'm going to be using my ebike (and my pushbike too) as a car replacement. The carrier will be used several times a week when I go into the office, as the dog will be coming with me. So I reckon it's worth spending money on something that is very convenient to use, light in weight, and most importantly, that will last a long time.

peerjay - very funny! Don't tempt me. Said cat has been crying all morning because I apparently bought the wrong type of food. I'm a rubbish slave.

If your going carless ,getting a trailer makes even more sense! an animal moving around in a carrier fixed to a pannier rack may destabilize you , a dog may not mind being on a bike , but a cat in a basket, on a bike .......?

 

[boots]

I've been looking at some of the options for a front carrier that I can attach a carrier to for cat transporting:

http://www.dutchbikebits.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=38

seems having suspension forks is a problem but they do have front racks that will work round that. I much prefer that I could see the cat and stop quickly if needed to calm it, deflect escape attempts etc.

I know mine would be out of that one from Evans in about 2 seconds!

 

[axolotl]

FWIW, I may well buy a trailer anyway, for grocery shopping and the like. However, storing a trailer is going to be a right pain at work - just having to store the bike is a big enough issue. Let's just say my work has never really had to consider the needs of cyclists before.

boots - I'm guessing your cat is exceptionally calm?

 

[boots]

I have a variety of cats, some are pretty calm, one I'm sure would sit happily in an open basket as he wants to know what I'm doing at all times, he is a total loon and runs behind the bike when I'm trying to go out but one of my girls who is soft as muck went totally feral in the cat carrier and has not been to the vet in a number of years since she broke out of the lovely wicker basket one, wearing an e collar and slashing my hand as I tried to undo the door so she could get out without strangling herself, whether she knew that the vet was a rip off sadist or she had some kind of claustrophobia I'm not sure but lucky we were still in the house and so she's never been since.

The rest of the beasts are generally calmer in a cat box but I'm thinking to get one of those proper top loading metal cage carriers and secure that to a front bike carrier. Some of the more relaxed cats would I'm sure be ok on the rear pannier rack, I have a friend that does that, just uses really secure bungees so its easy on and off and all hers are fine.

I have also got a cargo trailer and have a storage issue, poor bike has to live outside but the trailers nearly all fold fairly flat and the wheels come off so storage is not too bad, I did think to use it in case of need for the vets but don't feel comfortable having the cats so far out of sight and at risk from traffic and would go for the rear rack if there was an emergency any time soon.

Do watch out for the hitch attachment with the trailers, I'd avoid any trailers with clamp hitches they are too easy to work loose, I read a lot about them before I got mine warning of that, I got mine off gumtree and it did have a clamp and could see where it had been along the road, I bought an axle fitting and swapped them over fairly easy. Check the specs re room on your axle, quick release wheels and some kinds of brakes are not suitable. I've only needed to use it once so far as I can pile huge amounts of 'stuff' on the bike itself but its good to have just in case I need to move furniture or trees.

 

[KirstinS]

My local gumtree is heaving with child chariots. Mostly hardly used and a fraction of new cost. They are usually designed with a bit of suspension in the way that cargo trailers are not so much

Perhaps the usual cat box strapped into the child carrier would be a good, cheap, safe and multiuse solution ?

 

[KirstinS]

By the way the axel hitch ones would not fit onto my bike due to the alfine hub

You don't mention what bike you have but watch out for this hub gears

I have a clamp hitch - never failed by the way - but I do have an emergency cord so that even if does let go the trailer just falls back a few inches.

Agree a axle hitch is preferable . And they are easier to get hold of second hand - more common I guess

 

[axolotl]

Thanks folks. Yet more food for thought.

Kirstin - the bike I've ordered (should arrive Monday!) is a BH E-motion Diamond with a big battery. It's got Shimano hub gearing so I'm guessing an axle hitch is out of the question. Not to worry though - Especially after reading Boots' last post, I'm really not confident about letting my cat/dog ride in the trailer. I may still buy a trailer at some point for lugging DIY stuff around and doing shopping, but that's it.

I'm now thinking a rear rack-mounting box of some kind is the right way to go and I'm focussing my search on boxes that would be suitable for this.

Thanks again for all the feedback. This is an excellent forum.

 

[Cynthia Espinosa]

You should invest in pet wicker baskets like the ones at http://www.prestigewicker.co.uk/ . They are best for transport and are good places to keep you pets. With them, you wouldn’t have a hard time thinking of where to keep your dog whenever you are out and about.

 

[D8ve]

Thanks folks. Yet more food for thought.

Kirstin - the bike I've ordered (should arrive Monday!) is a BH E-motion Diamond with a big battery. It's got Shimano hub gearing so I'm guessing an axle hitch is out of the question. Not to worry though - Especially after reading Boots' last post, I'm really not confident about letting my cat/dog ride in the trailer. I may still buy a trailer at some point for lugging DIY stuff around and doing shopping, but that's it.

I'm now thinking a rear rack-mounting box of some kind is the right way to go and I'm focussing my search on boxes that would be suitable for this.

Thanks again for all the feedback. This is an excellent forum.

My wife pulled a trailer with daughter up a steep hill in Bristol with a bh. The electric bike lets you shift a fair weight.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

No, indeed. My cat would be out of it in a flash. I was thinking about something like this, and wondered if anyone here had bought one...

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/rixen-kaul/wicker-doggy-bag-ec050261

I did look at trailers, but I'm keen to keep weight down. A trailer plus a standard pet carrier box would be quite a bit heavier, I'd have thought.

I can imagine that with all the vibration and shaking, that would be a terrifying experience for a cat. They get scared enough when you take them in the car. It would probably be a lot better for pussy, if you took him/her on the bus in a normal cat box.

Dogs are different. Most seem to love that sort of thing as long as they know you're there with them.

 

[Nealh]

For trailers come pet carrying if it is a larger dog then on ebay a foldable trailer 100kg max weight.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lightweight-Folding-Black-Red-Bike-Cargo-Dog-Pet-Bicycle-Trailer-carries-100Kg-/361751270375?hash=item543a0e53e7:g:wi4AAOSwPCVX7f4N