advanced

Bicycle Wheel Dolly

24th September 2003

I'm trying to locate a tripod dolly that had two bicycle wheels for transporting over rough terrain.

Any hints?

Thanks in advance.

Brian Heller

IA 600 DP

Brian,

Mark Weingartner had or used what he called a 'rickshaw dolly' that had two bicycle wheels, a place for the operator to sit, and two handles so that the camera and operator could be pulled around in the fashion of pre-contemporary Asia. He probably still has it. I'm sure he'll be chiming in here to correct me and describe it more thoroughly.

Ted Hayash

CLT

Los Angeles, CA

You might try to check out various jogger-strollers -- the three-wheeled prams with slung seats and large bicycle-type wheels. If you can find one large and heavy enough to support an adult, that might be one way to go.

One caution : The front wheels on some of those strollers, while they're fixed (non-steerable) aren't always very rigidly mounted -- the front part of the frame can twist a bit.

One could possibly mount a jib on the frame of one of the better-quality strollers. Might work nicely.

Dan Drasin

Producer/DP

Marin County, CA

Dan Drasin wrote :

>You might try to check out various jogger-strollers -- the three-wheeled >prams with slung seats and large bicycle-type wheels. If you can find >one large and heavy enough to support an adult, that might be one way >to go.

Thanks, Dan, but I'm not looking to re-invent the wheel (so to speak), I looking for something that has already been invented and was exhibited at film equipment trade shows a few years ago. It's a tripod spreader with two bicycle/wheelchair wheels attached. It's not meant to work as a dolly, but as a means of transporting a set up camera.

Brian Heller

IA 600 DP

>Mark Weingartner had or used what he called a 'rickshaw dolly' that had >two bicycle wheels, a place for the operator to sit, and two handles so >that the camera and operator could be pulled around in the fashion of >pre-contemporary Asia.

I finally took it apart and turned the bits into something else but it could be re-constituted if needed.

John Westerlaken in Vancouver built a really cool rickshaw dolly too - I just saw it last week.

His has the possibility of "Dualies" - you can set it up with double bicycle wheels on the main axle - better for bad surfaces.

Weingartner