How to Make a Pet Bicycle Carrier

buster in the bike basket image by alice rawson from Fotolia.com

A pet carrier lets you take your dog or cat with you on your bike rides. A carrier can also let you use your bike for trips to the vet and groomer. Look for a bike trailer designed for larger animals if you have a big dog.

These trailers provide the stability and security your large pet needs. Small dogs and cats can ride with you in a homemade pet carrier. Be sure to spend time helping your pet get use to the carrier before your first ride.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Wire handlebar basket
Scissors
Foam pad
1 yard fabric of choice
Hot glue gun
Self-adhesive Velcro

Step 1

Purchase a metal wire front basket for your bike. Electra Bike sells a wire handlebar basket for $39.99 as of April 2010. Whichever brand you choose, know the weight limit for the basket and make sure it's sufficient to carry your pet.

Step 2

Line the bottom of the basket with closed foam padding. Padding designed for a pet crate works well. Use scissors to cut the foam so it's just big enough to cover the bottom of the basket.

Step 3

Make a lid for your basket. If the basket your purchased didn't come with a lid, it's important to make one in order to secure your pet inside. Use scissor to cut a piece of fabric slightly larger than the area of the top of the basket.

Step 4

Use a glue gun and put hot glue around the edge of half the top of the basket. Attach the material to this half of the basket, leaving the other half open to easily get your pet in and out of the carrier.

Step 5

Attach Velcro along the second half of the top of the basket. Use either self-adhesive Velcro or the glue gun to secure the Velcro in place.

Step 6

Attach the opposite side of the Velcro to the side of the fabric that you didn't glue down. This side of the lid will Velcro to the top of the basket to close the carrier.

Tips & Warnings

The lid on this carrier is designed to discourage your pet from jumping out of the basket, not physically hold them in place.

Resources

Bicycle Trailers: Pet Bicycle Trailers

Article Written By Kathrine Cole

Kathrine Cole is a professional outdoor educator. She teaches rock climbing, backpacking, cycling, and bike maintenance classes. She is a graduate of the National Outdoor Leadership School, a Wilderness First Responder, and a Leave No Trace Trainer.

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