DIY trolley handle for IPS Xima Lhotz

[JimB]

I need a trolley handle for my IPS Xima Lhotz.  I plan on riding it to the office, and it would be difficult to carry to my desk.  The only thing I could find online was this YouTube posting from Sajith Nair (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gD-FpZIvJs8).  I decided to try his approach, though I had some reservations.  I suspected the following would be issues:

• No matter how stiff the clamp is, I suspect it will rotate on the polished handle
• I suspect the gopro mount will bend/flex when I don't want it to
• From the video, it looks like Sajith is bending and reaching down uncomfortably because the handle is too short

Here are my mods to his mod.  Thanks Sajith.

First, lets extend the handle a bit with some cheap PVC and a GoPro mount.  I bought these at Amazon (http://a.co/0MyYj4T)

 

On the back side, there are 3 small screws which allow removal of the curved top part.  This leaves a flat clip.  Note: even after removing screw, the parts fit tight.  You'll have to work a bit to separate the halves.  Here are the PVC parts:

 

That's a 3/4" tee, with the bottom threaded and the sides smooth.  2 smooth plugs, and one threaded plug.  (I had also bought an extender - about 2" long, with threaded male on one end, and threaded female on the other, but didn't actually need it.)

Predrill 2 small holes in the threaded plug to match the GoPro mount.  I used small wood screws 4 x 3/4 to attach:

 

Assemble finished handle.  You don't even need glue, just press in the smooth plugs and screw on the threaded one:

 

To keep the GoPro mount (http://a.co/dAb3g4V) from flexing, I straightened it and used a bit of superglue at each joint EXCEPT the first 2 near the clamp and these will need to be bent/adjusted before gluing.  After clipping on the handle, it looks like this.

 

Now, there is still an issue.  As I suspected, the clamp rotates on the handle.  I tried using electrical tape to make the handle less smooth.  A rubber jar opening pad helped, but still the handle has a tendency to rotate.  I decided to pull down on the back of the clamp with an elastic cord.  Drilling a small hole in the clamp grip allowed me to test with a bungee cord to the foot rest, then I used an elastic strap (50c/ft at home depot).  This works great!

 

First drilled out a slot on the clamp (I used a RotoZip tool for this.  Great tool BTW.)

Then sewed the strap onto the clamp and used an overhand knot to secure an S-hook.

 

The finished product is attached like this:

 

I'm reasonably pleased.  I can easily attach/remove this and chuck in my backpack.

 

Minor issues:

• The GoPro mount is still not as stiff as I'd like it.  There is a little flex at the 2 connection joints.
• I think I should spray-paint the PVC part black.
• And the GoPro/PVC combination is a little dorky looking

EDIT 2/28/2017:

After a few months, had a fault with the GoPro clamp.  While the clamp seems pretty strong, it suffers from a design fault.  The plastic at the hinge is a small 1-2MM loop and it cracked.  Ordering a new one.  Of course that means I need to re-sew the strap.  Maybe I'll just knot it this time.

[rayna903]

On 2016/11/14 at 7:40 AM, JimB said:

I need a trolley handle for my IPS Xima Lhotz.  I plan on riding it to the office, and it would be difficult to carry to my desk.  The only thing I could find online was this YouTube posting from Sajith Nair (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gD-FpZIvJs8).  I decided to try his approach, though I had some reservations.  I suspected the following would be issues:

• No matter how stiff the clamp is, I suspect it will rotate on the polished handle
• I suspect the gopro mount will bend/flex when I don't want it to
• From the video, it looks like Sajith is bending and reaching down uncomfortably because the handle is too short

Here are my mods to his mod.  Thanks Sajith.

First, lets extend the handle a bit with some cheap PVC and a GoPro mount.  I bought these at Amazon (http://a.co/0MyYj4T)

On the back side, there are 3 small screws which allow removal of the curved top part.  This leaves a flat clip.  Note: even after removing screw, the parts fit tight.  You'll have to work a bit to separate the halves.  Here are the PVC parts:

That's a 3/4" tee, with the bottom threaded and the sides smooth.  2 smooth plugs, and one threaded plug.  (I had also bought an extender - about 2" long, with threaded male on one end, and threaded female on the other, but didn't actually need it.)

Predrill 2 small holes in the threaded plug to match the GoPro mount.  I used small wood screws 4 x 3/4 to attach:

Assemble finished handle.  You don't even need glue, just press in the smooth plugs and screw on the threaded one:

To keep the GoPro mount (http://a.co/dAb3g4V) from flexing, I straightened it and used a bit of superglue at each joint EXCEPT the first 2 near the clamp and these will need to be bent/adjusted before gluing.  After clipping on the handle, it looks like this.

Now, there is still an issue.  As I suspected, the clamp rotates on the handle.  I tried using electrical tape to make the handle less smooth.  A rubber jar opening pad helped, but still the handle has a tendency to rotate.  I decided to pull down on the back of the clamp with an elastic cord.  Drilling a small hole in the clamp grip allowed me to test with a bungee cord to the foot rest, then I used an elastic strap (50c/ft at home depot).  This works great!

First drilled out a slot on the clamp (I used a RotoZip tool for this.  Great tool BTW.)

Then sewed the strap onto the clamp and used an overhand knot to secure an S-hook.

The finished product is attached like this:

I'm reasonably pleased.  I can easily attach/remove this and chuck in my backpack.

 

Minor issues:

• The GoPro mount is still not as stiff as I'd like it.  There is a little flex at the 2 connection joints.
• I think I should spray-paint the PVC part black.
• And the GoPro/PVC combination is a little dorky looking

 

OH, So interesting and creative.  you are great.