Bicycle Trailer Specialist Integrates Oil Brakes

There are many bicycle trailers on the market. But how do you make their safety and riding comfort truly unique? The answers come from Projekthaus aidoo e.k., based in Seelbach near Lahr in the Black Forest. This specialist in bicycle trailers has built a strong reputation since 2012. This reputation is based in part on the company’s strong emphasis on material selection and the fact that nearly all components are manufactured in Germany - as exemplified by the oil brakes from Hahn Gasfedern GmbH.

Reconciling individual mobility with environmentally responsible behavior is a guiding principle behind the company and the eponymous aidoo brand. Founded by the married couple Pascale and Turan Dardagan, the company develops, manufactures, and markets innovative, sustainable mobility and transport concepts centered on bicycle trailers. The solutions - which, among other accolades, received the Brandnew Finalist Award in the e-bike category at the 2013 ISPO sports trade show in Munich - are extremely versatile and accommodate payloads ranging from 40 kg to 100 kg.

Wanted: Compact Suspension Solution Without Spring Tips

In an interview, inventor, developer, and designer Turan Dardagan describes aidoo’s customers as buyers of second bike trailers who were dissatisfied with the ride quality of their first purchase. He briefly notes that he himself belonged to this target group before launching aidoo and explains: “Standard bicycle trailers either have no suspension at all, use elastomers that tend to harden over time, or are equipped with leaf springs. If telescopic springs are used, there’s always a breakaway torque, and what we really want to do on the road is dampen the small vibrations - which is exactly what the rubber torsion spring does.” The expert quickly realized during his early modifications of trailers that while rubber generally provides good suspension - and rubber torsion springs in particular can be maintenance-free and durable products that even compensate for the additional installation of bearings - he elaborates: “However, rubber only dampens to a limited extent and can contribute to the chassis rocking back and forth. So we needed something to smooth out the rubber’s spring peaks. We initially experimented with products from suppliers of mountain bike shock absorbers. However, these took up too much space in terms of installation dimensions, and they also dampened too strongly because they were always designed for only one wheel - namely, the rear wheel.” Since the aidoo trailers were designed with two wheels from the start, the research continued until a local auto parts store gave him an important tip during the prototype phase in 2012.

Found: Partner for Custom Oil Brakes

The automotive specialists recommended considering industrial gas springs and oil brakes for integration into aidoo’s unique independent suspension system. For Managing Director Pascale Dardagan, contacting Hahn Gasfedern GmbH in Aichwald near Stuttgart was a natural choice—and not just for geographical reasons. Part of the Stabilus Group since 2016, this expert brand ranks among the industry’s leaders thanks to its uncompromising quality, innovative products, and unwavering customer focus. The specialist in gas springs, gas-cord springs, and dampers has consistently reaffirmed this position since the 1960s with a highly qualified team that now numbers over 250 employees, serving companies of all sizes worldwide with proven experience and expertise, as well as state-of-the-art machinery. The fact that Hahn’s particular strength lies in the development of customer-specific solutions is also illustrated by the next phase of its collaboration with aidoo.

When asked about her experience with Hahn, Pascale Dardagan points to a shared learning process and says, “If volume is the top priority, innovation cannot go into mass production. As soon as an industrial company understands this, new business opportunities arise for both sides.” In the case of the relationship between a manufacturer like Projekthaus aidoo and Hahn Gasfedern GmbH - a subsidiary of Stabilus, the global market leader in gas springs - the business partners agreed to no longer offer the oil dampers exclusively as accessories, but rather as standard components of aidoo’s bicycle trailers. This allowed production volumes and prices to be integrated into a coherent overall concept for a small-batch production run, which also includes the machine-applied aidoo logo on each individual damper.

When asked how Hahn was also able to impress from a technical standpoint, Turan Dardagan replied: “This series can be customized to the customer’s specifications in terms of pistons and housings, so it could be integrated into the aidoo independent suspension without having to modify existing design drawings. The series can be used for different damping rates by varying the nozzle bore. For example, with aidoo, you can choose between payloads ranging from 40 kg to 100 kg and get the right oil dampers for every load carried. To my knowledge, no other bicycle trailer offers this feature. And when you ride an aidoo for the first time, you don’t even feel like you’re pulling anything behind you. The ride feels more like driving a car - no jolts, constant contact with the ground, no bouncing of the suspension - and higher speeds are possible while maintaining greater safety. This makes our customers 100 percent satisfied, especially when transporting dogs or delicate goods such as electronics or glass bottles."

Planned: Oil-filled shock absorbers for bike campers and swing-arm axles

Design engineer Dardagan points out that Hahn’s oil-filled shock absorbers are also available in stainless steel versions, optionally with V2A or V4A alloys, as an added benefit. When asked about further potential for optimization and growth, he responds that such potential always exists and explains: “We currently offer a custom axle design for bicycle campers that combines all the advantages of the aidoo suspension system and allows campers to design their own bodywork to fit it. The delivery of components for this can still be optimized to offer a wide variety of mounting options for customer-specific superstructures. For example, oil dampers with adjustable compression and rebound settings would be a useful addition here. We can test this out in the future together with Hahn. And the topic of the inclined-link axle is also currently being discussed internally.”

One thing is certain regarding these innovations: Regardless of which ones Projekthaus aidoo e.k. from Seelbach near Lahr in the Black Forest implements in the future, the recipe for success - the leak-free quick-release coupling that allows an aidoo bicycle trailer to be attached to and detached from the towing vehicle in seconds - will continue. And we can also look forward to the further integration of custom-tailored braking and damping solutions from Hahn Gasfedern GmbH in Aichwald, Baden-Württemberg.