Bicycle trailers

[Stephen]

I've been getting curious about hauling bigger and awkward objects by bike and starting to consider bicycle trailers. Does anybody here use them? What do you like and any recommendations? Is it better to have a removable trailer or a dedicated cargo bicycle? Curious to hear other people's takes and experiences.

-Stephen

[rlti...@gmail.com]

I have used a one-wheeled BOB trailer as well as a two wheeled trailer made by Bike-Rev who, I think, made the trailers for Bike Friday. I preferred the handling of the one wheeled trailer since I did tip the two wheeled one a few times during aggressive cornering.

After the trailers I explored cargo bikes and had a series of bikes that used the Xtracycle cargo system. I loved that setup but found myself wanting a bike with a smaller footprint and also one with electric assist since I would be using it for longer commutes as well. 

So I now have a Tern GSD and it is about the perfect cargo hauler for me. I definitely prefer a dedicated cargo bike over using a trailer. I could add a trailer to the Tern but at that point I’d just use the car to haul whatever I can’t do on the bike. 99% I would say of what I need to move I can do with the cargo bike.

Robert Tilley

San Diego, CA

Sent from my iPhone

On Dec 15, 2024, at 3:39 PM, Stephen <cavell....@gmail.com> wrote:

I've been getting curious about hauling bigger and awkward objects by bike and starting to consider bicycle trailers. Does anybody here use them? What do you like and any recommendations? Is it better to have a removable trailer or a dedicated cargo bicycle? Curious to hear other people's takes and experiences.

-Stephen

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[Bernard Duhon]

I have had the Burley Child trailer for near 20 years. I bought it secondhand on eBay. Used it for three of my grandchildren gave it away to a friend of one of my children's to use for his kids took it back and use it for the last kaboose grandchild, it is great and durable. I still have it, but haven't used it much except the haul watermelons. From the nearby grocery store. However, it's limited to things like groceries children and watermelon, but not surfboards. 👍😎🚴🚴🚴🚴

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From: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com <rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of rlti...@gmail.com <rlti...@gmail.com>
Sent: Sunday, December 15, 2024 5:54:26 PM
To: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com <rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [RBW] Bicycle trailers

 

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/10B83C08-6741-495A-A54E-5175DA0E90BE%40gmail.com.

[John Johnson]

I have a burley Bee double. It's great. It folds down quickly and fits in the trunk of our car. This has worked well on vacations where we took bikes and threw the toddler in the trailer (once unfolded and out of the trunk, of course). It's super convenient for the small footprint and rides well (obviously offroad capacity is limited), and you barely notice the extra weight except on climbs. It's currently on loan to a friend who has a toddler. 

I also had a bob ibex. It was great too, but probably more heavy duty than necessary for me. I also felt the weight more with 1 wheel in the back, parking was a bit of a chore, etc. 

I also have a clydesdale setup on an old mb-1. It's unwieldy with heavy loads. Yet, it ends op being the bike I ride most around town. It takes the planning out of a trip. Sure, I can stop by the Portuguese shop and pick up a rotisserie chicken and fries on the way home. Need me to bring a case of beer and a bag of chips? Are we going swimming and need towels and water wings? We need a frisbee and a soccer ball? I appreciate having a huge wald basket just to toss in whatever you need without thinking about panniers, etc.

If you want dedicated hauling and N+1, you can't beat a dedicated cargo bike. If you want to occasionally use your bike (or any bike) for grocery hauls or carrying groceries or small people, a trailer is great.

Cheers,

John (outside fontainebleau)

[Marc Irwin]

I've been using a Burley Travoy for years and love it.

Marc

[Ryan]

Those Burleys are great! When my son was born and I was still actively touring with a local Winnipeg cycletouring club, they very generously chipped in towards one and I started using it a lot once my son was about 18 months old. I hooked it up to my Cannondale M2000 and we hit just about every park in Winnipeg. It could carry my son and all the paraphernalia a toddler needs plus snacks and water and food for a picnic. Easy to hook up and detach, stable...probably not even bad for touring. I used it for 3 or so years and then sold it for a nominal sum to another couple in the club who had a baby. I wonder how many kids it hauled around. I would not be surprised if it's still going strong somewhere. I think at the time (circa 1992), it was about $400 USD but absolutely worth it.Particularly since I didn't own a car. Used it once on my X0-1, maybe I had a flat tite on the Cannondale...but that did not work quite as well; the trailer and its load on the X0-1 was a bit like the tail wagging the dog.

My late partner had one of the BOB Yak trailers; this one https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5044-122/bob-yak-plus-bicycle-trailer which he liked...but might have contributed to the demise of his S-works Specialized CF mountain bike; chain stay started delaminating. From time to time he would borrow my Cannondale; its stiff aluminum frame was a much better hauler. Recently I gave the Bob to a friend and onetime local version of Rich Lesnick who built most of my wheels. 

[Justin Kennedy]

I had a BOB trailer for years and loved it. Handled seamlessly on my Cheviot. You have to buy a special QR skewer but otherwise, no real fuss or maintenance. Not sure they're even made anymore, though. 

[Stephen]

Hey thanks everyone for chiming in! lots of good info and direction to look into! Robert, those terns look pretty slick! 

[Will Boericke]

+1 for the Burley Travoy.  My son hauled his cello to school on that.

[Kainalu V. -Brooklyn NY]

I love my Surly trailer. It attaches like the Bob trailer, via a proprietary skewer, but from there it’s massively overbuilt with the pivot for the trailer dropping way down. The lower pivot point makes for a lot less trouble/less leverage upon me, when pulling it overloaded. It’s heavy, but worth it. 

-Kai

On Monday, December 16, 2024 at 11:45:52 AM UTC-5 Stephen wrote:

[Stephen]

Haha nice Kai! familiar scene, that does look like a nice trailer, mentally blanked that you were using one

[Bill Gibson]

I just realized I've used bike trailers for 50 years! I used a Cannondale trailer in the late 1970s and early 1980's that seriously was branded "The Bugger" that hitched to the saddle post just below the saddle. Not so good. I carried 5 gallon water jugs on it, and had to be very careful braking because the high hitch point would lift the rear wheel, so I was limited to rear braking only. Not good. Next I used a series of Burley trailers that hitched close to the rear axle. Much better, but the side by side arrangement of the wheels creates a sail, so you will not go fast, just like with the Bugger. On the other hand, downhill braking is much more effective, and I've carried my children and pets many miles over hill and dale in that design. However, I eventually got a second hand first generation BOB trailer that I still use. It has a low hitch point on the rear axle, and is much more aerodynamic, and is stiff enough for cargo, though not so good for living creatures, much less children, as it is tippier when stationary than the side-by-side wheel design. I have not used cargo bikes, but they are specialty bikes, and I use my green Quickbeam for everything.

Bill Gibson
Tempe, Arizona, USA

My Photographs : https://billbgibson.myportfolio.com/ and on Behance: https://www.behance.net/BillGibson

If you like my photographs, buy me a coffee!

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