tsl

Here's the link: http://www.burley.com/home/bur/page_416/travoy.html

That's a trailer I might actually use. My big issue with trailers is storage space. My apartment is only 425 s.f., so everything in here needs to earn its space. Of course, this is also the reason why I don't need to tote large volumes of stuff. Even if I could tote it, there's no place to put it when I get home.

Currently, I do really well with large grocery panniers. Grocery panniers do come in sizes. I didn't realize that until after I bought my first set. Here's my old ones vs. my new ones:


Nashbar Townie on the left, Arkel Shopper on the right.

The Shoppers were the game-changer for me. They've reduced my monthly shopping trips from 6 or 7 to 4, and they're so easy to mount when fully loaded that I take them right in the store with me. The Townies were a PITA to mount, even empty, so they stayed on the bike in the parking lot.

Strategy is another issue. When I had the reduced capacity, I used to stop on the way home from work, rather than make dedicated shopping trips. Car people stop and shop on their way home, so it's okay for us too.

As for meeting friends at the pub, if they're really your friends, outside of good-natured ribbing, they won't care if you're wet or in cycling attire. And even if they did, another pint and they won't care about anything. Alternatively, have one of them pick you up. Of course that means riding home with a drunk driver…

If "meeting friends at the pub" is really code for "on the prowl", well, you're on your own then.