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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 11,208
Bikes: 1961 Ideor, 1966 Perfekt 3 Speed AB Hub, 1994 Bridgestone MB-6, 2006 Airnimal Joey, 2009 Thorn Sherpa, 2013 Thorn Nomad MkII, 2015 VO Pass Hunter, 2017 Lynskey Backroad, 2017 Raleigh Gran Prix, 1980s Bianchi Mixte on a trainer. Others are now gone.
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I have never used a trailer. But, you are planning for Pacific Coast and I rode that from Astoria to San Fransisco.
I found most of the uphills on the coast were about 8 percent grade. So the question becomes, how much does the trailer and big duffle or big drybag or whatever weigh? And how much do the racks and panniers weigh? And, which is lighter? When you are in first gear and cranking up an 8 percent grade, that is when you will wonder which option was lighter.
That said, if the only choice is her existing bike with a borrowed trailer - or buying something else, then the budget becomes critical.
Will the trailer complicate things when getting to and from the start and ending points? A bike on mass transit or train is simpler than a bike with a trailer.
I have ridden behind bikes with panniers and also behind bikes with trailers. For someone behind, the panniers were easier to see. I rode behind one guy that had a trailer with a fiberglass pole and a flag on it for visability. That flag on a pole really helped make it easier to see from behind.