Lightweight trailer with good road manners, does it exist?
09-20-09, 03:36 PM
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Lightweight trailer with good road manners, does it exist?
I'm considering putting a trailer behind a brevet bike and taking a few simple trips before doing longer tours. I will only need to carry about 25 lbs. What trailer should I consider?
09-20-09, 04:28 PM
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i have not used it, but I hear the best reviews about the extrawheel trailers. They also have some impressive videos of them in use. Definitely worth checking out.
09-20-09, 04:53 PM
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Probably the 'BOB' style of trailer. I've toured with friends who used them and they seemed to track and handle fine. But for carrying 25 lbs or less I'd question the need for a trailer as opposed to bags on the bike. The trailer itself will add around 10 lbs compared to a simple rack/bags which is a considerable penalty for such a small total load.
09-20-09, 06:24 PM
#4
Professional Fuss-Budget
For 25 lbs, I'd just get a rack, a big trunk bag, and a handlebar bag or a small front rack & bag.
09-20-09, 06:44 PM
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...And racks & panniers don't add weight?
09-20-09, 08:10 PM
#7
aka Phil Jungels
After pulling grandchildren around, I'd much rather carry 25#, than pull it. Also consider the added wind resistance with the trailer, while it isn't that bad when it's already tight to your bulk.
09-20-09, 08:49 PM
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My bike would require a new fork to properly carry 25 lbs, my existing CF fork lacks eyelets. I've used a rear rack & hard-case pannier to carry 20 lbs, but the handling was bad enough to take the fun out of riding. If I had a proper touring frame, with a correct fork and longer chainstays, panniers would be better.
09-20-09, 08:52 PM
#10
aka Phil Jungels
Panniers are much more wind friendly, than trailers.
But, also consider that I was used to hauling 50# of newspapers on the handlebars, when I was a kid.... LOL
But, also consider that I was used to hauling 50# of newspapers on the handlebars, when I was a kid.... LOL
09-20-09, 09:20 PM
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My rack and panniers weigh 4 pounds total. The BOB I saw weighed 14 pounds. Therefore I wrote that the trailer would weigh about 10 extra pounds. Eyelets aren't really necessary for adding a rack (either front or back) although they do make it more convenient.
I'm surprised you saw so much handling degradation with a rear rack and bags. I've done bike camping with a criterium-geometry bike (i.e. very short chainstays) using a rear rack and the handling was fine - I did have to be careful about the pannier positioning and loading to avoid heel strikes. Was your rear rack sufficiently sturdy? I've seen some that sway considerably and affect the handling.
Depending on how bulky the load is another option might be a large saddlebag. I've used my Carradice Camper for similar loads. It does require a certain minimum clearance above the rear tire though.
I'm surprised you saw so much handling degradation with a rear rack and bags. I've done bike camping with a criterium-geometry bike (i.e. very short chainstays) using a rear rack and the handling was fine - I did have to be careful about the pannier positioning and loading to avoid heel strikes. Was your rear rack sufficiently sturdy? I've seen some that sway considerably and affect the handling.
Depending on how bulky the load is another option might be a large saddlebag. I've used my Carradice Camper for similar loads. It does require a certain minimum clearance above the rear tire though.
Last edited by prathmann; 09-20-09 at 09:23 PM.
09-20-09, 09:41 PM
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What's your brevet bike? I have commuted with an old touring bike and a surly pacer, which is my brevet bike. The pacer has eyelets at the forks, but nothing on the chain stays. With a cheap rack bolted to the eyelets and p-clips on the chain stays, that bike felt fine. It has less flex and felt better with about 20 lbs than the old kind of crappy touring bike. With 41.5cm stays, I rarely have any issues with heel strike - size 9 shoes and generic racks with full size panniers.
My trailer is two wheels and more like 25 lbs, but I'd definitely go for a rack on the brevet bike over trailer. No question.
My trailer is two wheels and more like 25 lbs, but I'd definitely go for a rack on the brevet bike over trailer. No question.
09-20-09, 09:51 PM
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i pulled a BOB for a year and a half straight
i loved it
i thought it was the end all to end all's
then i discovered panniers
i liked my BOB so much, i went thru 2 of them... an Ibex was the last one, for dirt tours...
the best thing about the trailer is that it comes off
i sold both trailers
and kept the dry sacks...
i use them for my big dummy
my last tour was Astoria to Ventura, Ca.
i used bags from Carousel Design Works
www.CarouselDesignWorks.com
no racks needed...
depends on when and where you are touring
amenities, etc...
09-20-09, 09:59 PM
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According to this guy's chart... Xtracycle is the most lightweight option:
https://viksbigdummy.blogspot.com/200...omparison.html
https://www.xtracycle.com/welcome/
This pic is really tempting me to go the Xtracycle route:
https://viksbigdummy.blogspot.com/200...omparison.html
https://www.xtracycle.com/welcome/
This pic is really tempting me to go the Xtracycle route:
09-20-09, 10:56 PM
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i think Dirt Rag did a review on The Big Dummy coming in at 39lbs.
it easily carries 3 BOB trailers
i love my dummy, but I've pretty much resign it to cargo duty, altho I have used it for touring... its massive
it easily carries 3 BOB trailers
i love my dummy, but I've pretty much resign it to cargo duty, altho I have used it for touring... its massive
09-21-09, 07:44 AM
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Did I ever say I was looking to buy a new bike?
09-21-09, 08:14 AM
#19
Bike touring webrarian
You might find this site useful: https://biketrailerblog.com/
It has lots of info about bike trailers and may answer your needs.
Ray
It has lots of info about bike trailers and may answer your needs.
Ray
09-21-09, 11:23 AM
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My bike would require a new fork to properly carry 25 lbs, my existing CF fork lacks eyelets. I've used a rear rack & hard-case pannier to carry 20 lbs, but the handling was bad enough to take the fun out of riding. If I had a proper touring frame, with a correct fork and longer chainstays, panniers would be better.
Trailers also make bike handling a royal pain. Imagine trying to maneuver your bike through sidewalks, etc carrying a 3' extension behind it. Also imagine trying to roll the bike backwards to park it, with that big articulating thing behind.(Hint, make the meep-meep sound semis make when they go into reverse).
Trailers are good when you need to carry a lot of stuff, like a self-supported tour. If you can fit your load into a set of rear panniers, though, that is far, far preferable to a trailer.
09-21-09, 12:28 PM
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09-21-09, 01:38 PM
#22
Professional Fuss-Budget
My bike would require a new fork to properly carry 25 lbs, my existing CF fork lacks eyelets. I've used a rear rack & hard-case pannier to carry 20 lbs, but the handling was bad enough to take the fun out of riding. If I had a proper touring frame, with a correct fork and longer chainstays, panniers would be better.
Something like the Old Man Mountain Sherpa front rack, by the way, should work just fine on a CF fork. It runs through the front skewer and attaches to the brake bosses, so no eyelets or braze-ons required.
I'd also ditch the "hard case pannier," unless you're transporting fragile materials. A trunk bag will weigh a lot less.
09-21-09, 07:39 PM
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I've done both(650 trailer miles and 500 pannier miles), and if you think handling with a set of rear panniers is bad, multiply that pain X2 for high speed handling, and X5 for slow speed handling and braking. Trailers tend to push lightweight riders downhill, and in the case of a bob, can actually jackknife, with disastrous results. I'm pretty heavy, and I felt the bob sway while carrying firewood. A lighter rider would have been in big trouble.
Trailers also make bike handling a royal pain. Imagine trying to maneuver your bike through sidewalks, etc carrying a 3' extension behind it. Also imagine trying to roll the bike backwards to park it, with that big articulating thing behind.(Hint, make the meep-meep sound semis make when they go into reverse).
Trailers are good when you need to carry a lot of stuff, like a self-supported tour. If you can fit your load into a set of rear panniers, though, that is far, far preferable to a trailer.
Trailers also make bike handling a royal pain. Imagine trying to maneuver your bike through sidewalks, etc carrying a 3' extension behind it. Also imagine trying to roll the bike backwards to park it, with that big articulating thing behind.(Hint, make the meep-meep sound semis make when they go into reverse).
Trailers are good when you need to carry a lot of stuff, like a self-supported tour. If you can fit your load into a set of rear panniers, though, that is far, far preferable to a trailer.
Having said that I see no reason for a trailer with only a 25 lbs load, just like he said. I also see no reason BOB or someone else couldn't make an ultra light trailer. They have sub-20lbs full bicycles, so I see no reason they can't make a sub-5lbs trailer. Of course I haven't seen that one yet, if someone makes one, I'll buy it. Trailers make so much sense.
09-22-09, 11:19 AM
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The parts in red are true and I have to agree with them, but the rest is bunk. I've done at least 12,000 miles of loaded touring with a bob trailer and had no problems at all.
Having said that I see no reason for a trailer with only a 25 lbs load, just like he said. I also see no reason BOB or someone else couldn't make an ultra light trailer. They have sub-20lbs full bicycles, so I see no reason they can't make a sub-5lbs trailer. Of course I haven't seen that one yet, if someone makes one, I'll buy it. Trailers make so much sense.
Having said that I see no reason for a trailer with only a 25 lbs load, just like he said. I also see no reason BOB or someone else couldn't make an ultra light trailer. They have sub-20lbs full bicycles, so I see no reason they can't make a sub-5lbs trailer. Of course I haven't seen that one yet, if someone makes one, I'll buy it. Trailers make so much sense.
Background: bike was a hard-tail MTB with locked-out fork. Trailer was an older non-suspension bob, with the cotter-pin attachment (lame, but that's another story). When I first started using the BOB, whenever I picked up any speed downhill (>15mph or so) I would feel like the trailer was pushing me in slow "swoops." I was able to control it by gently slowing down. When I first tried the trailer, I hated that feeling so much that I almost got rid of it, but my ride partner suggested I should try to get used to it, so that's what I did. I'm not blaming him, it made sense, any loaded rig is going to feel different than an unloaded bike, and I had never done any touring before. I sort-of got used to it.
Aside: I borrowed the trailer, and had never read the owner's manual, so I wasn't aware of manufacturer's speed and load limits.
The accident: The trailer was more heavily loaded than usual, I would guess by about 10 pounds. I was descending a long graduate grade. Conditions: The road surface was good, new chipseal, no gravel, no potholes, no traffic, no wind, very hot. I had experienced some problems earlier in the day with swoopiness, but had controlled them. When the accident happened, I was going pretty fast (for me), probably about 25-30 mph). The swooping started, and I couldn't control it. Swoops got bigger and bigger 'wavelength.' I tried braking gently with both brakes. The last thing I remember is thinking "i'm going to crash" as the swooping got bigger and bigger, and I couldn't bring it under control.
Based on the damage to the bike and me, we figured the bike probably jackknifed, (front wheel violently moving to the side - broken brake lever) sending me over the bars in a "high side" (as in, you fly over the bars, rather than laying the bike down.)
Aside: I borrowed the trailer, and had never read the owner's manual, so I wasn't aware of manufacturer's speed and load limits.
The accident: The trailer was more heavily loaded than usual, I would guess by about 10 pounds. I was descending a long graduate grade. Conditions: The road surface was good, new chipseal, no gravel, no potholes, no traffic, no wind, very hot. I had experienced some problems earlier in the day with swoopiness, but had controlled them. When the accident happened, I was going pretty fast (for me), probably about 25-30 mph). The swooping started, and I couldn't control it. Swoops got bigger and bigger 'wavelength.' I tried braking gently with both brakes. The last thing I remember is thinking "i'm going to crash" as the swooping got bigger and bigger, and I couldn't bring it under control.
Based on the damage to the bike and me, we figured the bike probably jackknifed, (front wheel violently moving to the side - broken brake lever) sending me over the bars in a "high side" (as in, you fly over the bars, rather than laying the bike down.)
09-22-09, 01:32 PM
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^ Not a Bob, but I've spent plenty of time over 25mph with a two-wheel trailer with 60 lb load. The only time it jacknifed was when it rolled off road down a 45 degree slope going slow. It has always been perfectly stable at 25-30mph on pavement.
I think that it would be pretty stupid to use much if any rear brake while turning with a heavy trailer load, though. After all, the trailer is then directly pushing the wheel sideways when traction is already at a premium and the front brake is unweighting the rear.
Just guessing, but the Bob should be more stable with all of that weight in front of the wheel.
I think that it would be pretty stupid to use much if any rear brake while turning with a heavy trailer load, though. After all, the trailer is then directly pushing the wheel sideways when traction is already at a premium and the front brake is unweighting the rear.
Just guessing, but the Bob should be more stable with all of that weight in front of the wheel.