PedalingWalrus

I'm slowly immersing myself into the world of tandem cycling. One of the topics I see mentioned is the use of a bicycle trailer vs racks and panniers. Does the decision to use a trailer make more sense with a tandem bicycle and if so ... why? :-)

Leisesturm

What are your specifics? Our tandem pulls a trailer. We do not tour or camp, but we shop, boy do we shop. Last Thanksgiving Eve I am fairly certain that the load in the trailer exceeded 120lbs. and this is a single wheel trailer with a stated capacity of 70lbs. But week to week the grocery shopping never drops below the 70lb. rating of our Bob Yak. Panniers just wouldn't do well with large unwieldy items like Paper Towel 6 packs but I can always bungee one on top of the closed stuff sack of the trailer bag. For us a trailer makes sense vs panniers. For a different tandem team, panniers may be more appealing. It is not likely, however, since we already own a trailer, that we would invest in racks and panniers to participate in a multi-day tour, we would probably use the trailer. FWIW.

DKMcK 

If you are using the airlines to get to your tour locations, then panniers are easier to pack with your coupled tandem. We went with the panniers for that reason. The pannier vs trailer debate is a lot like Ford vs Chevy, you will find passion on both sides.

DCwom

With 2 people on one bike you obviously have half the cargo carrying capacity of 2 singles bikes so that definitely affects what you can carry, conversely a tandem is already a long bike and pulling a trailer makes it really long where maneuverability must be considered. Because of this we've done only CC touring with just rear panniers in the summer months when you don't need bulky cold weather gear or camping/cooking gear. I'm sure some minimalist can do it, but it comes down to comfort, with how much you want to carry, i.e. personal choice.

djedgar

Trailers work great for bringing the grand kids out for a ride.

CaliTexan

fietsbob

But Bike Friday tandems fit in 2 suitcases , their trailer kit stacks them ..
bring your gear in a duffel bag , and put that in the then empty suitcases as you tour..

Carbonfiberboy 

Friends of mine rode Seattle-Quebec on a tandem pulling a trailer. They looked into it for a long time and decided that freedom of movement on the tandem was the most important thing. Panniers make it more difficult for a team to stand and standing is already a bit more difficult on a tandem. Plus the tandem is already a bit heavy to keep upright when walking or stopping, and little extra weight on it makes it easier. They had a great tour, loved their choices. Of course most people do anyway.

Brian25

The essential elements for touring are Sleeping gear: I.E. tent, sleeping bag, pad, headlight. On the bike/ off the bike clothing, footwear. Hygiene kit Tools spare tubes etc... electronics... and then there is food related stuff like the stove? and the amount of fluxuating amount of food you have at different times. Most people max out getting their gear to fit on a single. On a tandem you need to fit another sleeping bag, pad, twice the amount of on the bike/ off the bike clothing and a second hygiene kit and more food. You simply run out of room. I would suggest that you give it a try and outfit your tandem with enough gear for two (using ft/rr panniers), and see if you are able to get it all to fit. Maybe you can tour with less gear and can make it all fit? Good luck.

CliffordK

For cargo cycling I frequently overload my trailer. If only I had a second set of legs to help pull it over the hills.

geoffs

We had an incident years ago in France where we were descending on our loaded tandem and had a motorhome come around the corner in front of us on the wrong side of a narrow road. We already had the drum brake on hard to control our speed and when I grabbed our brakes on full the rear wheel locked and we slid sideways. I released the rear, straightened our line and tried again. Rear wheel locked again and we slid sideways and again I eased the rear brake and got the tandem straight to fit through a narrow gap between the motorhome and the rock wall at the side of the road.
If we had been towing a trailer we would have jackknifed and that would have been it for us. The only thing a trailer is good for in my opinion is for carrying to much stuff when you don't know how to pack.
Great for towing kids or a dog along the flat, doing shopping but not for touring. Panniers and bikepacking bags are much better

Carbonfiberboy 

We fit all our camping gear into 2 panniers and a rack top bag. Some simple suggestions: Big Agnes 3 person mesh tent, one down sleeping bag, attached to a ground sheet with Thermarest Neoair Xlite pads in it. See Seattle's Feathered Friends. This is what we use: Condor Two-Person Groundsheet Feathered Friends

The Neoairs and groundsheet roll up and go in a stuff sack. Both the bag and tent go into one compression sack on top of the rack. You won't believe how compact and light this all is. The secret is just to spend the money. The pleasure will more than repay you. Each of us gets a Xsmall compression sack for our clothes, with another one for all dirty clothes. Etc.

Pepper Grinder

I disagree that "obviously" tandems carry half of what two singles carry. Tandems have much more space in the frame and two sets of handlebars. A few frame bags will up your cargo capacity greatly. I find myself able to do short weekend tours with rear panniers only along with a large frame bag (food and misc), a smallish frame bag (electronics, tools, and misc), a cylindrical dry bag (tent and a sleeping bag, only down will pack down small enough) on an anything-style cage, a stoker handlebar bag (cook gear), a captain handlebar bag, and various small bags strapped wherever they fit. A two-person insulated inflatable mat sits on the rack between the panniers.

I think I could easily stretch this to a week+ if I added front panniers, got rid of some luxuries, or ordered a custom frame bag to utilize space more effectively. Possibly some combo of the three.

From experience I can tell you a Klymit double mat roll-top bag easily fits a six-pack in addition to some bottles in addition to the mat. A bungee holds that down. The bike flexed a lot more than usual with that much liquid weight high on the rack not particularly well secured. Minimalism not required. Sturdy wheels definitely required.