axle2152

You're probably thinking that there are plenty of threads and information concerning bike trailers and the pros and cons between them and panniers. However, the reason why I asking this worn out question is to hopefully get some feedback for my specific setup. Firstly, I have a department store hybrid bike that I got from Dick's, the Nishiki Manitoba. It is an aluminum frame bike with Weinmann ZAC-19 wheels 700c x 35 tires. Reading the reviews on the wheels I'm finding they're cheap general purpose wheels which probably aren't the strongest, a lot of mixed reviews, so far I haven't had any issues. However, the bike is pretty much new with just over 300 miles and I am also new to biking, at least first time back on a bike in over 15 years when I was a kid riding around the neighborhood. I plan on replacing the wheels at some point or maybe replacing the bike but not getting too hasty and none of this is going to happen (unless it breaks) before I got on my first tour. First tour is really just going to be a 3 day weekend tour which is up here in the Smoky Mountains about a 91 mile loop.

I know a lot of people suggest panniers, however, seeing the bike is an aluminum frame and also being a heavier person and on cheaper wheels...and also being on a budget. I know that upgrading wheels, cassettes and heck just get a good touring bike are going to be the best suggestions. So my thoughts are to reduce the stress on the wheels by pulling a trailer. I'm considering the Burley Nomad trailer. Aside from drag and weight of the trailer I'm thinking it shouldn't adversely effect the handling of the bike and shouldn't put too much stress on the dropouts. So my question is whether or not this is a better choice over panniers in my given situation with the bike or just get panniers anyway. Not having done any touring, what I think I might prefer may not be what I end up liking either. I say that because I like the idea of pulling a trailer but I have read that many many people prefer panniers. Thanks for the suggestions.

saddlesores

if'n you're interested in trailers, you might consider
the single wheel bob trailer. lots of threads on
trailers will give you pros/cons of single vx. double
wheel trailers.

bob might be over your budget, but you can find
clones on ebay for cheap. $69 w/free shipping.

New Steel Bicycle Bike Cargo Luggage Trailer One Wheel Cart Carrier for Shopping | eBay

no worries about chainstay length or mounting racks.
comes with waterproof bag. no need to buy panniers,
just need some light stuff sacks to keep things separate.
but tempting to carry too much gear..........may not
want too much with the 14:28 cassette on your bike.

Rob_E

I think you are right on about the wheels. Get some decent ones. The problem is that even if you get a trailer to avoid stressing the wheels, you haven't really fixed the biggest source of weight on those wheels: you. I would say invest in a good, strong set of wheels. Then I'd go with panniers. There are pros and cons, but ultimately a trailer is a lot of weight to add to your set up.

If new wheels are absolutely not in your budget, maybe try a front rack only. The front wheel is usually symmetrical, and therefore stronger, and it doesn't carry as much of the rider weight. I used to use to 2 Back Roller Classics on the front. I could fit everything I needed into them, but somehow I always had something strapped to the back as well. That's why trailers can be dangerous for me. Give me more space, and I will fill it.

fietsbob

extra wheel trailer .. Bicycle Trailer - Extrawheel.com uses a 2nd front wheel like your bike has , to only need 1 size spare tire and tube,
and carries the panniers on it, instead.

https://www.bikeshophub.com/trailers...tNsaAqBY8P8HAQ


I have a Burly (Co-Op) Flat bed ... and a carry freedom city folding trailer


FWIW, a dry bag with shoulder straps, (aka Portage Pack) will let you carry the trailer on your back, to use stairs & go around road wash-outs
and mud/rock slides carrying the bike in your hands..

Tourist in MSN

When I have been behind people pulling two wheel trailers, one thing that I remember noticing was how far into the traffic lane they were when there were no or minimal paved shoulders. Make sure it is visible, one of those fiberglass poles with a flag waving in the breeze can add some safety too. They might not be that much further into the traffic lane than I am with panniers because when I ride with a full load I usually am at least a foot away from the edge of teh pavement so I have a bit of room to maneuver if I see some broken glass or other obstruction. But, my panniers are up higher and are closer to the driver's eye height.

fietsbob

yes, the tow centerline is the hitch, which attaches to the left axle end.. that's rather un avoidable.

seeker333

Cargo trailers are a good solution for touring with any non-touring type bike, and the Nomad is a good choice. Racks/panniers are a little better handling, easier to transport and generally lighter than a trailer, but they basically require a dedicated touring bike to work well. Here's an old thread about trailers, with some details about the Burley Nomad:

https://www.bikeforums.net/touring/88...l#post15598347

axle2152

The big concern I have about the bob trailers and a like is what it does to the handling of the bike...Which was why I was leaning towards the Burley. Changing the cassette was also something I had thought of too... Has a 28/38/48 on the front, not sure what is typical for a MTB or touring setup, I'm guessing a little more flexibility, both high and low on touring.

That was the other thing I had started thinking about was how much space the trailer will occupy on the road. Most of the roads around where I live either have no shoulders or when they do they have rumble strips. Like you said, panniers are probably pretty close in the total width. Visibility is always an issue and I plan on adding some lights and flag to the trailer (provided that's what I end up with).

The other thing I read about was trailers jack knifing under steep decents where the brakes are applied hard. Not sure how likely that would be between a 1 or 2 wheeled trailer. I'm sure that has all do due with the conditions and how the trailer is loaded and where the load sits as well. My guess is that it would be pretty rare and more likely to happen off road.

axle2152

Thanks for the info, having a look at the thread right now

robert schlatte

I think for you first tour, the Burley Nomad is a good choice as opposed to upgrading wheels, etc. 1) the Nomad is a good all purpose trailer that you can use for other non-tour uses, and 2) if you like touring, you sound like you will end up getting a touring specific bike anyway. So, I think what you propose sounds fine.

bradtx

axle2152, As an owner of two Cannondale touring bikes, I don't worry about aluminum.

Have the wheels on your bike re-tensioned and trued by a local bike shop. This will quite possibly increase strength and longevity. If your three day tour does not include camping, panniers will be plenty. If it does include camping, determine exactly how much weight is to be transported. Let us know what you come up with.

Brad

indyfabz

Another concern is rumble strip placement. You may be forced to ride with the left wheel in the roadway. I remember reading a CGOB journal about a trip where one person was hauling a child in the two-wheeled trailer. On one road in Alberta (PR 3) he had to ride like that because the shoulder was narrow. had he stayed completely on the shoulder the left wheel would have been constantly hitting the rumble strips.

As for something like a B.O.B. affecting handling, if my 5' tall, 105 lb. GF can fly down mountain passes with one in tow I think you can handle one.

axle2152

Right now as an estimate around 55 lbs. There are a few bulky items, mainly the stove. There will be camping involved in this one.

If all goes well on my first short tour then I plan on doing a few more short weekend tours then plan on going across the state. Beyond that not sure what I might end up doing with touring. I don't know how I might go about doing something like go across the country. I don't know about going through the hassle of say flying to New York to start but just head west from where I'm at in NC. Anyway, didn't mean to digress on that.

That being aside, the more I read the more comfortable I feel about the Burley Nomad. Just a matter of getting it, riding around with it and getting used to having it on the bike.

Drew Eckhardt 

Trailers are much heavier than a rack, much more expensive, and a headache to park.

They can cause exciting oscillations descending (my Bob did).

Get a rack with panniers if what you're carrying will fit in them.

Achieve sufficient uniform tension in your rear wheel, stress relieve, and don't worry.

BlarneyHammer

Panniers.

Tourist in MSN

After my first post, one other thing came to mind. When I ride a bike, I generally am thinking about avoiding pot holes and obstructions with a pair of tires that almost ride in the same track. A two wheel trailer, you are making a three wheel track - which the rumble strip comment reminded me of. Thus, you might be three times more likely to hit obstructions and pot holes than with a solo bike.

On one trip I took, there were three trailers. One guy kept having flats, his trailer tires were nearly wore out. I do not know if his wheels were perfectly parallel or not or if there was some other reason, but if they were not parallel that could cause more rapid tire wear, besides slowing you down. So, look carefully at the trailer to make sure your wheels are parallel. You might even want to use a yard stick to measure it.

I have not pulled a trailer on a bike, but when I have pulled cargo trailers behind a pickup truck I tried to put about 20 percent of the load weight on the hitch, 80 percent on the trailer wheels. They seemed to tow better that way. But if any with bike trailer experience know better listen to them instead of me, as I am only guessing here.

prathmann

If I felt that I really needed to carry 55 lbs. or more of gear for a bike tour then I might well prefer a trailer myself. But I'd only consider that necessary for an expedition-type trip with wide variations in weather, long stretches without food/water sources, etc. Your comment on the stove being particularly bulky/heavy makes me wonder if investing a bit of the money you'd spend on the trailer were instead spent on lighter and smaller gear would lighten the load enough to make the trailer unnecessary. $10 or less on Amazon will get you a butane-mix stove that's tiny and weighs only a few ounces - and there are the soda can alcohol stoves that are even lighter and almost free. Cut the 55 lbs. down to 30 or less and an inexpensive rack and panniers can carry it easily and result in a more enjoyable trip.

axle2152

The stove is 5lbs with it inside it's case including a can of butane. It probably wont fit inside a pannier though. I did have the option of getting a much smaller stove but at the time of purchase I was leaning towards the trailer... I did also forget to mention that the 55 lbs also including the Burley trailer at 15 lbs and 2 gallons of water. Not sure what other folks do but I think carrying sufficient amounts of water at all times is a very good idea since I will be in a remote area... I haven't set a date for any of this yet but could be in the middle of summer.... Here's what I've weighed so far, not with the best accuracy but good for a ballpark estimate...

Burley Nomad -- 15 lbs
Gas Stove -- 5 lbs
Sleeping Bag -- 2.5 lbs
Tent -- 4 lbs
Cooking Set/Utensils -- 2 lbs
Sleeping Mat -- 1 lb
Camera/Bag -- 4.5 lbs
Camera Tripod -- 4 lbs
Water (2 gallons) -- 16.7 lbs

I haven't factored in other items like clothing, tools and food...

No doubt going to be a heavy load, I mean I could leave the tripod, or take only a gallon of water and pick up more when I get into a town. That's 12 lbs right there. There's even some other things I need to bring like bear spray for instance.

rifraf

A trailer is a great introduction to touring and will likely accomodate your needs initially whilst you ease your way into long term decisions about which bike, panniers or not etc.

I own two different trailers and use them.

Just be aware a single wheel trailer is superior if there is going to be any off road touring done.

Watch out you don't succumb to trying to carry too much gear which is what most of us do the first couple of tours.

Its a huge temptation that will end up making your tour miserable and will have you emulating Hansel and Gretal, though instead of a trail of breadcrumbs, it will be a trail of non essential items in your wake.

Look carefully at the Carry Freedom y-frame trailer whilst your considering the Burly.

Carry Freedom Website | a bike trailer revolution

Oh and pack your heaviest items lowest.

You would vastly benefit from rethinking your stove and tripod requirements.
You need much lighter versions.

prathmann

I had assumed your 55 lb. load was only of the gear to be carried rather than including the trailer weight. But considering your list of items there are quite a few things not yet included, as you mention: clothing, food, tools; but also lights, toiletries, electronics?, spares, etc. So I agree that I'd look at paring down the weight of some items on your list.

I rarely carry more than two regular water bottles (~1.5 L total) when touring unless I'll be crossing a desert area with no facilities for 50 miles or more. We toured the Canadian Rockies last summer and an SO of one of us had given him a bear spray canister. We all agreed that it should be left behind. We did see some bears, but keeping your eyes open and avoiding any confrontation works better than trying to fumble getting out a can of spray and using it effectively. The tripod can be replaced by a clamp (2 or 3 oz.) with a camera thread that can be used in conjunction with either a bike frame or sticks to hold your camera steady in any desired position. As already mentioned, there are stoves that work well and are well under a pound.

Squeezebox

My backpacking stove weighs less than 3 oz. the canister maybe 8 oz max.
Again I will suggest to going to the backpacking forum, Whiteblaze.net, for info about light camping stuff.
It's not car camping.
About the bicycle, use it the way it is, until you know what you want to upgrade to. Buying a reasonable full bicycle, LHT, 520, or such is much more cost effective than upgrading a bicycle piece by piece.

axle2152

I do live in the south eastern US, it is humid as can be. In fact I just got back from a short run and I was nearly soaked head to toe in 40 minutes. The last ride I went on was about 35 miles and I consumed over 2 liters of water in the 4 hours. Not sure if I just drank too much or what but that's kind of why I went with the 2 gallons initially, have enough to drink and then cook with then be able to refill.

When I go for regular bike rides, the bike already has lights, a large saddle bag where I keep a little food, tools and also have a kickstand....I also bring a 2 liter camelbak and water bottle...also throw in the bike lock. I already got a good bit of crap on the bike already. I haven't weighed all the items that I currently take on the bike normally.

2 Piece

I have not read all the post and replies thoroughly.
But I think you might have missed another very important factor in your decision. Low cost wheels have low cost hubs. Low cost hubs usually, not always have low cost seals which helps lead to bearing damage, which means hub damage. For the price of a Burley trailer you can get some nice/ better wheels, use your existing cassette. Trailers are nice, I have one that I use for grocery/ Costco trips with but would hate to think I would need to pull it for any kind of touring. Panniers for daily and touring, trailer for bulky short distance errands. Try to keep your tour weight down around 25 pounds or less.

axle2152

In short the tour I will take first will be about 91 miles over a 3 day weekend. So one question pulling a 25 lb load on a trailer versus 25 lbs on panniers, what makes the trailer so much worse to pull? Or is it worse to pull?

The only thing I'm having a hard time doing is figuring out how I could get the weight down under 25 lbs... I mean unless I'm simply not taking much water to drink and simply bring nothing but the bare essentials. I just don't know I would like that, granted pulling an extra 55+ lbs isn't going to be particularly enjoyable, but if I wanted to do photography or bring some extra stuff.

On the other hand, never pulled a trailer, never ridden with panniers, haven't been riding all that long (got the bike back at the end of April)...so I could very well be biting off more than I can chew too... The route I'm planning does have a 1,500 ft climb that goes on for a few miles, not sure on the exacts, but I know it would be hard with or without a load. I don't expect anything to be a cake walk. The first day on the tour will be the hardest, it's the longest in distance around 40 miles, but also has the steepest climb...the 2nd day the distance is lower and not nearly as much climbing and the 3rd day is mostly downhill.

I think for the time being I will not make any changes to the bike. I think the recommendation of getting a dedicated touring bike is going to be the way to go...when I can afford to do that. I don't think the hubs/wheel will fail too quickly on the current bike, the Nishiki Manitoba. I do think once I am able to get a touring bike that I would definitely consider using panniers and probably sell the trailer if I see fit. I think right now it is better to get touring experience and find out for myself why a burley trailer is a good or bad idea...definitely divided on the subject as there both pros and cons. I do appreciate the feedback everyone has been giving me so far.

saddlesores

additional consideration for single wheel trailers:

single wheel tracks directly behind you.
one track, not three.
left wheel won't be hitting rumble strips,
right wheel won't be falling off pavement edge
when you move over when trucks passing....

check trailer dimensions. bob is narrower than
your shoulder width, so would be narrower than
bike with loaded panniers. would kinda suck
if you misjudge the space between those
two poles in the wally world parking lot!

and reconsider your load. 55 pounds or more
of stuff, and you have a 28:28 gear setup!
you'll be pushing up that mile-long climb.