Trailer advice

Hi all,
My partner wants to buy me a trailer for christmas (note my fantastic
choice of partners!) and I wanted some feedback on which ones people
use.

I would be using it pretty much exclusivly on the road behind a pretty
standard road bike (Ammaco sport 6000). I will probably be using it
for the shopping run and getting fairly light things from A to B, no
cycling holiday on the cards but if it could take a tent etc... that
would be cool.

So any thoughts on what to go for?

wrote:
Hi all,
My partner wants to buy me a trailer for christmas (note my fantastic
choice of partners!) and I wanted some feedback on which ones people
use.

I would be using it pretty much exclusivly on the road behind a pretty
standard road bike (Ammaco sport 6000). I will probably be using it
for the shopping run and getting fairly light things from A to B, no
cycling holiday on the cards but if it could take a tent etc... that
would be cool.

So any thoughts on what to go for?

Single wheel typically handle better on the road, dual track handle
better during loading and unloading. So for your grocery run, big loads
and short distances probably favour two wheels, but if you do longer,
lighter runs more often then a single wheel may be better.

.... says he with very little direct experience. If this is trumped with
direct experience, take that advice over this.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

On 15 Dec, 14:38, Peter Clinch wrote:
wrote:
Hi all,
My partner wants to buy me a trailer for christmas (note my fantastic
choice of partners!) and I wanted some feedback on which ones people
use.

I would be using it pretty much exclusivly on the road behind a pretty
standard road bike (Ammaco sport 6000). I will probably be using it
for the shopping run and getting fairly light things from A to B, no
cycling holiday on the cards but if it could take a tent etc... that
would be cool.

So any thoughts on what to go for?

Single wheel typically handle better on the road, dual track handle
better during loading and unloading. *So for your grocery run, big loads
and short distances probably favour two wheels, but if you do longer,
lighter runs more often then a single wheel may be better.

... says he with very little direct experience. *If this is trumped with
direct experience, take that advice over this.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch * * * * * * * * * *Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 * Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 * * * * * * *Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net * *http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Thanks Pete,
Probably the most I will do with it is my 8 mile work ride. I was
looking at a one wheel the other day and it looked quite good. There
is a nice two wheel with a lid I liked to look of too though. I will
take on board what you said and have another think.
N

In article ,
wrote:
I would be using it pretty much exclusivly on the road behind a pretty
standard road bike (Ammaco sport 6000). I will probably be using it
for the shopping run and getting fairly light things from A to B, no
cycling holiday on the cards but if it could take a tent etc... that
would be cool.

I have a Camcart (www.camcarts.co.uk) which I like and which I mention
for completness in this thread, even though to be honest it doesn't
sound like it would be the right choice for you.

The main advantages of the Camcart for me a

+ The Camcart doubles as a handcart which means you can take it into
most shops, and lend it to people who are moving biggish loads and
are happy to do it on foot, and so on.

+ It's a lot cheaper than many other trailers, particularly given its
load carrying ability - rated for 100kg as a handcart. The official
load limit as a bike trailer is 40kg but I regularly exceeed this;
it appears to have been set due to quite understandable worries
about braking and steering performance. I find it's fine even when
nominally badly overloaded, provided I take appropriate care (which
can mean going very slowly).

+ The removeable box style is very convenient - you only need to lash
things down if your load doesn't just fit in the box.

+ The suppliers are in Cambridge which is good for me but perhaps not
for you.

However it has some important disadvantages:

- It has a high centre of gravity and as a result is very unstable
at any kind of speed, or when going over bumps. I have overturned
mine on a handful of occasions. In none of my cases was there a
significant risk of a secondary crash or injuries, but a less
careful rider might pose a hazard to themselves or to others - and
of course your load my not survive being tipped out onto the road.
It's particularly bad when empty or lightly loaded.

- The hitch is seatpost mounting. This is an almost inevitable
consequence of the design requirement to double as a handcart, as
that really implies a high drawbar. As a result the handling of the
bike/trailer articulated vehicle under braking is poor. Braking
with a heavy load is particularly tricky, and if done recklessly it
could even lever the bike up onto the front wheel and then jacknife.

- Many other trailers can be folded or dismantled making them easier
to store.

If you get a Camcart, do not attach the secondary safety strap between
the trailer and your bike. If the trailer overturns it will naturally
detach from the hitch and of course it's then not going anywhere. You
want an overturned trailer to lead also to an overturned bike.

There is no risk of this trailer careering away out of control (at
least, excepting slopes you wouldn't want to tackle with this trailer
anyway) so I surmise that this strap is provided to satisfy some
regulation rather than serving a useful safety purpose.

--
Ian Jackson personal email:
These opinions are my own. http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~ijackson/
PGP2 key 1024R/0x23f5addb, fingerprint 5906F687 BD03ACAD 0D8E602E FCF37657

On Mon, 15 Dec 2008 06:01:19 -0800 (PST),
said in
:

My partner wants to buy me a trailer for christmas (note my fantastic
choice of partners!) and I wanted some feedback on which ones people
use.

What Pete said - the BoB is pretty good but tends to wag the bike if
the load is heavy or has a high CoG. A trailer with the same size
wheels as the bike would always be my favourite, for obvious
reasons, but your best bet is probably to get a sub to Velo Vision
(http://www.velovision.co.uk) and ask Peter Eland for a back-copy
of his buyers guide to trailers. VV is the only place I know that
regularly covers trailers. Plus it's a great read.

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk
85% of helmet statistics are made up, 69% of them at CHS, Puget Sound
GPG sig #3FA3BCDE http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk/pgp-public-key.txt

On 15 Dec, 15:39, "Just zis Guy, you know?"
wrote:
On Mon, 15 Dec 2008 06:01:19 -0800 (PST),
said in
:

My partner wants to buy me a trailer for christmas (note my fantastic
choice of partners!) and I wanted some feedback on which ones people
use.

What Pete said - the BoB is pretty good but tends to wag the bike if
the load is heavy or has a high CoG. *A trailer with the same size
wheels as the bike would always be my favourite, for obvious
reasons, but your best bet is probably to get a sub to Velo Vision
(http://www.velovision.co.uk) and ask Peter Eland for *a back-copy
of his buyers guide to trailers. *VV is the only place I know that
regularly covers trailers. *Plus it's a great read.

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. *Contents liable to settle after posting.http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk
85% of helmet statistics are made up, 69% of them at CHS, Puget Sound
GPG sig #3FA3BCDE http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk/pgp-public-key.txt

Well cost is no problem, but I like to think I get a bit of speed up
(although my racing days are over) but thanks for info. Might be one
with a lower centre of gravity would be best for me.

On Mon, 15 Dec 2008 06:01:19 -0800 (PST) someone who may be
wrote this:-

I would be using it pretty much exclusivly on the road behind a pretty
standard road bike (Ammaco sport 6000). I will probably be using it
for the shopping run and getting fairly light things from A to B,

Like bikes, there is no one trailer which will do everything equally
well. http://www.bikesandtrailers.com has a selection of the
things.

If you are mainly doing shopping then there is a lot to be said for
their Bike Hod. It has mudguards and is easy to manoeuvre around
house and shops and it can also be stored in a small space.




--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

Quoting :
I would be using it pretty much exclusivly on the road behind a pretty
standard road bike (Ammaco sport 6000). I will probably be using it
for the shopping run and getting fairly light things from A to B, no
cycling holiday on the cards but if it could take a tent etc... that
would be cool.

I am very happy with my Carry Freedom Y-Frame (small and large and hitch
to attach small to large), but even the small is definitely an
urban-utility sort of trailer, for moving a fairly large block of stuff
and being willing to put up with the bulk of the wheels and not making any
banzai charges around corners (a 2-wheeler will always be prone to flip).

I'd pick a 1-wheeler like the BoB for touring, except inasmuch as if you
aren't on tandems I think a well-equipped touring bicycle should be able
to carry all you need even if you are camping.
--
David Damerell Oil is for sissies
Today is Wednesday, December.

wrote in message
...
Hi all,
My partner wants to buy me a trailer for christmas (note my fantastic
choice of partners!) and I wanted some feedback on which ones people
use.

I would be using it pretty much exclusivly on the road behind a pretty
standard road bike (Ammaco sport 6000). I will probably be using it
for the shopping run and getting fairly light things from A to B, no
cycling holiday on the cards but if it could take a tent etc... that
would be cool.

So any thoughts on what to go for?

I have used both the BoB YAK and the Carry Freedom Y frame ( large)

Done 2 tours with the CF and one with BoB Yak

I must say that I preferred the BoB Yak for touring -- I barely knew it was
there ( except for going up hill!) and the wheel follows your rear wheel track
faithfully. it can even be "self supporting" with bike and trailer ( like this
I¬i ) if nowhere to lean it -- but I rarely did that.

I usually loaded trailer before hitching on to bike which was easy to do.

The CF is a good multi use utility trailer for around home and shopping etc
but when touring I was always aware of it being there. It was easy to hitch
but I found that the standard bracket supplied bent very easily and I fitted a
"commercial" hitching system this year which was hugely better. BTW it
rattles a lot when unloaded

Of the 2 I much preferred the BoB Yak

--
Trevor A Panther
In South Yorkshire,
England, United Kingdom.
www.tapan.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

In article
,
wrote:
Hi all, My partner wants to buy me a trailer for christmas (note my
fantastic choice of partners!) and I wanted some feedback on which
ones people use.

I would be using it pretty much exclusivly on the road behind a
pretty standard road bike (Ammaco sport 6000). I will probably be
using it for the shopping run and getting fairly light things from
A to B, no cycling holiday on the cards but if it could take a tent
etc... that would be cool.

So any thoughts on what to go for?

When I cleared out the bike shop upon retirement I kept a few bits
and pieces for the family to use. The Burley Cub trailer was the
first item to be kept - best trailer I have ever seen.