trailers, what's it like

Quoted message said:

What is it like to pull a trailer?

Don't know, they always turn me down. Maybe I should learn some better
lines..

But seriously. I have two trailers. On the flat they are fine, until
you need to suddenly accellerate. On hills they are interesting going
downhill in the wet, and slow going uphill (yes, even more so than
usual).

Quoted message said:

For touring they look like a handy place to throw the tent, sleeping
bag etc etc which at this time of year tend to be the heavy
ones.Loading it all on the bike takes time and makes it feel very
clumsy.

The bike handles very well, especially with rear axle mounting ones.
They are just a bit sluggish (for large values of a bit) but probably
no more than panniers.

Quoted message said:

There are some very cheap trailers on ebay.

Also a cheap one at EBC which is a Yak copy.

Quoted message said:

Does any one here have experience of such things?Are they really heavy
(after all one would be saving some kilos by not having lots of
panniers).

You wioll pack more on a trailer and a trailer itself weighs far more
than four panniers, racks and rack bag.

Quoted message said:

Are the expensive ones still worth the extra cost, or do the argos ones
really work well?
Anyone done a long tour with a trailer? how many miles per day?

I can't imagine doing more than about 50 miles a day on anything other
than pancake flat [1] terrain. I use mine mostly for utility cycling.

...d

[1] slightly lumpy with burn't brown bobbles in

[email hidden] wondered:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Anyone done a long tour with a trailer? how many miles per day?

and David Martin responded:

Quoted message said:

I can't imagine doing more than about 50 miles a day on anything other
than pancake flat [1] terrain. I use mine mostly for utility cycling.

A few years ago I rode 140 miles from Crowborough to Frome (mostly along
the A272) carrying bulging rear panniers and towing a BoB Yak laden with
everything required for a weekend juggling convention, including tent
and unicycle. I suppose it was mostly flat once I was out of Sussex,
but I'll never forget the climb out of Winchester (when I eventually
managed to find an escape route from the city centre).

I sort of did it in one day. I left at about 21:30 on a Thursday and
arrived at about 18:00 on the Friday, but I did grab a couple of hours
kip in a layby shortly before Petersfield.

Quoted message said:

[1] slightly lumpy with burn't brown bobbles in

--
Danny Colyer (my reply address is valid but checked infrequently)
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David Martin said:

Also a cheap one at EBC which is a Yak copy.

From the pictures online, I suspect it is a rebranded Yak rather than a
copy. Never underestimate the power of the buyers at EBC.

Jon

Jon Senior said:

David Martin said:

Also a cheap one at EBC which is a Yak copy.

From the pictures online, I suspect it is a rebranded Yak rather than a
copy. Never underestimate the power of the buyers at EBC.

Jon

From looking at it in the shop, I believe it's actually this trailer
from TW-BENTS (a Taiwanese recumbent manufacturer):
http://www.recumbent.com.tw/WEB-07/con01.htm

Comparing the specifications, EBC's version is about 2kg heavier.
EBC don't specify the dimensions, so I'm not sure if it's exactly the
same size, but it looks similar.

--
Craig Wallace
http://craig.neogeo.org.uk
http://www.neogeo.org.uk

Craig Wallace said:

Jon Senior said:

David Martin said:

Also a cheap one at EBC which is a Yak copy.

From the pictures online, I suspect it is a rebranded Yak rather than a
copy. Never underestimate the power of the buyers at EBC.

Jon

From looking at it in the shop, I believe it's actually this trailer
from TW-BENTS (a Taiwanese recumbent manufacturer):
http://www.recumbent.com.tw/WEB-07/con01.htm

That's the one that somebody on aus.bicycle mentioned earlier this week.
Apparently it's pretty good and *very* similar to the BOB. I'm tempted to
get one when the financial controller is in a good mood.

Graeme

Quoted message said:

What is it like to pull a trailer?

What's it like *not* to pull a trailer? Amazing: after spending all
week lugging 50kg of trailer + kids up hills, when I hop on the road
bike or mtb at the weekend, it feels like its motor assisted, you don't
even notice hills. So I'd guess, if your planning on touring, get a
few trailer training sessions in, in the weeks before.

Craig Wallace said:

From looking at it in the shop, I believe it's actually this trailer
from TW-BENTS (a Taiwanese recumbent manufacturer):
http://www.recumbent.com.tw/WEB-07/con01.htm

You are entirely correct. The pictures looked so similar to a Yak that I
assumed EBC had cut a deal. Having seen the TW-BENTS one, I now see the
similarities. It seems to have the same folding mechanism (You can see
the pivot points on the side arms.

Quoted message said:

Comparing the specifications, EBC's version is about 2kg heavier.
EBC don't specify the dimensions, so I'm not sure if it's exactly the
same size, but it looks similar.

EBC's website is not always particularly accurate. It might be that they
are including the weight of the bag, or that whoever typed the details
in simply mis-read them.

Jon

I'm getting a BOB yak trailer early in the new year ready for my
cycle/camping tour of 2006 ( I'll be 69 then).
I have cycled/camped always using 4 panniers with my small tent on top of
the rear rack and it does get to be hard work -- especially in a head wind.
The velo is "heavy" and one needs to be mentally alert all the time you are
riding.
During my trip down and up the Danube this year ( about 3000 kms) I spend 3
or 4 days cycling with a German couple and Gehard was towing a BOB Yak
trailer.
I was most impressed on a number of counts.
1 The trailer wheel tracked directly behind the rear wheel of the bike.
2. Setting and packing up time was considerably reduced when compared with
my efforts using panniers.
3. Although towing a bigger load than I was carrying ( he was also 30 years
younger than me!) he maintained a good travelling speed.
I was concerned about the extra overall length of the combination and how
it effected the bikes performance. So one day we swapped loads. Gehard had a
spare axle thingy ( a 2 minute job) and I hitched on his trailer, he took my
panniers and tent, and I towed it for the days ride.

I was most impressed. We did about 90 kms that day

1. On the flat, my velo handled more or less as though it was unloaded. It
was the same effort to "get it going" from a stop as with my panniers but it
actually felt a lot lighter and more responsive under me.
2. In a head wind it was much better than with those front panniers. A huge
difference.
3 Going up hill was also different. So Ok it was still hard work but the
freedom from the unwieldiness of the panniers actually made it easier --
especially at the times when I was near my limit and on the point of
dismounting. With my panniers on I had to be very aware of that decision
moment to make a clean and safe dismount. With the trailer (and carrying a
bigger load than my own) the lightness of my velo itself made it so much
easier.

So when I head up into the Massif Central next year I shall already have
been training with my velo for some 6 months.

I also think it may have another advantage. I travel by my velo daily and do
all my routine shopping trip as part of my daily training run -- it keeps me
carrying a about half my touring load. So the trailer will be used daily as
well and I think it may be an unusual enough sight to make the SMIDSY
motorist actually see me for a change!

--
Trevor A Panther
In South Yorkshire,
England, United Kingdom.
Remove PSANTISPAM to reply
www.tapan.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk ( my website for details and pics of last
years trip to Santiago de Compostela -- this years Danube saga is still a
work in progress!)

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

What is it like to pull a trailer?
For touring they look like a handy place to throw the tent, sleeping
bag etc etc which at this time of year tend to be the heavy
ones.Loading it all on the bike takes time and makes it feel very
clumsy.There are some very cheap trailers on ebay.
Does any one here have experience of such things?Are they really heavy
(after all one would be saving some kilos by not having lots of
panniers).
Are the expensive ones still worth the extra cost, or do the argos ones
really work well?
Anyone done a long tour with a trailer? how many miles per day?
TerryJ

Quoted message said:

What is it like to pull a trailer?

Apparently not a lot of difference until you forget it's there when you get
off and end up in a heap on the floor. I rode for a day with a chap with a
Thorn Rohloff geared bike and Bob Yak trailer and one of the highlights of
the day's ride was when we raced a bunch of unladen young Lejog 'ers and
beat them in the Cliften Gorge. It must have been a bizaare sight to see
use both take on the youths, he's 58 and I'm 47 but getting back to the
point, the trailer didn't seem to be an impediment to the handlingof the
bike in the sprint and was certainly 'invisible' to the rider under normal
riding conditions. He also seemed to have more carrying capacity than me
and packed his gear away more quickly - possibly because he didn't have to
distribute it around four bags.

He's currently doing the Pan American Highway and has a blog at
http://www.20six.co.uk/georgeidf50

You could leave questions for him on the blog to establish how it copes with
more arduous conditions.

Quoted message said:

Are the expensive ones still worth the extra cost, or do the argos ones
really work well?

I'd avoid the really cheap Argos ones for touring, but the EBC one that
everyone is recommending looks excellent. I've got a YaK myself and it's
definately one of those things that makes me think "how did I live without
it".

I don't go touring on mine though, I use it for shopping etc (don't have
a car). It's rated to 30kg and that is a fairly sharp upper bound I find.
I've had much more in (50kg of stones for the garden) but the handling
was awful. Keep it under the weight limit and it's fine.

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune

These replies are most helpful and encouraging.
I think this time I will not go for the very cheapest option.EBC may
get the order.
I do look forward to getting up, chucking the stuff in a capacious bag
and cycling off.
And taking a warm sleeping bag etc for a decent night's sleep will make
a lot of difference.
TerryJ

Quoted message said:

These replies are most helpful and encouraging.
I think this time I will not go for the very cheapest option.EBC may
get the order.

I think EBC are going to sell loads of these trailers - I'm sorely
tempted as well.

--
Andy Leighton => [email hidden]
"The Lord is my shepherd, but we still lost the sheep dog trials"
- Robert Rankin, _They Came And Ate Us_

Quoted message said:

These replies are most helpful and encouraging.
I think this time I will not go for the very cheapest option.EBC may
get the order.

Good choice. The main problem with the cheap ones is usually not the
construction (sturdy if heavy IME) but the hitch. The ride of a trailer
is crucially dependant on having the hitch in the right place (low) and
its utility is dependant on having an easy to work hitch.

--
Arthur Clune

vernon said:

I rode for a day with a chap with a
Thorn Rohloff geared bike and Bob Yak trailer

<snip>

Quoted message said:

the trailer didn't seem to be an impediment to the handlingof the
bike in the sprint and was certainly 'invisible' to the rider under normal
riding conditions.

IME a lightly laden Yak starts to cause handling problems at about
15-20mph, while a heavily laden Yak causes problems at 35-40mph.
There's only a problem when riding downhill, with the Yak pushing from
behind. YMMV.

35-40mph while towing a heavily laden Yak has, as you might imagine,
only happened to me once. I was riding downhill on a clear dual
carriageway and noticed the handling starting to get a bit dodgy. I
looked down at my computer and saw that it was reading 39mph.

--
Danny Colyer (my reply address is valid but checked infrequently)
<URL:http://www.colyer.plus.com/danny/>
Subscribe to PlusNet <URL:http://www.colyer.plus.com/referral/>
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine

Arthur Clune said:

Good choice. The main problem with the cheap ones is usually not the
construction (sturdy if heavy IME) but the hitch. The ride of a trailer
is crucially dependant on having the hitch in the right place (low) and
its utility is dependant on having an easy to work hitch.

I have noticed a difference in the various mono-wheel trailers; the
angle of the pivot point. This will make a difference to the feel. The
Yak has it angled top forward which (AIUI) will make it track more
positively than if it were neutral. This does explain why overloading it
has a significant effect on handling (David Hembrow describes it as the
tail wagging the dog). That camber in the design will feed back along
into the back of the bike.

The monoporter and the new one-wheel tourer (I don't remember its name;
it's the one with the large wheel and net bags over a plastic cover)
both have more neutral pivots.

Jon

Danny Colyer said:

IME a lightly laden Yak starts to cause handling problems at about
15-20mph, while a heavily laden Yak causes problems at 35-40mph.

Sounds about right. Without some weight in it it does tend to ping of
the pebbles.

It's probably worth noting that YaK suggest a 30mph speed limit with it
on.

--
Arthur Clune