panniers verses trailers

[Insight Driver]

Greetings rumonas,

Your comments are certainly appreciated by me. I keep reading and learning and have not bought a trailer yet, though I am leaning toward a 2-wheeler now.

As there is an excellent bike trail so close to where I live my riding consists of taking 20 to 30 mile quick rides from home and back. In this winter time this works out to taking only weekend rides since it's dark when I get home from work.

I'm long-term planning things. My wife and I discuss touring but have not taken a trip yet.

Ironicially I have a Giant OCR2 which has no provision for putting a rack on (which would limit me to clamp-on types) where my wife's OCR1 has the braze-ons for a rack already, go figure. I would be the one who would be the pack mule on a touring trip, being the stronger rider.

Slightly off-topic, the wife has the faster bike as a sort-of "equalizer." If I were dragging 50 lbs it would be a bit more equal.

Now wanting further feedback, I have seen some trailers have brakes on them. Does anyone have experience with the higher-end touring trailers?

 

[Maq Dreqan]

I would say trailers don't need brakes. I used to work for bikes at work (bikesatwork.com) where we pulled upwards of 600 pounds of recycling on a 9 foot long two wheel trailer. (note, don't buy one of these for touring, they're built for freight.) I never had a problem with the trailer not stopping, although I did burn through a set of break pads every winter (blame road salt and sand). The only trouble I ever had was emergency stopping on ice while riding downhill where occasionally the back wheel would get pushed around, but that's a pretty rare occasion. I'd say if my 5-600 pounds of newspaper and bottles don't need brakes, your 60 pounds of gear certainly won't need them.

On my xcountry trip we saw a fair amount of other riders, all using either panniers or one wheel bobs. Two wheel trailers really seem like a waste of power and they don't track as well.

 

[tgg]

Originally posted by Insight Driver
My wife and I are relatively new bicycling enthusiasts and we are thinking about doing some touring. We have road bikes. I have been looking at bicycle trailers because my reasoning is that I could pull a trailer with my Giant OCR2 more easily than I could mount panniers on that compact frame. I also think the tongue weight of a two-wheel trailer would add less strain to the frame than the extra weight of fully-loaded panniers.

I've looked throug the touring thread and saw no mention of bicycle trailers at all. I am interested in all feedback possible on this topic.

Hi
I've had a B.O.B. since 1995 and now have logged 6 major trips all between 2500 4600 miles and have had a little problem here and there but nothing that would make me switch back to bags .I still use front bags to carry food a rain gear , things that I use most often. If you load properly you can ride without the wobble noted above I've desended at over 50 mph without a wiggel. I've just bought a new B.O.B. with the shock and will be doing the northern tier this summer.
tgg

 

[Insight Driver]

Thanks tgg

Interesting to note that you have had no wiggle problems. I would want to know a lot more about trailer behavior since some people have reported they had crashed due to an oscillation that developed.

 

[jabantik00]

have ridden the pacific coast from port angeles to san francisco, and from san francisco to oceanside with a bob trailer. have ridden from san francisco to el rosario, baja using panniers.

my first bob experience wasn't very positive, but i think it was due to how it was loaded, and perhaps the bob quick-release skewer wasn't in the dropouts properly. it wobbled at speed and didn't feel very stable. i returned it.

some years later, i tried a bob again, and discovered i very much prefer to pull a trailer. i can easily stash all my camping gear, clothing, food, etc in the waterproof bag, and various small items and personal things go in a small pannier or bag. the problem i have with it is transporting it and that it doesn't provide a secure means to lock your belongings if you leave them unattended.

if you have a place with a good return policy such as rei, you might try a trailer such as a bob and see for yourself if it's for you or not. return it if not.

 

[Eidetic]

I prefer the BOB single wheel trailers over panniers ... but you've got to load it right. If you have wobbles, stop and reload the trailer, heavy stuff center and rear. I have had zero wobble during high speed descents with my BOB COZ ... you don't know the trailer is there (unlike ascents).

For the older BOB trailers made before the yoke redesign, use a heavy rubber band to keep each locking pin engaged, and Loc-tite or superglue on the hex nuts on the QR skewer ends. The most problematic part of the entire design is the yoke/skewer interface.

 

[darkboong]

With panniers you just have to make absolutely sure that the rack and luggage on the rack never moves. It has to be at one with the frame, if it ain't it will feel nasty.

I *detest* front panniers. I hate the heavy feeling in the handle bars. My bikes have tended to be fairly lightly built at the front, very heavily built at the back, and I've had to be very careful to make sure my wheelbuilders understand this. They haven't let me down yet, not one broken spoke, touchwood.

 

[CayoMan]

Originally posted by jabantik00

the problem i have with it is transporting it and that it doesn't provide a secure means to lock your belongings if you leave them unattended.

This is another reason why the Weber Monoporter shines (http://www.weber-products.de/monoporter/index.html). You can lock it easily to your bike and the bag also has provisions to be pad locked. I think it is possibly a superior product to the Yak - although that has to be seen, as we are awaiting arrival of the monoporter ! ;-)

CU,
Sven

 

[Eidetic]

Another factor in monowheel trailer stability is tracking of the trailer wheel. Using a T-gauge off my truing stand, I found that if the wheel axle is fully inserted in the trailer fork of my COZ, the wheel midline is not the trailer frame midline. Substandard QC in manufacturing. I now measure tire sidewall to fork distance and make L and R distances equal.

I've noticed that the ears that mate with the rear bike wheel skewer are getting easier to deform. Could be why BOB redesigned the yoke to that in current models.

 

[lou_n]

jumping in late-
Done both panniers and Bob as well. I'm much happier with the Bob overall. As far as handling, it's really a matter of personal preference. Never had a problem with mine, but I did several practise rides loaded with full milk cartons first.

Best advice - rent or borrow a YAK, or any other trailer you're considering. Try the same ride LOADED (very important)- but not fully loaded until you're used to it. Start with about 20 lbs. , and with panniers LOADED with the same weight.

Make sure you get some time on soft shoulders, over curbs, etc. staying straight on narrow paths, etc., uphill, downhill.
You'll find what you like and don't like about each very quickly.

Try CAREFULLY doing a slight 'slalom' stretch, as if you're going in and out of pylons. You'll see the wagging effect very clearly. Personally I don't mind it.

The Bob does 'wag the dog' but with my setup, it's only been a problem at low speeds, and usually in soft dirt or loose sand. If I'm tired, I have to remember to respect the weight behind my back wheel.

As far as locking the Yak contents, it's just a matter of using a bit of creativity. I've tried several methods, all worked OK but I'm now working on a lightweight locking 'lid' made of mesh for mine.
I've already built a kickstand for my YAK which works great, so that problem's solved.
Check out http://www.caravan.greatnow.com to see the kickstand.

cheers
Lou

 

[ricks03]

I've looked throug the touring thread and saw no mention of bicycle trailers at all. I am interested in all feedback possible on this topic. [/B]

I've got about 40k in touring in europe, and I wouldn't trade panniers for a trailer for anything. I carry 4 panniers and a handlebar pack. Besides the fact that well-packed panniers make for a very stable ride, you can also travel in part. When i spend a few days somewhere, I can carry as much, or little, of my load as I want.

I don't like the way a trailer feels as I tow it. the panniers end up feeling a lot more like part of the bike.

Travelling through crowded city streets and street fairs, walking my bike, I don't get in the way of those around me nearly as much with panniers as I would with a trailer.

I can usually pack my panniers in with the bike in the bike box, so I don't have to pay anything additional in air freight for baggage.

Rick

 

[jasong]

One thing that seems untouched is the difference in wheelsets for panniers or trailers.

It seems by offloading at least 50% of the load from the bike frame, it's not as critical to have a real touring wheelset. You could (?) get by with road wheels and 25 or 28c tires.

Adding 30% of 70lbs (21lbs) is probably within the weight addition limits to my rear wheel as I'm 165 now.

That's what makes pulling a trailer a very attractive option for me. Still considering what to do.

Comments?

 

[CDNBVR]

Originally posted by Insight Driver
Greetings rumonas,

Your comments are certainly appreciated by me. I keep reading and learning and have not bought a trailer yet, though I am leaning toward a 2-wheeler now.

As there is an excellent bike trail so close to where I live my riding consists of taking 20 to 30 mile quick rides from home and back. In this winter time this works out to taking only weekend rides since it's dark when I get home from work.

I'm long-term planning things. My wife and I discuss touring but have not taken a trip yet.

Ironicially I have a Giant OCR2 which has no provision for putting a rack on (which would limit me to clamp-on types) where my wife's OCR1 has the braze-ons for a rack already, go figure. I would be the one who would be the pack mule on a touring trip, being the stronger rider.

Slightly off-topic, the wife has the faster bike as a sort-of "equalizer." If I were dragging 50 lbs it would be a bit more equal.

Now wanting further feedback, I have seen some trailers have brakes on them. Does anyone have experience with the higher-end touring trailers?

I build custom trailers, all with BRAKES. One I use for selling ice cream. It weighs about 300 Lbs. I have no trouble stopping, even a hard, fast stop. The hitch is behind the tire, so that I can turn either way 90 degrees. It uses 20" wheels and has caliper brakes. If you go to my website you can see some pics. www.cdnbvr.com I have been pulling this large trailer for the past 2 months and have gone over 1,200 kilometers with no problems.
I live in Calgary, Alberta, so I do have some hill to go up and down. My small trailer has the same size wheels and I hardly know I have it behind me, even when I have it loaded with ice cream and popsicles that I pick up from my supplier. I lined it with 1" white styrofoam to keep it frozen on the trip home. It works great. I pull it at speeds up 25 KPH or more and it does not fishtail. I hope that this information will help you.

 

[consciouspilot]

I have toured with both, and much prefer the trailer. That being said, it strikes me that it probably will come down to a matter of inividual preference. The BOB trailer I currently use has been fantastic. I often catch myself looking behind me to make sure it is still there, as once you are up to speed it is barely noticeable. I used the trailer for a tour through VT and AZ with some pretty big, steep hills, and it worked great both up and down the hills. Top speed was 46mph on a descent and no problems here. (I just read about the max speed recommendations, so I'll keep that in mind in the future). I had about 50 lbs in the trailer. My bike is a Trek 520 with standard everything so, as I said, it must just be a matter of personal preference. As far as the crash/horror stories about the trailers, I can't add anything as I've had no issues whatsoever (touch wood). The only major flaw is that with the single wheel you have to find a place to lean your bike. Until you actually get on your bike, the trailer can be a bit difficult to manage ie. trying to back it up. On the road, the trailer sits right behind and tracks beautifully. I'm not sure what people mean by 'the trailer trying to outrun the bike'. You do have to wisely use your brakes keeping the additional weight in mind. I hope that helps.

 

[dylanrabbit]

Hi,

For what it's worth. I've used a BOB on two tours and would say I learnt a bit between the two... I certainly did feel petrified the first time I went down a hill and had the steering start shaking. Then, having realised that the trailer hinge has an arc of freedom between the bike rear wheel and the trailer wheel, I moved all the weight as far from that hinge as possible, to prevent the yoke acting as a lever about the rear wheel and twisting the rest of the frame. Putting the weight low (as suggested by BOB) helped to.

The biggest improvement came when I switched bikes between the tours, from a full suspention XC mountain bike to an older, _sturdy_ aluminium mountain bike, built before the days of suspension. The extra rigidity in the bike was useful - toward the end of the 3000km tour of Southern New Zealand, I was happy descending at ~85km/h on straight roads. There are some big hills in NZ... I became very happy to be using the bar-end grips as they seemed to give more control and stability ot the bike. As you're suggesting using a road bike for touring, you may want to think about getting wider handlebars if you're carring much luggage (in my humble opinion...)

From limited experience, I would suggest that a flexible bike with panniers would feel not quite as dangerous as with a trailer. An advantage of the BOB over (poorly packed) panniers is that the trailer does not have a back-and-forth wobble when starting off, or of the (sometime) problem of heel/pannier interaction.

There was mention in another post of higher rolling resistance as a disadvantage of a trailer. My limited physics background would suggest that the extra weight causing resistance via the trailer tyre is weight that otherwise would be causing resistance via the rear wheel of the bike if panniers were used. That is, that things cancel out in the two scenarios.

I had a few valves blow on the trailer wheel for some reason. (cheap tubes, overloaded trailer, going well above the suggested speed limit?) Also had part of the trailer frame snap one afternoon. It was no grief to finish the last 20 miles of the day's travel and get the frame welded in the morning... Advantages of steel.

Another "feature" of the BOB (or any trailer) is that it makes the bike a lot longer, which is a hassle in traffic when you're trying to pass other, slower riders. I think panniers would make the bike feel wider (particularly some of the monstrosities I've seen being lugged around).

The BOB instructions (if you read them) suggest a method of parking the bike by jack-knifing the trailer. The whole lot then leans at about 15degrees, making it easy to pack/unpack, pump up the tyres, etc. This is useful when camping as you do not have to find a tree to lean the bike against. Also the ground does not have to be level (some orientations are better). This feature also makes it convenient/plausible to park the bike in a car space when shopping. I wouldn't do this if there were not many empty spaces, but is an example of what is plausible. (Also good for queueing for a ferry, etc, where the bike does have to queue with cars for a while).

The BOB bag (if you get it) is rounded at the front, making it more aerodynamic. I've had some holes worn through where sharp objects inside have been caught against the BOB frams outside the bag.

I've used a handlebar bag as a useful spot for storing the stuff I want to access quickly or take with me when off the bike. This can also play funny-buggers with the steering if loaded too heavily. Be warned.

To sum up, my experience of BOB was that I would use it for a second tour (that was a lot more hilly). Be willing to experiment and learn! I had no grief taking the trailer as a serperate piece of luggage on a plane as it is light and fairly compact when the yoke is reversed. While cycling, it felt reassuring to have the flag on the bike so far behind me; as though the traffic would have more time to move around the bike.

- DylanRabbit

 

[Insight Driver]

Dylan, personal experience like yours, and your willingness to share are things I really appreciate. I have a very good understanding now. I don't know if I'll get a trailer any time soon. What things I have to take with me on whatever commuter rides I take can fit in a backpack and makes more sense for me at this time.

 

[Meek One]

I have-had a Trek trailer. It was too big to fit in a bike box for me to take to Europe. It was much easier pulling my children in it with my mountain bike than my road bike. At low speeds the road bike just didn't feel stable, probably me though. Pulling 60 plus pounds of kids and the trailer and my then 230lbs kind of effected my braking. My XTR V-Brakes with boosters still didn't want to stop my bike. Similarly my Grand Cherokee really didn't feel like stopping for lights while towing my little racing VW around. The trailer was great though.

Panniers--I'd like to get some. Who make a them? Which ones to avoid at all costs, etc. They would go on my mountain bike. It is a '98 Cannondale F2000. How do I tell if they'd attach properly? Thanks.

 

[CDNBVR]

I have-had a Trek trailer. It was too big to fit in a bike box for me to take to Europe. It was much easier pulling my children in it with my mountain bike than my road bike. At low speeds the road bike just didn't feel stable, probably me though. Pulling 60 plus pounds of kids and the trailer and my then 230lbs kind of effected my braking. My XTR V-Brakes with boosters still didn't want to stop my bike. Similarly my Grand Cherokee really didn't feel like stopping for lights while towing my little racing VW around. The trailer was great though.

Panniers--I'd like to get some. Who make a them? Which ones to avoid at all costs, etc. They would go on my mountain bike. It is a '98 Cannondale F2000. How do I tell if they'd attach properly? Thanks.

I have pulled a trailer all summer (over 3500 Kilometers) weighing 400 lbs. I had no trouble stopping it because it has surge brakes. I have gone as fast as 25 k or more with it. I also have a smaller trailer pulling about 100 lbs and it is very easy to control. It also has brakes. I sell ice cream on the street.
They were custom made by www.cdnbvr.com

 

[CDNBVR]

My wife and I are relatively new bicycling enthusiasts and we are thinking about doing some touring. We have road bikes. I have been looking at bicycle trailers because my reasoning is that I could pull a trailer with my Giant OCR2 more easily than I could mount panniers on that compact frame. I also think the tongue weight of a two-wheel trailer would add less strain to the frame than the extra weight of fully-loaded panniers.

I've looked throug the touring thread and saw no mention of bicycle trailers at all. I am interested in all feedback possible on this topic.

Go to www.cdnbvr.com They will custom build you a trailer with brakes and 2 options of hitch. 1: seatpost or 2: custom rear mounted hitch. I have 2 trailers, the small one, I use to carry small cargo and the large one, I carry a 7 cu.ft. Woods freezer in, to sell ice cream. It weighs about 400 lbs. I have pulled it since April, about 3500 kilometers with no trouble stopping. Even going downhill.

 

[DarrenT]

Go to www.cdnbvr.com They will custom build you a trailer with brakes and 2 options of hitch. 1: seatpost or 2: custom rear mounted hitch. I have 2 trailers, the small one, I use to carry small cargo and the large one, I carry a 7 cu.ft. Woods freezer in, to sell ice cream. It weighs about 400 lbs. I have pulled it since April, about 3500 kilometers with no trouble stopping. Even going downhill.

There seems to be a common theme in the previous replies that compares panniers to the BOB trailer. The BOB isn't the only option. There is also the Koolstop Wilderbeast. Its very similar to the BOB, but has different connections to the bike frame. I toured with two other riders, one with the BOB, and the other with the Wilderbeast like myself. We were all happy with our choices.

The BOB has very small holes in the trailing arms that clip to the rer axle. These are for split pins that lock the connection. While we rode on sealed roads, we often had to park on unsealed shoulders. These holes sometimes got clogged with dirt, preventing the fitting of the split pins. Cleaning the holes was a bit of a pain, particularly in poor light.

On the other hand, the BOB had the better bag. The standard bag on the Wilderbeast is not waterproof, and the zip broke 3 weeks into the ride. To their credit, the manufacturer replaced the bag without any argument.

Finally, none of us experienced any speed wobbles with the trailers. We were loaded with about 60 pounds including the trailer weight, and a few times reached 55 kph, (approx. 30-35 mph???). The only difficuly is the unstable feeling at low speeds when you ride with a heavy load the first few times. It doesn't take long to get used to.