Bike trailers

Eagle

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 31, 2012
381
134
You obviously need to add a trailer and then you can get all your shopping.
the_killjoy mentioned bike trailers in another thread.
I spotted these two:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007D34WHO/ref=asc_df_B007D34WHO9521201?smid=A34VH16V9RONJD&tag=googlecouk06-21&linkCode=asn&creative=22218&creativeASIN=B007D34WHO

Bike Cargo Trailer | Buy One Wheel Bycicle Trailer |Homcom

Would regular bike trailer users care to give us their feedback on their machines and let us have their recommendations for a good trailer?
Single or double wheel etc?
 

eddieo

Banned
Jul 7, 2008
5,070
6
dont like the look of these as they look like they transfer weight to rear wheel axle...surely a 2 wheel trailer a better load carrier and more stable.
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,469
30,775
A single wheel "BobYak" style trailer like the ones you linked to create far less drag and affect your cycling less. Empty or lightly loaded you'd hardly be aware of having a trailer attached. That's why this type are always preferred for touring and are very suitable for shopping.

Two wheels are better for very heavy loads and child trailers.
 

eddieo

Banned
Jul 7, 2008
5,070
6
I find that surprising as they "look" more unstable. I can see that the 2 wheel probably creates more drag and wind resistance......We live and learn:)
 
D

Deleted member 4366

Guest
I have two trailers: This one is good for shopping and camping, but not so good for taking rubbish to the tip because of its limited capacity.
Bike Cargo Trailer Bicycle Pannier Storage Bag Single 16" Wheel Colour Choice | eBay
Even with fairly large loads, you hardly know it's there. You can forget about it once you're going because it follows exactly the track of the bike and is narrower. It has quick release locking clamps that fit to the rear axle. You have to have the supplied spigots mounted to your bike permanently. They supply a skewer with the spigots on for a quick-release rear wheel, and spigots with a 10mm thread to use instead of normal wheel nuts, so they won't fit if you have a rear motor, but if you have enough thread on your axle, you could make a couple of short plates with two 10mm holes so that you can bolt the spigots just behind the axle. It only takes a few seconds to securely clip the trailer on/off

I also have a raleigh two-wheeled trailer for two small kids that I use for larger stuff. Likewise it works very well but you have to be careful not to hit the wheels when you go through bollards etc. It has a clamp that clamps to the nearside chainstay but it's only secure on traditional chainstays. Modern ones can be any shape. I can just get it on my Giant NRS, but I secure it with two study cable-ties in a cross pattern to make sure it can't come off.

The single-wheeled one is much better to use than the larger one by a long way. Only problem is capacity. You can get two bin bags of stuff in it with a cargo net over the top to hold it in place. Without a cargo net, one bin bag.

Other two wheel trailers have a short arm that bolts to the axle, so if you go for one like that, make sure you have enough spare thread on the nearside.
 
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timidtom

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 19, 2009
757
175
Cheshire
GambiaGOES.blogspot.com
Do any of these trailers attach to the bike without interfering with the rear axle? About sixty years ago I built a camping trailer for the tandem which attatched to the rear seat tube with a clamp linking to a short piece of rubber hose-pipe. Amazingly un-stable! I'm averse to messing about with the rear axle because it's got enough to do keeping the motor in place ...
 
D

Deleted member 4366

Guest
Do any of these trailers attach to the bike without interfering with the rear axle? About sixty years ago I built a camping trailer for the tandem which attatched to the rear seat tube with a clamp linking to a short piece of rubber hose-pipe. Amazingly un-stable! I'm averse to messing about with the rear axle because it's got enough to do keeping the motor in place ...
Didn't you read my post above?
Some trailers clamp to the nearside chainstay.
 

mellingford

Finding my (electric) wheels
May 24, 2008
11
0
72
Dundee Scotland
Bike Cargo Trailer Bicycle Pannier Storage Bag Single 16" Wheel Colour Choice | eBay
Hi
I bought one of these bobyak style trailers,have not had a chance to use it yet,electric bike on the blink.They supply bolts to attach to the rear wheel spindle but on my bike the thread is bigger than the one they supply,they olso supply a spiggot quick release but i could not work out how to use it.I made up a bolt with 6mm thread to fit mudgaurd threaded hole.The thread is 6mm on the hole side increasing to 10mm round with stopper on end on the trailer side.I don,t carry very heavy stuff so it should be ok,for the price they are very good seem to be exact copy of bobyak with a 200£ difference.
Regards
 

DJH

Pedelecer
Nov 8, 2011
166
1
North Yorkshire
Just a thought..........................but if you had an 8mile journey with a 1.5 mile 15% uphill slope back from the supermarket and you had the option of two large panniers completely full or a single wheel trailer which would you use?
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,469
30,775
Just a thought..........................but if you had an 8mile journey with a 1.5 mile 15% uphill slope back from the supermarket and you had the option of two large panniers completely full or a single wheel trailer which would you use?
I'm a long term user of trailers, but given the choice, always use panniers in preference if at all possible, far less drag. I use a pair of big Dutch panniers for bulky stuff on both small and larger bikes:

 
D

Deleted member 4366

Guest
Yes, but you seem to have reservations about the quality of the fitting? Remember, I'm the fool who happily pays the pound if there's any danger the penny fix might fail!
Tom
There's nothing wrong with the fittings or clamp arrangement. It'll fit any bike with normal chainstays.
My bike Giant NRS has full suspension, so has a rear sub-frame instead, and it has a reinforcing plate right where the clamp goes that makes it a bit thick for the clamp. Even like this, it's probably still OK, but I was carrying very heavy loads so I wanted to be sure.
 
D

Deleted member 4366

Guest
I'm a long term user of trailers, but given the choice, always use panniers in preference if at all possible, far less drag. I use a pair of big Dutch panniers for bulky stuff on both small and larger bikes:

Panniers are alright up to a point. For heavy loads or big loads a trailer is better.

I would say in order of load size:
Large shoulder bag
Panniers
Single wheeled trailer
Two wheeled trailer
Car
Van
Truck