trailers or panniers

[Joe]

How many members use trailers rather than panniers?
On longer runs it would seem a good place for a spare battery.

One cheap trailer is the raleigh mule. Anybody have experience of this trailer?

 

[cliff]

I've long been a fan of trailers and have just treated myself to a Carry Freedom Large Y Frame trailer (£170 was the cheapest I could find from activesports). They say it will take a ridiculous 90k and it seems to have an excellent reputation, and it takes up very little space with the wheels removed, which is done at the touch of a button. Best of all, it's ideal for the the amateur bodger to use as a base for a custom superstructure without serious risk of wrecking the whole thing. Mine will have wooden sides which fold down to allow larger items to be strapped on top.
It was tempting to try to build one myself, but I couldn't find the wheelchair type wheels at a sensible price. I tried mugging a small child in a wheelchair, but she beat me up
Mind, I'll have panniers as well.

 

[Ian]

In the area in which I live there are numerous cycle paths with obstructions to prevent their use by motorcycles and other vehicles. Most of these obsructions take the form of width or legnth limits which would neccesitate unhitching and lifting a trailer, something the local authority seems not to have considered. Likewise with tandems on the legnth limits, although I daresay 2 riders could lift a tandem over the fence.

 

[Joe]

good point ian i had not considered that. i suppose there is also an extra security hassle at destination but then again the trailer would cope with the weight of multiple locks to secure bike and trailer.

 

[Footie]

I use panniers but I have been thinking about a trailer for sometime.
I find my panniers cause my mudguard to rub when full (heavy weight) - makes me sound like a traction engine
Trailers have such a varied use - mined you, would have to go some to match flecc's usage
Personaly, I would really like a powered trailer, as I have a golf course about 4 miles away and if I can figure some way to carry my clubs I would be there like a shot - or is that four
I am in the middle of replacing my SLA batteries at the moment.
Once that's all up and running going to turn my attention back to the powered trailer idea.

http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/charging-post/1462-electric-push-trailer.html

I took a likeing to this trailer, but the price has now gone back up - it was £70.

Amazon.co.uk: Raleigh Utility Trailer: Sports & Leisure
.

 

[Joe]

yes that amazon link is the one. if i remember rightly the mule has a clamp on hitch (on to the frame of the bike) as opposed to a hitch arrangement at the axle. the only trailers i see around here are the children carrying kind.