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Which overall issues should I consider when choosing the best bicycle trailer for my needs?
We offer a large variety of bicycle trailers to cover a wide range of uses. Some of the most important points to consider are:
The following Q&A's are intended to answer some of these basic questions. If anything is unclear, or requires more detail, feel free to give us a call at 1+800-717-2596.
Why bike trailers?
Before the car came along, bikes were widely considered a viable form of transportation. Now, our dependence on cars for transportation has unfortunately relegated the bike to a glorified toy and refocused our bike industry almost entirely on recreation and sport. We have largely forgotten how versatile the bike can be. Bike trailers serve to reinject some utility into the realm of cycling by adapting existing bikes to enable them to carry out tasks you may not have thought possible. Substituting your car with a trailer-equipped bike for certain tasks not only gives you an opportunity to slow down a little, it allows you to combine exercise with routine and to have fun while you're at it.
Which trailers are best suited for bike touring?
Though there is much debate over touring with panniers versus trailers, there is no denying that trailers offer a greater degree of flexibility and convenience. Which trailers are best suited for touring depend on a variety of factors, an important factor being the type of terrain you will be covering. If you will be on paved or surfaced gravel roads for your entire tour, you may want to consider a two-wheeled trailer. If you will be riding on singletrack trails or rutted two-track roads, a single-wheeled trailer is a must. See the question, "One wheel or two?", below for more on the benefits and drawbacks of each.
Which trailers are best suited for utility cycling?
Utility cycling implies versatility; the need to carry a variety of loads, for a variety of tasks. Generally, two-wheeled trailers are better suited as all-arounders, largely because they are easier to load and unload. However, if you add a kickstand to the mix, some single-wheeled trailers can be just as versatile. Bear in mind, though, that the more you have to adjust and secure your load, the less convenient your tasks are. That's why enclosed trailers are favorites of the utility cycling community, because they automatically organize your cargo.
Which trailers are best suited for both?
An enclosed trailer is the easiest to transition between touring and errand running. With other trailers, you typically need to add liners, crates, or other accessories to keep your gear or groceries organized. Enclosed trailers, on the other hand, are ready to roll, whatever your needs are.
Which trailer should I use to haul:
a lawnmower?
Large, ungainly loads, such as lawnmowers and other yard/landscaping tools, generally travel best on flatbed trailers. Flatbeds have larger capacities and allow you to position and secure your load in a number of ways.
groceries?
Enclosed trailers are the perfect way to bring home the bacon.
furniture?
Flatbed trailers are the ticket. Just make sure you aren't exceeding their capacity.
a ladder?
While smaller ladders may work on flatbed trailers, you may be more interested in a longtail. See, "What is a longtail?" below for more.
Will a trailer work with my bike?
Most modern bicycles generally conform to a few industry standards, which ensure they will work with accessories such as cargo trailers. However, there are a few features that may cause issues. Most trailers attach one of two ways. The most common is by installing a hitch bracket to the left side of the rear axle, held in place by either the quick-release skewer or solid-axle nuts. Breezer-style dropouts, those dropouts with a non-flat, socket-like cowl connected to the chain- and seat stays, present a problem for some of these hitch brackets. Those manufacturers whose standard hitch brackets are incompatible with this dropout style offer alternative hitches for compatibility.
Solid, nutted axles themselves may also cause issues with some hitch brackets. Because the bracket is held in place by the axle nut, the thickness of the bracket displaces the nut, and in some cases may not allow you to sufficiently thread the nut onto the axle. Again, if this is the case, those manufacturers offer alternative hitches to correct this issue.
Newer mountain bikes may incorporate a thru axle on the rear wheel. As of right now, there is no consistent way to attach a trailer to a bike with a thru axle. Burley's Classic Hitch, which attaches to the left seat- and chainstays, will allow a solid connection to these bikes.
While disc brakes may seem like they would be an issue, they very seldom are when attached a trailer to your bike. Feel free to call us if you are concerned about your disc brakes.
Rear cargo racks also rarely present problems when attaching trailers. Most commonly, problems arise when connecting a single-wheeled trailer, because these trailers need to attach to both sides of the bike, so the trailer will rock back and forth with the bike. The front of the trailer, commonly called the trailer fork, is then allowed to pivot up and down on the bike's rear axle. A rear cargo rack may impede the upward movement of the trailer, which could cause the bike's rear wheel to lift off the ground when traveling over dips in the road or trail.
Will a trailer work with my recumbent?
Good question. Most two-wheeled recumbents are compatible with most trailers. However, because recumbent wheels are generally smaller than bicycle wheels, the trailer's hitch arm will ride lower than it normally would, and hitch arms with an upward bend in them may drag on the ground. If you are concerned about a certain recumbent/trailer combination, give us a call.
Three-wheeled, or tadpole, recumbents are more difficult. If the recumbent has two wheels in front and one in the back, the paragraph above will apply. If there are two wheels in the back, you have fewer options. Unless the trike incorporates a fork mount on the rear, for coupling with another trike, there may be no way to attach a trailer without modification.
One wheel or two?
There is much debate around this question. Single- and two-wheeled trailers have very different characteristics and handling dynamics and because of these differences, each of them excels at different tasks. Single-wheeled trailers are very maneuverable, tracking directly behind your bike's rear wheel, navigating very neatly wherever you go. If you lean into a turn, so does your trailer, and if you weave around an obstacle in traffic, your trailer follows safely behind. That's why single-wheeled is really your only option for singletrack or rutted two-track roads - the sort of terrain that would cause two-wheeled trailers a lot of trouble.
One-wheeled designs do have some limitations, however. Because cargo weight is essentially suspended between the axles of the trailer wheel and your rear wheel, much of the weight is transferred to your bike. This additional weight isn't enough to overload your bike, but it can be enough to affect its handling, which is most commonly felt as a wobbling at higher speeds, such as when descending. This characteristic is also responsible for the reduced capacity of these trailers. You don't want to overload a bike trailer, as doing so can negatively impact your bike's handling. Single-wheeled trailers also are unable to support themselves when stopped, say when you are loading or unloading the trailer, necessitating that the bike be supported when you are stopped.
Two-wheeled trailers may not be as maneuverable as a single-wheeled model, but they make up for it with their stability and capacity. Because cargo weight is largely supported on the trailer wheels, instead of being suspended between the trailer wheel and your rear wheel, there is very little weight transfer to your bike. This means you are not subject to the wobbling at speed that you may feel with a single-wheeled trailer. This stability also allows for greater weight capacities. The fact that they can stand on their own means that loading and unloading is much simpler - the bike can be laid down, stood up, or completely disconnected - it does not affect your ability to access the trailer or its contents.
What can I do with a flatbed trailer?
Flatbed trailers are extremely versatile, and you are not limited to carrying only items that fit within the enclosure of your trailer. This allows you to carry oddly-shapped items like potted plants, garbage bins, dog crates, boxes, furniture, and nearly anything else you need to haul by bike.
How much can I carry with a flatbed trailer?
A flatbed trailer is the workhorse of the bike trailer world. Flatbed trailers can carry approximately 100 pounds of weight (see specific trailer models for exact specifications). Flatbed trailers are very stable due to their two-wheel design. A trailer with two wheels holds most of the weight of the items you are carrying (as opposed to a single-wheel trailer, which transfers more weight to your bike), making it easier to pull larger, heavier loads. There are a few sturdy, versatile flatbed trailers that have a one-wheel design, such as the Weber Monoporter.
What kind of flatbed trailer should I consider?
The most important part of a flatbed trailer is the load bed, which is the flat piece of material between the wheels that holds the items you plan to carry. There are two main kinds of load beds: solid or fabric. Solid load beds, which are often made from wood, are useful for carrying items with sharp edges, but they tend to be a bit heavier than fabric load bed trailers. Fabric load bed trailers are lighter than solid load bed trailers and generally use a fiber-reinforced fabric, but nonetheless, you need to take care with sharp or oddly shaped items that might cut the fabric when using such a trailer.
How do I keep my stuff on a flatbed trailer?
Most flatbed trailers are designed with an assortment of holes, hooks, rails, and more to help you secure your load with tie-downs, bungees, and ropes. Most flatbed trailers allow you to bolt a cargo container or box onto the trailer (or even temporarily replace the load bed with cargo bin) to give you greater flexibility and carrying options.
What is an enclosed bike trailer?
An enclosed bike trailer is a trailer with a permanent compartment in which your items can stored. Enclosed bike trailers are the car trunks of the bicycle world; they keep your gear organized, safe, and out-of-sight. Enclosed bike trailers are very easy to use, as you can simply open the trailer, load or unload your gear from the container, and hit the road.
What kinds of enclosed bike trailers are available?
There are two main kinds of enclosed bike trailers: internal frame and frameless. Internal frame enclosed bike trailers typically have a frame in which your gear is stored and protected, as well as a cover, which keeps your gear clean and dry. In some cases, internal frame enclosed bike trailers can be used without their covers to carry oddly-shaped items. Frameless enclosed bike trailers allow you to pack different kinds of loads in different configurations, as the flexible nature of their design allows for more adaptability.
What kinds of enclosed bike trailer should I get?
To be frameless or not, that is the question. The answer? Well, it largely depends on what kind of gear you intend to carry with your trailer. Enclosed bike trailers are inherently limited by the size of the cargo area. With some enclosed trailers, you can remove the lid temporarily to carry large or oddly-shaped items, but one of the best features of an enclosed bike trailer is the ability to keep a lid on your stuff. If you plan to carry items that won't fit within the lidded confines of the trailer on a regular basis, you might want to consider a flatbed trailer.
Are enclosed bike trailers waterproof?
Yes and no. Check each trailer for the exact specifications, but some enclosed bike trailers are waterproof, while others are water-resistant. Most enclosed bike trailers offer protection from the elements, but for the most part, few are entirely waterproof, as water can typically penetrate seams and fabric in bad conditions. However, the general rule of thumb with enclosed bike trailers is to play-it-safe with gear that needs to be kept dry, such as clothing, sleeping bags, electronics, and food. We recommend that you keep gear that needs to be kept dry in a drybag, even with a waterproof enclosed bike trailer.
