Internal Frame Enclosed Trailers	Frameless Enclosed Trailers	Solid Bed Bike Trailers
Fabric Bed Bike Trailers

Your Bicycle's Trunk - Enclosed Two-Wheel Bike Trailers

Getting Started

Like a car's trunk, enclosed bike trailers offer easy access to gear that is just as easily concealed and protected from the elements as it is from prying eyes. The enclosed cargo compartment also provides easy organization for small items that would otherwise need to be tied down or placed in a secured container. Being able to merely toss your bike gear, tent, sleeping bag, etc., into the trailer makes for easy bike touring.

Features to consider

The first thing to consider when comparing enclosed trailers is whether or not your intended cargo will fit inside. Most enclosed trailers can be used occasionally with the cover removed or open, but knowing that your load can be covered is the whole point. The covers themselves come in several flavors; some are waterproof, others water resistant. Specialty enclosed trailers have slightly different feature sets, like the Radical Designs Cyclone II, which is essentially a large duffle bag on wheels.

Because enclosed trailer typically feature a frame, to provide structure, they tend to be somewhat less collapsible than comparable flatbed-style trailers. If you are tight on storage space and need your trailer to fit into a tiny space, collapsibility is something to consider.

Some enclosed trailers have additional organizational features that enhance their versatility. The Nomad, Burley's hard-working enclosed trailer, has an optional cargo rack that mounts above the trailer frame, increasing capacity and freeing up space inside the trailer for items that may need protection by moving out items that may not. The Optima Quik-Pak also features external cords for additional storage outside the trailer compartment.

Whether your enclosed trailer is completely waterproof or not will be a major factor in how you pack it up. Generally, enclosed trailers offer some level of protection from the elements, but most are not completely waterproof. Water can eventually penetrate saturated fabric panels and seep in through seams and gaps. If you need your cargo to be completely dry, items like sleeping bags, clothes, electronics, and food should be placed in drybags or likewise protected inside the trailer.

Bring Just About Anything - Flatbed Two-Wheel Bike Trailers

Getting Started

Like a blank canvas, a flatbed is just waiting for whatever masterpiece you want to haul with it. These are the workhorses of bike trailers, with typical capacities nearing or exceeding 100 pounds. If you are looking to replace your car with something a bit more practical, this is the genre of trailer for you.

Two wheels make flatbeds very stable, essentially bearing the weight of your load almost entirely on its own. In other words, very little trailer weight is transferred to your bike, thus affecting your bike's handling less than a single-wheeled trailer, which suspends its load between your bike and the trailer's wheel.

Features to consider

Flatbed trailers are very simple, by design, but there are some crucial differences to consider when choosing between models, the most obvious being what material the load bed is made of. Most use a wooden platform, usually incorporating either rails or holes for securing your load. Others utilize a very strong, fiber-reinforced fabric base. This makes for a lighter trailer, but generally isn't as versatile as those with a solid base, because you have to be somewhat selective about the cargo you put on a fabric base. For instance, you would want to carry a metal toolbox with sharp edges on a trailer with a solid platform.

Quick-release wheels are another popular feature of flatbed trailers, often incorporating wheelchair-style, push-button hubs that greatly enhance trailer storage.

Because you generally need to secure cargo onto the flatbed's platform, how the trailer accommodates tie-downs is important. Most models incorporate holes, hooks, or rails for you to secure bungees or straps. Versatile flatbed trailers will have a platform large enough to let you tie down a storage bin, increasing your carrying capacity and protecting your cargo. The most flexible even allow you to replace the cargo platform with a bin of your choosing.

Though most flatbed trailers are two-wheeled, there are a few single-wheeled exceptions. The Weber Monoporter, for example, is a very solid, adaptable, single-wheeled trailer. Though its total capacity is less than its two-wheeled counterparts, because of the adverse effects single-wheeled trailers can have on bike handling, it is every bit as flexible, employing a proprietary clip system for attaching a dry bag, straps, or cargo rail. This multipurpose design brings flatbed flexibility to a trailer that is ready for singletrack.