A Few Questions About Riding With a Trailer
- Thread starter Robson3022
- Start date
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Tigerbiten
Guru
From the front wheels of my trike, I've found that unless they are miles out of line, you'll only notice it after a 1,000 miles or so due to tyre wear.
And a trailer has less weight on the wheels, so should suffer less tyre wear.
So just keep an eye on the wear patterns of the trailer tyres, that will show you if they are off line.
Lanzecki
Über Member
- Location
- A Boreen, Ireland
Wont the trailer naturally trail behind with straight wheels? Mine's never been centred, but it tracks straight.
SpareSprocket
Active Member
- Location
- Abergavenny, Wales
I've no experience of the cheap clones as I have one of the original Bob Yak trailers which is still going strong after 10 years or so of serious abuse. They are absolutely amazing - when building mountain bike trails for a living I used one to carry tools behind me (bow saws, branch loppers etc) so that any minor problems on the trails could be sorted there and then when they were being inspected.
Because they only have one wheel they pretty much follow the bike so if you can ride it, then the trailer will get through as well. When riding off-road, the extra weight that the trailer applies to the rear wheel helps with traction too, so you can climb things that you might not be able to climb when the trailer isn't connected.
Living where I do, it's used regularly to go and get the weekly shop, on a combination of canal towpaths and cyclepaths. The only downside to the Bob Yak (and this would apply if you're carrying a dog) is that the sides are very low. Unlike a child trailer where everything is enclosed, on the Bob Yak you need to use a bag to put things in. I use a waterproof duffel bag that I picked up somewhere to keep the shopping nice and dry. A couple of bungee cords clipped to the sides make sure that nothing moves around.
I wouldn't recommend a Bob Yak for carrying a dog, but for carrying pretty much anything else (apart from kids) - I've no hesitation in recommending them. I recently took three car batteries to the local scrap metal dealer on mine so they are pretty strong.
Arch
Married to Night Train
- Location
- Salford, UK
Yes, that would be my assumption.
trampyjoe
Senior Member
- Location
- South Shropshire
Compo, where did you get the new hitch? I have that exact 'big knob' style (phnarr) and don't like it - I end up checking it every few minutes when I'm riding.
+1
I've worn through my newest set in the last 2 months (mind, they were cheap off fleabay).
- Location
- Glasgow
Amazon sells it for a fiver.
mickle
innit
- Location
- 53.933606, -1.076131
Looking forward to towing my Carry Freedom with my new Brompton!
Pat, are you referring to the complete assembly, or just the bit that fastens onto the bike.?
I got mine via Amazon and was the complete kit, the hitch, the spring, the lot. It was £18 + postage.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Avenir-Trailer-Hitch-Axle-Mount/dp/B004XVONI2/ref=?ie=UTF8&m=A1HZ5FPD8FVC3N
I think there are cheaper places to get it but I haven't seen it for a fiver yet!
trampyjoe
Senior Member
- Location
- South Shropshire
Thanks to you both.
I was looking at changing my hitch for a burley one but will look into this one too.
- Location
- Glasgow
I went all through the town this morning with my trailer full of rubbish for the council refuse site. I thought I may have had problems getting in but no-one bothered me. Then I came home via Tesco and 12 litres of milk plus a few bits we needed.
One thing I really need on the bike for when towing is a prop stand. Twice the bike fell over when I was locking the trailer before going into Tesco's. As I only use the one bike for towing I can live with a stand on it.
The new hitch is superb. The trailer is hitched to the bike in seconds. The only problem I had was that the bike attachment covered the threaded hole where the pannier rack leg fastened, and to lift the leg into a higher hole meant I had to grind some of the rack leg down to stop it fouling the hitch. Anyway, all done now, just in time for a fishing trip on Sunday.
One thing I really need on the bike for when towing is a prop stand. Twice the bike fell over when I was locking the trailer before going into Tesco's. As I only use the one bike for towing I can live with a stand on it.
The new hitch is superb. The trailer is hitched to the bike in seconds. The only problem I had was that the bike attachment covered the threaded hole where the pannier rack leg fastened, and to lift the leg into a higher hole meant I had to grind some of the rack leg down to stop it fouling the hitch. Anyway, all done now, just in time for a fishing trip on Sunday.
- Location
- Glasgow
Yeah, I had thought about the bike falling over problem, so I fitted the hitch to the bike that has a stand.
Remember to park "bike out" before going for the messages, it's hard to steer bike, trailer plus shopping backwards ... as I found out
Remember to park "bike out" before going for the messages, it's hard to steer bike, trailer plus shopping backwards ... as I found out
Psycolist
NINJA BYKALIST
- Location
- North Essex
I seem to be going to buck the trend here, but we are all a sum of our experiences, and this is mine. I would never risk the life of a child in a trailer on the road. Cycle paths, tow paths, GREAT, but not on the road. Its not the act of having a child on the road, in a trailer that bothers me, its the vehicles that accompany us on those roads that make it a bad idea. If a non attentive driver happens to hit a tree, boohoo. If they try and take a bend too fast and go into a wall, re-build the wall. If they hit another vehicle, take them to court and fine them. If they kill a child, what are you gonna do. Would you ever forgive yourself for putting a child in that vulnerable position. The driver may never forget the experience and I doubt your family would ever forgive you. If your experience of towing a trailer is that vehicles give you more room, GREAT. But what about Daisy Duke who is busy putting on her lipstick while driving, or Billy Bob the trucker who is reading his newspaper while driving. Fat Larry the cabby busy putting a few extras on his meter while driving. Any one of them may simply not see you at all. Dont say it wont happen, because it does, every day, multiple times, as well as down right bad driving. As a cyclist, you have no protection, not even heavy duty clothing to absorb any impact. I have been the victim of 3 serious bike accidents in my life, none of them my fault, one of them nearly killed me. I continue to ride, because I can take the risk with my own life, but I simply dont understand how anyone can do that with a child. Dont ban trailers, I use one to take rubbish to the tip and various other utility functions, they are a great tool, but PLEASE dont put children in them on the road.
