Touring - Anyone used a childs trailer to haul cargo?

I am curious about this. I have seen a couple people come through town on tours using childs trailers as cargo trailers. I know that a cargo trailer is lighter than a child trailer. Other than that, what are your opinions - geek factor aside? I want a trailer but I also want to be able to take my dogs to the vet if needed. I don't want 2 trailers when one will work. It isn't like I'm touring across the US. Most of my 'tours' are 2 or 3 days out and back, but I do camp instead of hotel/motel. I use panniers but I have a seatpost rack, so my load is limited. The extra weight of a childs trailer isn't a big issue with me.

I'm also frugal to a point.

we had a winchester trailer that we not only pulled our son (and usually a friend) in till he was 8, but We also used to get our weekly groceries with it also. I never pulled it on a tour but it handled 70-80 lbs of squirming children without much fuss. With trailer on the back of the tandem we were quite a spectacle
http://store1.yimg.com/I/sportsbay_1850_1145096.jpg

I've used a two seater Burly. Works quite well, the cloth seats are eazily removed. Just left the top off for less wind resistance. Am concidering the thought of narrowing it to fit through doorways as my kiddos are now teens. Have even "towed" another bike (no rider)by placing the front wheel in the trailer & strapping the handle bars to the upright side rails! Talk about being a spectacle!!!!!!!

Don't have one, but I've seen them used that way many times.
A couple of weeks ago I saw someone carrying a Golden Retriever in one.

I haul my 35 pound dog in one.

Here's my 50lb training ballast for my upcoming tour. The Burley Solo is great! It folds easily, fits through doorways, and is of excellent quality. Highly recommended!

I carry my 100 pound plus bloodhound in my Nashbar child carrier. I did put a piece of plywood under the floor but over the frame. Also upgraded the bearings for 6.00 each locally. I plan on some small tours with him along.

Envision this if you can: Take two golf clubs and wire them securely along the top tube of your bike, with the club ends protruding behind the seat and over the wheel. Bind the two club ends together with duct tape. Then, take a moving dolly, the kind with one handle sticking out behind, and secure a thirty-gallon plastic garbage can to it with some combination of wire, duct tape, bolts, or whatever. Tip the handle into the space between the handles of the two golf clubs and secure with more wire and more duct tape. Result: Instant cargo trailer.

I just saw this get-up hooked to an old bike parked outside the grocery store and did a double-take. I don't think you'd want to take it touring, but it looked well-used and probably does fine for whatever the owner uses it for. You have to give the person major points for inventiveness and making-do.

Envision this if you can: Take two golf clubs and wire them securely along the top tube of your bike, with the club ends protruding behind the seat and over the wheel. Bind the two club ends together with duct tape. Then, take a moving dolly, the kind with one handle sticking out behind, and secure a thirty-gallon plastic garbage can to it with some combination of wire, duct tape, bolts, or whatever. Tip the handle into the space between the handles of the two golf clubs and secure with more wire and more duct tape. Result: Instant cargo trailer.

I just saw this get-up hooked to an old bike parked outside the grocery store and did a double-take. I don't think you'd want to take it touring, but it looked well-used and probably does fine for whatever the owner uses it for. You have to give the person major points for inventiveness and making-do.
It would be awesome to do that to a Litespeed. :eek:

I've thought about using one of those on my next bike tour rather than bungee cording my stuff to a rack. The minus side is that they look wide and in my state of South Carolina, paved shoulders are very rare and it would put me further out in the road then I feel comfortable with. But I like the idea a lot.

more thinking....

Since I stealth camp, I would think pushing a bike and a trailer into the woods or up a a hill to camp would be a major pain in the ####. It would probably tempt me into taking more gear than I need.

But I still like the idea to a point.

I might flirt around with one for a local trip and see how it works out. They aren't that expensive and if it doesn't work out, I'll return it to x-mart for a refund.

Cheers,
http://poorguyonabike.crazyguyonabike.com

Sorry to post again but I remember seeing this picture from crazyguyonabike.com about a homeless man who goes around America using a child trailer.

The pic and story is here
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/journal/page/?o=as&page_id=20064&v=af

Cheers,