Utility Cycling - which trailer?

so i really want a trailer, and right now im stuck between the burley nomad, or the BOB yak.

im a college student who is gonna be lugging around bikes, books, food, beer, groceries, you name it. im leaning toward the yak because it is more trail friendly, and i can take it to the mountains for trail maintenence, but im worried about the one wheel stability issue.

i really like the nomad, and i like how i can add the cargo rack up top.

any opinions?

I ordered the Nomad 6 weeks ago, and im still waiting. Burley is really slow this summer.

Seems like lots of car free people use the 1-wheeled trailers. Seems that would be more efficient than the 2 wheeled kid hauler ones. Maybe a narrower profile on the road too.

I have the Burley Solo.
http://www.burley.com/products/trailers/defaultc706.html?p=Solo&i=1
Burley Flatbed
http://www.burley.com/products/trailers/default5891.html?p=Flatbed&i=7
and Wike Woody Wagon
http://www.wicycle.com/kit.htm

The Flatbed sees, by far, the most use and works well with any of my bikes.
The Solo tows as easily as the Flatbed and I imagine the Nomad would be much the same. I use it when hauling the youngest or if I have a load I want to be covered. I really like these trailers and use the Flatbed almost daily when working as a private contractor.
The Woody Wagon with a canoe and gear on it make for a looong and heeeaavy trailer. That, and because of the receiver hitch that bolts to the seatpost, I only use this trailer with my Townie3, my most inherently stable bike.

All of these are two wheeled trailers and width is a problem, but only when I strike off into the boonies where there's no road and sometimes not even a trail.

The BOB trailers, I don't have any experience with.

I always though this one was unique (http://www.extrawheel.com/index_en.php), if only for the fact that it's a perfect match up for use while traversing the Canning Stock Route (http://www.wildworks.co.nz/csr/home.php)on a Surly Pugsley.

If only I had the money......the inclination.....the motivation

Go with the Nomad. The two wheel offer better stability for utility riding (carrying beer) - for everyday convienence and stability. The single-wheels are better for touring/rough stuff, so I guess weigh which you will do more and buy the most utilitarian option.

I found a great old kids trailer on Craigslist. I might take the nylon roof off, but otherwise it was $50 and ready to use.

+1 for the flatbed. I've hauled god only knows what on mine, regularly get groceries, dog food, firewood, etc. I'm on a small farm and the flatbed has been fine running across fields and dirt roads.

--A

I would go with the flatbed. Not having that covering (nomad) will makes it a lot more versatile. It has eliminated 99% of the trips I used to use my car for and the flatbed has paid for itself in about 1 1/2 years.

flatbed rules!!!

Just grab you a 10 dollar 35 gallon rubbermaid style container at walmart or whereever and you are good to go.

Do you know anyone who has a BOB? It seems like people don't know if they like one wheel trailers versus 2 until they try them out. I found I prefer 2 wheels and will go with the Burley Flatbed as my first trailer. I am told their hitch style is very good for beginning bike trailer pullers.

Also, you are a college student, right? Do you think a one wheel trailer would be challenging to balance and pull if you are sleep-deprived and highly stressed-out?

trailer?? What about an Xtracycle?? What about an SUB pulling a Burly??? hmmm...

I have pulled both and they both have their pros and cons. And not really very strong either way. The single wheel trailer is typically a bit narrower than the double wheel, so is less intrusive in a tight fit situation like single track or heavy traffic. It only has one wheel so less rolling resistance, and tracks directly behind the bike wheels. The double wheel trailers are a bit more stable, can carry bulkier loads. But require added attention to keep from dropping a wheel off the edge of the road and hitting objects like curbs and road kill. They also require you to stay even further out in the lane of traffic. I have actually been pulled over for towing a trailer in city traffic...

Aaron:)

I have pulled both and they both have their pros and cons. And not really very strong either way. The single wheel trailer is typically a bit narrower than the double wheel, so is less intrusive in a tight fit situation like single track or heavy traffic. It only has one wheel so less rolling resistance, and tracks directly behind the bike wheels. The double wheel trailers are a bit more stable, can carry bulkier loads. But require added attention to keep from dropping a wheel off the edge of the road and hitting objects like curbs and road kill. They also require you to stay even further out in the lane of traffic. I have actually been pulled over for towing a trailer in city traffic...

Aaron:)

Pulled over? For what? That cop would've gotten an earful from me.

I've never had any problems towing my Flatbed aside from thinking I missed a pothole then hearing the trailer bouncing around. Whoops. It only becomes really noticeable at quite heavy loads (50+ lbs.) at which point you can feel a constant tug on the bike with every pedal stroke. At a more reasonable load, it just like climbing a constant hill. I ride out in traffic all the time so the extra width just makes me more visible, and motorists prove this by giving me more room.

www.carryfreedom.com

checkout the following thread...
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=203644&page=3
posting #58

A very sturdy frame that allows you to attach homebuilt platforms to it or anything else your imagination can think up of (oh....and a myriad of boxes)

I ride out in traffic all the time {w/flatbed} so the extra width just makes me more visible, and motorists prove this by giving me more room.

The only problem I have with mine in traffic is there is a certain percent of the drivers, who are so wigged out by a bicycle pulling a trailer, that they pop a fuse and forget how to pass. Every now and then I find myself pulling over to let some confused driver pass before they start stacking up traffic.

--A

Pulled over? For what? That cop would've gotten an earful from me.


Never really figured it out, he seemed to think I should be on the sidewalk, and I kindly pointed out that it was illegal by city code. Then he mentioned something about obstructing traffic? At 0700 on a Sunday on a multilane road? I mentioned that I wanted his name and badge number (already had the unit number) and his supervisor's name and phone number. Suddenly it didn't seem so important to him. I wont normally give an officer an earful, it has a tendency to cause instant trouble. They have to be on the edge and too many druggies, and gang bangers give them grief. If I had gotten a ticket I would have gone thru channels and toasted his sorry butt for ingnorance of the law.

Aaron:)

I know Burley is behind on building bikes...I assume the trailers are a bit behind as well. You might check out Action Bent...they have a knock off trailer like the BOB and a two wheeler...don't have any experience with their products.

I have always liked the Nomad when I was looking into a trailer while planning a cross country tour...that top rack just screams for fishing poles.....:D

You can leave the sides off the Nomad. Or the top. When our folding bike arrived at our LBS, I towed the Nomad over, took it's top off loaded the Dahon into the Nomad, strapped it down, and pulled it home.

I *think* you should be able to rig up a deal to use the Nomad as a shopping cart. This seems like a slightly harder thing to do with the BoB. The Nomad's a little narrower than a flatbed, and (again) I think it goes through doorways. Don't recall though.

Never really figured it out, he seemed to think I should be on the sidewalk, and I kindly pointed out that it was illegal by city code. Then he mentioned something about obstructing traffic? At 0700 on a Sunday on a multilane road? I mentioned that I wanted his name and badge number (already had the unit number) and his supervisor's name and phone number. Suddenly it didn't seem so important to him. I wont normally give an officer an earful, it has a tendency to cause instant trouble. They have to be on the edge and too many druggies, and gang bangers give them grief. If I had gotten a ticket I would have gone thru channels and toasted his sorry butt for ingnorance of the law.

Aaron:)

Ok, I thought you actually received a ticket for something like "impeding traffic." Funny that I had a similar experience (not towing a trailer though) on a ride with my dad (on Father's Day no less) where a cop pulled us over to order us onto the shoulder. This was at 6:30am on a Sunday with no traffic in either direction on a 2 lane each way road. I could have been nicer to him (he got an earful) but he had me pretty fired up after he pulled up behind us and started honking his horn for a while. I didn't move until he turned on the lights and by that time I was ready :)

I know Burley is behind on building bikes...I assume the trailers are a bit behind as well.

Ive now been waiting 6 weeks and 3 days for my Nomad I ordered. Still no word on when its coming. Arg!

I have a Burley Solo, which I use to pull my 2-year-old around in. I used it everyday, year round, 5-7 days a week for more than a year and a half now. Its been in just about every kind of terrain imaginable for thousands of miles, and even though I can't help you with the Nomad, I can tell you that Burley makes solid and reliable trailers. Mine is filthy, scuffed, and totally beat up, but it is as rigid, quiet, and smooth as the day I bought it.

Found a new trailer (http://www.tonystrailers.com/) website:p some of these are prety sharp.

Aaron:)