question regarding wheels on bike trailers

[bsstockwell]

I recently purchased a bike to get some exercise, and I also plan to take my 2 year old son with me on rides. My preference is a child seat, but I know it's not the safest way to carry a child. Also, I'm not certain a child seat is compatible with my Electra Townie (I have another post regarding this). Anyways, I am also looking into bike trailers. The question I have is regarding wheel types...aluminum or composite. I have noticed several used Burleys for sale with composite wheels. How does this affect the ride? Are aluminum wheels a much better ride or is the difference negligible?

[Michel Gagnon]

I don't think it makes any real difference. Plastic wheels are slightly lighter, but again, you're not counting grammes. That being said, there are a few practical differences and similarities:

– Most plastic wheels I have seen use a set of cartridge bearings that could be replaced if necessary. That's the same with two aluminium wheels I've seen. Judging by how easily one can spin the wheels, you can get equally good or equally bad bearings with either style of wheels.

– Weight capacity of plastic wheels is much lower... but you don't need it since you'll have about 50-80 lb per wheel maximum (in theory 50). Compare that to the rear bicycle wheel which carries 100-200 lb and support driving forces.

– If badly built, aluminium trailer wheels may need to be trued. When I came back from a 1200 km trip in the Maritimes with tandem + trailercycle + cargo trailer, the only wheels that needed truing were those of the trailer.

– In a serious bump, a plastic wheel might break. But I have yet to see it, even at -25 C.

– Plastic rims don't have hooks, so you can't push tire pressure above 30-40 psi. Well, since you don't carry any significant weight on each wheel, you shouldn't have high pressure anyway.

[StokerPoker]

composite wheels will take quite a bit of abuse. Back in my BMX days they were the only wheels I didn't destroy. I was always on the heavy side and did a lot of stupid things and never damaged one. I bent cranks and cracked frames on jumps but didn't have a problem with the wheels. I currently have a home made trailer that uses an axel and composite wheels from a broken cheapo trailer. I had my Fiancee ride in it to test it and I didn't have problems. I have since carried quite a bit with it.
michael made a good point about the composite rims not being hooked, but if the tires are properly inflated and the trailer is not extremely overloaded it should not be a problem. if the beads of the tires aren't worn out they won't give you problems

[slagjumper]

Not all plastic wheels are created the same. If they are original to the Burley I'd say that they are ok. I have found that some cheaper trailers use cheapo wheels and you can not even fill the tires up to 30 psi with out them peeling of the rims. Good wheels of either type are more than strong enough for a trailer that is not likely to be used to carry more than 70 pounds. Go with the lighter wheels.

[Phantoj]

– Plastic rims don't have hooks, so you can't push tire pressure above 30-40 psi. Well, since you don't carry any significant weight on each wheel, you shouldn't have high pressure anyway.

30 psi is what I run in my (alloy rim) Burley. It would be cruel to the tot to run any higher!

[PaulH]

During the summer, we rent trailers and bikes to get around Ocracoke Island, NC. The trailers there all have plastic wheels. One of them came apart on me there. Now, these are rentals, and receive the hardest possible use -- bumps, hot sun, sand, salt, even a yearly hurricane. Even so, I would have to conclude that they are more fragile than aluminum ones.

Paul

[DieselDan]

Alright you've flushed me out. The answer is NOT a cut and dry, plastic or aluminum wheel. The answer is more the quality of the wheelset themselves. I have used composite wheels with hooked rims that were good, and traditional spoked wheels with aluminum hook rims that were crap. Then there is tire quality to consider and installation of said tire. You're high end trailers will obviously have the better wheels and tires.