Originally Posted by
tom cotter
One random thought - I have to laugh at the comments about trailers being a pain in the ass to deal with. Dragging them up stairs, over barriers, shipping them etc. Cut me a break! Relative to other forms of touring Bicycle touring in itself is a pain in the butt!!! You ride a bike ladened with 30 to 40 pounds of gear through all sorts of weather up and down steep hills and mountains - you have to carefully pack everything you carry. You are grimy hungry and tired. After 6, 8, 10 hours of immence physical output, you need to put together a tent, and prepare an eatable meal. Then you get to sleep in a cold wet tent. Yet, dealing with a trailer is too much trouble? Seriously?
When I'm on the road, the choice between panniers or a trailer is a matter of personal preference. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages and there is no one right answer. For a trip which begins and ends from my home, either method will work well. Either method will give me a good touring experience. I have enjoyed touring with a trailer and I have also enjoyed touring with panniers.
The only drawback I have found to using the trailer is when I need to use other methods of transportation, especially when flying. If I could get the trailer to fit in the same box as the bike, it would not be a problem. However, when I tried to pack a Burley Flatbed trailer into a bike box, I was unable to make it fit. The bike box would have to be extended and it would no longer meet the airline's size limit. Packing the trailer separately would have meant paying two bike shipping fees, not just one. This is not necessarily a deal breaker, but it was enough to make the panniers a lot more attractive.