No one ever said a thing about it. I was a bit surprised at first as well but I just kept doing it. I probably wouldn't take the bike into a small store because they are smaller but at Helmart they drive forklifts down the aisles, what harm can a bicycle do?

This may be the German trailer that Pete was referring to...

Monoporter | Weber Products

Made of aluminum but at 5.75kg about the same weight of a BOB. It reduces to a more packable size and looks a lot sleeker. I'm sure the quality will be reflected in it's price.

4.5 pounds? these guys say 2.8 for the dry sak
https://www.biketrailershop.com/bob-...ak-p-1297.html

regardless, you don't "need" to use it. my bob came with a water-resistant canvas bag,
don't recall the weight, but would be surprised if more than a pound. not waterproof,
but as water-resistant as most panniers. i just bought a roll of waterproof material
to make rain covers for my panniers and for the bob bag. that cover was all of an
ounce or so.

if you want to compare weights using the dry sack, you'd want to compare that to
the weight (and cost) of front+rear racks and those famous german waterproof bags.

A couple of times at local supermarket I've seen guys wheel nice racing/fitness bikes inside & leave them unlocked near the entrance, but never loaded touring bikes. OTOH some of the more rural supermarkets have wider aisles & the locals might simply be bemused by the sight of bike tourist stocking up. Would be nice if they'd let one ride thru the store. Carrefour (French WalMart-style "hyper-market" chain) once opened a store a few miles away--the place was so big the staff skated around on RollerBlades.

Back to trailers: with an S & S coupled touring bike it can be challenging to get bike itself packed in & racks have to be toted in other luggage so that way a trailer might be more convenient. Otherwise though trailer could be a pain from Cyccommute's note about handling problem to stairs/elevators etc. In Europe some hotel elevators are so small they would barely fit a rider w/touring bike & a trailer would need to be removed & taken up separately I think.

Yes, and together with BoB trailer weighs 18 lbs. I owned and weighed them. Weigh one yourself if you doubt the information.

I wonder why you would question this data. A pair of Ortlieb BRC panniers hold 2441 c.i. and weigh 4.2 lbs. Is it so hard to believe the YakSak, made of basically the same material as Ortlieb BRC, and rated at larger 5,600 c.i. volume (another exaggeration by BoB, closer to 4,000 c.i. with a single folding closure) weighs ~4.5 lbs?

Most would disagree with your view that the Yaksak is unnecessary. In USA Bob Yak trailers are sold with sack included - so there's no reason to make your own sack. Most folks like their gear in a tough waterproof bag, which is a big selling point of the BoB Yak (and Ortlieb BRC).

I have made extensive comparisons of weights/capacities of Bob/Burley/Ortlieb and posted in this forum on several occasions. Google if you care to learn more.

why? (nothing personal) cause it seemed rather on the heavy side. so i questioned it,
and one seller's website said 2.8 pounds. i wonder why would you question this data.

Dimensions (flat): 32 x 14 in / 81.3 x 35.6 cm
Dimensions (stuffed): 32 x 14 x 22 in / 81.3 x 35.6 x 55.9 cm
Weight: 2.8 lbs / 1.2 kg
Volume: 5600 cu in / 91.8 l
Material: Waterproof, PVC coated nylon

i no longer have my bob. when purchased in the usa, it came with a black canvas-y
water-resistant (dual?) top-zipper cargo bag. nowhere near 4-1/2 pounds. i'd guess
about a pound.

i did not buy the optional drybag. used the one that came with the trailer. it was
as water-resistant as most panniers. not waterproof for everyone, given the number
of people who buy ortliebs and clones.

as with my panniers, i made a rain cover for the black cargo bag out of lightweight
waterproof material. same stuff store-bought raincovers are made with. dragged that
sucker 20,000 km (18 months) in australia and new zealand. sold it at end of
trip to save trouble of flying back with it. bought a second one a couple years
later (same black cargo bag) for trans-usa plus some shorter tours. was happy
enough without the full-on waterproof bag.

I would expect just the opposite. I have rolled my bike into a few walmarts and grocery stores and never had a problem. I never tried rolling my bike into a little mom and pop store, but wouldn't expect to be well received. Most are are pretty cramped and they are more likely to have someone there who cares enough to say something.

It was 2007 when I saw it, and then only for a few minutes, so my memory is sketchy on the details, but yes I think that may be it.

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The packability could be handy but weight would be my biggest issue since I try to avoid flying (10 years so far) and really I just don't like schelping a lot of totally unneeded weight (though I like loaded touring). Plus it does have a weird righty fork (if it were soviet Russia I might understand but everyone else that is cannondale does lefty) and replacement would be hard.

Custom would probably be the best way to go. I would love to see a trailer with Reyonlds 853 badges on it that weighs half of the BoB/Monoporter but is till plenty practical like both of them. Maybe even have a S&S version for travel. And since we are dreaming here make it lugged ; )