BoB vs Burley Nomad
 

I'm fairly set on buying a BoB trailer. However, before I do I wanted input about the Nomad. I seem to remember reading someplace about durability problems, but can't pull that info up.

Advantages of each, BoB and Nomad? Disadvantages?

Those who have used these trailers what do you like and dislike?

Which trailer would you recommend?

Single wheel trailer torques the bike's rear triangle,
I found handling as a carton utility hauler it made bike feel strange,
Low and tightly packed load helps on the 1 wheel ..
sold mine..


there is a flexible elastomer between the bike and trailer with the Burly.

Look also at their Flatbed, add a dry bag Like Ortlieb's rack Pack,
and that one has versatility going for it ..

I Own a Flatbed, one made in Eugene, but the CoOp filed for bankruptcy

new owners of the brand sent the work across the Pacific, P.I.
and made the flatbed like the nomad.. 16" wheels .

I had a Yakima Big Tow (similar to BoB) and the Nomad both for a while and I much prefer the Nomad. Its a more stable platform and as a double duty trailer for around town activities, that stability makes much more sense.

The single wheel only torques the rear triangle because it mounts on a fork and both sides of the bike rather than just on the non-drive side.

The two wheel trailers are easier to move around when disconnected and probably easier to hook up to the bike. However, they have two wheels that need to be tended to...more flats. The trailer wheels are outside the wheel track of the bicycle so it's more difficult to avoid stuff that will cause flats. If you want to even think about using one for off-road touring...don't! They are wider and catch more wind.

The BoB is like handling a wheelbarrow with only one handle off the bike. They are cumbersome. The fork mount and the extra pivot make moving them around both easier (tighter turning radius) and harder (backing them up is...um...interesting). They are narrower and only have one wheel to deal with, however.

I've had both and, for cargo, I'd go with the BoB. A Burley is exceptional for carrying kids, however, if you happen to live in goathead country, they are a magnet for the devilish critters.

If you will only be using the trailer for around town like groceries and errands, the Burley might be a better choice, bu the BoB still works very well. For touring on road, or mixed conditions, the BoB is the way to go in my opinion. The single wheel allows the trailer to track very precisely behind the bike. If you need to swerve and miss something on road or trail with the bike, you don't need to worry about the trailer, if the rear wheel misses the trailer will too. The BoB handles more like an unloaded bike than the Burley. The Burley tries to drive the back of the bike a bit more than BoB. The BoB can be a little cumbersome when it is off the bike, but in real-use you will quickly get used to it, and it isn't really a problem. The BoB has less rolling resistance (one wheel vs two) and one less tire to worry about flats with. (In 5,000 miles with 50 pounds we only had 2 flats with the BoB) Also, the BoB is a little narrower overall than the Burley because it doesn't have tires stick out the side. This allows the BoB to work in more tight situations (narrow bike lanes, small shoulders, elevated footpaths etc) than the Burley. The BoB may put some torque on the rear triangle of the bike, but with a properly loaded trailer it really isn't a big deal. The one tire allows the trailer to ""lean" along with the bike. With both trailers, learning how to load them correctly (keeping the weight low) is important for long distances.

For touring, I would go with the BoB.

BOB,,,,,BOB,,,,BOB for touring, grocery, light duty stuff
You know, unless its real heavy, BOB tows the best unless you load it like real heavy,
Them others are like,, WIDE LOAD, you can't go near as fast.

Only time I will pull them others if if I need to haul something BIG.
I am a trailer nut, I like trailers,

Get the BoB I did.I use mine a lot in town too.http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=193778

I've found that the BoB actually affects handling the most when it's empty. Biking to the grocery store can be a hairy experience, but returning with a full load is no trouble at all.

Would everyone in favour of the BoB echo those sentiments for the Nashbar Cargo Trailer? I am currently debating touring with a trailer but the price of the BoB is just a bit too high for my budget right now and Nashbars version seems similair in design but at a much better price point. Sorry to hi-jack the thread but it seems like a better spot to ask then starting a new thread.

This is Nashbar's Trailer FYI.

IMHO, there is one HUGE difference between the one and two wheeled trailers. All the other considerations are relatively small.

A one wheeled trailer, especially when loaded, will greatly affect the handling of the bike. Most especially while standing.

A two wheeled trailer won't. You can stand all day and rock from side to side and the bike will handle almost as if unloaded.

If you don't stand much when you ride, then a one wheeler is a good choice. If you stand quite a bit, a two wheeled trailer is better.

THX, great input. My thinking is a trailer and bar bag should do it for the tours i have planned. Most will be short two to four day out and backs. One long tour of about a month is also in the works. Normal touring gear, clothes, tent, sleeping bag etc. No special needs. Most of the rides will be on the eastern coastal plain, IOW, flat!!!!! The long tour is down the east coast. And, when i say coast, I mean as close to the Atlantic as i can ride. My thinking is that I can keep the stock gearing on the 520 for now.

If anyone has more to add, keep'em coming. Again, thx for the well thought out and informed responses. Exactly what I was looking for.

After trying to pull a two-wheeled trailer in snow (hard!) I'd vote for BOB. If your trip takes you anywhere off-road a single-wheeled trailer will be much easier to pull. Not to mention narrow trails. Although, yeah a two-wheeled trailer is more stable when heavy. You can stop and not worry about the trailer pulling your bike sideways. For an all-road trip I'd take a two wheeler though.

I've read lost of negative reviews of the Nashbar trailer. It's weaker and Nashbar seems to have bad batches with bad welds. BOB quality control seems to be better.

Having had both... I would own the Burley if I could only pick one. I'm not a trailer fan but preferred the Nomad for everything. Beside the added space drivers seem to give you(think you are pulling a kid). If I was doing single track or really crappy roads then maybe I'd say BOB. That has never really been my case. YMMV.

Hmmmm... two deciding factors: How much weight do you plan on carrying, and are you running front panniers?

If the answers are "quite a bit" and "yes" I would go with the Nomad. It will carry more weight and compromise the handling of the bike less than a BOB. The front panniers also combine with the tongue weight of the trailer and the rider weight such that (if you do it right) you wind up with about a 50/50 weight distribution over the wheels. The Nomad is a solid choice, nigh indestructible, and will carry just about anything, especially with the optional cargo rack.

Otherwise it is personal preference. I never liked the "tippyness" of the BOB, and never liked the added resistance of the Nomad. As was mentioned, drivers will give the Nomad more room when passing, especially if you do something creative with your flags.

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/pics/...h_bike.jpg?v=0

One more thing to consider: if you get the Nomad, you will be tempted to bring WAY more stuff than you need. Ours is retired to grocery duties, and we can get 12 bags worth of groceries in there. I think it is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside. ;)

OK, lots to consider here. My normal Jersey to FLorida transport is a Class A motorhome, so packing too much is a bad habit. There is always room in Homer for whatever we want to bring along. Originally, i was going with front panniers and a trailer. But I'm trying to get that down to a bar bag and trailer. Truth is, i won't know until i start running my short trips this spring.

I'll see if i can borrow someone's Burley kid trailer and see how it trails.

Burley users, any durability issues?

Also, with the BoB, the bag issue is settled as I can get the bag made for the trailer. I already know that the Nomad is not water proof. So, how to go there-Dry bags?

No, the nomad is not waterproof... but with a coating of marine resin on the bottom side and a good treatment with camp-dry on the top, you won't discover that unless you ride through a lake. One issue with waterproof bags on the BOB is in continuous wet weather, you can get some settled water on the bag near the opening. It gets in unless you are careful to dry the exterior before you open it.

It is still a good idea to keep items which MUST stay dry in actual dry-sacks regardless of how "waterproof" your trailer is. I like the OR and Seal Line bags both for different reasons.

Absolutely no issues with durability on the Nomad. Loctite 242 is your friend during assembly.

The nomad does not track the same way as a kid trailer. The track is narrower, and it is much easier to pull. BOB might as well be an extension of the bike, and is even easier to pull... depending on your BB height and how symmetrically you can load it, there might be a little side-to-side wobble to get used to. No big deal.

The BoB dry sack is actually pretty darn waterproof as long as you roll it over and close it correctly like a dry bag. We rode through two straight weeks of rain in the Pacific North West without much, if any, water leaking in. I agree with sunset though, if something must stay dry, pack it in another dry bag like a seal line bag or some other lightweight dry sack. For tents, cooking stuff, stove, bike stuff etc. a little damp won't really make much of a difference. We had a bigger problem with things getting wet by packing wet gear in the bag and it soaking things around it. It happens! One other cool thing about the BoB. It might not look very pleasing to the eye, but a normal sized Rubbermaid tote fits extremely well in the trailer bed. I haven't used one for touring, but I have considered it.

okay any got any photos on how to load you bob correctly,
is there a system in getting it right, thanks.