robbleebob

Hey all,

To start, thanks for any advice, but I am of the camp that carbon bikes (in general) shouldn't have a problem pulling a trailer with a medium load (15 lbs). My question is specific to my Scott Addict frame as it has carbon droupouts. From what I read these days, carbon seems to be as strong as the steel that is/was used in racing bikes as the steel was quite thin for weight advantage. Regardless, is there a consensus?

If it is ridiculous to contemplate, does anyone have any advice on a seat post rack with sidewalls for panniers?

valygrl

Hey--

If the stuff you want to carry is 15 pounds, I would use a Tubus Fly rack with quickrelease adaptor - or there was another thread recently that recommended another similar rack, here's the thread: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ighlight=Tubus. You could easily carry your 15 pounds in a pair of front style light panniers - Lone Peak, Axiom, Performance Brand, REI brand, Ortlieb...

A trailer by itself is 14-15 pounds, so it just seems wasteful to use for such a light load. The rack and a light pair of panniers should come out to less than 5 pounds.

With race bike gearing, you're going to really want to watch the grams.

robbleebob

Good points. I should have mentioned that I am looking for something that I can use with my road bike as well as my mtb with disc brakes. Thanks for the links and suggestions though!!

fietsbob

"is there a consensus? ".. on this forum?

robbleebob

Haha... fair enough.

ks1g

How much volume/bulkiness as well as weight in what you plan to carry? A combination of handlebar bag, carradice (or similar)-style large bag under/behind the saddle, maybe a frame bag inside the front triangle might carry everything, provide more flexibility and weigh & cost less vs. a trailer.

If you want to go the seatpost rack approach, I have one (I think it's a Performance / Nasbar knock-off of someone else's product) but have not used it for a while. I think Topeak makes a very nice one (or side rails that mount onto their beam rack system to mount small panniers). When I did us the seat post rack, the rack had a tendency to twist just enough on the post that I worried about hitting the rear wheel. Stopped trying to solve the problem when I bought a steel frame (Bianchi Castro Valley) as a dedicated commuter/light tourer with proper rack and fender fitings. I was thinking of putting the seat post rack on my old road bike (w a aluminum seat post) to use it as a fast commuter; decided I was OK with an backpack for up to an hour and like riding my newer road bike better. Don't know if any of these seatpost racks are available in Korea. I would recommend avoiding any models with a quick-release lever/attachment for the seat post mounting, go with something that uses proper bolts (smaller & lighter at the attachment, too).

Bacciagalupe

I wouldn't use a trailer on an Addict.

While I don't believe it will explode, the simple fact is that on a high-end CF racing frame like that, the designers will stiffen only a few specific areas (e.g. BB) and strip material off of every other part possible. While the dropouts can take it, too much torque on the rear triangle and you're facing a catastrophic failure.

Also, if the trailer does screw up the frame, that's gonna be a costly repair / replacement.

I'm sure someone could make a CF frame that would be good for touring, but if so it's not going to remotely resemble the Addict.

Fortunately, for 15 lbs you don't need a trailer. A seatpost rack and a handlebar bag for good measure will do it.

I would also get the widest tires you can fit and some race-blade fenders.

GeoKrpan

Skip the trailer, do a seatpost rack.
The advantages of a seatpost rack are many.
Of course, they work with disk brakes and rear supension.
They also put the panniers higher, behind you body and legs for better aerodynamics and better ground and heel clearance. And, it should do better in a crash.

Use it with a cheap, heavy aluminum seat post, don't use a "crabon" seat post.

The one I use made by Axiom.

valygrl

I wouldn't put that seatpost rack on an addict, for the same reason Bacciagualupe doesn't like the trailer - too much triangulated stress on light carbon parts. I'd do the rack I mention - puts the bulk of the weight on the QR vertically.

robbleebob

Good advice. I understand that the addict was designed to be light and thus everything that is not crucial is stripped, so I agree that cutting down on the stress on the rear triangle is a good idea. I have a hammock, summer sleeping bag, and a change of clothes + towel and soap to bring--not much. I can use my mtb seatpost to attach a seatpost rack to, would that be too much weight in the panniers? I'm 82kg so putting another 5ish kg shouldn't be too much, should it? I think in the end, I'll probably just get a rack that attaches to the skewers though...

Too bad about the trailer. I have read about others using trailers for carbon frames over long distances, but I haven't got the $$ to test it on my bike.

Thanks for the advice so far!

GeoKrpan

The longer the seatpost the better. You're MTB seatpost will work perfectly if it's the same diameter.

Thulsadoom

Lots of people tow trailers with CF bikes.

I highly recommend the Burley trailers with the rubber hitch and frame-friendly two-wheeled stability. With a set-up like that there is very little stress on the frame at all.

I live next to the seaway trail in upstate NY (it's a popular bicycle touring route), and I've seen quite a few people touring with carbon fiber bikes towing trailers the last few years.

There's no friggin way I'd put a rack and much of a load on the back of a nice carbon bike.

valygrl

Here's a trip report on CGOAB from a woman who towed a fully loaded trailer behind her Spcialized Amira (carbon race bike of the same ilk as the Addict). She didn't report any issues.
https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?...c_id=8203&v=6c

I guess we need an engineer to chime in - I'm not one.

fietsbob

I'd say a 2 wheel trailer , those with an elastomer
connecting the trailer and the hitch on the rear axle of the bike,
will not really put a strain on the rear triangle of the bike..

but the weight being towed would still make you want a lower gear.

and I'd be thinking of the trailer pushing you down the hill,
especially when you put the brakes on.. that weight will be noticable..

It's for good reason, trailers towed by motor vehicles have their own brakes
above a relatively small size.

should your trailer want to pass you , it is not a good thing.

valygrl

Yeah I found that out the hard way, night in the hospital, blah blah blah.

Daneli

Try a Freeloader rack (NZ) . I have just bought one but yet to tour with it. The reviews look OK