Any experience with the following bikes?

Jeff said:

Howdy.

I'm hoping / intending to buy a new commuter bike in the next couple of
months. I want a bike that is:
- comfortable
- comes with racks and fenders
- is intended for commuting

Racks and fenders are dead easy to bolt on in seconds, so don't let
that be a barrier. For serious commuting I'd say a bike with a gearhub
would be something that might be something that would make a bike more
"commutable"--though cheep and cheerful Shimano derailleurs shift just
fine as well.

Quoted message said:

Three bikes that have caught my attention (because they are - probably -
available locally) are the:
- Kona Ute
- Giant Tran Send
- Giant Tran Sport

All three are fine bikes, with average spec components. Ride them and
see which one ya like the best. For my buck, I'd probably get the Kona
Ute--simply because it's a little goofy. The Giants are fine as well.
Any difference in quality will be due to the schmo assembling the
thing rather than the branding.

Ya might want to also look at folding bikes. They give you the ability
to combine cycling with public transport, and greatly reduce the risk
of theft, as you can take them with you nearly everywhere.

On Mon, 31 Dec 2007 23:04:18 -0600, Jeff <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Howdy.

I'm hoping / intending to buy a new commuter bike in the next couple of
months. I want a bike that is:
- comfortable
- comes with racks and fenders
- is intended for commuting

Three bikes that have caught my attention (because they are - probably -
available locally) are the:
- Kona Ute
- Giant Tran Send
- Giant Tran Sport

If anyone out there has actual experience with any of these bikes, or
cares to recommend another bike, I'd love to hear about it. I'm hoping
to keep it under $1000 Canadian (that's taxes, lights, panniers, but not
clothes).

The 2008 Kona Smoke 2-9 comes with fenders for $369. The Giant
Transport LX doesn't though it does have racks and other nice
features. Its MSRP is $549. Consider the Kona Dew line too.

The Ute is like commuting with a station wagon. Lots of time the back
will be empty and you're just burning more gas moving it. But when
you want to eliminate car trips or maybe combines some shopping with
your commute, a longtail is an ideal solution for both. I have a
feeling the Ute will be in short supply. At $899, it doesn't leave
much of your budget for lights or getting it dialled in with saddle
and handlebar changes. It comes with one set of panniers.

One drawback of a longtail bike is that they don't fit on bus mounted
bike racks. If your commuting route could more handily become
multi-modal it's something to consider.

Quoted message said:

My goal for the year is to cycle (or walk) when practical and see what
that does to my total driving distance. The distance I expect to drive,
absent a proper commuting bike (no racks or panniers) would be about
5600 KM. With a proper commuting bike, theoretically, I could cut that
down to about 1700 KM. Since I have no intention of riding a bike when
the roads are unplowed or the temperature is -30C, theory will remain
just that. But it will be interesting to see what I can reasonably cut out.

Depending on your winter I'm guessing 190 bike commuting days to
cover 3900KM = 20.5 per day. That averages about thirty five minutes
each way including locking up. Any bike is capable of that.

All I can suggest is look around and ride lots of bikes before you
buy one. You might find one that feels "right" Almost any bike that
makes a suitable commuter can be fitted with fenders, a rack,
kickstand and lights by the dealer often as part of a "package deal".
See if you can get a saddle\stem\handlebar swap arrangement too. Your
fit and comfort is important. A bike that is uncomfortable to ride
even 12KM just becomes another excuse to take the car.

Avoid bikes with cheap suspension and cheaper disc brakes. Check for
heel clearance with panniers. Find a shop you trust and that takes
the time to properly prepare a new bicycle.

A commuter bike must be reliable for one to not become the laughing
stock of their work place. Invest in tires. Lubricate. Replace chains
regularly. Keep spokes tight. Remove accumulated road [censored] often.

As landotter mentioned, an internally geared hub is easier to
maintain and probably provides a wide enough range of gears for a
commuter.
--
zk

In article <[email hidden]>,

Zoot Katz said:

Avoid bikes with cheap suspension and cheaper disc brakes. Check for
heel clearance with panniers. Find a shop you trust and that takes
the time to properly prepare a new bicycle.

A lot of "affordable" bikes come with really bad chainsets
that Shimano unabashedly lends their name to.
If it's painted black and consists of rings that are
riveted rather than screwed together, insist on
something better. Otherwise you'll chew those chainrings
out in a matter of a couple of months of regular daily use.

And whatever clamps your seatpost should be below or even
with the top tube; not above it, such as with the Norco
Mountaineer frame I killed a couple of years ago.

cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

Zoot Katz said:

On Mon, 31 Dec 2007 23:04:18 -0600, Jeff <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Howdy.

Quoted message said:

I'm hoping / intending to buy a new commuter bike in the next couple of
months. I want a bike that is:
- comfortable
- comes with racks and fenders
- is intended for commuting

Quoted message said:

Three bikes that have caught my attention (because they are - probably -
available locally) are the:
- Kona Ute
- Giant Tran Send
- Giant Tran Sport

Quoted message said:

If anyone out there has actual experience with any of these bikes, or
cares to recommend another bike, I'd love to hear about it. I'm hoping
to keep it under $1000 Canadian (that's taxes, lights, panniers, but not
clothes).

The 2008 Kona Smoke 2-9 comes with fenders for $369. The Giant
Transport LX doesn't though it does have racks and other nice
features. Its MSRP is $549. Consider the Kona Dew line too.

The Smoke is indeed a great value, with lower end but fully functional
Shimano kit. Unfortunately it's not available in the US according to
the web site.

I've got the basic Dew and it's just fine for urban tootlin, though
there are far better bikes for the buck. My Dew needed serious
attention to the wheels before it became a contendah. With fenders,
racks, and a kickstand, it's a fabulous utility ride--but not that
great out of the box.

I'd have got a Jamis Commuter if there had been a dealer in town:

http://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/bikes/08_bikes/08commuter1.html

Zoot Katz said:

On Mon, 31 Dec 2007 23:04:18 -0600, Jeff <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Howdy.

Quoted message said:

I'm hoping / intending to buy a new commuter bike in the next couple of
months. I want a bike that is:
- comfortable
- comes with racks and fenders
- is intended for commuting

Quoted message said:

Three bikes that have caught my attention (because they are - probably -
available locally) are the:
- Kona Ute
- Giant Tran Send
- Giant Tran Sport

Quoted message said:

If anyone out there has actual experience with any of these bikes, or
cares to recommend another bike, I'd love to hear about it. I'm hoping
to keep it under $1000 Canadian (that's taxes, lights, panniers, but not
clothes).

The 2008 Kona Smoke 2-9 comes with fenders for $369. The Giant
Transport LX doesn't though it does have racks and other nice
features. Its MSRP is $549. Consider the Kona Dew line too.

The Smoke is indeed a great value, with lower end but fully functional
Shimano kit. Unfortunately it's not available in the US according to
the web site.

I've got the basic Dew and it's just fine for urban tootlin, though
there are far better bikes for the buck. My Dew needed serious
attention to the wheels before it became a contendah. With fenders,
racks, and a kickstand, it's a fabulous utility ride--but not that
great out of the box.

I'd have got a Jamis Commuter if there had been a dealer in town:

http://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/bikes/08_bikes/08commuter1.html

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] (Tom Keats)

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Zoot Katz said:

Avoid bikes with cheap suspension and cheaper disc brakes. Check for
heel clearance with panniers. Find a shop you trust and that takes
the time to properly prepare a new bicycle.

A lot of "affordable" bikes come with really bad chainsets
that Shimano unabashedly lends their name to.
If it's painted black and consists of rings that are
riveted rather than screwed together, insist on
something better. Otherwise you'll chew those chainrings
out in a matter of a couple of months of regular daily use.

O RLY? Those cheapo chainrings are usually steel, which is heavy,
boring, and nigh-unto indestructible in chainring applications.

Bolted-on rings are definitely an advantage, but given that a set of
nice rings often overlaps in price with the cost of a nice crankset,
it's not a big deal. Replace after you wear the first set out.

Quoted message said:

And whatever clamps your seatpost should be below or even
with the top tube; not above it, such as with the Norco
Mountaineer frame I killed a couple of years ago.

The current solution of choice is a separate seatpost collar clamp,
which can be easily replaced if the bolt is stripped or something
similar. It would be pretty hard to wreck the frame with one of those,
though I suppose you could overtighten it badly enough to permanently
deform the top of the seat tube. That would be weird.

--
Ryan Cousineau [email hidden] http://www.wiredcola.com/
"My scenarios may give the impression I could be an excellent crook.
Not true - I am a talented lawyer." - Sandy in rec.bicycles.racing

In article <rcousine-76433B.00383702012008@[74.223.185.199.nw.nuvox.net]>,

Ryan Cousineau said:

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] (Tom Keats)

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Zoot Katz said:

Avoid bikes with cheap suspension and cheaper disc brakes. Check for
heel clearance with panniers. Find a shop you trust and that takes
the time to properly prepare a new bicycle.

A lot of "affordable" bikes come with really bad chainsets
that Shimano unabashedly lends their name to.
If it's painted black and consists of rings that are
riveted rather than screwed together, insist on
something better. Otherwise you'll chew those chainrings
out in a matter of a couple of months of regular daily use.

O RLY? Those cheapo chainrings are usually steel, which is heavy,
boring, and nigh-unto indestructible in chainring applications.

Nothing is safe from me.

There's steel and then there's Steel. Cheap dep't store bikes
often come with stamped steel brake arms. Doesn't mean they're
any good. I guess they can be bent back into shape when they
get distorted, if that's a redeeming feature.

Maybe I've had a uniquely notable run of bad luck with those
cheap chainrings. But I'll tell ya what -- the solid, cast
alu rings on my older ('70s) fixer-uppers are still going as
strong as Johnny Walker. And those rings aren't any great shakes.
They're certainly outliving the younger steel upstarts I've trashed.

Quoted message said:

Bolted-on rings are definitely an advantage, but given that a set of
nice rings often overlaps in price with the cost of a nice crankset,
it's not a big deal. Replace after you wear the first set out.

Quoted message said:

And whatever clamps your seatpost should be below or even
with the top tube; not above it, such as with the Norco
Mountaineer frame I killed a couple of years ago.

The current solution of choice is a separate seatpost collar clamp,
which can be easily replaced if the bolt is stripped or something
similar. It would be pretty hard to wreck the frame with one of those,
though I suppose you could overtighten it badly enough to permanently
deform the top of the seat tube. That would be weird.

A short frame requiring a longer seatpost, plus a good length
seat tube extending above the top tube, and you've got an
effective lever. A seatpost tightener too far above where the
top tube joins the seat tube, and you've got a weakened fulcrum.

I guess that's a good argument for proper bike sizing & fitting.

cheers,
Tom
--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

Ryan Cousineau said:

O RLY? Those cheapo chainrings are usually steel, which is heavy,
boring, and nigh-unto indestructible in chainring applications.

Yes, really, my cheapo riveted middle chainring eventually had a crack
going through it, and this was on a bike from a supposedly "good" brand
manufacturer, but I soon realised, that buying a low end commuter bike,
and doing lots of miles on it, means pretty much changing most if not
all of the components after a while. As I have found out, ignorance is
expensive: buying cheap means buying twice.

Tom Keats said:

...
Maybe I've had a uniquely notable run of bad luck with those
cheap chainrings. But I'll tell ya what -- the solid, cast
alu rings on my older ('70s) fixer-uppers are still going as
strong as Johnny Walker. And those rings aren't any great shakes.
They're certainly outliving the younger steel upstarts I've trashed....

butbutbut, Walker died in 1857.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
POST FREE OR DIE!

Zoot Katz said:

Consider the Kona Dew line too.

I could have used a DEW Line certified bike this morning - ice covered
*everything* - brakes, chain, derailers, bungie cords, pedals, saddle
- the works. I'm used to frozen parts, but the encrusted chain was a
real bother.

Ryan Cousineau said:

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] (Tom Keats)

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Zoot Katz said:

Avoid bikes with cheap suspension and cheaper disc brakes. Check for
heel clearance with panniers. Find a shop you trust and that takes
the time to properly prepare a new bicycle.

A lot of "affordable" bikes come with really bad chainsets
that Shimano unabashedly lends their name to.
If it's painted black and consists of rings that are
riveted rather than screwed together, insist on
something better. Otherwise you'll chew those chainrings
out in a matter of a couple of months of regular daily use.

O RLY? Those cheapo chainrings are usually steel, which is heavy,
boring, and nigh-unto indestructible in chainring applications.

Bolted-on rings are definitely an advantage, but given that a set of
nice rings often overlaps in price with the cost of a nice crankset,
it's not a big deal. Replace after you wear the first set out.

I agree.

I used the cheapo riveted rings on my Mongoose for perhaps 6-7
years, just swapping out cogsets and chains, before the rings
(actually, *a* ring) went too bad to shift reliably.

Replaced the entire crankset for under $35.

No big deal.

SMH

Zoot Katz said:

On Mon, 31 Dec 2007 23:04:18 -0600, Jeff <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Howdy.

I'm hoping / intending to buy a new commuter bike in the next couple of
months. I want a bike that is:
- comfortable
- comes with racks and fenders
- is intended for commuting

Three bikes that have caught my attention (because they are - probably -
available locally) are the:
- Kona Ute
- Giant Tran Send
- Giant Tran Sport

If anyone out there has actual experience with any of these bikes, or
cares to recommend another bike, I'd love to hear about it. I'm hoping
to keep it under $1000 Canadian (that's taxes, lights, panniers, but not
clothes).

The 2008 Kona Smoke 2-9 comes with fenders for $369. The Giant
Transport LX doesn't though it does have racks and other nice
features. Its MSRP is $549. Consider the Kona Dew line too.

The Ute is like commuting with a station wagon. Lots of time the back
will be empty and you're just burning more gas moving it. But when
you want to eliminate car trips or maybe combines some shopping with
your commute, a longtail is an ideal solution for both. I have a
feeling the Ute will be in short supply. At $899, it doesn't leave
much of your budget for lights or getting it dialled in with saddle
and handlebar changes. It comes with one set of panniers.

One drawback of a longtail bike is that they don't fit on bus mounted
bike racks. If your commuting route could more handily become
multi-modal it's something to consider.

Quoted message said:

My goal for the year is to cycle (or walk) when practical and see what
that does to my total driving distance. The distance I expect to drive,
absent a proper commuting bike (no racks or panniers) would be about
5600 KM. With a proper commuting bike, theoretically, I could cut that
down to about 1700 KM. Since I have no intention of riding a bike when
the roads are unplowed or the temperature is -30C, theory will remain
just that. But it will be interesting to see what I can reasonably cut out.

Depending on your winter I'm guessing 190 bike commuting days to
cover 3900KM = 20.5 per day. That averages about thirty five minutes
each way including locking up. Any bike is capable of that.

Guess I didn't 'splain myself very well. I commute by bike or foot to
work (round trip about 6 KM). The total distance I mentioned was all
the driving I'd do to cover all the driving I did last year (going to
church, getting groceries, etc).

I live in Winnipeg. Cycling is feasible, at least when the roads have
been cleared, even in winter although conditions are less than ideal.
Frankly, the overall IQ of drivers here seems to dip with the
temperature (walking home the other day, I was sharing the sidewalk with
a car - well, actually, two). I'm less inclined to share the road with
a bunch of morons.

I like the idea of a folding bike, but I want to be able to lug 3 or 4
bags of groceries home on the bike - I can spare the time to cycle to
the supermarket once a week but twice would be pushing it. I find it
hard to imagine 4 bags of groceries on a folding bike.

Thanks for the feedback. Greatly appreciated.

On Wed, 02 Jan 2008 22:18:00 -0600, Jeff <[email hidden]>
wrote, in part:
\

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

My goal for the year is to cycle (or walk) when practical and see what
that does to my total driving distance. The distance I expect to drive,
absent a proper commuting bike (no racks or panniers) would be about
5600 KM. With a proper commuting bike, theoretically, I could cut that
down to about 1700 KM. Since I have no intention of riding a bike when
the roads are unplowed or the temperature is -30C, theory will remain
just that. But it will be interesting to see what I can reasonably cut out.

Depending on your winter I'm guessing 190 bike commuting days to
cover 3900KM = 20.5 per day. That averages about thirty five minutes
each way including locking up. Any bike is capable of that.

Guess I didn't 'splain myself very well. I commute by bike or foot to
work (round trip about 6 KM). The total distance I mentioned was all
the driving I'd do to cover all the driving I did last year (going to
church, getting groceries, etc).

If your regular bike is serving as a commuter, it's only a 10 minute
ride, then why not just get a bike to replace some car trips you
considered necessary. In that case a longtail is your best bet. You
could even take a passenger, or two, to church. Winnipeg, as you
know, is pretty much flat though the wind will sometimes eat you.

An Xtracycle on a garage sale MTB is a more frugal alternative to the
Kona Ute. If you have storage for it you might also be able to score
a sweet Raleigh or Glider three-speed for getting around town with
fenders and style while still meeting your budget. Those bikes look
good with baskets so you can save some on pannier bags.

But you might prefer an off-the-hook ready-to-roll new solution.

Quoted message said:

I live in Winnipeg. Cycling is feasible, at least when the roads have
been cleared, even in winter although conditions are less than ideal.
Frankly, the overall IQ of drivers here seems to dip with the
temperature (walking home the other day, I was sharing the sidewalk with
a car - well, actually, two). I'm less inclined to share the road with
a bunch of morons.

Winnipeg winters as I remember them meant two weeks of -30 F. The
temperature could rise 50 degrees in twelve hours and still be below
freezing. Clear dry perimeter road and shoulder with lots of sanded
packed snow around town until mud season. Great cycling because the
city wasn't killed by freeways through its heart.

I think drivers are more aware of cyclists when there are more of us
around. They tend to forget about us from fall until spring.

Quoted message said:

I like the idea of a folding bike, but I want to be able to lug 3 or 4
bags of groceries home on the bike - I can spare the time to cycle to
the supermarket once a week but twice would be pushing it. I find it
hard to imagine 4 bags of groceries on a folding bike.

Thanks for the feedback. Greatly appreciated.

Consider a folding bike, with racks, lights and fenders, for your
commuting and simple errands and buying a compact trailer for your
shopping runs since you're only using it once or twice per week.

You might be able to do both on your budget with some left for
panniers and lights. A second hand trailer will save you money and
they're usually quite serviceable. You can spend a bundle on folding
bikes. There are some nice ones out there. Make sure it can tow a
trailer as there are also some tremendously over-fraught designs.
--
zk

no experience with them ( am 68 years old)
suggest stay away from what are called comfort bikes

how old are you ( or approximate)
what kind of shape are you in
any meical problmes
any medication

get the least expensive light bike you can get
most import are brakes /wheels then seats

stay away from tires over 1.5 inch
use what ever bike you get with the understanding that after a while you
will find you need a better bike
asking specific questions re bikes leads me to believe you have limited exp
with bikes

hth

peter

ilaboo said:

no experience with them ( am 68 years old)
suggest stay away from what are called comfort bikes

how old are you ( or approximate)
what kind of shape are you in
any meical problmes
any medication

get the least expensive light bike you can get
most import are brakes /wheels then seats

stay away from tires over 1.5 inch
use what ever bike you get with the understanding that after a while you
will find you need a better bike
asking specific questions re bikes leads me to believe you have limited exp
with bikes

Well, I've been cycling since 1968 (dang, has it been that long?). Last
year, I averaged about 50KM per week (winter excepted). I'm hoping to
significantly increase that this year.

I have a very nice road bike (OCR3) that I ride for pleasure. I have a
second-hand MTB (ugly as sin) that is not quite the right fit but was
dirt cheap that I use for commuting, errands, etc. Riding it is not a
great pleasure (okay, it's still better than driving in rush hour
traffic).

Since I save more than $100 / month on parking by walking and / or
cycling to work, I figure I can reasonably afford to buy a bike that is
well suited to commuting (i.e. carrying some stuff, being ridden even
when the weather sucks, etc) and running errands and such. I am not
handy with tools (exception - I am handy at assembling computers) and I
do not want to have to add fenders or racks myself as it probably won't
get done (certainly won't be done well). So I started looking at the
brands carried by nearby LBSs to see what they had that might suit me
off the rack. I then posted a request for experiences pertaining to the
models that caught my eye (my thought being that if several people gave
a similar response to a given model, I'd adjust its priority accordingly.

I don't buy bicycles very often (although I've a friend who seems to buy
a new bike every year - he has a good collection of bikes that he uses
frequently). Since I don't buy very often, I don't know what models are
good and what models are double plus ungood. One of the things I like
about this news group is that there are actual users out there (as well
as a lot of posers and provocateurs).

I appreciated the suggestion of investigating folding bikes and
trailers. I've added that to my list. I'm in a lovely position. I
don't have to buy immediately, so I can take my time and find the right
option for me.

Any suggestions as to how best to remove snow from wheels, etc? I'd
like to try winter cycling but I live in an apartment and I don't want
to leave a mess on the carpeted hallway (I like to keep the building
super as a friend). I'm thinking that a small brush might be the best
option but if anyone has prior experience, I have big ears.

TIA

On Fri, 04 Jan 2008 20:03:09 -0600, Jeff <[email hidden]>
wrote, in part:
\

Quoted message said:

I appreciated the suggestion of investigating folding bikes and
trailers. I've added that to my list. I'm in a lovely position. I
don't have to buy immediately, so I can take my time and find the right
option for me.

With over 190 years of bicycling development behind us, there's
plenty of options to investigate. Be warned however, I consider four
bikes the absolute minimum.

Quoted message said:

Any suggestions as to how best to remove snow from wheels, etc? I'd
like to try winter cycling but I live in an apartment and I don't want
to leave a mess on the carpeted hallway (I like to keep the building
super as a friend). I'm thinking that a small brush might be the best
option but if anyone has prior experience, I have big ears.

A brush, or old-skool curling broom, will knock off the majority of
crud, it's the ugly black drips of liquid road filth that are likely
to fall off as you're carrying it.

My door is only 10 paces to an entrance so I always carry my bikes in
the carpeted hallway. An impermeable surface would be easier to clean
of tire tracks so I avoid ever rolling the bikes. Besides, with the
direction of the door-swing it's easier to get in and out if I'm
carrying the bicycle. The Xtracycle means I have to take those ten
steps backwards when returning because there's not enough room to
turn it in the hallway.

I usually only have to bounce the bike a few times to knock off the
excess rain or snow and then make a mad dash to my pre-opened door
where I'll set the bike down inside on a tarp and towels.

Stairs and interior doorways would make it a lot harder. A trailer
will mean an additional trip. Be mindful of walls and door casings
with pedals, brake levers and tire smudges. A bottle of carpet stain
remover, a vegetable or knuckle brush and a terry-cloth towel will
effectively clean up grunge spots after they've dried.
--
zk

Zoot Katz said:

On Fri, 04 Jan 2008 20:03:09 -0600, Jeff <[email hidden]>
wrote, in part:
\

Quoted message said:

I appreciated the suggestion of investigating folding bikes and
trailers. I've added that to my list. I'm in a lovely position. I
don't have to buy immediately, so I can take my time and find the right
option for me.

With over 190 years of bicycling development behind us, there's
plenty of options to investigate. Be warned however, I consider four
bikes the absolute minimum.

Quoted message said:

Any suggestions as to how best to remove snow from wheels, etc? I'd
like to try winter cycling but I live in an apartment and I don't want
to leave a mess on the carpeted hallway (I like to keep the building
super as a friend). I'm thinking that a small brush might be the best
option but if anyone has prior experience, I have big ears.

A brush, or old-skool curling broom, will knock off the majority of
crud, it's the ugly black drips of liquid road filth that are likely
to fall off as you're carrying it.

My door is only 10 paces to an entrance so I always carry my bikes in
the carpeted hallway. An impermeable surface would be easier to clean
of tire tracks so I avoid ever rolling the bikes. Besides, with the
direction of the door-swing it's easier to get in and out if I'm
carrying the bicycle. The Xtracycle means I have to take those ten
steps backwards when returning because there's not enough room to
turn it in the hallway.

I usually only have to bounce the bike a few times to knock off the
excess rain or snow and then make a mad dash to my pre-opened door
where I'll set the bike down inside on a tarp and towels.

Stairs and interior doorways would make it a lot harder. A trailer
will mean an additional trip. Be mindful of walls and door casings
with pedals, brake levers and tire smudges. A bottle of carpet stain
remover, a vegetable or knuckle brush and a terry-cloth towel will
effectively clean up grunge spots after they've dried.

Yep. That's why I'm not entirely keen on a trailer. I've 8 steps down
from the door to the building and a fire door at the bottom of the
stairs (and, of course, the landing really isn't quite large enough -
another 15cm would be great - to make getting in and out easy). That
said, I'd hate to have to move again. On the whole, it's a great
apartment: good location, good rent, good management, good layout.

I don't typically have too much liquid filth to deal with. In the
winter, it's usually solid. In the summer, it's seldom wet for long.