Looking for a Cargo Trailer

[moonshdw]

I've had a hankering for some time to get a trailer for my bike so I can use it to haul things like
groceries. I do NOT want the kind of trailer with seats and windows for hauling children. For one
thing, the seat backs are like a drogue 'chute whenever there's a headwind. (I speak from
experience.) I see cargo trailers now and then on eBay, but I always get outbid. Anybody here use a
cargo trailer? Any recommendations for type, brand, and source?

Thanks! Bill

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[David Storm]

check out: http://www.bobgear.com/index.html?main=trailers.html

<[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> I've had a hankering for some time to get a trailer for my bike so I can use it to haul things
> like groceries. I do NOT want the kind of trailer with seats and windows for hauling children.
> For one thing, the seat backs are like a drogue 'chute whenever there's a headwind. (I speak
> from experience.) I see cargo trailers now and then on eBay, but I always get outbid. Anybody
> here use a cargo trailer? Any recommendations for type, brand, and source?
>
> Thanks! Bill
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
> | Nonspammers please remove the "z" from address above to reply. |
> -----------------------------------------------------------------

 

[Ron Hardin]

You don't have to put the seats in; my Burley Lite (1980s) hauls my Doberman around. The square
shape though is something of an extra drag. I think there was a cargo version without the high
sides, but actually the sides let you stack stuff higher, depending on what you're hauling.

Recently I got a Tanjor cargo, which has noticeably less wind drag http://www.lodrag.com

letting you run one gear higher, roughly. I put a Burley hitch on it though.
--
Ron Hardin [email protected]

On the internet, nobody knows you're a jerk.

 

[Robert Chung]

<[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> I've had a hankering for some time to get a trailer for my bike so I can use it to haul things
> like groceries. I do NOT want the kind of trailer with seats and windows for hauling children.
> For one thing, the seat backs are like a drogue 'chute whenever there's a headwind. (I speak
> from experience.) I see cargo trailers now and then on eBay, but I always get outbid. Anybody
> here use a cargo trailer? Any recommendations for type, brand, and source?

The Xtracycle isn't a trailer, but you may find it interesting. An Xtracycle is to a bike-trailer
combo as a pickup truck is to a car-trailer combo. http://www.xtracycle.com

 

[Michel Gagnon]

[email protected] wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> I've had a hankering for some time to get a trailer for my bike so I can use it to haul things
> like groceries. I do NOT want the kind of trailer with seats and windows for hauling children. For
> one thing, the seat backs are like a drogue 'chute whenever there's a headwind. (I speak from
> experience.) I see cargo trailers now and then on eBay, but I always get outbid. Anybody here use
> a cargo trailer? Any recommendations for type, brand, and source?
>
> Thanks! Bill

The Burley Nomad is the "universal" recommendation: good quality, fairly heavy duty, etc. I have
seen a few recommendations _against_ the Bikaboose (low quality) as well as lukewarm reflection for
the BOB, as its single-wheel design is great for touring (especially off-road) but not as good for
grocery and similar heavy stuff.

However, unless your grocery is very far away, don't dismiss the child trailer. First of all, it's
easier to find a used low-mileage one at a garage sale (or even LBS) than it would be to find a
cargo trailer. Second, the typical child trailer has higher sides and a roof, which means it's
easier to throw the bags in and ride home even in snow or rain.

Regarding wind resistance, newer Chariots and the Burley have meshed seats, but if you don't have
children, you might as well remove the seats. Without the seats, just open both doors and there will
be little wind resistance.

One word of caution: if you get a 2-seater, check for total width. Mine is a used Chariot (vintage
2000, I think); it's overall width is 32" and my kitchen door is 32 1/2". It's a tight fit if I want
to roll in the grocery.

Regards,

Michel Gagnon

 

[One Of The Six]

<[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> I've had a hankering for some time to get a trailer for my bike so I can use it to haul things
> like groceries. I do NOT want the kind of trailer with seats and windows for hauling children.
> For one thing, the seat backs are like a drogue 'chute whenever there's a headwind. (I
speak
> from experience.) I see cargo trailers now and then on eBay, but I
always
> get outbid. Anybody here use a cargo trailer? Any recommendations for type,
brand,
> and source?
>

Take a look here: http://www.bikesatwork.com/

 

[Zeldabee]

[email protected] wrote:
> I've had a hankering for some time to get a trailer for my bike so I can use it to haul things
> like groceries. I do NOT want the kind of trailer with seats and windows for hauling children.
> For one thing, the seat backs are like a drogue 'chute whenever there's a headwind. (I speak
> from experience.) I see cargo trailers now and then on eBay, but I always get outbid. Anybody
> here use a cargo trailer? Any recommendations for type, brand, and source?

I bought a CanCart, and quite like it.

http://www.bikecartage.com/

It's easy to roll around the supermarket, and you can use it with one or two bins. I used it
for Costco runs and shopping at Home Depot, too. Moved cases of books when I was moving house.
My utility MTB handled very well with it, though one trip with it with my road bike was a bit
of a joke.

I do lust after the cargo trailers on http://www.bikesatwork.com/, though.

--
z e l d a b e e @ p a n i x . c o m http://NewsReader.Com/

 

[Zoot Katz]

26 May 2003 19:27:17 GMT, <[email protected]>, zeldabee
<[email protected]> wrote:

>[email protected] wrote:
\snip
>> Anybody here use a cargo trailer? Any recommendations for type, brand, and source?
>
>I bought a CanCart, and quite like it.
>
>http://www.bikecartage.com/
>
>It's easy to roll around the supermarket, and you can use it with one or two bins. I used it
>for Costco runs and shopping at Home Depot, too. Moved cases of books when I was moving house.
>My utility MTB handled very well with it, though one trip with it with my road bike was a bit
>of a joke.
>
What was the problem with the road bike?

I'm picking up a CanCart at City Hall tomorrow and then going to get a sewing machine. I'll see if
I can keep it over the weekend. It's a free loaner program that's seeing moderate use. The
employee in charge says the carts are well liked by the users but multiple carts creates a storage
puzzle for her.

>I do lust after the cargo trailers on http://www.bikesatwork.com/, though.

They're beauties. There's people building custom trailers locally and I wouldn't have to pay
shipping so their prices would be competitive.
--
zk

 

[Zeldabee]

Zoot Katz <[email protected]> wrote:
> zeldabee <[email protected]> wrote:
> >[email protected] wrote:
> \snip
> >> Anybody here use a cargo trailer? Any recommendations for type, brand, and source?
> >
> >I bought a CanCart, and quite like it.
> >
> >http://www.bikecartage.com/
> >
> >It's easy to roll around the supermarket, and you can use it with one or two bins. I used it
> >for Costco runs and shopping at Home Depot, too. Moved cases of books when I was moving house.
> >My utility MTB handled very well with it, though one trip with it with my road bike was a bit
> >of a joke.
> >
> What was the problem with the road bike?

It just seemed to strain a lot. It's hard to explain...it didn't "like" it. It was hard to control
the bike. Mind you, my road bike is pretty tight, very responsive, and really doesn't do well under
any sort of load.

Looks really pretty hanging up on my wall. (

> I'm picking up a CanCart at City Hall tomorrow and then going to get a sewing machine. I'll see if
> I can keep it over the weekend. It's a free loaner program that's seeing moderate use. The
> employee in charge says the carts are well liked by the users but multiple carts creates a storage
> puzzle for her.

I'm so jealous of that program. I wish there was something like it here. I understand that they'll
sell the used ones...I would have liked that, I didn't *need* a brand new one. As it is, I ended up
paying quite a bit in shipping for the one I bought, but I'm not sorry, since I got so much use out
of it, and will again.

Just as an aside, they sent me *handwritten* assembly instructions...on a piece of notebook paper, I
kid you not. They'd duct-taped two boxes together to ship the thing in, and the metal pieces poked
through the box by the time it got to me. The axels had fallen out in transit. I got the impression
that they don't ship these very often. )

It gets (or got) lots of comments here, almost all approving ones. I plastered it with reflective
stickers, and attached two bright tail-lights to it.

> >I do lust after the cargo trailers on http://www.bikesatwork.com/, though.
>
> They're beauties. There's people building custom trailers locally and I wouldn't have to pay
> shipping so their prices would be competitive.

One day I'll make one for myself, if/when I get the appropriate-shaped tuit.

--
z e l d a b e e @ p a n i x . c o m http://NewsReader.Com/

 

[Zoot Katz]

27 May 2003 14:19:02 GMT, <[email protected]>, zeldabee
<[email protected]> wrote: \snip
>> >My utility MTB handled very well with it, though one trip with it with my road bike was a bit of
>> >a joke.
>> >
>> What was the problem with the road bike?
>
>It just seemed to strain a lot. It's hard to explain...it didn't "like" it. It was hard to control
>the bike. Mind you, my road bike is pretty tight, very responsive, and really doesn't do well under
>any sort of load.
>
>Looks really pretty hanging up on my wall. (

I hope that's just because of your temporarily conflicting top tube clearance priorities.

I've got the cart until Monday so I'll be able to give it a trial on my other bikes. Maybe I'll get
around to clearing out some of the books I've moved twice in ten years without unpacking. It worked
slick humping home the steel Singer and looks like it will hold about four dinosaurs.
--
zk

 

[Zeldabee]

Zoot Katz <[email protected]> wrote:
> zeldabee <[email protected]> wrote: \snip
> >> >My utility MTB handled very well with it, though one trip with it with my road bike was a bit
> >> >of a joke.
> >> >
> >> What was the problem with the road bike?
> >
> >It just seemed to strain a lot. It's hard to explain...it didn't "like"
> >it. It was hard to control the bike. Mind you, my road bike is pretty tight, very responsive, and
> > really doesn't do well under any sort of load.
> >
> >Looks really pretty hanging up on my wall. (
>
> I hope that's just because of your temporarily conflicting top tube clearance priorities.

I wish, then I'd just ride The Beast (Utility/MTB)...it's that my lungs are stuffed up into my
shoulders, and I can't take my asthma medicine. It hasn't worked out to ride at all. I miss it
terribly. I volunteered to help with the Montauk Century last week, and I was *so* jealous.

> I've got the cart until Monday so I'll be able to give it a trial on my other bikes. Maybe I'll
> get around to clearing out some of the books I've moved twice in ten years without unpacking. It
> worked slick humping home the steel Singer and looks like it will hold about four dinosaurs.

I wish it had a cross bar or something closer to the top. That way it would be easier to support the
dinosaurs (or other oblong cargo) with bungees or whatever, and it'd be more stable.

--
z e l d a b e e @ p a n i x . c o m http://NewsReader.Com/

 

[Larry Schudt]

On Sun, 25 May 2003 17:12:50 +0000 (UTC), [email protected] wrote:

> I've had a hankering for some time to get a trailer for my bike so I can use it to haul things
> like groceries. I do NOT want the kind of trailer with seats and windows for hauling children.
> For one thing, the seat backs are like a drogue 'chute whenever there's a headwind. (I speak
> from experience.) I see cargo trailers now and then on eBay, but I always get outbid. Anybody
> here use a cargo trailer? Any recommendations for type, brand, and source?
>
>Thanks! Bill
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
>| Nonspammers please remove the "z" from address above to reply. |
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
http://bikesatwork.com has a lot of different cargo trailers. I've never used a cargo trailer so I
can't vouch for them.

larry

 

[Jym Dyer]

=v= For really big loads, the Bikes At Work trailer (formerly named "Fresh Aire"):

http://www.bikesatwork.com/

=v= For most uses, the BicycleR Evolution trailer:

http://www.bikefriday.com/main.cfm?fuseaction=trailer.home

=v= For camping and/or off-road, the BOB:

http://www.bobgear.com/

<_Jym_>

Jym Dyer ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: __Q ::: [email protected] ::::::::::::::::: "My
other car is :: ==`\(x :: http://www.things.org/~jym/ :::: also a bicycle." :: O-/ `O ::

The bicycle is a philosophy, a way of life, and I am using it like a hammer to change the
world and to redeem our war-torn cities. -- Travis Hugh Culley

 

[Ron Hardin]

Larry Schudt wrote:
> http://bikesatwork.com has a lot of different cargo trailers. I've never used a cargo trailer so I
> can't vouch for them.

If you load up any trailer with 150 pounds you're going to be really slow up the slightest incline;
you sort of expect that but perhaps are unaware that lots of routes you don't think of as being
uphill are in fact uphill for mile after mile.

Of course it's fast the other direction.
--
Ron Hardin [email protected]

On the internet, nobody knows you're a jerk.

 

[Jym Dyer]

> =v= For most uses, the BicycleR Evolution trailer:
> http://www.bikefriday.com/main.cfm?fuseaction=trailer.home

=v= I just learned that the same inventor/manufacturer has a "kit" trailer, sort of a
customize-as-you-see-fit thing. Plus a heavy-duty trailer that I'm fortunate enough to have been
selected to beta test!

=v= I'll keep this newsgroup updated. <_Jym_

 

[Jym Dyer]

>> =v= For most uses, the BicycleR Evolution trailer:
>> http://www.bikefriday.com/main.cfm?fuseaction=trailer.home
> =v= I just learned that the same inventor/manufacturer has a "kit" trailer, sort of a
> customize-as-you-see-fit thing.

=v= And *now* I've learned that they have his own website:

http://www.bikerev.com/

The "kit" trailer's on there. Check it out. <_Jym_

 

[Zeldabee]

Jym Dyer <[email protected]> wrote:
> >> =v= For most uses, the BicycleR Evolution trailer:
> >> http://www.bikefriday.com/main.cfm?fuseaction=trailer.home
> > =v= I just learned that the same inventor/manufacturer has a "kit" trailer, sort of a
> > customize-as-you-see-fit thing.
>
> =v= And *now* I've learned that they have his own website:
>
> http://www.bikerev.com/
>
> The "kit" trailer's on there. Check it out.

Heh. You have to supply your own 2'x 3' 3/4" plywood. It's a cute, low-tech kit...but $150 plus $19
shipping seems a bit steep.

--
z e l d a b e e @ p a n i x . c o m http://NewsReader.Com/