Trailer to carry the mail

[mike4.3]

I run a mail order business from home and my local Post Office sadly closed down.
So I now have to get on the bike to take the mail most days... not a bad thing really

My new destination is only a couple of miles, downhill all the way there and therefore uphill on the way back (but at least that's AFTER I've dropped the mail off).

Anyhoo, I'm getting a little overloaded with backpacks etc and I'm thinking of getting a cargo trailer for the job.
I usually go down on my mountain bike rather than my road bike so I can take a few offroad short cuts (nothing major!). Panniers aren't an option on my mountain bike and I think they wouldn't really be big enough anyway.

So...
1 - I want to keep the budget down as it's only to "nip" to the post office... or would it be false economy?
2 - It really needs to be quick to attach/unattach... I'm guessing something that connects to the seat post would be ideal. It would be handy to be able to switch the road bike should the mood take me.
3 - It will need to handle light offroad bobbling about

All suggestions and tips very very welcome. I'm thinking along these lines at the moment...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001OC6CCS/001OC6CCS

Thanks in advance.

[Edwards]

The Carry Freedom trailers trailers are well thought off on here. You can get spare hitches and other parts easily. They do cost more than the Amazon one but can you get bits for that?

[mike4.3]

Looking them up now... they don't seem TOO expensive so I'll have a proper looksie.

You can at least get spare wheels for the Amazon one... I've not looked much further than that yet.

[GrahamNR17]

My experience of trailers is that the kind that attach to the seat post really affect handling. However, if all your parcels are light weight, then you probably won't notice.

If they're heavy parcels, definitely go for one that attaches at axle height.

Love to know what you end up with, and how it handles the task

[hubgearfreak]

personally, i;d search ebay for an old PO bike. 3 gears, drum brakes, designed to take abuse and parcels.

[mike4.3]

My experience of trailers is that the kind that attach to the seat post really affect handling. However, if all your parcels are light weight, then you probably won't notice.

I suspected as much to be honest although my parcels are quite lightweight, just having lots of them gets a bit bulky.

I was trying to avoid axle mounts though so I don't even up with a "sticky out thing" off my back wheel when I want to just zoom off on my mountain bike... easy to whack into a rock. Yeah, I know I could take it off when I'm not towing, but I'm really looking for something that's not going to require me to take a bracket on and off my bike all the time.

[mike4.3]

personally, i;d search ebay for an old PO bike. 3 gears, drum brakes, designed to take abuse and parcels.

Yes indeed but the hills are FAR too steep... I'm in rural North Wales... triples are king around here

[Mick F]

Carry Freedom trailers are used by the Post Office, so if they can do it with the Royal Mail, so can you.
They hitch and unhitch simply and easily, and you can fit a variety of stuff on the load bed.

Far be it from me to recommend them!

[[XAP]Bob]

If you are looking at "bulky" then two wheel is the way to go, but that may affect your ability to take shortcuts...

[mike4.3]

Thanks for the info.

Can I ask how obtrusive people find an axle mount when it's not being used? Indeed, how exactly these things attach?

Cheers.

[GrahamNR17]

Thanks for the info.

Can I ask how obtrusive people find an axle mount when it's not being used? Indeed, how exactly these things attach?

Cheers.

This is the current Carry Freedom hitch. It doesn't get in my way at all, though I can imagine it would smart a bit if you whacked your shin on it.

[mike4.3]

I'm more concerned about whacking it on a rock when I'm not towing... which I fear will be the case looking at it.

[Mick F]

When I'm not towing, I take the hitch off. It's an ankle biter rather than a rock hitter!

I had some different ones made:
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=44514

The source of manufacture has dried up at the moment, but I'm still trying. Paul's on holiday for the next week or two, and I will ply him with a beer or two for a couple of jobs I'd like doing - he may be able to do some more of these "improved hitches".

[mike4.3]

When I'm not towing, I take the hitch off. It's an ankle biter rather than a rock hitter!

Yeah that's what I need to avoid.
I can't be putting it on and off every day hence I was looking at seatpost mounts.
I know it's probably a "2 minute job" but working days are hectic and it all adds up.

[LollyKat]

I used to use a Bike Hod for the supermarket shop. It attaches to the seat post and I found it didn't have much effect on handling even with a pretty big load. At least, there was a slight rhythmic pulling when riding up a fairly steep hill but it didn't ever feel unsafe. I used it with a road bike and didn't try to take it off road.

I believe that if a seat-post mounted one is heavily loaded it can affect the braking downhill, but would think that in your circumstances you would be ok with the Amazon one.