Carry Freedom Y-frame trailer: small or large?

[David F]

I hope this is the correct forum for my question, which is .....what are the plusses and minusses for the small, as opposed to the large, Y-frame trailer, and vice versa?

I can see that the large would be able to carry bulkier loads, and the small will be easier to to manoeuvre in restricted spaces but am I missing something, and is there anything more to it than that?

I am planning to buy one or the other of the two variants so I'd be interested to know what guided other people's choice.

Thank you for any input.

[Mick F]

I think you've got it in nutshell.

Large for heavier bulkier, and small for less so. A far as I know, there's little else different - wheels and tyres are bigger on the Large.

I have a Small, and it suits my needs perfectly - shopping and occasional touring.

[Cunobelin]

The engine !

You will have to tow the loaded trailer.

Some people have carried significant weights on these and you need to assess your suitability and that of the bike you are towing with.

In my case I looked at the same questions you and MIck have assessed and decided that there would be few occasions when I would want to pull the sorts of load that the large will take and as these loads would be local I can always do two runs with the small.

For touring the small is also ideal as it is easier to get on trains etc.

[johnb]

Cunobelin, is there any particular reason you choose to pull the small trailer and still have rear panniers in use?. Would it not be easier to use the large y frame and leave the panniers off.

[speedsixdave]

We have one small and one large for work. TBH I don't think I can tell much difference between the way they ride except the width. You have to be rather more careful ploughing through gates and bollards on the large. Equally importantly (depending on how you use the thing), the small fits through a normal doorway without much effort at all while the large might require one or both wheels popping off. Not impossible, just awkward.

I reckon if you use cycle lanes and paths a lot, definitely go for the small. If you want to carry a lot, and have a big road presence, get the large. And a big aluminium box from UKshelving.com (Thanks MickF!).

[Cunobelin]

I tour in two ways, both linear and circular.

In this case I was on the Great Glen Way, then day touring from Inverness, so needed panniers for that.

I tend to carry the heavier items of my wife's baggage as well as I am a stronger rider. Over half the trailer is hers!

Mainly though as I mentioned my decision was that I was unlikely to need the large on more than a couple of occasions per year.

[johnb]

Understood now, thanks.

Lovely bike you have.

[JohnCKirk]

Carry Freedom also have a third model: the "City Trailer". I have one of those, which I use with my Brompton, and it works well for that. They emphasise on the website that it's limited to 45kg, but that's never been a problem for me. I normally use it for things which are high volume but low mass, e.g. when I take a 50L bin liner full of empty plastic bottles to the recycling depot: I could lift the bag with one finger (since it only weighs 600g), but it wouldn't fit into my panniers.

[Mick F]

And a big aluminium box from UKshelving.com (Thanks MickF!).

My pleasure!

The story of how I got onto them was a combination of chatting on here and chatting to an engineering mate. He has a long list of websites and stuff and has a great brain - and knows me well! He thought about all the ins and outs of the different suggestions and found UK Shelving. I was immediately smitten by the idea as they are tough, light, weathertight, and very strong.
http://www.ukshelving.co.uk/product.php?xProd=309

[Richard]

David,
I doubt you're based anywhere near West Wales but if you are you'd be welcome to try my CF small out.
Rich

[Tigerbiten]

I've picked the large Y frame trailer here.
The main reason was the 20" wheels are the same size as the wheels on my recumbent trike.
So I only need to carry one size innertube to cover all five wheels incase of a punture.
Plus I can swop a tyre between the trike and the trailer if one of the trike tyres gets damaged/worn out when on tour.

[Richard]

Carry Freedom might be willing to do the small frame with the 20" wheels if asked.

[johnb]

Carry Freedom might be willing to do the small frame with the 20" wheels if asked.

That would garner a bit of interest I would imagine, good idea.

[hercule]

Giant with giant load



Large Y-Frame with bag of compost and three 80l bags of bark. Plus a tree stake!

I remember the assistant asking, "Do you want help to take that out to the car?" and her expression when I replied that I didn't have a car...

[Tigerbiten]

Carry Freedom might be willing to do the small frame with the 20" wheels if asked.

I though about getting a small Y frame and putting my 20" wheels on it.
But on my bent trike I can lift the inside wheel of my large Y frame around some corners.
It mainly happens if the road is a bit rough and the empty trailer starts to bounce even with only 40 psi in the tyres.
So I think the small frame with big wheels would be even worse and the risk of a full tip over would be to great.