Cycling UK Forum

Hi

I was wondering about how good is it to tour with a trailer compared to panniers?

I like the idea it maybe less stress for the rear wheel and perhaps the bike handles better?

Dont know enough to give it ago?

Any thoughts?

I wouldn't have panniers ever again - my Carry Freedom trailer is wonderful, panniers were awful on my bike. It handled like a tank, but with my CF trailer, it handles like a bike should.

The thing is, a trailer can go on ANY bike at any time, and loaded up in a huge variety of ways. Panniers are just bags on racks. Racks need to be secured to a suitable bike whilst trailer hitches - especially the CF hitch, can be transferred at the drop of a hat.

Road bikes, MTBs, tourers, shopping bikes, pedalecs, tikes, recumbents ........................ unicycles could be difficult, but not impossible.

I've used my CF trailer with a suitcase for a luggage container, and more recently an aluminium lockable waterproof box. I made a wooden open-topped box for it, and even had a plastic crate of stuff on there.

I'd like to try one of the trailers Mick recommended, I've watched a few videos and read many reviews, they look impressive. I have in the past been put off by worries about the increased puncture opportunities and the fear of hurtling downhill with one. Also, I usually aim for and ride around big cities.....................still, I would like to get rid of my panniers.

Mick F wrote:I wouldn't have panniers ever again - my Carry Freedom trailer is wonderful, panniers were awful on my bike. It handled like a tank, but with my CF trailer, it handles like a bike should.

I for one love the heavy laden "going-in-a-straight-line" feel that you get with four panniers.

I tour on a bent trike with a large Carry Freedom trailer.

Mick F states most of the advantages of using one.
Plus it makes your bike look different, so motorist tend to take more care overtaking.

The major downside of a trailer is public transport.
Depending on trailer type and where you are, it either a lot harder or impossible to take a trailer on a train.
The smaller the trailer the easier it is to smuggle it onboard.
Local trains are a lot easier to use than cross-country trains.

Again depending on type of trailer and obstruction, gates, anti-cycling barriers, etc, etc, can be a bit more of a hassle when going off-road and onto cycle-tracks.

But ferries are ok, even my rig which is almost the same size as a small car, travels at the standard bike rate.
This is normally free .......

hufty wrote:I for one love the heavy laden "going-in-a-straight-line" feel that you get with four panniers.

You obviously have a bike designed for it.

My bike isn't happy with panniers, and was a bit sluggish and wallowed. Unless you have a bike that is happy, a trailer is by far the best option.

IMHO, even is your bike would be happy with panniers, it would be even happier with a trailer.

Disadvantage is public transport - as stated.

Thanks for the replys and got the ole' grey matter churning.

What about stopping - are ordinary rim brakes up to stopping a trailer and its built up energy?

Would I need new brake blocks (on a old fashion canti's?)

20 years ago I had used Scott Mathauser ,reddish brake block and they were fab?

Any thing like them on the market, if you had the pleasure of using said brake blocks?

Thanks again

I think it depend on how much you want to carry. I'm terms of the relationship between weight and carrying capacity a trailer is probably comparable with the traditional four panniers but many people happily live with two panniers.

Trailer enthusiasts will hype up the supposed handling problems with panniers, but the vast majority of cycle tourists manage happily with them.

It all depend on how silly you are downhill .....

With the right setup, a trailer only adds about an extra 5 Kg to the all up weight of a touring rig.
But as the weight is not on the bike, it does not help with friction/traction between your tyres and the road.
So your stopping distances overall are going to be a fraction longer than if you use panniers.

I've twin front disks on my trike and I need them as me + trike + trailer + camping gear is around 140 Kg and I need to stop from +50 mph sometimes.
But I've found unless I've seriously trying for it, I cannot jack-knife my rig.
The only time I've done it was by power sliding on ice .........

Trailer for me too!
Nothing against panniers in principle, but all my bikes are more comfortable without the extra weight. Using public transport (trains) is less convenient, but the carry Freedom trailers pack flat very easily, especially if you equip yourself with a thoughtful selection of cable ties and drill a few small holes in the deck to strap the wheels to. A big drybag or similiar to hold ALL your bits and bobs helps here as well. I have also, on occasion, just removed the wheels and tow arm and left the deck and chassis strapped to the bag
The big pitfall is to take more stuff than you would otherwise. A trailer can offer a better ride and more convenience - bigger objects, such as tentpoles would be more easily accomodated, but dont take more weight - you still have to power it uphill!

I dont have any canti brakes but have stopped satisfactorily with V's and twin pivot callipers. Any decent brake pads should be fine. I like Koolstops.

I have never toured with a trailer and have used two or four panniers for the past eight years and have travelled extensively in the UK and along Eurovelo 6.

I use trains frequently to get to the starting points of my tours and back from the end points. I wouldn't like to have to bugger about with a trailer on some of the european trains as entry to some are quite awkward and some of the UK trains have limited storage space.

In addition some of the UK Sustrans routes and canal tow paths have barriers that are an obstacle to smooth passage with a trailer.

Most of the bikes that I have used for touring have been stable at all speeds - maximum speed 47mph on a descent and the only exception was a 12 speed 'racer' which was never designed to be a beast of burden.

I can not comment on the stability of a bike and trailer other than to say that the reviews that I have read have been mixed.

There was a discussion in a previous thread about the Carry Freedom trailer being prone to overturning. I seem to remember Mick actually agreeing with this.

I use a Carry Freedom at work. Superb trailer but they can tip on occasions. Keeping the load as low as possible is best, perhaps in a large dry sack, will reduce the chances of this happening.

That said, I prefer panniers for touring. It's a more compact set-up, less tyres to puncture and easier to divide up your gear for easy access.

The Mechanic wrote:There was a discussion in a previous thread about the Carry Freedom trailer being prone to overturning. I seem to remember Mick actually agreeing with this.

My experience is that the lighter the trailer is then your more likely you are to tip it over if the tyres are pumped up hard.

I've only tipped my large Carry Freedom trailer over twice and both time was after hitting a large pothole with the tyres at ~80 psi.
The empty trailer was so light, the hole bounced the wheel around two foot in the air and flipped the trailer.
Since then I tend to run around 40-50 psi and potholes doesn't bounce the trailer as bad.
I started at a high pressure in the tyres due to the risk snakebite punctures but even at the lower pressure I've only had a couple with a full trailer in about three years.

The closest I've got to tipping the full trailer was hitting a speed pillow at +40 mph with just just the nearside wheels.
That got the wheel about a foot in the air for a few yards ......

I've never tipped the trailer (full or empty) on a corner, even on corners where the inside front wheel of the trike is an inch off the ground due to my speed .........

So with the right conditions you can flip one, but in real life its hard to do.

Tigerbiten wrote:I've never tipped the trailer (full or empty) on a corner, even on corners where the inside front wheel of the trike is an inch off the ground due to my speed .........
So with the right conditions you can flip one, but in real life its hard to do.

The Mechanic wrote:There was a discussion in a previous thread about the Carry Freedom trailer being prone to overturning. I seem to remember Mick actually agreeing with this.

Yep.
Prone to overturning - care is needed, and I was careless!

Pothole/lump, traffic cones, kerbs - watch out!

Ordinarily, providing you watch out, they are as solid as a rock. The trouble is, they tow so nicely, it's possible to forget about them.