I love my trailer!

I don't live in one of those neighborhoods where you have a hard time finding bike rack space when you want to run in for a gallon of milk. But even in my sleepy neck of the woods, there have been bikes tied up at the local natural foods giant bike racks. It seems we are, indeed, on the road to accomplishing step one: getting more people on bikes. If they are biking here, in the land of the Lexus, they surely are biking elsewhere in the city. Not that I think it's time to rest on our laurels, but I'd say we're making some headway.
Here's the thing. Once they get to their destination, in this case, the supermarket, many of these folks have no idea how to get their load home.

OK, they guy in the front has a milk crate, and I think those are great. And once in a while I see someone with something resembling a grocery pannier. But the others? How are they going to carry their shopping home?

If they are using a backpack, a shopping bag thrown over the handlebars, or even that milk crate, chances are they are not using the bike for major errands. And that obviously limits the number of occasions that they will rely on their bicycle. With two trusty grocery panniers, you can carry two large, fully stuffed grocery bags, and even lay something extra across the rack. That's often enough for a small household, and it may be all that you need.

But what if you are shopping for a family? Or if you have a bunch of people coming over to your house, and you need to carry heavy stuff, like beer? Or what if you are, or want to be, car-free, and you need to use you bike for more than just the occasional trip to the store?

You need a trailer.

I have to admit, that until fairly recently, I was biased against trailers. The trailers I have tried have been child trailers, which are great for their stated purpose, but somewhat wide and cumbersome for other applications; and the single wheeled BOB trailer, which has fabulous handling while riding, but is annoyingly wiggly to maneuver with the bike when trying to get your load in and out.

Earlier this summer, in preparation for a bike camping trip, we bought a Burley Nomad cargo trailer. I hadn't really planned on using it for groceries, but, as long as it was sitting in my garage, why not? This thing is pretty amazing. Burley offers several attachment options, but we have the classic hitch, which allows you to quickly connect the trailer to many standard bikes with several turns of a nut. In my neighborhood, I don't worry too much about locking the trailer. But it could be locked up with the bike using a cable. I emerge from the store with a fully loaded cart, and arrange four fully stuffed canvas grocery bags, three six-packs of beer and a gallon of apple cider in the trailer with room to spare.

The Nomad is rated to 100lbs. You could probably get away with a little over that, if you're going a short distance. The cover opens all the way, allowing you to arrange the load just the way you like it, and then stretches over your load, keeping all the stuff securely in place. The two wheel design is superior for this application. It keeps the bike and the trailer completely stable while it's being loaded and maneuvered into position, until you are ready to get on and ride back home. You do feel the load behind your bike, but it tows easily and tracks beautifully. If you've ever towed children behind your bike, you will not believe how easy this is in comparison.

While for me it is the perfect trailer, if you live in an apartment or condo with limited storage, it may be tricky to conveniently stash the Nomad and keep it easily accessible for errands. It does fold flat for storage, but that may cut down on its ease of use. I really see its optimum application in households with a garage, where the trailer can be kept assembled and ready to roll, as a simple and convenient substitute for a car trunk.

It's priced in the low $300's, which is competitive with other quality bike trailers. I can't tell you how quickly it will pay for itself, but I'm pretty sure it's a more lasting investment than the $80 you can pour into the gas tank every time you fill up...

I know this particular trailer has been around for a very long time, marketed primarily for bike touring. But, as I recently discovered myself, it is the perfect tool for extending the usefulness of your urban bike.

Comments

[Cat]

I love this - I have two baskets on my bike that seriously limits how much I can carry home fromt the store - what a great idea!

[scott]

Quick question: can smaller loads (but still too big for a basket or panniers) be secured easily, or do you have to jury-rig something to keep a smaller load from sliding about? It seems like some strategically placed tie-down hooks or eye-screws would be handy.

[Justyna]

Cat, it is a great idea. I think many people simply don't know that the option is there, an how easy it is to use. We plan to emphasize trailers and other cargo-carrying devices more at Rapid Transit this coming season.
Scott, good question. The Nomad trailer actually has a removable mesh divider that holds smaller loads in place. Bunji cords or mesh netting could also be affixed to o-rings inside the trailer, or the aluminum bars on the frame of the trailer.

[Stacey E]

I have an Action Packer trailer, sold on the Bike Friday website but I bought mine from a local guy who had one stashed in his garage.

http://store.bikefriday.com/product_info.php?cPath=51&products_id=6964

It's cheaper than the Burley, very sturdy and maneuverable and light, and attaches with a pneumatic tool coupler. Brilliant. I hauled 50 pounds of bananas in it a couple Critical Masses ago

http://staceyearley.com/journal/?p=124

and helped someone move his apartment with it last weekend.

http://staceyearley.com/journal/?p=134

I love it.

[jb]

What about an Xtracycle? Has a larger carrying capacity (200lbs), and you don't have to hook anything up when you want to use it. My bike is at the shop right now being converted.

[Justyna]

Although I do like that Nomad trailer very much, I wasn't necessarily suggesting that it was better than other cargo-carrying options out there. Frankly, my experience with trailers is relatively limited, and I was thrilled to discover hw incredibely easy and versatile this thing was. But no doubt, other trailers have their own advantages.
Stacey, that's mighty generous of you, helping John move. I like that trailer too, and I love the pneumatic coupler. A simple plastic trailer does have some advantages over the fancier collapsible one, especially when getting kicked around a lot (although the Burley is pretty sturdy). We are a BikeFriday dealer, so if you know anyone else who'd like one, you can send them my way.
JB, funny that you should mention the Xtracycle. We're going to start carrying their conversion kits this year, and maybe even one of their complete bikes (it's called "The Radish", i love it). Sure they make a lot of sense. They have all kinds of cool attachments for carrying other gear, and even a sweet accessory called "magic carpet" for giving rides to kids. And for those who want the "always on" cargo option, the Xtracycle is great. They will definitely be part of our new, beefed up load-carrying line-up in the coming months.

[Darren Alff - Bicycle Touring Pro]

I just got a BOB Ibex and am using it for the same thing - running errands. I use it to go to the supermarket and to run boxes and boxes of mail to the post office. I just gave up my car, so this trailer is my main way of carrying big stuff on my bike.

As you mentioned, the only real down side to the BOB trailer is that it can be a little difficult to load unless you have the bike leaning up against a long fence or wall.

[jb]

That's cool that you are going to carry Xtracycles. I am picking mine up tomorrow, can't wait. I moved from Chicago in June out to Boston. I wish I would have known about your shop when I lived there, sounds like a great shop! Keep up the great blog, I follow you from Boston.

[meli]

looks like a great selection of snacks and drinks u got rolling. could use that now... :)

[bike storage in garage]

Hi,
I like your post.I like that trailer too, and I love the pneumatic coupler. A simple plastic trailer does have some advantages over the fancier collapsible one, especially when getting kicked around a lot.