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.
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