Got me a trailer

Roastie

I have managed to remain car free for 6 months now, and it has been quite liberating - but one thing that has really started to get on my nerves is grocery shopping. Either we need to make multiple trips, or we need to pack our backpacks and my wife' rack to breaking point.

So last weekend I got the hell in and ordered myself a little cheapie trailer (one of those two kid ones). It arrived Tuesday, and I gave it a good run on the way home from the office which it seemed to handle pretty nicely indeed. Now I feel like a little kid, I can't wait to try it out on the weekly shop. For sure it will be more than big enough, though in retrospect, I'm not sure if buying a cheapie was the way to go - we'll see. In some ways it is well put together with bolts, nuts and plastic bushes rather than rivets and the like - so at least structurally it seems tough. The fabric that the enclosure is made from is less impressive, and I seriously doubt it will keep things dry in case of rainy use.

At least this way, if I do need to replace it in a few months, I'll know what I'm looking for.

Any other trailer users who can give me their thoughts?

fossyant

Wow, car free...amazing ! Well done !

palinurus

I've got a cheap trailer for taking stuff to the dump and taking stuff to and from the allotment. Don't need to use it for shopping because I live in a town centre. It's pretty basic, with a blue plastic box attached, and end-of-line sale item from Orbit a few years ago. £65 or thereabouts. The trailer itself is fine but the seatpost bolt hitch isn't great, better if it attached by the rear wheel QR. Quite like the look of the Carry Freedom trailers, but I probably wouldn't get one unless I used a trailer very regularly (I don't, again because most stuff I need is close at hand)

For shopping a child trailer is probably quite good, particularly from a keeping your stuff dry point of view. Do you get more room on the road?

Roastie

I've only ridden with it twice, from the office to the station and from the station home, so a total of 4 miles or so. In heavy traffic it did feel like motorists were more considerate, but then again given it was my first time out with the trailer I rode more cycle paths and less roads.

Pulling the trailer through traffic does take a bit more care, but I found it much easier than I'd expected it be.

Gambatte

Had one for the kids. It went on ebay earlier this year, now theres a new kid on the way :? So looks like I'll have to get another.

Good luck on the car free lifestyle Roastie. Don't think its something I could achieve. Saying that though I already do well below the national average (12,000 miles/annum?) and if I manage to maintain the commute I'll be able to knock another 6,000 off

fossyant

I was doing 18k per year with commuting and some work travel. Change of jobs to one I can commute on the bike has cut my car mileage to maybe 50 per week or less (mainly weekend use), and the fuel bill has gone down hugely from £300 per month :shock:

Gambatte

Strange (to me) how it wasn't till I got a bike that I noticed all the 1-3 mile journeys I'd jump in the car for

Roastie

Hope you can stick with it Gambatte. If you get through the next few months, it will be easy

Gambatte

At least the supermarket shoppings been minimised, now our lass has embraced the internet option

john holiday

Have found Edinburgh Bike Co-op's trailer very good value for going to the tip, some shopping & carrying tools etc. for Sustrans maintenance.
Single wheel & similar to Bob Yack , but half the price, though the Yack may be a better bet for an expedition.

chthonic

Roastiecp wrote:

I have managed to remain car free for 6 months now, and it has been quite liberating - but one thing that has really started to get on my nerves is grocery shopping. Either we need to make multiple trips, or we need to pack our backpacks and my wife' rack to breaking point.

So last weekend I got the hell in and ordered myself a little cheapie trailer. The fabric that the enclosure is made from is less impressive, and I seriously doubt it will keep things dry in case of rainy use.

At least this way, if I do need to replace it in a few months, I'll know what I'm looking for.

Any other trailer users who can give me their thoughts?

I don't use the trailer for shopping - I live 300yds from a supermarket, market and other shops so I walk to the shops - but I do use one daily for transporting my son to nursery.

Since he was 5 months when we first got it, we went for the spending money approach and bought a Chariot Cougar - http://www.chariotcarriers.com/html_english/cougar1.htm - which is simply awesome in terms of build quality. It folds flat. It converts to a buggy in a quick, simple way that even my mother-in-law can manage, and it's rock-solid to tow.

Best of all is the reaction from people on the road - never had some much space from people and once they see the boy in the back it's all smiles and waves. I reckon this will wear off as he gets older and less cute, but for the moment it's a revelation.