Bike trailers

monkeyguru

Hi Im researching bike trailers for a design project (Im a Product Design student at De Montfort University). If any of you use or have used a bike trailer Id like to know how often you use them, how far you travel and what you find good and bad about them.

Thanks for the help

BentMikey

I've used a Burley D'Lite for about two years. Google up the details on trailer spec, it's essentially a two seater child trailer with space for cargo.

I used to collect miniMikey from preschool in it 4 times a week, and go do the grocery shopping on the way home. Round trip was 6 miles, on road. I loved the safety of the trailer, that it's a whole enclosure for the child, that it doesn't fall over if you drop your bicycle, and that drivers would give me massive amounts of time and space around it. It's great - your kid stays warm and dry no matter what the weather, often singing and playing with toys in the back, or shouting out "Go faster Dad!".

Here's a writeup from a German safety report on trailers:
http://www.londonskaters.com/cycling/ar ... safety.htm

bracestower

We have a Chariot trailer which is brilliant. We've commuted all three of our kids in it to nursery, swimming, shops, Richmond Park etc. We even took it to Glastonbury (without the bike), as it was easier to push around in the mud than a normal pushchair and we could fit the baby and our 4 year old in (when he got fed up of trudging about).

Normal distance we travel is a couple of miles. It feels stable and visible, and as BentMikey says, the kids stay warm and dry.

Downsides: it is heavy to pull - I haven't yet tried the hill up from Ham Gate, but I imagine it would be a struggle. It's obviously wider than a single bike, so kerbs have to be watched and it does feel a little less manouverable, so you occasionally get irate drivers stuck behind you. And we did get shouted at by someone once who felt we were being irresponsible...

jjojjas

use a kiddy trailer twice a day 5 days a week, Only 10-15 mile though (for the full week)
Public perception of them is a little odd, some think their great, some laugh, some think I'm mad. One tool informed me I was a danger to drivers as I took up too much road....we had a short discussion any he drove off erraticly :roll:
The kids love it (providing there is no scrapping!) they are warm & dry. I get a wide berth by cars...and I look like a christmas tree with the red lights on the back of it.
Down sides: it heavy pedaling into any wind, its like a sail. Its wide and doesn't fit through those style type barriers on cycle paths to keep the bikers out.
Now that prices are dropping I'm starting to see more of them, although there still isn't many in use up here.
Jas

PrettyBoyTim

I have a trailer I got for £60 from eBay, which I use to drop my son off at nursery 3 days a week. The nursery's a little over a mile away, and sometimes I cycle back with it empty to drop it back off at home, depending on whether my Wife minds having to pick it up when she collects my son in the afternoon.

I find it adds quite a lot of drag to the bike when it has my son in, and it's fairly heavy at around 19kg. I do sometimes wonder if I should have invested in a more expensive one, but I don't know if they are much easier to pull or not.

I like it, although I do find it difficult to hear what my son is trying to say to me when he's in it.

monkeyguru

Great feedback guys, anyone else out there? keep the comments coming!

chris payne

I use a Bob, had it for five years. Used it for lots of touring and have grown to love it. But am very tempted by the Edinburgh cyles version that folds down flat, and is much cheaper to buy. Has anyone used it to give feedback? The single wheel on the Bob is a must for touring, its load capacity is astonishing, and it is tough. I have had a few 'offs' when going a bit to quick or having to pull up a bit sharpish, and it has taken all the knocks with no damage. If you are into design then adding a simple drag brake system would be an assest when descending hills and mountains.


Chris

Cunobelin

There are two types of trailer, kids and luggage.

My experience has been mainly with the latter, but the feature that is common is storage. Whether single or double wheel the problems are the same.

I tour on a number of bikes and use trailers to carry luggage. They are a pain on trains and in hotels.

Some like the Carry Freedom get round this by being a basic platform that dismantles and leaves you with a normal bag, a wooden platform and a pair of wheels.



Another option and the one I use is the "Cyclone" by Radical Design. This is a holdall which has wheels and is a simple holdall when taking it into a hotel or on a train




In both cases though there is still a problem with securing the contents and the trailer itself when leaving the bikes. When accompanied we always use a "sentry" or a "Pacsafe" to secure if solo

Apart form that my ideal would be a hitch that quick releases and has a safety strap or wire, and a solid base.

Finally back to single / two wheel trailers. There are pros and cons but for me the problem is with atricycle where the single wheel puts stress on the frame which the 2 wheels don't

baudman

Mine is a Croozer 757 (I seater kid's trailer with small cargo area). Pretty much what everyone else said. It's great in inclement weather. It's amazing how 'respectful' drivers are. I chose this model because of the quality of its hitch and the fact that it can also serve duty as a jogging pram. (Oh... and I got it for a good price on eBay).

I use it for kid and/or groceries.