Panniers or Trailer?

Major Dan

I'm planning a 2 week XC touring holiday on Morocco, and am starting to layout my kit (seeing as it's pishing it down outside!)

Never having spent anytime touring (I normally ride out and back) one thing I can't make up my mind about, is whether to use panniers or a trailer.

How many of you tour offroad, and what pros and cons have you found with either?

graemetherunner

I've used panniers in the past off road & whilst the load needs to be kept light as poss they were fine. I guess it depends on the terrain your on?
I've ridden with a yak-bob, but only on road so can't really give a comparison.

paul.skibum

I am in a similar position - planning a spring summer tour in europe and as I want to take my hardtail mountain bike I am thinking trailer as I have no rack mounts.

More importantly though I want to keep the weight off the rear wheel as off road riding with heavy panniers is a recipe for pinch flats and buckeld wheels unless you go for a heavy duty large vol tyre which in turn leads to drag and slow progress.

I am obviously limited in my choice of a rack in any case but I like the idea of the trailer.

I posted a thread and got some good advice on trailers on there - I dont have a link but it was maybe 2 weeks ago

andymiller

paul.skibum wrote:

More importantly though I want to keep the weight off the rear wheel as off road riding with heavy panniers is a recipe for pinch flats and buckeld wheels unless you go for a heavy duty large vol tyre which in turn leads to drag and slow progress.

I think you're overstating the problem: I've happily bounced down some pretty rocky paths with fully loaded panniers and a tent on the back - and 32spoke Mavic 317s and Conti Gravity tyre - never had an issue with either buckled rims or pinchflats (or at least when I had the tyres properly pumped up!). That said I have now got a 36-hole rear wheel with a Rigida Sputnik rim.

Personally I suspect there's a large element of swings and roundabouts: yep there's less weight on the bike and so less wear and tear, but also one more thing to go wrong.

I'd say you don't need a trailer for a two-week XC holiday but if you're think ing about going with a trailer it might be a good opportunity to see how you get on with one.

amaferanga

I'd go for panniers every time, but particularly for offroad touring would keep weight to a minimum. I toured in morocco a couple of years back and carried all my stuff in 2 front panniers (on the rear rack) with my tent and sleeping mat strapped on the top of the rack. Strong wheels and wide tyres are a must anyway imo (mavic ex721 and schwalbe marathon xr for me) and the less you carry the easier the big passes are. If I'd used a trailer I'd have been lugging almost double the weight in luggage which seems daft especially given all the other difficulties with trailers (in particular the hassle factor)

cycladelic

You shouldn't get a puncture from the rim pinching the innertube - with or without weight. Just make sure your tyres are pumped up... I aim for about 60 psi with a quality tyre. I know it's hard if you only have a mini-pump, but I have the car-type valves, which means I can top up with air at most petrol stations. If you have Presta valves, get a cheap converter (a dinky attachment) so that you can do this. Having fully pumped tyres will obviously increase your speed, too.

I've never used a trailer, so can't help much there. I simply find panniers do the job.

jimmcdonnell

I've toured with both, and I'd use a trailer no question now. Toured London - Cornwall fully loaded with panniers (and cheap, heavy camping kit), which for years was fine - then toured through France (Atlantic coast from Biarritz up to St Malo - OMG, stunning) with a BOB Yak, and it was revelatory. It took at least double the weight of a full pannier load (I carried my kit + gf's too - chivalry makes you stupid) but apart from up the steper hills was almost unnoticeable. BOB are pricy but they do a suspension Yak too if you want to be really hardcore. Traiiler touring since but with a semsible amount and weight of gear and it's a joy. When you're off the bike though, packing or hitching it with a single wheel trailer attached is an art, you'll either adapt or hate it.

Can you find a trailer owner locally and take one for a spin?

andymiller

cycladelic wrote:

If you have Presta valves, get a cheap converter (a dinky attachment) so that you can do this.

[OFF TOPIC]That's a great idea. I'd never thought of using an adapter for that.

(Before anyone says anything: you obviously have to be careful not to put too much air in).

amaferanga

jimmcdonnell wrote:

I've toured with both, and I'd use a trailer no question now. Toured London - Cornwall fully loaded with panniers (and cheap, heavy camping kit), which for years was fine - then toured through France (Atlantic coast from Biarritz up to St Malo - OMG, stunning) with a BOB Yak, and it was revelatory. It took at least double the weight of a full pannier load (I carried my kit + gf's too - chivalry makes you stupid) but apart from up the steper hills was almost unnoticeable. BOB are pricy but they do a suspension Yak too if you want to be really hardcore. Traiiler touring since but with a semsible amount and weight of gear and it's a joy. When you're off the bike though, packing or hitching it with a single wheel trailer attached is an art, you'll either adapt or hate it.

Can you find a trailer owner locally and take one for a spin?

Have you toured offroad over 2,500m+ mountain passes with a trailer? I think if you did you might start resenting the 5kg and the extra wheel bumping about. This review pretty much sums up my experience with a Bob Yak from a guy who has done a heck of a lot of offroad touring (I toured through Uganda/Tanzania/Zambia with one and after 6 months I hated it so much I gave it away).

weeve

http://www.extrawheel.com/ ?

Cunobelin

Trailers are bad news.........

you find a lot of stuff like Garden Centre trips, shpping ec become entirely feasible by bike. The use expands and expands.

I tour with both and found that the onl;y problem with trailers is that they cammot be stored as easily as panniers when on trains etc.

I solved this with a Radical Cyclone (basically a holdall with wheels) and a Carry Freedom- both f which are easily dismantled and taken on trains

Cyclone:




Carry Frredom:

andrew_s

If you go off road, you'll need a single-wheel trailer (Bob Yak, Bob Ibex, Edinburgh Yak copy or Extrawheel).
Trailers are difficult to deal with at airports, on trains etc. With a rack you move the bike loaded, and can do things like carry it up a flight of stairs if necessary.
Trailer+holdall is significantly heavier than rack+panniers
Trailers can allow you to take far too much junk
You'll need a trailer if there's some reason you can't use a rack (eg no bosses, rear suspension)

Tusher

I tour with panniers. Love them.

Husband bought a trailer (from the Edinburgh Bike Co) a couple of years ago, and now he wouldn't be without it.The trailer holds vast amounts of junk, though. I'm sure we carry more than we need with it.

Only problem he's found is reversing it when it's too narrow to turn.

I think you have to try both to make up your mind.

GyatsoLa

I've toured with both, in similar conditions (high Himalayan roads) and I think that in most conditions panniers are better, but there are some advantages to trailers, so long as they are not overloaded (in my experience with Bob Ibis's, they are not very stable on descents with more than 20kg). I know its not logical, but I feel I've less weight with a trailer, and the overall set up feels more stable in many conditions. Trailers have a particular advantage when you are not riding solo as its easier to double up on kit if, for example, one person is struggling a little physically you can easily reallocate their kit to give them a break. Personally I find it easier to have everything in one bag on a trailer than dealing with panniers (maybe thats more a reflection of how disorganised I am).

A point worth considering is that you can run lighter rims and tyres when you use a trailer - this at least partly offsets the weight of the trailer.

That said, I think Bobs' are a disgraceful price considering what poor quality hubs and wheels they use - the profit margin must be enormous.

Wooliferkins

paul.skibum wrote:

.

More importantly though I want to keep the weight off the rear wheel as off road riding with heavy panniers is a recipe for pinch flats and buckeld wheels unless you go for a heavy duty large vol tyre which in turn leads to drag and slow progress.

Tosh. (IMHO) 1000s of tourers scoot around on 25-28mm tyres with camping kit without a succession of pinch punctures (underinflation) or buckled wheels.

lloyd_bower

Wooliferkins wrote:

paul.skibum wrote:

.

More importantly though I want to keep the weight off the rear wheel as off road riding with heavy panniers is a recipe for pinch flats and buckeld wheels unless you go for a heavy duty large vol tyre which in turn leads to drag and slow progress.

Tosh. (IMHO) 1000s of tourers scoot around on 25-28mm tyres with camping kit without a succession of pinch punctures (underinflation) or buckled wheels.

Yep, agree I always tour with rear panniers and have never had any problems, even through some of the roughest roads in Central America. I find the less you carry, the longer you ride, the further you go, the more fun you have.

Crankulator

Interesting question, probably more than answered by now. I personally ride with panniers, rear only and bar bag, but have just been with a couple lads who are riding round the world www.orphanride.org and they were both using BOB Ibex trailers. These trailers were incredibly nifty and rolled over bumps with the greatest ease. The greatest benefit is the speed with which you can disengage + you don't need racks - ideal if you have a full sus.

Anyway hope Morocco is / was great!