Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 46 total)
  • Thinking of a trailer for touring- any bob/ebc/etc owners with advice?
  • crouch_potato
    Free Member

    No, this isn’t another of those BigDummy-esque just how much stuff can I tow on two wheels, xtracycle utility monstrosity 😉 , this is about trailers for carrying food and shelter around on multi-day trips (although it will end up being used for shopping trips too no doubt).

    With some road/off-road touring planned over odd summer weekends and maybe a couple of weeks or more this autumn (assuming I’ve lost my job by then), I’ve been thinking about getting a trailer to carry tent/sleeping kit for a couple of people (and climbing kit/skis occasionally). I’m fairly set upon a single wheel trailer rather than panniers etc, and have searched through some useful old threads on here.

    Seems the commonest trailer type that fits the bill is along the lines of the BOB Yak, Edinburgh Bike Co-Op and SJS cycles ones. Only problem is, EBC have stopped making/selling theirs, BOBs are very expensive, leaving SJS who are at the opposite end of the country and not many people seem to have used. Ideally I’d like to get my hands on one first and as they are all pretty costly items it’d be good to know of any more options that are out their using a similar design, and some user experiences/advice. I’d heard good things about the EBC one as a cheap version of the BOB, but if they are unavailable nowadays, I’ll have to come up with something else (and the BOB is over budget).

    So any trailer users/ ex-users with any tips or recommendations? Are the three listed the only ones worth considering? Any others? Worth looking for one second-hand? How robust are they and how often do they fall apart in the middle of nowhere? Just how much off-road can they handle? Where have you taken yours?

    Yours, hoping to be inspired,

    c_p.

    trail_rat
    Free Member

    speaking to an EBC employee at the weekend and he reckoned that the EBC ones all fell apart …

    ive got an EBC and not had problems but it has put a seed of doubt in my mind !

    So probably the reason they stopped selling them is due to them falling apart ?

    crouch_potato
    Free Member

    Mmm, I’ve never seen one in the flesh, but the BOB is supposed to be better as it’s welded, rather than bolted in a few places. Ideally I’d be able to take a look at the ones I’m considering side by side, but the SJS one seems to be bolted too. What kind of stuff have you used your EBC one for trail-rat, if you don’t mind me asking?

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    trail_rat
    Free Member

    going up the glens bothying , riden it across the sidlaws including down some silly trailer bottom scrapeing technical descents , you really forget the trailer is there till you hear it hit something and it ends up a meter in the air ! doing the shopping and road training , with a breezeblock in it ….

    its not had an easy life. but at the same time ians put the fear in me !

    saladdodger
    Free Member

    Anothere option

    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=27205

    I have 1 ( from my lbs sale £110) but I have not used it in anger yet only for a few shopping trips and wood collecting

    trail_rat
    Free Member

    i assure you thats not another option its the EBC trailer only under madisons “adventure” branding ….and priced alot higher!

    crouch_potato
    Free Member

    trail_rat, that’s the kind of thing I’d have in mind, thanks, I might see if there are any going second hand…

    saladdodger, that looks pretty similar (at a glance) to the SJS/EBC one, just pricier. I’ll investigate, thanks.

    [beat me to it trailrat]

    TijuanaTaxi
    Free Member

    Got a hardly used EBC Revolution trailer in its bag down the shed if you are interested

    13thfloormonk
    Full Member

    Ahem

    Don’t take my testimony on the EBC trailers too seriously trail-rat, as your experiences have shown I may have under-stated their robustness!

    I have subjected a BoB to similar rock sledging/1 metre in the air exploits and its come through every time. I did a slight enthusiastic drop once which resulted in a burst rear tube, but it was easily repaired.

    I really liked the look of the extrawheel design, which made a lot of sense in terms of real off-road trailering, but trail_rat pointed out the inherent flaw in have elasticated mesh on the outside of something you’re going to be towing through heather etc. Some cunning adaptation may be the answer!

    Whatever you choose, off road trailering is a lot of fun!

    ebygomm
    Free Member

    I really liked the look of the extrawheel design, which made a lot of sense in terms of real off-road trailering, but trail_rat pointed out the inherent flaw in have elasticated mesh on the outside of something you’re going to be towing through heather etc. Some cunning adaptation may be the answer!

    The new design uses pannier bags rather than the netting, they’re stopping the classic one this year from what I’ve read.

    trail_rat
    Free Member

    i like the look of that ! i was put off the old extra wheel by seeing ed oxleys test trailer at the SSWC in aviemore,

    13thfloormonk
    Full Member

    O-ho!

    That looks good! Get a big fat tubeless tyre on that wheel and some tough sheets of plastic to form a sort of skid plate at the base of the panniers and that could be a winner. A lot lighter than a BoB too…

    There’ll not be a waterbar in scotland that can stop me 😀

    Bloody bizarre website though, what relevance does a picture of two folk kissing have to mounting the trailer to the rear quick release??

    alpin
    Free Member

    i’ve got the BOB and would say it is worth the extra money having seen other EBC-esque offerings (think it was an EBC done up with other stickers for a german co.).
    the bag that comes with the BOB is very good. completely water tight and very big.

    although if only shopping and the odd trip i’d think being able to fold the trailer for storage is a good thing.

    i’ve taken my BOB over all manner of terrain for all sorts of purposes; ktieboarding (three kites plus 3ft long board), fishing trips along the river, picnics with the GF, camping with mates and across europe.

    as said above you do not realise that it is there most of the time until you do something stupid.

    alpin
    Free Member

    plus with a BOB like trailer you can carry squiffy loads. not much chance of that with extra-wheel (extra-faff).

    crouch_potato
    Free Member

    Hmmm, looks interesting that extrawheel thingy… Only problem would be getting skis on it in a vaguely stable manner. That’s not too important though most of the time. Assuming they’ve got rid of the webbing (as you say 13thfloormonk, the heather plays havoc with my fishnets already, can’t be doing with that as well) It might be a contender.

    TijuanaTaxi- I’ll send you a quick mail re your trailer if that’s ok.

    Thanks all, I’ll keep investigating for a bit longer, so if anyone is looking, more suggestions/ideas welcome.

    magura
    Free Member

    Last year I tried a two-wheel trailer and really didn’t like the handling, so went for a Weber Monoporter (Edinburgh Bicycle have em on sale at the moment).
    It’s really well designed, light and foldable (unlike the BOB). I’ve used it for a couple of carless Merida weekends, a long tour in europe, and closer to home it sometimes comes in handy for getting bulky stuff back from shops (so far: microwave, small fridge, new wheels from CRC… etc)

    magura
    Free Member

    oh and for bargain Ortlieb-a-like dry bags, check out Crosso
    They’re Polish, and the Zloty/£GBP exchange rates are pretty good

    flatfish
    Free Member

    Where are you crouch? You can borrow my bob for a weekend if your not too far if that helps.

    ebygomm
    Free Member

    Only problem is, EBC have stopped making/selling theirs,

    They’re still showing as in stock on their website

    crouch_potato
    Free Member

    Only problem is, EBC have stopped making/selling theirs,

    They’re still showing as in stock on their website

    Hmmm, that’s strange. I was in one of their shops earlier and they had none on their system. Maybe worth ringing up and finding someone else who works there.

    I’ll take a look at those drybags too magura, but I have a few that I use for other stuff already that might work. I’ll investigate anyway.

    That’s kind of you flatfish- so thanks for the offer, but I’m about 400 miles north (going by your profile). Cheers all the same.

    Reluctant
    Free Member

    Fancy a second hand BOB for a hundred quid? Details in profile and could post some pics if you’re interested?

    crouch_potato
    Free Member

    Reluctant, could do. I’ll drop you a mail.

    flatfish
    Free Member

    i visit my ma and pa once a month in carlisle if your closer to there than brizzle but a ton for a bob seems a price not to be sniffed at.

    Brother_Will
    Free Member

    Well i got an EBC one and although ive not used it much yet i will be honest it seems okay the build quality isnt the best in the world but it seems well screwed together. It will do for a while and as its my first trailer it will do for the odd sunday taking stuff up to my parents and my c2c later in the year. If i like it and start getting into epic rides then yes i think it will be worth upgrading.

    Ambrose
    Full Member

    My friend has an EBC, I have the BoB. His is bent and damaged and he regrets not paying the extra. The BoB will take a sack of coal, the EBC dropouts are not man enough for the job IMHO.

    The only problems I’ve had are from losing the locking pins in the snow- but easily cobbled up from a bit of wire/ old spoke/ small nail. I made up a bunch of spares after that experience. And the mesh base grips the snow really well when it is too deep- so on snowy trips I cover the base with heavy duty polythene.

    crouch_potato
    Free Member

    Cheers for that info Ambrose/Brother Will. Flatfish, I reckon you’re right, but if I do fancy loaning one, I’ll let you know, thanks.

    plumber
    Free Member

    Extra wheel is shit. new design may be better though

    Plum

    13thfloormonk
    Full Member

    What was bad about it plumber?

    They do seem really expensive, if i got one it would be the frame only, so i could supply my own wheel and panniers, but the frame only option is still £200!

    In terms of function i suppose I can’t argue, but it still seems pricey….

    alpin
    Free Member

    £200 pounds that could go toward the BOB. inc. bag and wheel and better carrying capacity….

    MrAgreeable
    Full Member

    Reluctant, I’d be interested in your BOB if Crouch Potato passes.

    13thfloormonk
    Full Member

    Perhaps Alpin, but the BoB is heavier, I don’t need the full carrying capacity of a BoB, and I reckon an Extrawheel with my old ghetto tubeless hope XC/717 wheel will handle much better off road, especially over the ubiquitous waterbars that seem to be popping up eveyrwhere now.

    twohats
    Free Member

    I’ve been using the EBC trailer for over a year and a half now for the weekly shop. It regularly overloaded with silly loads of shopping and its still going strong.

    Reluctant
    Free Member

    Ok, Antony, you got 2nd dibs!

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    I have been tempted by one for offroad touring but have been put off by the weight of ’em. maybe 8 lbs more than a rack and panniers? Somehow you have to get that extra weight up a hill+. Is the better handling worth an weight penalty? I pay a lot of money to loose 8 lb off the bike

    How often is a hassle when out on the trail to get thru gates and stiles and stuff?

    Tempted to try one for the next tour tho

    hicksville
    Free Member

    Used the EBC last year touring in the pryennes around Mt canigou and durban corbires, it did the job. Lost some bolts in the first few rides in the uk and then reijigged, worked better, it has survived some rocky detours.
    TJ it was fine for me on the climbs slow and steady, and I never noticed and I was concerned initally I was riding an ellsworth moment with the trailer on the back only one nightmare when i overload the trailer by 70%.
    It was loved by the ‘hobos’/local drinkers who were amazed by the idea, a real talking point.
    We did not buy the bob due to cost.

    trail_rat
    Free Member

    TJ i find it gives an increase in rear wheel traction without giving the wheeliing effect that panniers gives.

    I found my self climbing a muddy grass bank that should have been impossible on small block 8s (and i know it is impossible on said tire as ive tried many times before) but with me trailer on i just plugged up it like it wasnt there !

    Its easier to do stiles with the trailer as you just unhook and throw it over , unlike the panniers where you have to fanny around to unclip them and perhaps unload the top of your rack .

    im still firmly in the trailer camp for off road touring … on the road panniers every time!

    crouch_potato
    Free Member

    Didn’t realise this thread would attract so much attention. Thanks for all the advice/info. I’m not a fan of panniers/racks for the reason trailrat gives above. Plus, I imagine with a trailer I’ll end up able to drop it for the odd day/overnight ride loop with less hassle.

    I’d still be interested as to how the extrawheel pans out in the long term, but it’s over budget for now. Any reasons you dislike it plumber? In a few years they might be easier to pick up second hand, and might be worth considering. A few online reviews make it seem worth considering the extrawheel if anyone is following this thread in the future/ if you have the budget (might be cheaper than a new BOB in any case).

    plumber
    Free Member

    I had numerous issues with the extrawheel I bought, mainly but not confined to netting didintegration, wheel rubbing through the rod support, weight easily dislodging the rear axle fitting (and it wasn’t overloaded at all) – To be fair I chatted with the supplier who I sent pictures and a detailed explaination to, he said he would pass it to the manufacturers. No response so far after a year

    However the new design looks like it would solve a few issues but for me now I’d go with a rack and panniers or perhaps a bob

    Regards

    PLum

    eckinspain
    Free Member

    I can only find US stockists of BOB stuff – does anyone stick them in the UK?

    flatfish
    Free Member

    Google amba marketing, they’re the I’m importer, they should be able to help.

Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 46 total)

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