I got a flatbed over 20 years ago for my dog. Trailers and bikes go together so well it’s a shame they aren’t more common. They can be incredible smart tools carrying so much stuff it’s crazy. They are great on gas mileage, parking costs and you usually get to park lots closer! Unlike cars, your not really effected by traffic. And there is usually a quiet trail to use besides the street. That trailer allowed me to have incredible times with my pup for almost 15 years. Money VERY well spent. No issues either. Nothing but great things to say about it.
When I rode from Vancouver into Alberta I met a guy who was using a kid-seat Burley to haul his big, old golden lab. He rode from Calgary to Vancouver Island and back. He must have really loved that dog. And it isn't the easiest trip! By far.
Hi I’m looking at buying the flat deck for towing my German shepherd, do you know if the fatter tyres will fit the flat deck or are they just additional for the nomad. Thanks.
I used this trailer for two years continuous...... on an extended tour of Europe...... it's a great trailer .... however ..... the front of the trailer is exposed to spray from the rear wheel and yes it will soak thro ...... after an initial tour round the coast of Scotland in January..... i opted to line the trailer with heavy duty plastic .... this stopped the water comin up from beeeeelooow ..... the front lowest part was so low it kept getting hooked up on stuff .... rocks roots kerbs ...i eventually made a hard plastic bash guard for this .... it slid over obstacles easier, the trailer hitch that connects onto the bike snapped in the middle of nowhere in Portugal 🥴 i do notice the hitch on that model is different, better quality !!....... the wheels needed truing semi regular...... the wheel bearings needed replacing after 2-3000 km and they were not easy to find ..... a bearing specialist is the only option i found ...... I'm not giving this trailer shit .... it's bloody good i gave it serious punishment on various terrain for two years an still it followed me faithfully like a wee doggy 😁👍
When I put my trailer together not one like yours but a trailer for a bike the first thing I do was ride down to Walmart and I purchased the weight capacity in 2 l bottles. I had an electric bicycle makes a big difference. the hardest thing to do with a load like that is to get it started with an electric bike it'll help you get it started and then what you got it going it's not that difficult to keep it going if you're out of shape. Many of us are out of shape and the cool thing about an electric bicycle is it gets you back in shape because you got a pedal just cuz it's an electric bike doesn't mean you can just let it run you've got to help and you build your muscles back up as you do so.
ebikes in EU UK and AU don't have throttles for legal limitations, I just fitted thumb throttle to my Fortis fat bike. PAS is choppy and takes too much effort between short stops
I retired in 2019 and moved to the Philippines...I'm looking for a trailer...as i travel full time on my ebike...us older guys need the extra power...lol
I got the Burley Coho, really impressed with it. With nothing in, you don’t even know you’re pulling anything. I had it loaded with 62lb of shopping the other day, it’s limit is 70lb. It had a slight tendency to sway at higher speeds, but on the flat, it was dead easy to cycle with. The advantage of 1 wheel on it is, you don’t have to worry about taking it through small gaps or worry about potholes, the trailer’s wheel is going to track exactly where your bike wheels are tracking, so as long as you avoid the pothole with your bike, you will with your trailer. This is not the case when you have 2 wheels. I got my trailer for camping and for general use like shopping and transporting things.
If I get one of these trailers, it won't be used for bike camping at all. Because I have zero interest in bike camping. But, I would use it for shopping, or dumpster diving, or trash picking, or looking for salvaged wood, or for carrying metal detecting equipment, and other such things. I like that they are not horribly expensive.
I towed my daughter for thousands of miles in a similar trailer, and as I'm always looking to upgrade things, I experimented with different tyres. In general, wider is better on loose sand but to be honest, loose sand was too hard to ride on anyway. I don't have a fatbike, and 2.2" tyres on my mountain bike were simply too narrow to be of any use on loose sand. In snow, I thought a fat tyre on the trailer would be good but again, if the snow was so deep that this became an issue for the trailer, then the snow was simply too deep to cycle on anyway. And tyre tread... intuitively you think you want treaded tyres on your trailer when you're off road, in snow, on sand... but really you don't. Ever. The trailer has no drive, has no brakes and tracks exactly wherever the bike pulls. On the road, you can feel the spuddy tread from the trailer when you're pulling it at decent speeds, so my conclusion is that tread is only ever a negative for a trailer. In the end, I settled on "city" tyres for the trailer - 20" Conti City Jets - as wide as I could find. Set them at a pressure where they'd slightly squish under the weight of my daughter and the shopping (the trailer was big enough for both), and just left them on. After those "thousands" of miles the trailer tyres still looked like new - no real wear at all. Quite amazing really. The worst thing for me was when my daughter no longer needed the trailer. I miss towing her. Of course I love that she now rides alongside me but having her in the trailer was such a conversation starter with people we encountered. We'd put her inside a little sleeping bag on colder days, and people would spot her sitting in there, her blonde hair poking out from the top of the sleeping bag. If I had a £1 for every person who smiled and said "Ah" at the sight of her curled up in the trailer, fast asleep...
Yeah it really seems to make people happy when they see me pulling the kids around in the trailer they’re always smiling, One guy even started cheering for me as I was riding up a steep hill lol.
I think bike trailers are a great idea. For those just camping and day hiking it might not be suitable but if you are into fishiing, camping, photography, astronomy then a trailer is the way to go. I plan to travel around with my skydiving and base jumping gear and that stuff does not pack small. Great review.
I love it for photographying. Can keep the camera and lenses in the protective bag, put tripods and flashes in, as well as a little chair and my iPad so I don’t go crazy waiting for timelapses to finish.
This is such a great trailer, used it for about 4-5 years a couple of times a week for trash (lol), heavy grocery shopping and other times i would used a car for bringing stuff. It's a lott more day to day basis than i thought from the beginning. Also used it for camping and bringing all my kitesurfing equipment to the beach and strap the board on top. I have probably overloaded it many times. I like that its so lightweight and easy to fold for compact and little space in the car. I recommend cutting out a piece from a cheap sleeping pad to protect the bottom and make it a bit more sturdy. I dont think the extra wheels are needed and have used the standard wheels on narrow rooty trails without any problems, never had a puncture.
@@j.ballsdeep420 Any loose surfaces where the wheels would sink like loose dirt, sand, or actual gravel (bunch of rocks not packed dirt) because if the trailer sinks or slides too much it makes it harder to pull.
I've had a Nomad trailer for years, its a good trailer. I put the luggage rack on and its even better now. Water proofed the nylon body with Flex steel spray. and now its water proof. I pull mine behind my recumbent, which has an electric assist motor, the recumbent that is. Its all good.
I love mine! We bikejore with 4 huskies and we use the Nomad for quick errands such as; grocery shopping, trips to the farmers market, if we happen to pass an estate sale, well it has room. We also go on longer rides and can pack a lot of picnic gear, med kits, and tools. I can't remember what it was like biking before the Nomad. : )
Trailers have their purposes. I used a Bob for years with a single but it really shined when pulled by a tandem. You don't even know it is there. But I sold the Bob when I saw a Burley Travoy. I have folding bikes and folding kayaks and the Travoy folds flat, will carry 60lbs and only weighs 12lbs. The plan was to pull the kayak (27lbs) in the trailer, and then put the folded bike (also 27lbs) and folded trailer IN the tandem kayak. The bikes fits perfectly in the front cockpit. I live on Vancouver Island and now I can go anywhere! I don't have a car and when I moved here I used the Travoy to haul tons of surplus stuff to Sally Ann, etc. and it worked beautifully. Here I have hauled a 32" monitor and a large microwave oven from Costco. I have seen Travoys used to deliver pizza in Vancouver. It is very well built. Next I'll try it bikepacking, but I wish I could get those bigger wheels.
The travoy is fantastic -have used on for years - shopping, dolly for photo gear, haul light contruction gear - now it's hooked to my electric bike. The handling is great, and when you get where you're going, it's a compact dolly you can just bring with oyu.
I just finished building my own version of the Burley Travoy somewhat larger mind you (obviously home made, wood, 20 inch wheels lol, it is what I had). My wheels aren't those awesome wide wheels like your 16 inch wheels, but I do have quick connect. I wanted both a bike trailer and a cart I could take into stores, partially so I don't have to leave it outside, especially with stuff in it. I find stores are ok with my odd looking cart as it looks more like a cart than bike trailer. Most stores don't allow bike trailers, unless a child is in it. Had the shopping cart version of it a long time and love it, way easier to push/pull that those cheap carts, especially in snow. Nothing like an all terrain shopping cart. Finally got around to adding the mount for the bike trailer hitch arm. Plan to eventually use it as wheels for a canoe or kayak.
YES! I forgot the other reason I love my Travoy. Not only for trips to Costco but when touring you might not want to leave all your stuff outside a store. Another advantage of trailers is that you can leave them in your motel or even inside your tent so you can go for a slimmed-down excursion without it. When paranoid I used a Pacsafe over it, and removed one wheel : pacsafe.com/collections/portable-safes-bag-protectors/products/120l-anti-theft-backpack-bag-protector
The original tires have lasted over 2 years with no flats, the wider tires will cause more drag ive been pulling mine with appox.100lbsper trailer and 30 lbs. On my back pack plus 190 lbs my weight with burley trailer rack, Amazon tilt rack for a 200watt solar panel which charges my spare ebike battery while im riding.😊😊😊😊😊😊
Thanks for the good review! Learned some new things. We have this trailer and it is very good quality, great help. The local newspaper car saw me bycycling past with the Nomad trailer and drove after me to make an interview.
I got both the Burley nomad and the Bob Ibex.I love trailers for reasons of my own.The Bob Ibex behind a bicycle is the way to go...The Burley I use behind my Ice Adventure 2 Recumbent trike.Trailers are just soooo convenient...you open the bag or the trailer and can see where everything is.I use two paniers on my front wheel of my touring bike as well.I have done touring with trailers of roughly 25 000km.
Looks like a decent piece of kit - even though I wouldn't buy one, since I already have a similar -ish size trailer that I made. The real takeaway for me from your review was the comment about its weight limit / carrying capacity of 100lbs - ie not something one would want to tow on a regular basis - especially for someone considerably older than you - like me :) Quite a few diy trailer projects seem to go for big, heavy constructions capable of carrying two adult rhinos or equivalent - and I wonder how often this load is actually carried. Makes a change to hear a more sensible comment about this aspect. In the 3.5 yrs or so of using current trailer I have pulled 50kg, but only a few times / short ish distances / no hills - with typical loads in the 15 to 35kg range. Somewhat lighter (4.2kg) than the nomad, but I wanted to keep it as light as possible as it folds and is stowed on the pannier rack until needed. Decent review btw - basics well covered without annoying ingredients.
I use my "Surly (LHT) and Burley" all the time. The trailer makes my bike (ec)centric life style much more practical. I can do so much more with a trailer!
Because Burley Nomad sounds adventurous, mysterious, exploratory, aspirational. The Burley Chore sounds boring, something you would prefer not to be doing, a necessity rather than a want, a life of drudge. I wonder why they couldn't get it to track directly behind the bike towing it? I have a BoB Yak which in 3 years I've probably used twice. It seemed like a good idea at the time .................. A heavy trailer is definitely a drag to cycle with. I think I prefer panniers. A trailer comes into it's own with larger heavier items, but for these admittedly I use my car.
Being disabled isnt so bad anymore with ebike and trailer..lol 65 and still riding, been on motorcycle s for 50 years, cant motorcycle anymore to dangerous. i would recommend having insurance to cover yourself in case an unisured motorist hits you 😢 have fun and be safe😊😊😊
Like everything from Burley it's a very good quality product. But it is actually quite small. It may hold more than two pannier bags but it's more intended for touring than shopping imo. For not camping there are much bigger and cheaper trailers. I first got a large sized dog trailer because it has a large floor area of 60 x 80 cm and makes a really great covered cargo trailer especially for a full weeks family grocery shopping. Then I got a similar sized cargo trailer for everything too big for the cabin area of the dog trailer like a full sized lawnmower. And I got the two of them for less than the price for the Nomad. Both better utilitarian trailers but the Nomad would be better suited to bike touring.
It's not as if the trailer tires are rated at 100 pounds/max load, they are not; in this design, half of the load is transferred to the bicycle rear tire, so the rear bicycle tire would get 50 pounds of the trailer load, in addition to it's load of bike and rider. It helps to consider the overall load amounts. The 100 pound figure is deceptive.
Not necessarily. Balance the load weight distribution as you would with an automotive trailer for hitch tongue weight. Tire choice, width, and pressure of the bike tire should be a consideration.
@@awesomexistence In this mini-trailer context, there is no opportunity to "balance the load weight distribution" in the way that automotive trailers are done. Optimizing the tires' performance is of course essential, but the discussion at hand was Weight Distribution, and the figures given by the Burley rating are deceptive and inaccurate. The bicycle rear tire would tell you that,if it could speak. The Burley design relies upon shifting a lot of weight to the bicycle rear axle and tire. Period.
@@dehoedisc7247, have you not distributed a load for balance, even a small load such as a back pack? A 250 lb person versus a 150 lb person will weight that rear tire different also yet the same wheel design can carry both and neither person is of faulty design. The wheel/tire system of this trailer at its load rating is more than adequate. Trailer axle to rear wheel axle is 43” (23” tongue extension,with 20” in front load area and 10” behind the trailer axle). The trailer tongue becomes a 2nd class leaver with a mechanical advantage at the bicycle rear axle. In short the tongue weight at the bike axle will be less than the trailer axle weight by mechanical advantage. Think wheelbarrow. Load weight distribution will easily lessen the load on the bike wheel. And Or maybe you can lose some weight. I’ve built many wheels in several decades. The trailer is designed adequate for the load rating. If you can’t figure out the load and balance perhaps your not possessing the skills necessary to safely tow a trailer behind a bicycle. Have a nice day!
That would be a waste of money, a motor and battery. Also if you were going to do that, you would also need to connect brakes and somehow rig it that the motor cut out when the brakes came on. Then the timing between the e-bike motor and the trailer motor. They would need to accelerate and slow down at the same speed with consideration for the different wheel sizes. It would be far easier to throw a spare battery in the trailer if all you needed was extra range.
I wish the wheels weren't instant-release. Hard to leave it outside the grocery store when you've gotta lock your bike and its wheels, and the trailer and its wheels.
@@scubatrucker6806 That's what I am doing soon too, "Flatbed or Nomad?". We want to go bikepacking but the carrying capacity of the Travoy is a 'bit' limited. I think I prefer the Flatbed due to its extreme versatility and lower price. We already have some big beefy drybags for canoeing and I figure that strapping them to the flatbed will be very easy safe and dry. OTOH the Nomad offers a "just throw it in" capability. And it could be more aerodynamic which is an important consideration. Either way I don't think you can go wrong. We want to use the Flatbed for day to day life too, so it's ability to handle long loads matters to us. Good luck!
Two comments: Durability is important and so is safety. Try putting wider tires on those stock rims to save money. I'm not convinced fatties on trailers help much.
Great video. OK now I have a dilemma. I want to start using my bike for around the town errands and maybe bikecamping. I was focusing on the Burley Coho XC cargo trailer and now I come across this one. I hate to buy one and miss out on a feature the other provides. Another concern will either or both fit on a Trek Procaliber 8? Oh I also subscribed...
good review...thanks! several years old since you posted....but curious about the thru axle adaptor that you didn't discuss. Have a lot of variations on the website. My bike is 12 x 142 thru axle....which one would be a good fit?
Hi there ! You should be able to go to The Robert Axle Project and search your intended use and the bike you own and they will find out what axle you need. Definitely important to do this as different bikes have biffèrent thread pitches, so you could be looking at two different axles that are 12x142 and one could work, one could not. In other words Thread pitch is the spacing in between the threads on the end where the thru axle screws into the your bike. Cheers!
Curious to get your thoughts on using this for bike camping and single track trails. After seeing your Utah video, I'm thinking about doing a Utah trip and this trailer would be perfect for the amount of gear I would want to bring.
Yeah this trailer would be perfect for a trip like that one (the cedar mesa loop) I think it handles wide single track pretty well but as the turns get tighter it might struggle check out the Burley Coho if you haven’t already! I was looking at that one but the through as less for my bikes were a bit tricky so ended up going with the nomad. No regrets though as it is considerably lighter than the Coho so there is trade offs.
I'd have to keep checking every 5 minutes the bloody thing was still there!..... Its like the old joke about the copper stopping the caravaner..... "Excuse me Sir but your rear brake lights are defective"....... "FUCK MY LIGHTS, WHERES MY CARAVAN????"
G'day. I live in QLD AUSTRALIA. Over hear we have a lot of dirt roads and snow dawn south. Those tyers look like 4wd all terrain. Would be and complent to a camper trailer I am desining for my trike which i am saving up for. Whats the performance like?.did you lose any speed or pedle any harder with the buggy on the back ?.. and can you do a review in the snow after riding it for a while ?... I may become a subbie if you did a camping trip with it. Gerard.
Question: I am looking for a product to put my 50lbs dog in when riding. It seems like a solid floor would be needed. What are your thoughts about using this trailer for a dog transport?
So while it is not recommended or endorsed it can be done. You are right about the floor it’s made from the nylon material depending on the size your dog might be uncomfortable in the trailer there is a bar (the axle that runs about 1/3 of the way down. My dog has hopped in and manages to fit but again it’s not recommended. They do make dog carriers if you are looking just to do that.
20 plus years ago I modified a burley flatbed for my girl. I believe the flatbed is very similar in shape without the canvas cover. I have one of the real older ones that have the 20” wheels and they are supported on both sides not the one as shown. I did the modification using plywood and drilled holes in the ply so as to not damage the integrity of the trailer. With the holes in strategic spots along with them and all wood edges being routed over with a rounding bit everything got zip tied in place. Worked great, I loved it, my girl absolutely loved it. The only thing I would do if I did it again is get a rubber gasket of sort in between the aluminum frame and the plywood. The rubbing causes squeaking noise.
Thanks for great review. I have a border collie (like yours) that works with me in NYC and driving everyday here is untenable. I figure for a short 2x daily 3 mile ride this fits the bill. I ordered because of your review and I understand I can’t sue Burley because this use is not recommended! (Winking smiley face).
What does the Nomad have that makes it with another hundred USD over their flatbed? I was about to purchase this, but the price difference prompts me to just make up the difference with mods.
I also own a Karate Monkey and I was crushed when I found out that GnotBoost is incompatible with a BOB trailer. To use this trailer with your KM, are you using the Robert Axle "Kid trailer" axle?
The Robert Axle Project part number kid218 gnot boost thru axle 12 x 148 or 12 x 142 ( spacer included) was purchased locally at Bike Touring News. It is installed on my wet clay KMonkey. Same metal burley adaptor as in the video. have an older nomad with the retro plastic dohicky replaced and it pulls great. Also I can now pull my Granddaughter in her new burley kid trailer Easy peasy
Blimey Josh, how far are you waste bins from the house. Thought I had it bad having to take my wheelie bins 30 yards to the end of the road once a week. Nice trailer though..
Hahaha when we lived in Wisconsin it was about a quarter mile to them. Maybe a tad less than that. Still the bike was the best way. It felt too short for a car and too long for a walk with trash bags.
@@JoshRomeroYT I don’t live out in the sticks but am going to build a trailer for my e-bike trike so I can do the weekly shopping which is about 10 mile round trip. It will only need to hold two shopping backs full. Looking to weld up a angle steel frame and weld on the axles and wheels from my redundant sack truck as it has 8” wheels with pneumatic tyres and sealed bearings. can then drop in a plastic container with an elasticated rain cover.
like all bike trailers, not long enough. what use is it if you cant get long objects in like gardening tools, carpets etc. there is a big gap in the market for maybe a telescoping trailer that could be extended lengthways. would be very easy to do.
I want to get one so I don't have to wear a back pack full of stuff. I want to get one to commute to work and back. Something to carry my unicycles to the lake with
They push going down hills. speed on flat is fine if its fully loaded you will know its back there. bad thing on flat is turns and clearance got to watch the swing or it hit stuff.
Good points Adrian. Personally I don’t plan to take this on any fast trips. Quite the contrary if I bring this thing camping you know I’m bringing other things to pass time and do like fishing gear. Maybe a hammock, etc.
pan·nier /ˈpanēər/ noun plural noun: panniers 1. a basket, especially one of a pair carried by a beast of burden. pa·nir /ˌpaˈnir/ noun noun: paneer a type of curd cheese used in Indian, Iranian, and Afghan cooking.
Great informative video thanks for posting are the rims the same size ?could you put fat tyres onto the existing rims ? Many thanks again bren new subscriber
I used the Burley nomad for about 2,800 miles traveling through California to Utah. It is by far not the best trailer for touring. The clearance is terrible. while it hauls okay on the road as long as it is not fully loaded as soon as you get into a remote area and you need to carry extra food and water supplies it becomes very cumbersome and will never let your bike stand while it's connected. The price is outrageous for what you get and even the hitch design is mediocre which was a surprise from Burley. I would not recommend buying any commercially manufactured bike trailer if you plan on doing serious touring. Build your own.
I have a low cost game cart that I use . But the wheels just rotate on an axle shaft, no bearings . For longer rides , I think sealed bearings that this trailer has would be much better !
Hopefully you could find a place on the trailer frame to run a cable or even a u-lock. Remove a wheel. Use this: pacsafe.com/collections/portable-safes-bag-protectors/products/120l-anti-theft-backpack-bag-protector
Thanks! It’s been hard to do merch as It is a big commitment unless I go the preorder route. Working on getting some stickers here soon for the viewers stay tuned ;)
I got a flatbed over 20 years ago for my dog. Trailers and bikes go together so well it’s a shame they aren’t more common. They can be incredible smart tools carrying so much stuff it’s crazy. They are great on gas mileage, parking costs and you usually get to park lots closer! Unlike cars, your not really effected by traffic. And there is usually a quiet trail to use besides the street. That trailer allowed me to have incredible times with my pup for almost 15 years. Money VERY well spent. No issues either. Nothing but great things to say about it.
Thanks for sharing ! Yes I have seen the benefits and it’s awesome how easy you can attach or detach so they make sense ! Cheers
When I rode from Vancouver into Alberta I met a guy who was using a kid-seat Burley to haul his big, old golden lab. He rode from Calgary to Vancouver Island and back. He must have really loved that dog. And it isn't the easiest trip! By far.
What trailer did you use? I'm thinking of getting the Quitekat cargo trailer for my dog.
Hi I’m looking at buying the flat deck for towing my German shepherd,
do you know if the fatter tyres will fit the flat deck or are they just additional for the nomad.
Thanks.
I used this trailer for two years continuous...... on an extended tour of Europe...... it's a great trailer .... however ..... the front of the trailer is exposed to spray from the rear wheel and yes it will soak thro ...... after an initial tour round the coast of Scotland in January..... i opted to line the trailer with heavy duty plastic .... this stopped the water comin up from beeeeelooow ..... the front lowest part was so low it kept getting hooked up on stuff .... rocks roots kerbs ...i eventually made a hard plastic bash guard for this .... it slid over obstacles easier, the trailer hitch that connects onto the bike snapped in the middle of nowhere in Portugal 🥴 i do notice the hitch on that model is different, better quality !!....... the wheels needed truing semi regular...... the wheel bearings needed replacing after 2-3000 km and they were not easy to find ..... a bearing specialist is the only option i found ...... I'm not giving this trailer shit .... it's bloody good i gave it serious punishment on various terrain for two years an still it followed me faithfully like a wee doggy 😁👍
Thanks for this great info
When I put my trailer together not one like yours but a trailer for a bike the first thing I do was ride down to Walmart and I purchased the weight capacity in 2 l bottles. I had an electric bicycle makes a big difference. the hardest thing to do with a load like that is to get it started with an electric bike it'll help you get it started and then what you got it going it's not that difficult to keep it going if you're out of shape. Many of us are out of shape and the cool thing about an electric bicycle is it gets you back in shape because you got a pedal just cuz it's an electric bike doesn't mean you can just let it run you've got to help and you build your muscles back up as you do so.
Electric bikes and trailers are a marriage made in heaven! I have no use for a car in my hilly, windy city.
ebikes in EU UK and AU don't have throttles for legal limitations, I just fitted thumb throttle to my Fortis fat bike. PAS is choppy and takes too much effort between short stops
I retired in 2019 and moved to the Philippines...I'm looking for a trailer...as i travel full time on my ebike...us older guys need the extra power...lol
I'm on my 4th Nomad over the last 7 years. I ride them extremely hard (ebike), and only replace them for cosmetic reasons. Highly recommended.
replaced for cosmetic reasons?
maybe you are a treasure for Burley if you tell them what you experienced....
like a testdriver
I got the Burley Coho, really impressed with it. With nothing in, you don’t even know you’re pulling anything. I had it loaded with 62lb of shopping the other day, it’s limit is 70lb. It had a slight tendency to sway at higher speeds, but on the flat, it was dead easy to cycle with. The advantage of 1 wheel on it is, you don’t have to worry about taking it through small gaps or worry about potholes, the trailer’s wheel is going to track exactly where your bike wheels are tracking, so as long as you avoid the pothole with your bike, you will with your trailer. This is not the case when you have 2 wheels. I got my trailer for camping and for general use like shopping and transporting things.
If I get one of these trailers, it won't be used for bike camping at all. Because I have zero interest in bike camping. But, I would use it for shopping, or dumpster diving, or trash picking, or looking for salvaged wood, or for carrying metal detecting equipment, and other such things. I like that they are not horribly expensive.
I towed my daughter for thousands of miles in a similar trailer, and as I'm always looking to upgrade things, I experimented with different tyres.
In general, wider is better on loose sand but to be honest, loose sand was too hard to ride on anyway. I don't have a fatbike, and 2.2" tyres on my mountain bike were simply too narrow to be of any use on loose sand. In snow, I thought a fat tyre on the trailer would be good but again, if the snow was so deep that this became an issue for the trailer, then the snow was simply too deep to cycle on anyway.
And tyre tread... intuitively you think you want treaded tyres on your trailer when you're off road, in snow, on sand... but really you don't. Ever. The trailer has no drive, has no brakes and tracks exactly wherever the bike pulls. On the road, you can feel the spuddy tread from the trailer when you're pulling it at decent speeds, so my conclusion is that tread is only ever a negative for a trailer.
In the end, I settled on "city" tyres for the trailer - 20" Conti City Jets - as wide as I could find. Set them at a pressure where they'd slightly squish under the weight of my daughter and the shopping (the trailer was big enough for both), and just left them on. After those "thousands" of miles the trailer tyres still looked like new - no real wear at all. Quite amazing really.
The worst thing for me was when my daughter no longer needed the trailer. I miss towing her. Of course I love that she now rides alongside me but having her in the trailer was such a conversation starter with people we encountered. We'd put her inside a little sleeping bag on colder days, and people would spot her sitting in there, her blonde hair poking out from the top of the sleeping bag. If I had a £1 for every person who smiled and said "Ah" at the sight of her curled up in the trailer, fast asleep...
Yeah it really seems to make people happy when they see me pulling the kids around in the trailer they’re always smiling, One guy even started cheering for me as I was riding up a steep hill lol.
Yeah, bikes are magic.
I think bike trailers are a great idea. For those just camping and day hiking it might not be suitable but if you are into fishiing, camping, photography, astronomy then a trailer is the way to go. I plan to travel around with my skydiving and base jumping gear and that stuff does not pack small. Great review.
I love it for photographying. Can keep the camera and lenses in the protective bag, put tripods and flashes in, as well as a little chair and my iPad so I don’t go crazy waiting for timelapses to finish.
no is fine for day too. People use these commuting all the time every day even just to carry a little bit of stuff.
This is such a great trailer, used it for about 4-5 years a couple of times a week for trash (lol), heavy grocery shopping and other times i would used a car for bringing stuff. It's a lott more day to day basis than i thought from the beginning. Also used it for camping and bringing all my kitesurfing equipment to the beach and strap the board on top. I have probably overloaded it many times. I like that its so lightweight and easy to fold for compact and little space in the car. I recommend cutting out a piece from a cheap sleeping pad to protect the bottom and make it a bit more sturdy. I dont think the extra wheels are needed and have used the standard wheels on narrow rooty trails without any problems, never had a puncture.
Snow was what he mentioned the importance of and I see the point.
@@j.ballsdeep420 Any loose surfaces where the wheels would sink like loose dirt, sand, or actual gravel (bunch of rocks not packed dirt) because if the trailer sinks or slides too much it makes it harder to pull.
I've had a Nomad trailer for years, its a good trailer. I put the luggage rack on and its even better now. Water proofed the nylon body with Flex steel spray. and now its water proof. I pull mine behind my recumbent, which has an electric assist motor, the recumbent that is. Its all good.
I love mine! We bikejore with 4 huskies and we use the Nomad for quick errands such as; grocery shopping, trips to the farmers market, if we happen to pass an estate sale, well it has room. We also go on longer rides and can pack a lot of picnic gear, med kits, and tools. I can't remember what it was like biking before the Nomad. : )
Trailers have their purposes. I used a Bob for years with a single but it really shined when pulled by a tandem. You don't even know it is there. But I sold the Bob when I saw a Burley Travoy. I have folding bikes and folding kayaks and the Travoy folds flat, will carry 60lbs and only weighs 12lbs. The plan was to pull the kayak (27lbs) in the trailer, and then put the folded bike (also 27lbs) and folded trailer IN the tandem kayak. The bikes fits perfectly in the front cockpit. I live on Vancouver Island and now I can go anywhere! I don't have a car and when I moved here I used the Travoy to haul tons of surplus stuff to Sally Ann, etc. and it worked beautifully. Here I have hauled a 32" monitor and a large microwave oven from Costco. I have seen Travoys used to deliver pizza in Vancouver. It is very well built. Next I'll try it bikepacking, but I wish I could get those bigger wheels.
The travoy is fantastic -have used on for years - shopping, dolly for photo gear, haul light contruction gear - now it's hooked to my electric bike. The handling is great, and when you get where you're going, it's a compact dolly you can just bring with oyu.
eBike + Trailer is the ultimate combo.
I just finished building my own version of the Burley Travoy somewhat larger mind you (obviously home made, wood, 20 inch wheels lol, it is what I had). My wheels aren't those awesome wide wheels like your 16 inch wheels, but I do have quick connect. I wanted both a bike trailer and a cart I could take into stores, partially so I don't have to leave it outside, especially with stuff in it. I find stores are ok with my odd looking cart as it looks more like a cart than bike trailer. Most stores don't allow bike trailers, unless a child is in it. Had the shopping cart version of it a long time and love it, way easier to push/pull that those cheap carts, especially in snow. Nothing like an all terrain shopping cart. Finally got around to adding the mount for the bike trailer hitch arm. Plan to eventually use it as wheels for a canoe or kayak.
YES! I forgot the other reason I love my Travoy. Not only for trips to Costco but when touring you might not want to leave all your stuff outside a store. Another advantage of trailers is that you can leave them in your motel or even inside your tent so you can go for a slimmed-down excursion without it. When paranoid I used a Pacsafe over it, and removed one wheel : pacsafe.com/collections/portable-safes-bag-protectors/products/120l-anti-theft-backpack-bag-protector
@@barrybogart5436 yeah - love my travoy
The original tires have lasted over 2 years with no flats, the wider tires will cause more drag ive been pulling mine with appox.100lbsper trailer and 30 lbs. On my back pack plus 190 lbs my weight with burley trailer rack, Amazon tilt rack for a 200watt solar panel which charges my spare ebike battery while im riding.😊😊😊😊😊😊
Like that you point out the practical day-to-day uses!
Thanks for the good review! Learned some new things. We have this trailer and it is very good quality, great help. The local newspaper car saw me bycycling past with the Nomad trailer and drove after me to make an interview.
I got both the Burley nomad and the Bob Ibex.I love trailers for reasons of my own.The Bob Ibex behind a bicycle is the way to go...The Burley I use behind my Ice Adventure 2 Recumbent trike.Trailers are just soooo convenient...you open the bag or the trailer and can see where everything is.I use two paniers on my front wheel of my touring bike as well.I have done touring with trailers of roughly 25 000km.
Forgot to mention...I changed the wheels on my burley to 20" wheels...also much better.
@redant how did you convert the push button quick release burley wheels to 2p"? Ive been wanting to do that.
Make you you get extra mirror for atleast the the left side if in USA, when your on the road, not needed in the woods really.😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊
Looks like a decent piece of kit - even though I wouldn't buy one, since I already have a similar -ish size trailer that I made.
The real takeaway for me from your review was the comment about its weight limit / carrying capacity of 100lbs - ie not something one would want to tow on a regular basis - especially for someone considerably older than you - like me :)
Quite a few diy trailer projects seem to go for big, heavy constructions capable of carrying two adult rhinos or equivalent - and I wonder how often this load is actually carried. Makes a change to hear a more sensible comment about this aspect.
In the 3.5 yrs or so of using current trailer I have pulled 50kg, but only a few times / short ish distances / no hills - with typical loads in the 15 to 35kg range.
Somewhat lighter (4.2kg) than the nomad, but I wanted to keep it as light as possible as it folds and is stowed on the pannier rack until needed.
Decent review btw - basics well covered without annoying ingredients.
Love Burley products! They're such excellent quality. I have the Travoy and use it often. Glad to see their other products reviewed.
The Travoy changed our (car free) life.
Someone with a Redington flyfishing rod is obviously a man of choice ! 😁
Thank you from the past (or the future ?)
I use my "Surly (LHT) and Burley" all the time. The trailer makes my bike (ec)centric life style much more practical. I can do so much more with a trailer!
Yeah but not really necessary with touring bike if you know how to use the front and back racks properly and have decent panniers.
@@kishascape completely wrong, a trailer is much more versatile!
Because Burley Nomad sounds adventurous, mysterious, exploratory, aspirational. The Burley Chore sounds boring, something you would prefer not to be doing, a necessity rather than a want, a life of drudge.
I wonder why they couldn't get it to track directly behind the bike towing it? I have a BoB Yak which in 3 years I've probably used twice. It seemed like a good idea at the time .................. A heavy trailer is definitely a drag to cycle with. I think I prefer panniers. A trailer comes into it's own with larger heavier items, but for these admittedly I use my car.
Just got a trailer and I'm gonna use it all the time!
Being disabled isnt so bad anymore with ebike and trailer..lol 65 and still riding, been on motorcycle s for 50 years, cant motorcycle anymore to dangerous. i would recommend having insurance to cover yourself in case an unisured motorist hits you 😢 have fun and be safe😊😊😊
0:43 That "tap tap" on the table with his ring is evidence of a happily married man.
Like everything from Burley it's a very good quality product.
But it is actually quite small. It may hold more than two pannier bags but it's more intended for touring than shopping imo.
For not camping there are much bigger and cheaper trailers.
I first got a large sized dog trailer because it has a large floor area of 60 x 80 cm and makes a really great covered cargo trailer especially for a full weeks family grocery shopping. Then I got a similar sized cargo trailer for everything too big for the cabin area of the dog trailer like a full sized lawnmower. And I got the two of them for less than the price for the Nomad. Both better utilitarian trailers but the Nomad would be better suited to bike touring.
Wow, what a trailer, love it :-) for snow best will be skids
Yeah Ill have to try some when it snows :)
Great idea, if you want to bring your mattress and tv Bikepacking!
It's not as if the trailer tires are rated at 100 pounds/max load, they are not; in this design, half of the load is transferred to the bicycle rear tire, so the rear bicycle tire would get 50 pounds of the trailer load, in addition to it's load of bike and rider. It helps to consider the overall load amounts. The 100 pound figure is deceptive.
Not necessarily. Balance the load weight distribution as you would with an automotive trailer for hitch tongue weight. Tire choice, width, and pressure of the bike tire should be a consideration.
@@awesomexistence In this mini-trailer context, there is no opportunity to "balance the load weight distribution" in the way that automotive trailers are done. Optimizing the tires' performance is of course essential, but the discussion at hand was Weight Distribution, and the figures given by the Burley rating are deceptive and inaccurate. The bicycle rear tire would tell you that,if it could speak. The Burley design relies upon shifting a lot of weight to the bicycle rear axle and tire. Period.
@@dehoedisc7247, have you not distributed a load for balance, even a small load such as a back pack? A 250 lb person versus a 150 lb person will weight that rear tire different also yet the same wheel design can carry both and neither person is of faulty design. The wheel/tire system of this trailer at its load rating is more than adequate. Trailer axle to rear wheel axle is 43” (23” tongue extension,with 20” in front load area and 10” behind the trailer axle). The trailer tongue becomes a 2nd class leaver with a mechanical advantage at the bicycle rear axle. In short the tongue weight at the bike axle will be less than the trailer axle weight by mechanical advantage. Think wheelbarrow. Load weight distribution will easily lessen the load on the bike wheel. And Or maybe you can lose some weight. I’ve built many wheels in several decades. The trailer is designed adequate for the load rating. If you can’t figure out the load and balance perhaps your not possessing the skills necessary to safely tow a trailer behind a bicycle. Have a nice day!
😊😊 bug out camper trailer and ready to go load up the trailer 😀😀
Very pleasant review! I might buy one.
I was doing a gravel route in the Seattle area.... I was following "trailer" tracks, I wonder if it was the burly
Burley needs to make a trailer with a motor in it. Even if you're using an ebike a motor would really pump up your range.
That would be a waste of money, a motor and battery. Also if you were going to do that, you would also need to connect brakes and somehow rig it that the motor cut out when the brakes came on. Then the timing between the e-bike motor and the trailer motor. They would need to accelerate and slow down at the same speed with consideration for the different wheel sizes.
It would be far easier to throw a spare battery in the trailer if all you needed was extra range.
Is that in Canada? I like those little trailers but not pull then down the road very long, but I did with my kids on a trailer.
My wife would love for me to get one and take the cats with us on our weekend Bay Trail rides! Also, dude your camera work is so on point!
Thanks bob ! Yeah it would work for the cats 🐱
Very well thought out trailer.
Works good in small space using in camper toy hauler room has heat & air would buy again
I want one! Thanks for the video
I wish the wheels weren't instant-release.
Hard to leave it outside the grocery store when you've gotta lock your bike and its wheels, and the trailer and its wheels.
Hey, nice video. How well does it handle turning? Does it limit right hand turns? Thanks.
You could do bike packing in winter with a hot tent and furnace with that trailer
can you give us a link to the extra wheels that they sent you please ?
Very useful review! I've found my trailer.
Really helpfull! So i hope That it is avalable in 🇩🇪. Kind regards
Looks like the nomad is the one to get for me. Great review
Check out the Travoy.
@@BillOweninOttawa I have seen videos on that one but for my uses I was trying to decide either the nomad or flatbed. Thank you for the idea.👍
@@scubatrucker6806 That's what I am doing soon too, "Flatbed or Nomad?". We want to go bikepacking but the carrying capacity of the Travoy is a 'bit' limited. I think I prefer the Flatbed due to its extreme versatility and lower price. We already have some big beefy drybags for canoeing and I figure that strapping them to the flatbed will be very easy safe and dry. OTOH the Nomad offers a "just throw it in" capability. And it could be more aerodynamic which is an important consideration. Either way I don't think you can go wrong. We want to use the Flatbed for day to day life too, so it's ability to handle long loads matters to us. Good luck!
You should make the wheels tubeless for fun
Too much bother
As of 3/30/2021 that trailer costs $349 on Amazon. Guess I'll have to stick with my Aosom Elite ll, unless I can get them to send me one gratis.
Plus another $149 if you want off-road tires. That's close to $500 for this cart
Two comments: Durability is important and so is safety. Try putting wider tires on those stock rims to save money. I'm not convinced fatties on trailers help much.
Great video. OK now I have a dilemma. I want to start using my bike for around the town errands and maybe bikecamping. I was focusing on the Burley Coho XC cargo trailer and now I come across this one. I hate to buy one and miss out on a feature the other provides. Another concern will either or both fit on a Trek Procaliber 8? Oh I also subscribed...
I'm looking for studded 16" tires, suggestions. They need to be 305-44 or there abouts.
That would be great for me for work and fishing
good review...thanks! several years old since you posted....but curious about the thru axle adaptor that you didn't discuss. Have a lot of variations on the website. My bike is 12 x 142 thru axle....which one would be a good fit?
Hi there ! You should be able to go to The Robert Axle Project and search your intended use and the bike you own and they will find out what axle you need. Definitely important to do this as different bikes have biffèrent thread pitches, so you could be looking at two different axles that are 12x142 and one could work, one could not. In other words Thread pitch is the spacing in between the threads on the end where the thru axle screws into the your bike. Cheers!
@@JoshRomeroYT wow! That works, I found the size for my Yamaha ebike! You’re awesome…thanks ! 😊
Curious to get your thoughts on using this for bike camping and single track trails. After seeing your Utah video, I'm thinking about doing a Utah trip and this trailer would be perfect for the amount of gear I would want to bring.
Yeah this trailer would be perfect for a trip like that one (the cedar mesa loop) I think it handles wide single track pretty well but as the turns get tighter it might struggle check out the Burley Coho if you haven’t already! I was looking at that one but the through as less for my bikes were a bit tricky so ended up going with the nomad. No regrets though as it is considerably lighter than the Coho so there is trade offs.
A legend
does this come with 20 inch tires? eg road tirers what is the price for these trailers? does it come with fenders?
Looks top quality I wish I could test this
Imagine riding jumps on that
Like Danny Macaskill :) ua-cam.com/video/jj0CmnxuTaQ/v-deo.html
I'd have to keep checking every 5 minutes the bloody thing was still there!.....
Its like the old joke about the copper stopping the caravaner.....
"Excuse me Sir but your rear brake lights are defective".......
"FUCK MY LIGHTS, WHERES MY CARAVAN????"
thanks for the video, it was well done.
No problem! Glad you enjoyed it !
G'day. I live in QLD AUSTRALIA. Over hear we have a lot of dirt roads and snow dawn south. Those tyers look like 4wd all terrain. Would be and complent to a camper trailer I am desining for my trike which i am saving up for.
Whats the performance like?.did you lose any speed or pedle any harder with the buggy on the back ?.. and can you do a review in the snow after riding it for a while ?... I may become a
subbie if you did a camping trip with it.
Gerard.
I need to see better how you connect the trailer to the bike
Exactly
What Is It Made Out Of?
Question: I am looking for a product to put my 50lbs dog in when riding. It seems like a solid floor would be needed. What are your thoughts about using this trailer for a dog transport?
So while it is not recommended or endorsed it can be done. You are right about the floor it’s made from the nylon material depending on the size your dog might be uncomfortable in the trailer there is a bar (the axle that runs about 1/3 of the way down. My dog has hopped in and manages to fit but again it’s not recommended. They do make dog carriers if you are looking just to do that.
20 plus years ago I modified a burley flatbed for my girl. I believe the flatbed is very similar in shape without the canvas cover. I have one of the real older ones that have the 20” wheels and they are supported on both sides not the one as shown. I did the modification using plywood and drilled holes in the ply so as to not damage the integrity of the trailer. With the holes in strategic spots along with them and all wood edges being routed over with a rounding bit everything got zip tied in place. Worked great, I loved it, my girl absolutely loved it. The only thing I would do if I did it again is get a rubber gasket of sort in between the aluminum frame and the plywood. The rubbing causes squeaking noise.
Thanks for great review. I have a border collie (like yours) that works with me in NYC and driving everyday here is untenable. I figure for a short 2x daily 3 mile ride this fits the bill. I ordered because of your review and I understand I can’t sue Burley because this use is not recommended! (Winking smiley face).
They do make pet trailers.
See my dog comment above.....
What does the Nomad have that makes it with another hundred USD over their flatbed? I was about to purchase this, but the price difference prompts me to just make up the difference with mods.
Awesome Josh! This thing is sweet!
Thanks Eric! Miss you bud !
I also own a Karate Monkey and I was crushed when I found out that GnotBoost is incompatible with a BOB trailer. To use this trailer with your KM, are you using the Robert Axle "Kid trailer" axle?
The Robert Axle Project part number kid218 gnot boost thru axle 12 x 148 or 12 x 142 ( spacer included) was purchased locally at Bike Touring News. It is installed on my wet clay KMonkey. Same metal burley adaptor as in the video. have an older nomad with the retro plastic dohicky replaced and it pulls great. Also I can now pull my Granddaughter in her new burley kid trailer Easy peasy
Blimey Josh, how far are you waste bins from the house. Thought I had it bad having to take my wheelie bins 30 yards to the end of the road once a week.
Nice trailer though..
Hahaha when we lived in Wisconsin it was about a quarter mile to them. Maybe a tad less than that. Still the bike was the best way. It felt too short for a car and too long for a walk with trash bags.
@@JoshRomeroYT I don’t live out in the sticks but am going to build a trailer for my e-bike trike so I can do the weekly shopping which is about 10 mile round trip. It will only need to hold two shopping backs full. Looking to weld up a angle steel frame and weld on the axles and wheels from my redundant sack truck as it has 8” wheels with pneumatic tyres and sealed bearings. can then drop in a plastic container with an elasticated rain cover.
A trailer sets you free.
They should have went with the goose neck mount for this trailer.
How do I attach this to my 12x MTB if not using a bolt lever axel on the back wheel????
Do you know if their Hiking & Walking kit can attach to the nomad?
like all bike trailers, not long enough. what use is it if you cant get long objects in like gardening tools, carpets etc. there is a big gap in the market for maybe a telescoping trailer that could be extended lengthways. would be very easy to do.
Yeah I see that don’t know how much that would drive productions costs and then price but yeah would be a neat idea
Check Surly’s website. They have some trailers that will vary cargo of any crazy length, but are $$$.
Or check out the coho xc, same manufacturer.
I would love one, say 2'x3' that would fold out lengthwise to form a bed.
I want to get one so I don't have to wear a back pack full of stuff. I want to get one to commute to work and back. Something to carry my unicycles to the lake with
Nice cart! Good review! I like your matching helmet. What brand and model is this?
Looks nice but I wonder how if affects steering when going downhill with big load and how it affects speed on tarmac on flat road.
They push going down hills. speed on flat is fine if its fully loaded you will know its back there. bad thing on flat is turns and clearance got to watch the swing or it hit stuff.
Good points Adrian. Personally I don’t plan to take this on any fast trips. Quite the contrary if I bring this thing camping you know I’m bringing other things to pass time and do like fishing gear. Maybe a hammock, etc.
Could this transport a jbl partybox 310 (or 2)?
Nice ad! 😊
How does this connect when paired with a Surly thru axle?
How did you get those off-road tires pls share
pan·nier
/ˈpanēər/
noun
plural noun: panniers
1.
a basket, especially one of a pair carried by a beast of burden.
pa·nir
/ˌpaˈnir/
noun
noun: paneer
a type of curd cheese used in Indian, Iranian, and Afghan cooking.
Would those big wheels work on the travoy.
Great informative video thanks for posting are the rims the same size ?could you put fat tyres onto the existing rims ? Many thanks again bren new subscriber
Fat tyres too wide for existing rims
gOOD vID...liked the info but ya should add? more humor like your ending...ya got the personality,,, Thanks from California..
I've got one I love it
Do you know anyone with a recombinant trike that test out the Nomad? Tadpole design.
hi. is it compatible with brompton bike?
Oh! So cute!
I used the Burley nomad for about 2,800 miles traveling through California to Utah. It is by far not the best trailer for touring. The clearance is terrible. while it hauls okay on the road as long as it is not fully loaded as soon as you get into a remote area and you need to carry extra food and water supplies it becomes very cumbersome and will never let your bike stand while it's connected. The price is outrageous for what you get and even the hitch design is mediocre which was a surprise from Burley. I would not recommend buying any commercially manufactured bike trailer if you plan on doing serious touring. Build your own.
Do the wheels have bearings ?
Sealed automotive style bearings.
I have a low cost game cart that I use .
But the wheels just rotate on an axle shaft, no bearings . For longer rides , I think sealed bearings that this trailer has would be much better !
I want that for shopping
Just one question. Will it work with through axels?
Yes. Burley make them.
Is there awaycto secure trailer from being stolen from bake?
Hopefully you could find a place on the trailer frame to run a cable or even a u-lock. Remove a wheel. Use this: pacsafe.com/collections/portable-safes-bag-protectors/products/120l-anti-theft-backpack-bag-protector
Thanks
good review and sweet hoodie! is it available?
Thanks! It’s been hard to do merch as It is a big commitment unless I go the preorder route. Working on getting some stickers here soon for the viewers stay tuned ;)
Great video thanks. Does it work with thru bolts?
Yes Chris ! You might have to get a stonier they axle from Robert thru axle project but yeah it will work! Cheers
Dude this is fun!
Im getting a trailer for courier work. An everyday thing XD
So the off-road tires don't come with it, you have to buy those extra? We're talkin close to $500 here. Way beyond my budget for a cart.
I am doubtful about their value anyway, but just try putting fatter knobbier tires on the stock wheels.
@@barrybogart5436 Won't recommend fat tyres on stock rims, beads will be too squashed in
Good luck nice beautiful 👍 well done
Damn sun. Put a tarp down … it’s brand new ?