A few years back, Cole had a trailer -which was later stolen from the mean streets of Chicago- but I'll admit I envied that trailer- ideas were/have been flying through my head of all the things that I could do with one, and all of the opportunities to ride my bike more and drive less. I could go get groceries, pick up cool stuff- ie: other people's trash, etc. With no welding skills nor the equipment to weld with, I didn't see a trailer in my future.
A few years later- or a little more accurately, a few weeks ago- enter CycleTote, trailer manufacturers extraordinaire. They were kind enough to send out their touring/cargo model to test out. CycleTote has a wide variety of trailers too- besides the touring/cargo model, they make trailers for adults and people with special needs, trailers for children, and even trailers for your pet!
Out of the blue my dog hated riding one day, so I didn't go for the dog trailer. I did get her to jump in, but she was out just as quick! If your dog loves riding like most normal dogs, either the cargo or pet trailer would be a great choice. A really cool feature for parents is that they can be converted into strollers just as quick!
I know there's a lot of debate with trailers on what's better- steel, or aluminum. A lot of people will say steel just because steel is generally easier to find someone that can fix it quickly when touring. Not every welder welds aluminum. And to that I say check this trailer out!
CycleTote makes their trailers out of aluminum with super beefy welds, so I'm not worried about weight one bit. The suggested maximum load is 100 pounds- that's A LOT of weight!!! Chances are, unless you're out hunting for scrap metal and happen upon a mountain, you'll never carry that much weight, although it is fun to see just how much you CAN carry!
I really like one of CycleTote's user reviews on their site as far as how much one of these will REALLY hold- also, he was using the doggy tote!
"At your suggested max load of 100 lbs the trailer works marvelously. At 200 lbs it would complain a little but still functioned well enough. After a lot of use at 300 lbs the tow arm cracked. At 400 lbs the wheels tacoed while cornering. At 500 lbs on rough roads I cracked the outer frame tubes adjacent to the welds of the dropout plates that mount the wheels. Your lifetime guarantee speaks volumes."
Honestly, they're pretty tough. I've primarily been using mine for running errands, going to the grocery store- which feels so nice- not to mention empowering not having to drive the couple miles there & back! I've also used it around the farm getting wood & carrying supplies around. No matter what I've had in it, it worked great. Hills aren't that noticeably different and riding on flat road I hardly notice it was there. Seriously, it's really not that noticable at all.
I went with the 700c tires, and it came decked out with a fully waterproof covering (with a top!), and a super tough sheet of plastic housed in the bottom that will hold 100+ pounds with ease! The covering is removable for those times when you might want a bare-bones trailer- hunters for instance -I live on an old farm & hunt myself! Connects to the frame with velcro straps and fold-overs.
Unless you have ridiculously short handlebars, being two-wheeled, the trailer will stick out an extra 2-3 inches, which I feel is a big plus- So far, I seem to get more room from motorists with it than I do without it...which is pretty nice!
Mount-wise, it comes with a hitch the same size as your seat post (they also offer recumbent and even custom hitches!), then has a ball joint at the other end connecting to the trailer. It's a simple, yet tough design. There's also a velcro strap just in case, but I don't see a "just in case" happening. But if it does, CycleTote is one manufacturer that really stands behind their products offering a LIFETIME guarantee. I've looked at a lot of other trailers, but I haven't looked to see if any of them offer the same warranty, but chances are you won't need it.
They've been working on their website recently and have a new logo up with the motto "haul it all!". And that's the truth, because you really can! Maybe not the fridge, but it would definitely hold a mini!
Touring wise, there's more than enough room. Chances are you'd probably over pack. In the pictures my trailer is on a slight angle, but that's just because I was too lazy to take off my rear rack when it first came...so that's my bad. Otherwise, it would be sitting perfectly level, and my loads would be a bit more balanced, but even so, it's still a breeze.
If you've been thinking about a trailer, check CycleTote out! It's truly a quality, hand made American product with a lifetime warranty to boot, and they have a model to carry pretty much anything you'd like or need to. I think I could pack my drums in this and go on tour, if I could just convince the rest of the band...
Other accessories offered include automatic brakes (which sound so cool!), running stroller conversions, mud guards, and they'll even make you a custom hitch if need be as well as trailer conversions! Really rad stuff.
Super friendly people, give 'em a call or shoot an email if you have any questions- i'm sure they'd be more than happy to help you out!
Please note: When using ANY trailer and/or carrying heavier loads, increased stopping distance is required!!!
-Brandon
need a website? go for a ride with greeze!
