Friday, January 11, 2013

Burley Travoy Bike Trailer: A January Test Run

Yesterday it was in the 50s in Iowa, warm and a little windy. 

I needed to buy groceries and decided to try out my new Burley Travoy commuter bicycle trailer. After all, soon it will be highs in the 20s again.

Hooking up the trailer to my trusty old Fuji Thrill mountain bike that I've converted to my winter commuter bike, I took off down the road to the store about a mile away. Riding into the wind, I didn't notice much resistance from the body of the trailer. I did notice some road noise with the empty trailer, but that disappeared when the trailer was loaded on the way home.

The Travoy rode like a dream, both empty and loaded. There was no sense of pull or drag, although I found coming down one gear and increasing my spinning revolutions made for a more effortless trip. What I did notice was people staring as I rode by. I imagine in the summer when I hitch the Burley Travoy trailer to my Burley Koosah recumbent, I'll get even more stares--the Freightliner tractor and trailer of bicycles!

The great joy was to stop at the store, unhitch the trailer, and roll through the doors to shop. For this trip, I didn't take the top bag, but think I would have if I had it to do again. I would have put the bananas in the top bag to ensure there would be no bruising. Rolling down the aisles, I added items, filling the green grocery bag about three-quarters full. Pulling up to the check-out, I unhooked the bag, set it on the counter, and then helped the cashier empty it. Then, as the items were scanned, I packed the bag for the trip home, placing the heavier items to the bottom and back.

The trailer actually rode better with a load; it seemed more stable. As I rode past the kitchen window on the way to the front door, my wife saw me and said to herself, "There's a photo opportunity!" And that was the genesis of this blog post with the photos.

I'm looking forward to using the Travoy this summer with our weekend bike touring. I think it will work well and ride with more stability than the rear panniers on the recumbent.

Burley makes a duffle bag with specialized attachment hooks for their Travoy trailer. "That's your birthday present," my wife said with a smile. My birthday's coming in about three weeks. I'd better order soon! Judging from the dimensions of the bag and it's looks, my challenge will be to not pack too much on camping trips!

Using the Travoy will add some joy to my commuting, although I imagine I will most often continue to use my Bike Pro City Bags that attach to my rear rack. They are very handy. For big shopping days, though, and for local weekend bike camping, I think the Burley Travoy adds a lot of potential to my bike-riding capabilities.

Copyright 2013 by Thomas L. Kepler, all rights reserved

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