Bike trailers

[timberland]

OK need entry level direction on setting up a trailer for my bike.

2 wheel or single (BOB?)

cheaper variations, or top end.

going to be used on established trails, not 2-tracks, mostly for a single trip elk hunting, not going deep, maybe 2 miles tops.
has anyone modified a cheap baby hauler, etc.

 

[wapitibob]

I own both. If you’re going to haul weight like elk quarters and need to push the bike, get a 2 wheel. The bob trailer will be sideways more than upright.

 

[mtnbiker208]

All i know is the bob trailer, it has worked for decades.
one from 2007, the other from 2015. the third is from 2020, different bob.
All together probably packed close to 18 plus elk on the bob.

 

[Winternews]

I will try to dig up some pics, but here is what has worked for me, caribou hunting, about 30 miles rt and a few thousand feet of climbing, on pretty good mining roads with a fair number of stream crossings:

Burley flatbed trailer
Ditched the tiny wheels
Put on the larger wheels from my Burley kid trailer
Set them up tubeless
Put on 2.8” mtb tires
Ran them at looooow pressure

A friend of mine has a single wheel trailer and toured a couple thousand miles with it— Alaska, Canada, South America, —so they seem really bomber. However, I liked having two wheels with plus sized tires for stability and especially for float over sand and gravel during stream crossings. The larger wheels boosted the ground (water) clearance, as did the big tires. The Burley flatbed trailer is very light compared to the alternatives. Happy to talk more about bike hunting; it’s been working for me but I am still learning.

I am towing the trailer behind a bike with 3” tires on 29” wheels and single digit air pressures, so I have quite a bit of traction on gravelly climbs. Definitely I could not take a 2 wheel trailer on ATV trails; there the BOB would rule due to its ability to squeeze between ruts.

 

[*zap*]

I converted a baby jogging stroller for hunting use. It works great when you push it and I tow it backwards behind the bike....I have a piece of plate welded on the back of my bike metal pannier and a eye bolt thru it...drilled a hole in the stroller handle and put an eyebolt thru that...carabiner connects them. It is nice to bike in as far as you can and then use the stroller...the stroller carries 75# with no trouble and the metal pannier carries a good amount also.

 

[Maverick1]

Used a BOB trailer for a couple of animals. Worked well for those pack outs on relatively flat terrain. I'd recommend good brakes (disc) if you have any sort of incline/decline.

 

[Explorer]

I have this one made by Bell. It pulls really well and is very stable. It works well as a push cart too, on established trails. It folds up pretty well. I cut a piece of 1/4" plywood to fit the bottom and zip tied it in place. That gives it a solid bottom which acts like a skid plate and prevents the cloth bottom from getting torn.

 

[BowForElk]

Go with a 2-wheeled cheapo from Craigslist. Been using ‘‘em for years. Replace periodically.

 

[berdu]

I have DIY'd a few but I know have a Sherpa Flat Free Magnum game cart with their bike attachment. The attachment is super sturdy and you can also use it as a game cart if needed. It can handle weight better than any of the child bike trailers that I used.