Trailer v Panniers for Tandem Touring?

[Paul Walters]

Whereas I've done loads of touring on my single bike, and can fit everything I need into panniers, my wife and I have now acquired an Orbit Velocity Tandem and plan to do some multi-day or week long tours on it. We are novice tandemeers, and I was wondering about the wisdom of adding more inertia to the frame with panniers, or to add more drag with a trailer.
Anyone got any thoughts?
Paul

 

[Mfezela]

If the tandem isn't long enough for you, by all means add a trailer ;-) Even a bicycle-trailer combination is a handful. Difficult to: negotiate sharp corners, find suitable parking spots, etc.

 

[Alex H]

I've never used a bike trailer with our tandem(s), but, I've never been camping, while touring. On several occasions we've been booked into a hotel on the 3rd or more, floor. It's easy to carry 4 panniers and a couple of bags up several flights of stairs. Not so sure about the contents of a trailer though. Also some cycle paths make it difficult for tandems, never mind those with a trailer.

 

[Sixmile]

As someone who rides a Circe Tandem and someone who pulls a Croozer double trailer, I would suggest panniers if at all possible. The trailer will certainly give more room but on any sort of incline, I find that a trailer is pulling me back down the hill. With decent rear panniers and two good bar bags, there should be more than enough room for a weeks touring gear, unless you're bringing camping stuff.

 

[DaveJ]

We've been away on ours a couple of times, longest of which was 11 days cycling. We don't camp, so with four panniers we have been fine.

 

[Mike Ayling]

I've never used a bike trailer with our tandem(s), but, I've never been camping, while touring. On several occasions we've been booked into a hotel on the 3rd or more, floor. It's easy to carry 4 panniers and a couple of bags up several flights of stairs. Not so sure about the contents of a trailer though. Also some cycle paths make it difficult for tandems, never mind those with a trailer.

Agree.

Mike

 

[Stephen Piper]

I have experimented with a trailer when tandem touring. It was just a cheap ebay item and the reason for buying was to ensure that we (especially my wife) had sufficient creature comforts as she is not an enthusiastic cycle camper, this included packing a larger tent than the average cycle tour would demand and one 75mm self inflating sleeping mat. I found the trailer was not hinderance, in fact I hardly noticed it was there when riding. Our route did not involve any steep hills but, trailer or not, we would have to push the tandem up a steep hill anyway. It was just a weekend but it would never have happened without a trailer.

 

[silva]

A trailer is like panniers with bottom plates of 5 kilo.

 

[stoatsngroats]

View media item 9741This was great fun Sussex to Guernsey. I used an adapted folding walking stick as a free stand.