Need advice on build: trailer-puller

[mcallen]

My biggest obstacle to riding more is convincing my wife to watch my two very active young boys so that I can go do my thang on the bike. My solution was to buy a Burley D'Lite. It's been great, but I'm geared wrong for long rides with 53-39, 12-25. My plan is to turn my single speed back into a geared bike.

I got a 50-34 compact crank off the forum, but I need shifters and derailleurs. I was thinking downtube shifters and maybe 8 or 9 speed drivetrain. I need something strong because of all extra weight. My budget is tight since I just bought the Burley and a new frame.

Suggestions?

[vqdriver]

i'm pulling a trailer with an old mtb, so it's got the standard 22x32 low gear and 44x11 hi with everything in between. easy schneazy if i want to convert to drops with a longer stem and 9sp road shifters. i wouldn't do any serious speed work with that setup, but pulling the trailer isn't really about that anyway.

i'd say pickup some 9sp DA with cheapest shimano long cage derailleur you can find. your choice of mtb cassettes and you're good to go.

[AngryScientist]

i say buy a new sram apex rd and caseette, and shift it with DA barcons. that sounds pretty sweet.

[bobswire]

You can do a flat bar set up with trigger shifters. Comfortable set up for pulling
a trailer. You can still use the crank you have and get an XT r. derailleur and 11/32 cassette and climb anything.

http://i53.tinypic.com/2629jj5.jpg

[AndrewS]

For things like this, I would vote for 8 speeds - cheap and very available chains and cassettes. If you go flat bar you can buy Gripshifters for less than $10, and if you go friction it's easy to deal with.

[oliver1850]

.

[John M]

Old used MTB (with good brakes) is what I did with my kids. You are not going to go faster than about 15 mph or so, and likely won't ride much longer than an hour or two so a top quality bike isn't needed. If there are any hills at all, you need low gears since the trailer is all dead weight. Also, the increased power of good MTB brakes is needed to stop the extra weight going down hill.

[bobswire]

Thumbies are another option. I had this flat bar set up on a Merlin, functional,minimalistic yet still a great looking machine.

http://i56.tinypic.com/2efkosh.jpg

http://i53.tinypic.com/1zvfm92.jpg

[dogdriver]

+1 all the above. Reliability above any bling, low gears for up, decent brakes so you can stop when you have to. You'll be surprised at how fast you don't go down hill-- the frontal area of the trailer acts like a big spinnaker in the wrong direction. You do, however, need to be able to make the unexpected quick stop and crashing with the youngin's isn't an option. Mtb tires also decrease the chance of a flat , and mechanicals are even less fun when the kids are along. I used a hard tail 29er with mtb gearing and a front disc brake-- it worked fine.

Personal advice disclaimer: Keep the rides pretty short. Depending on your kids' attention span, interest, and local distractions, an hour may be a good top limit. You don't want them to sour to the experience, and a screaming child behind you is no fun. We did rides to the local bagel place and the ice cream store.

Don't discount the chance to get a good workout-- my kids were overjoyed when we did hill repeats on a local grade-- the extra 100 pounds made a 3 minute easy climb into a 6 minute near death experience...

Just sold the traileer 2 weeks ago after 9 years of use-- enjoy!

Best, Chris

[rugbysecondrow]

My biggest obstacle to riding more is convincing my wife to watch my two very active young boys so that I can go do my thang on the bike. My solution was to buy a Burley D'Lite. It's been great, but I'm geared wrong for long rides with 53-39, 12-25. My plan is to turn my single speed back into a geared bike.

I got a 50-34 compact crank off the forum, but I need shifters and derailleurs. I was thinking downtube shifters and maybe 8 or 9 speed drivetrain. I need something strong because of all extra weight. My budget is tight since I just bought the Burley and a new frame.

Suggestions?

I would run a 1x8 or 1x9. No need for a FD and extra chainrings, just use a 35 up front with a regular cassette and RD and you are good to go. I have used a couple trailers (I have a chariot now that I like) and you want a rig that is solid and inepensive. Use whatever parts you have and go from there. I actually have mine setup as a singlespeed with a 35 X19 setup and it is good in most instances. I can take them around the hood just fine, I can hook up the bike paths just right and the simplicity of a SS is desirable for me.

Anyway, K.I.S.S is a good rule of thumb.

Oh, and have fun and listen to Dogdriver about incorporating a destination into the ride. I ride with the kids to the playground, an ice cream stand...something special for them to break up the ride. It is so much fun that it is really not a compromise at all.

[mcallen]

Thanks for all the advice, both mechanical and paternal. For now, I'm thinking I'll go the 1X8 or 1x9 route with one downtube shifter and a long cage mountain RD and mountain cassette in rear and a 39 up front (since that's what's on there). That'll give me some range and let me keep the drops, since this is going to be my bad weather training bike too. I'll try it out and if it doesn't work, I'll just try another configuration. Thanks again.

[rugbysecondrow]

Thanks for all the advice, both mechanical and paternal. For now, I'm thinking I'll go the 1X8 or 1x9 route with one downtube shifter and a long cage mountain RD and mountain cassette in rear and a 39 up front (since that's what's on there). That'll give me some range and let me keep the drops, since this is going to be my bad weather training bike too. I'll try it out and if it doesn't work, I'll just try another configuration. Thanks again.
Sounds like a plan...here is my rig loaded down...good times!

[vqdriver]

one thing to note
i've found that fenders year round is almost a necessity. full fenders.

wet roads is obvious, but in the summer time the rear wheel kicks up enough dust to get thru the mesh. i was checking on my napping kid to find dust and small pebbles on his blanket and in his hair. of course the clear plastic rain fly would help but in the sun, it gets to be like a greenhouse in there.