Trailers

[Michael ttg]

I just got a small child trailer .. Instep... Has anyone used for bike packing ... Noob here .... Have a ( big box - g29). Will take all good advice .... ( no I ain't throwing away my bike) an pics an anything good an constructive

[vermont]

I'll give this one a shot even though I'm new myself.  I would depend on what you are riding on.  Paved roads, why not?  Aside from the extra weight of the trailer itself, no issues on the road.  Go for it.  Off roads, the wider trailer would be bad idea, very bad idea.  Most off road trailers use the one wheel concept (like the Bobs trailers).  They follow you better.  Another issue would be that the larger capacity would encourage you to pack more with more weight.
Hope this might help.

[Racingguy04]

I pull my kid around in a trailer some times and he's only 20lbs,  but between him and the trailer, it sucks. It's doable on pavement and probably good dirt roads but it's wide, and hard to make tight turns in neighborhoods single track would never happen, and rough double track is questionable.

Vs a light bike packing setup can rip single track pretty well.

[bakerjw]

I'll chime in with some thoughts.

Firstly, people who pull trailers eventually end up taking much more gear than they require. IMHO, panniers are much better than trailers; however, they still cause people to carry too much.

No snarkiness intended here in any way. But your big box bike has been likely assembled with the cheapest and heaviest components possible. That should be addressed and here is why. One aspect of bikepacking that always needs to foremost on our thoughts is component quality and durability. I was out scouting new routes a few weeks back and had some brush get into my chain. My Deore XT (not cheap but more durable that the Deore XTR in the opinion of my LBS) derailleur made it through ok, but not after it yanked down and pulled the hanger out of my $1,200 carbon frame. The point is, even with some of the best equipment, things happen and usually when it is at the worst time. Luckily for me, we were only 12 miles out and on top of a mountain so I was able to coast back through most of the snow for a 2 mile walk back to our vehicle.

So, with your bike. Determine what components are on it and look at upgrade options. A few years back, I bought a cheap Chinese tandem online for $500.00. I bought it mainly for the frame. The new cranksets that we put on it cost more than the bike. We replaced the brakes, wheelset, derailleurs, etc... There is nothing wrong with turning an inexpensive bike into something a little lighter and more reliable. If you get good components on it, you can always change out the frame too. While waiting for my carbon frame to get repaired or replaced, we moved everything over to a steel Surly Karate Monkey.

So ask away and heed advice when given. Everyone here is here to help.
Welcome to the site too btw.

ETA... Look into doing your bike work yourself. When broken down in the middle of nowhere, it is helpful to have developed the skills to get you to the point of being able to limp out to get the issue addressed properly. Kind of like mechanical first aid.

[AZTtripper]

I want to take a trip to Albuquerque nm from pueblo an stay off I 25 .... Anyone done this? ,,, best routes ?

If the chain rings don't fold under the load, on the first climb, you might just make it. It's possible you'll have enough braking power for the long down hills, or you'll have to walk it to stay in control.

This guy hammers his big box bike http://www.singletracks.com/blog/mtb-videos/watch-are-walmart-mountain-bikes-safe/

Have you done the mechanical stuff this guy said to http://www.bigboxbikes.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3957

Carry some cheep tools and be prepared to do what ever it takes. Including throwing the bike away and hitching a ride.

The best thing would be to load it up and go out for an over night and see how it goes.

[FairbanksFatty]

I've been all over the "third world" and seen people riding really old bikes, with big loads.  Although these bikes were built like tanks, the people riding them had a much different outlook than ours.  This is the only bike I have, so don't break it philosophy.  People ride around the world on Walmart bikes. 

HERE IS THE IMPORTANT PART.

You will have to invest in some tool, and learn how to maintain it.  You will have to ride it like it's your only means of transportation, no riding off curbs, rough trails, etc.  You will have to make sure everything is lubed and adjusted often.  Shift gears easy.  You won't be able to beat the crap out of it and expect it to carry you another thousand miles.

Ride it a lot, the only time people notice what kind of bike you have is when you're stopped.  If you find that cycling is a big part of your life then save up for a nicer bike.   

Sometimes you just have to ride what ya got. 

Cheers.