Reviews of Burley Travoy Bike Trailer

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $299.00
Sale Price: $280.47
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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I love to ride my bike, but am not a serious cyclist, and the fact that I don't ride as much as I'd like to is what made the Burley Travoy Bike Commuter Trailer appealing. Pulling a trailer on a bike is not something I have any experience with never used a child or pet trailer -nothing. My motivation is to find a way to ride my bike more and use my car less.

The trailer is amazingly light weight (9.8 pounds) and portable. Right out of the box there is little to do but unfold the frame which entails a cable release for the bottom shelf (with pop-up reflectors) and twist hand grips that turn to both secure and release for the other two segments, and actually serve as handles to carry the collapsed trailer. Next, the 12 1/2 x 2 inch pneumatic wheels are attached by pressing a button on the hub (also serves as the release,) and screw the hitch to the seat stem (compatible with 25-32 mm seat posts, but not recommended for use with carbon fiber posts) with the included hex key, and then attach the trailer to it. That's it, done, ready to ride. The entire process took maybe five minutes.

A large carry-all tote bag (approximately 21 x 17 x 7 inches) is included which is secured to tie-down buttons on the trailer frames with attached loops and swivel-lock buckles. There are also two included tie-down straps to further secure the bag. The tote is generous in size and would easily transport two or three bags of groceries or other purchases, a large picnic lunch or work clothes and a laptop if commuting. The same tote also holds the entire collapsed trailer for storage when not in use. This set-up should serve anyone looking for a means to transport most anything (up to 60 pounds), but if it isn't exactly what the rider needs, a variety of other bags for the trailer are available, including one designed to hold more groceries. For night riding, there are pop up reflectors on the frame and a small amount of reflector cloth on the tote.

So, how does the trailer ride? I hooked it up to my bike and took it for a test trip to the grocery store. There is a bike lane (asphalt) right in front of my home and a grocery store a couple of miles down the street. Headed down my steep driveway I felt no loss of control with the trailer hooked to my bike, of course I had no load and the trailer itself is lightweight. The area is hilly and it handled well and almost immediately felt like a natural part of my bike.

At the store I locked my bike, flicked the lever on the hitch and removed the trailer and wheeled it in. With the tote bag attached to the trailer, I selected a gallon of milk, some lettuce and a frozen pizza, intentionally buying a load that would be out of balance for the return trip home. I unloaded at the checkout and wheeled the trailer around to the other side of the loading area and the cashier repacked the items in the tote. The entire exercise unfolding the trailer, attaching it to the bike, de-attaching it and rolling it through the store, re-attaching it to the hitch and riding off was so convenient there is absolutely no excuse not to use it. Some products sound good on paper but in actual practice are more trouble than they are worth not the case here.

On the trip home, the presence of the trailer was more noticeable, particularly when turning, but the handling, although not as precise, was fine and the bike felt very stable. It did require more distance to stop, but the rider quickly makes adjustments to compensate for the added weight and changes in handling. At no time did I feel out of control.

I looked at Burley's other trailers the Flatbed and Nomad, and although the benefits of both for a particular use are clear, the Travoy, with its lighter weight and smaller wheel base, is better suited for my needs. Its design adds to the feeling that it is one with the bike, not a small feat because trying to transport anything on a bike is a challenge -imperfect at best and requiring compromises.

If the bike is stolen, the hitch goes along with it, so Burley might want to consider re-engineering it to include a quick release mechanism for attaching it to the stem so it could be taken along with the trailer when the bike is locked. That is my only suggestion for what I otherwise consider a terrific product. Parts are sold separately, so if virtually anything on the trailer breaks or is lost or stolen, a replacement may be ordered. I plan to order a spare set of tubes to have on hand.

Not surprisingly, there is no warranty on the tires, but the rest of the parts have a warranty that ranges from three to five years. A small thing, but I appreciated that on the enclosed warranty registration card a bar code containing the serial number for the trailer is pre-printed so the owner doesn't need to hunt around for it.

I am impressed with this bike trailer and see endless uses for it. It looks smart, is well designed and user friendly, requires very little storage space and the available accessories add versatility and a level of customization. Now that I own the trailer, I will use my bike more often, particularly in situations where in the past using a car might have looked like my only option.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program This is a clever system for towing stuff behind your bike. It would be useful for the bike commuter, or those who shop by bike. This type of system is more common in Europe.

Some things you need to know that are not mentioned in the description.

The tires are pneumatic (blow up) like a bike tire. But much thicker and heavier than a bike tire.

The tires easily remove from the trailer and just as easily snap back on. Shown folded in the photos, the wheels are removed.

Axel width is 18 inches (45.5cm) without the wheels. With the wheels it is 22.5 inches across (56 cm). The wheels themselves are 12.5 (31.5 cm) inches in diameter. Depth of the bottom shelf is about 9.5 inches (24 cm). Height of back carrying portion is about 30 inches (76cm). Width of back section at widest point is about 16.5 inches (42cm). Height from floor to top folding section is 43 inches (109cm) . Carrying bag is 22 inches (56cm) tall by 14 inches (35.5) wide by 8.5 (21.5cm) inches deep. Folded, with wheels removed, it is 18in wide by 22 long by 5.5 inches tall (at the bottom).

The trailer folds into thirds. The two top folds are accomplished by rotating a handle. The bottom fold (the bottom of the bike trailer) folds up by pulling on a wire cable that runs along the bottom of the trailer. This is very easy to do, my 11 year old can manage it by herself. Folding down the top portion makes it easier to pull the trailer around with you.

The whole trailer then fits into the carrying bag. The bag itself also fastens onto the trailer to use when you are hauling stuff. There a small knobs (called buttons in the manual) on the side of the trailer and corresponding tabs on the bag. There are four knobs (buttons) on each side of the trailer. The bag also has reflectors built in. It also comes with 2 straps that can be used to attach other stuff to the trailer.

The grey portion is a very thick flexible plastic. There are two reflectors on the bottom section of the trailer.

The hitch attaches with a 4mm hex key (which is included). Once you attach the hitch the trailer attaches to the bike by sliding a loop over a pin on the hitch. This is held in place with a rotating spring loaded latch. It is very easy to remove. From the manual "hitch is compatible with 25mm to 32mm seat posts. Use of this hitch with carbon fiber seat posts is not recommended"

The trailer has a kickstand but is not stable standing upright unloaded with the kickstand.

The wheels roll easily along gravel (next test is cobblestones, but that will have to wait). Hauling a trailer does make the bike less maneuverable (which is mentioned in the manual, but would seem like common sense).

Warrenty is 3 years for trailer and skin (I assume this is the plastic) and 5 years for bags and straps. Does not cover rental, competitive or commercial use.

The main issue I have with the trailer is that there is no way to lock it to your bike directly. Of course anyone with a wrench could remove the hitch and thus take away the whole thing, but it would be nice to have a loop on the hitch and the trailer that a lock could be attached to for quick trips into the store so that the trailer would not need be taken in. It would be possible, of course to thread a lock through the top portion and then to the bike or rack. I understand this is a design issue, as most bike seats can also be removed and the whole thing would then be easy to pull off. Still, some thought to this issue should be given by anyone who will use it in an urban area and plan to leave it for any amount of time. You will need some sort of cable or chain lock to secure it. I am not going to take stars off for this, since this is not really an issue with the trailer itself, but you should think about this when considering it.

I put the first part up right away as a couple of people asked me about the dimensions. Below is more about using it.

Yes, I bike. No, I would not call myself a cyclist. I can speak to using it as a trailer to fetch stuff from the store, which is the purpose to which I will put it. I can not speak to pulling for 50 miles, because I would not ride 50 miles in one day.

I took it out with a 40 lb bag of water softener salt on gravel and paved roads. Maximum weight is 60 lbs but that is more that I can handle. Cornering is harder, you can feel the torque and the minimum turning radius is slightly reduced but it is not unreasonable. Braking time of course is slightly longer, more momentum from the weight. It is not like you feel it pushing from the back though, more just like the bike itself is heavier. On a straight away I did not really feel any pull to one side or another, but of course it is harder to go up the hill pulling 40 plus pounds than without. That I did feel. It is a lot less of an impact than hauling one of the child trailers though, I guess because the axle is a lot smaller and the whole thing less heavy.

Someone who is a more intense rider will have to answer about pulling it over the long haul.

UPDATE: Works fine on cobblestones in Holland. The wheels are thick enough not to get stuck in the slots between the cobblestones. Fit into suitcase without much trouble.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program Love this thing. If you like to bike to work, and you don't have enough space to put your stuff in, this is a great solution. Does not look like dorky or cheap at all. Remember when office workers go to their work with their Razor scooters? It actually looks cool. You can easily detach it from your bike in 1 second and carry it (I mean roll it either pushing or pulling it) straight to the elevator and to your office.

Assembly is a breeze. You can attach or detach the wheels in a second. The center of the wheel serves as the lock. Press it with a little push to put it in, and press and pull to disengage. The only thing that needs a tool (a hex key which came with the cart) is for attaching it to the bike. Once attached, you can leave it on your bike. Now, to engage the cart or release it is just a matter of a turn of a knob.

I recently brought it with a 40 lb load on a 3-mile route on a bike trail and city drive. Bike trail traverses through winding, up and down paths. No problem there, the trailer is very easy to maneuver. Most of the times I even forgot I am towing a cart behind me. Going up the hill will be a bit of a work, but nothing different as carrying an extra child passenger behind you. No problem with sudden brakes as the cart is attached with a solid tube and not a flexible rope. It will stop at the same moment as your bike stops. If it is a flexible bungee rope, you bike will stop first and then the cart with the load will continue rolling and give you an unnecessary bump behind. I did not try to test breaking to a sudden stop while negotiating a turn (for obvious reason, that is probably a sure recipe for a disaster).

We also use it to a picnic as a rolling cart for our bags and cooler. Rolls smoothly either on asphalt or dirt roads. The cart came with a large thick nylon tote bag that attaches to the cart. It also came with two adjustable straps to support the tote or any bulk cargo.

Everything is a snap to attach or adjust. I guess it was designed foremost for convenience. Lastly, the whole cart without extra baggage weighs just a few pounds.

Honest reviews on Burley Travoy Bike Trailer

I do nearly all of my shopping and errands about a 2 mile ride from where I live and my bike is my only form of private transportation. I primarily use the Trailer for picking up/dropping off larger mail items, tips to the store and grocery shopping. The roads in the area are flat.

Feeling of the ride: With the Trailer attached there is no noticeable difference from the Trailer not being attached. The difference between the Trailer having a heavy load and being unloaded is the tug and push over bigger bumps and the extra effort for starts and stops with a big load. Light and medium loads don't have this issue only loads that are heavy on the top section.

The Trailer is very stable. There is no rocking back and forth after a bump. The only rocking back and forth I have experienced is after riding off a side walk to avoid hitting another bike and that was very brief. There is no issue with turns done at 15mph and below, unsure of higher speeds since I don't go that fast.

The Trailer can handle quite a bit of weight. The warning says not to exceed 60lbs. The Trailer does flex and there can be a jerking sensation from the recoil after a bump with heavy loads. It is brief but with a big enough bump and load it can through off the handling of the bike if the rider is not prepared for it.

My bike has 27" tires and has a full splash guard. There have been times where the angles of the street to sidewalk transitions have caused the Trailer to rub the splash guard.

My bike has a front basket, for smaller items, and had a back rack. In order to attach the Trailer I had to remove the back rack. Not a problem for me since the only time I used the back rack was for moving larger items which is now taken over by the Trailer.

The Trailer does come with a storage bag which serves two purposes. One it is to store the Trailer, image that, when it is all folded up. The bag has handles and it can be hung up and out of the way. I am not sure how long the bag will live up the this storage method but the bag seems quite sturdy. The other thing about the bag which is not really mentioned anywhere, on Amazon or on Burley's own site, is that the included bag clips on to the upper part of the Trailer. I was under the impression that when I purchased the Trailer all I was getting was the Trailer. This may be helpful to know if you don't want to have to buy one of the other bags. The bag also has Velcro at the top for a means of closing the bag.

Pros: Very compact when stored, about the size of a large backpack. Very easy hook up and disconnect. Feels and appears very well made. Quick and easy transition from storage to on the bike and back to storage.

Cons: When the roads are wet the tires on the Trailer fling water onto the bags. The single peg stand used for balance does not lock in place and has folded under heavy load causing the load to tip over.

Overall: The Trailer is pricey but the build quality, ease of use and functionality fully justify the purchase. I am very pleased with the purchase and it suites my situation perfectly.

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I am a commuter. I ride about 15-20 miles a day depending on my mood and the weather. I usually use a fantastic Arkel pannier to carry my stuff, but when loads get big, I have to drive. Not any more. With this incredibly easy to use and functional device I can carry pretty much all the crap I want. Now I can haul up to 60 pounds in this trailer and up to 40 lbs in the Arkel, not that I intend to lug that much. The videos of this product in action are true. It is easy to use, seems VERY well constructed, and has no effect on how your bike handles. In fact, on my Cannondale CaadX 5 and my Trek 7.1 it seems to stabilize the ride. My only complaint is that for this price, it should come with the rain cover.

Don't get the wrong impression. You should not think that hauling a lot of crap in the Travoy does not make you slower, it sure did me. It seems to knock a lot of speed off for me, but then I am kinda old and I think it will take some time for my legs to get used to hauling. I didn't have my computer today, but it seemed 2-3 mph slower than with the pannier and a similar 30 lb load, probably because of the added wind resistance and having two extra wheels on the ground. But this load, which was very bulky, would have been too much for the Arkel but it wasn't even a small snack for the Burley. Nevertheless, you got to love the fact that you can load it on. Only a cargo bike would give you a better solution for big hauls. The problem with that is that Yuba Mundo (a really great solution IF you think you will hauls nearly a quarter ton of stuff with you not including the weight of the rider) costs $1100 and the Surly Big Dummie, (also a slick hauling machine for slightly lighter loads -its max is over 400lbs, but that includes the rider) costs near $2K. The Burley was a much cheaper solution. The other obvious advantage over a cargo bike is that when you unhook the thing, you are riding your go-fast bike. One note, you can not use this with a Carbon seat post. I will update this after I have used the Travoy a while, and run some direct comparison tests between the Arkel and the Travoy using my computer.

Conclusion.

In spite of this minor drawback, if my first impression stands it gets a unequivocal 5 stars, and I would have given a couple more stars if it had come with the water proof cover.

UPDATE: Ok so I did a test. I loaded 25 lbs of books into my Arkel and took a spin. The bike computer clocked me at about 14-15 mph without any real effort on flat land. There was a strong 20mph head wind. Then did the same with the Burley attached and clocked maybe 1/2 mph slower with no appreciable extra strain.

Further UPDATE

My commute has gotten longer and over some pretty bad road (albeit flat ones) I now use The Travoy all the time and have come to love it. Just got back from the pet store 5 miles round trip with 50lbs of dog food in it. Stopped for a hair cut and lunch without worrying about my load. I just took it into the stores with me. I am now rather used to pulling this trailer and don't really find it much of a problem. I guess my legs are now used to the load. I have not stability problems over my potholed commuting route. No sway or hop (except when really lightly loaded) and no affect on bike handling with one exception. When you slam on the brakes with a large load, the trailer tends to push the bike up under you a little so when you put your foot down the bikes rear wheel sometime lifts, but I have never found this a problem and see it as a little annoyance. Also, I am impressed with the Travoy's strength. I got hit by a car a couple of weeks ago. They guy was, I think, on his cell phone and ran a red light. My Trek was totaled, I am a little worse for wear, but the Travoy and contents, no problem.

BOTTOM LINE. You will not be sorry if you buy this, unless maybe in mountain country, but even then, if you have to carry stuff, this is the way to go. I love it.