Submitted by
David C. Menges
a
from Denver, CO, US Date Reviewed: May 5, 2005
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$89.00
Purchased At:
REI
Strengths:
Works. Cheap (on sale, with bag and bungie net). Definite pros/cons compared to panniers. Big fender has lots of clearance for mud (been there). Tracks well behind bike, unlike Burley which is much wider. Front wall and fender keep load cleaner than BOB would.
Weaknesses:
Flashy (BOB looks better engineered). Mounting axle clunky compared to BOBs'. Sides too open. Holes drilled to mount parking stubs possibly weaken trailer frame. Fender attached via more holes and sheet metal screws. Shraeder valve. Axle mount lock pins may be damaged (Yakima redesigned).
Similar Products Used:
Burley 2 kid trailer.
Bottom Line:
Despite all, it is reliable. One less reason to use a car.
I made several mods. Added a foam floor cut out of a closed-cell camping pad, tied down with thin cord (but still rattles). Zip-tied plastic car license plates (from a car dealer) to plug gap in sides. Gray reflective tape improves visibility at night. Haven't used bag yet - it doesn't rain here - but bungie net is handy.
A friend with a BOB rotates its yoke (requires disassembly, reassembly) into the load area, making trailer smaller and easier to fit in car trunk, etc. Can't do that with Yakima.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brian
a Weekend Warrior
from Boise. Idaho Date Reviewed: April 20, 2004
The flag is attached at an angle to the left. I assume this is to make it more noticeable for motorists, but it makes it difficult for other cyclists to get around you on narrow trails.
Similar Products Used:
BOB Yak, saddle bags.
Bike Setup:
Old rigid MTB. This is a commuter setup.
Bottom Line:
I really wish this product weren't going away. I bought it because someone stole my BOB(and all my stuff in it! >:| ) and I didn't want to spend $300 for a new one. This trailer is a great alternative to the BOB and is everything my other trailer was. I rode around on some tight single track and it tracked perfectly. I have been using it for a couple of weeks to commute to school and work. It carries my clothes and the books for three classes plus a laptop.
I didn't buy the bag. I never bought it for my BOB. I just used a large duffel and through a Hefty bag over it when it rained.
Like I said, it's every bit the trailer as my BOB was and I wish it were sticking around as a less expensive alternative.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nick Fenger
a Cross Country Rider
from Portland, OR Date Reviewed: September 15, 2001
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Gift
Strengths:
Sleek Streamlined Tubing Design, EZ Innovative Hitching Mechanism (You'll never lose a pin w/ this one), Integrated Fairings/Fender, Vertical Wheel Dropouts, Nifty EZ Loading Pegs, Zippered bag closure makes for easy access to gear, The bag is very large.
Weaknesses:
1. The seams on the bag are not sealed - you will need at least 2 tubes of Seam Grip to seal it. 2. The straps on the bag will not secure the bag to the trailer well enough for bumpy road use - you will need additional straps to hold it down.
Similar Products Used:
Panniers
Bike Setup:
Cannondale MT1000 Tandem (No Drum Brake), No panniers, 40 lbs of gear in trailer
Bottom Line:
Sleek Streamlined Tubing Design, Innovative Hitching Mechanism (You'll never lose a pin w/ this one), Integrated Fairings/Fender, Vertical Wheel Dropouts, Nifty Loading Pegs, Zippered bag closure makes for easy access to gear, The bag is very large.
1. The seams on the bag are not sealed - you will need at least 2 tubes of Seam Grip to seal it. 2. The straps on the bag will not secure the bag to the trailer well enough for bumpy road use - you will need additional straps to hold it down.
Cannondale MT1000 Tandem (No Drum Brake), No panniers, 40 lbs of gear in trailer
My new wife Karen and I received the trailer as a wedding gift for use on our honeymoon - a 775 mile tandem tour from Portland down Hwy 101 on the Oregon Coast and back.
Loading:
We loaded 40 lbs of gear in the trailer - the little pegs were actually really nice to have. Using compression sacks for the sleep bag and tent, we got 90% of the weight below 10 in. (18 in. is the max recommended height). On top of the load (but still in the large bag) were our 2 Ridge Rests (~8 oz each) which brought us to a load height below 18 in. With this loading we were incredibly stable - we could descend in excess of 40 mph on windy roads (Yippee!!! - this is much faster that 18 mph maximum listed in the manual - so don't tell Yakima ;) It is amazing how streamlined you are w/o panniers sticking out your sides.
The Straps:
The straps on the bag were quite confusing - The method shown in the manual did not seem to secure the bag to the trailer nor would the straps fit around the bag when loaded less than it's maximum recommended height of 18in (which the bag easily accommodated). So we strapped clips underneath the trailer and then used another strap on top to tie the handles together on top. This secured the bag but did stress the stitching on the straps and ripped some of the stitches out. Just a note - if you don't strap your load in the bag will rub against the trailer and wear - it will also make loud noises on every bump which will freak out your stoker ;)
Waterproofness:
We received the trailer 1 day before we left so we neglected to seam seal the bag - it rained on our third day and that night we slept in our wet sleeping bag :( A fine South African traveler just happened to have a fresh tube of Seam Grip which he gave us w/o hesitation (he had carried it from Niagara Falls). We sealed most of the seams (there are many - you need 2 tubes) and went on with our tour. It didn't rain again so we never really tested my work.
With the bag seam sealed it is still not 100% waterproof (the Bob bag is) - because it has a zipper. Don't go running to by a Bob just yet - the tradeoff is convenience - with the bag all strapped down you can still open the zipper and get at 25% of your gear which was key for us since we had most of our food in the trailer - at 5000 calories per day you need constant access to your food or you will fight w/ your stoker over senseless things :) We would envision that if you kept the reflective flap covering the zipper you would fair pretty well against most rain - I would throw your sleeping bag in a garbage bag just for good measure. The jury is still our on weather or not you need to be 100% waterproof - if it rains that much your stuff is gonna be wet regardless.
The bottom line is that it is a very good version 1.0 product. We haven't taken it off-road which would really test the structural integrity of the frame but the design is sleek and cool. I am giving it a 5 for overall rating and a 4 on value for one reason - the bag - you will have to invest additional time and money into getting it to keep your stuff dry and from jumping around - with a few changes Yakima can make it a ready to go out of the box Version 2.0 product. Yakima - if you need help I just happen to have a mech. engineering degree and am currently looking for work.
Nick
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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