Burley Nomad Cargo Bike Trailer

Comments about Burley Nomad Cargo Bike Trailer:

I love my little yellow mule.
I researched this trailer for a months before pulling the trigger and buying it. I wanted something to carry groceries, carry the recycling, to carry camping gear and everything else for touring, and to carry just about anything else I would need to carry. After putting just under 600 miles on the trailer I have to say it has performed beyond my expectations.
I haven't pulled the Nomad off-road, but on the streets of Indianapolis, country back-roads, bike trails, and greenways my little pack mule has rolled along with no problems. Fully loaded, it offers very little resistance once I get rolling, and while I can tell it's behind me when going uphill it doesn't feel like it's pushing or pulling me around. I have seen reviews here and other places that mention the trailer's width as being a problem; I haven't really seen this. It is a few inches wider than standard road handlebars, but with my trekking bars the my little pack mule trails in the same "footprint" as my cockpit. You do have to be aware of where the trailer is in relation to curbs, and other obstacles, but this is a small learning curve and I found it was something I very quickly adapted to. As for cars, the trailer trails four inches off center to the bike's left-- if a car is that close to you its mirror would hit you anyway, and, as other reviewers have noted, the Nomad's high visibility seems to make drivers give you a wider berth when passing.
Due to its design the trailer packs easily, and in an easily accessible way, which I simply love, especially when touring. I have considered getting the rack attachment for the Nomad, but haven't really needed it. The only downside I can see to the Nomad's cargo capacity is that with so much room it would be easy to pack more than you need to, but this seems to be more of an issue of one's self-discipline than with trailer design. I have pulled up to 40 lbs with no problems.
The Nomad aslo hitches and un-hitches quite easily even when fully loaded without making the bike unstable which is a big plus over panniers.
I would not only recommend the Nomad to a friend (which I have done several times) but recommend it to complete strangers (which I have done several times.)

Service and delivery comments:

I ordered to Nomad with in-store delivery. It arrived at the Castleton, IN store very quickly and in pristine condition. I haven't had to use REI's customer service with this product, but based on past experience I foresee no problems doing so--the people at my local store are some of the best I have ever dealt with.

Comments about Burley Nomad Cargo Bike Trailer:

Friend has BOB she likes the better stability of 2 wheels.Have had it for 2 yrs no pbm yet.Ride carefully, can shake up beer if you hit to many pot holes.A nice added feature I have found, the car drivers give you more room when passing. A screw down flag pole would be nice, After only day somebody stole my "Will babysit for beer" sign.

Comments about Burley Nomad Cargo Bike Trailer:

This is a great trailer. Here are the many reasons.I have done bike touring for years, and have read a lot about trailers vs. panniers. So one day about four years ago, I decided to buy this trailer (on [...]; I saved $100) and take it on a tour. I rode from Columbus, Ohio to Toronto (about three weeks, on the Underground RR route). I may never use panniers again on a tour! Using panniers requires you to pack them evenly (so the bike is properly balanced), to use racks (and you have to check rack bolts frequently), attach and detach them every day and make sure they're securely attached, and worry about flats and broken spokes(due to heavily weighted bike wheels). You don't have to worry about ANY of that with this trailer, and you have the added advantage of easily detaching your bike and using your bike simply as a bike whenever you need/want to. Using panniers means four separate panniers (five, if you use a HB bag), a tent, sleeping bag, etc. to carry back and forth from your bike. No such problem using ONE trailer; everything is in it.The standard hitch works perfectly. I did not encounter any noise or slop, which another reviewer referred to. And when the trailer is attached, you can lay the bike down on the ground and the trailer stays upright. I examined the hitch on the trailer arm and for the life of me cannot understand how the design enables you to lay the bike flat, but it does.Security is a red herring as far as I'm concerned. Do you think people cannot steal your panniers, or stuff from your panniers? Do you think people cannot steal your tent that you've lashed to a rack on your bike? Come on! When you're bike touring, security IS an issue. That's why people don't tour with loaded bikes through NYC, and why you take reasonable precautions WHENEVER you're riding with stuff on or attached to your bike.I was amazed that I generally did not even feel the weight of the trailer, or even notice that I was pulling anything. This is NOT the case when you ride with panniers; you KNOW your bike is heavily loaded down. The low center of gravity and the well-designed attachment (hitch) mechanism apparently are the reasons.I only had one flat (to the trailer tire, not my bike) in around 500-600 miles, which I thought was acceptable.I folded up the trailer and shipped it, along with my bike (a recumbent), to the starting point in Columbus, so I didn't have to take anything on the plane. There were no problems; the trailer folds up easily and packs compactly.The trailer is water-resistant, but not water tight. I packed all my gear in several plastic bag lined stuff sacks (of different colors) and had no problems with anything getting wet.One time, I used a curb cut to go from the road to the sidewalk and I took the turn too quickly and the trailer flipped on its side. I quickly realized what happened, stopped, and righted the trailer. I had no other problems in this regard.I also had no problems riding in the road. I think the width of the trailer kept cars further away from me, which made me feel safer.I have also used the trailer to go food shopping and haul groceries. It worked fine.As for customer service, I did need to call Burley about one issue, and they were very helpful.I admit I've never used another trailer. The reason I chose the Nomad over the BOB is that I didn't want to have to balance the bike AND the trailer. With the Nomad, you only have to balance your bike. But I know people who have used the BOB, and they all like it. I think it comes down to your preferences.

Comments about Burley Nomad Cargo Bike Trailer:

Toured From Upstate NY to Washington, DC with Nomad. Also used for groceries.

Liked two wheel configuration; weight rests on trailer axles, not bike axles. Unlike BOB, I assumed I could detach trailer and pull into store by hand.

Made revelations through use. Can't go over curbs with nomad, or even down roads that have moderate potholes or ruts along side of paved road, let alone unpaved roads. Had trailer tip over and spill contents out on busy road, as well as sending me off bike.

Too wide to fit through narrow bike paths, narrow bridges, or construction areas with narrow shoulder. Had to find different routes on commute. Sticks out a little too far in road for my comfort.

No safe way to lock up. Pacsafe mesh not big enough. Contents prone to theft. Must detach trailer and bring indoor. Yet trailer too wide to bring in many doorways without scratching up door frame.

Two wheels means more flats. Have to consider three different tire paths when avoiding glass. Also, tire and tube size not well stocked on the road.

Fabric panels bulge out when gear rests against it. Tires spin against and eat up fabric, makes annoying whine. Back fabric panel comes loose often and exposes contents to falling out or getting wet and dirty. Fabric underpanel prone to tearing if pulling down rocky paths.

Cannot deal with Burley directly for repairs, have to find a bike shop that sells Burley products, so they can call the same guy you tried to call. Had to detour to a bike shop in DC to get repairs. Burley rep never returned calls. Stuck with non-working trailer far away from home.

BOB makes a trailer with a narrower profile, better fit through busy traffic, bridges, or narrow bike paths. Much less prone to tipping than Nomad. Heavier duty construction. Can actually lock up trailer. Pacsafe mesh works with BOB dry bag. Easy to take dry bag out and store contents safely. One less tire means less maintenance and less chance of hitting broken glass. Overall, BOB is a better purchase. Would not recommend Nomad for any practical use.

Comments about Burley Nomad Cargo Bike Trailer:

I use this product in a number of ways: Grocery shopping, Hauling my fencing gear around, and overnight camping with my mountain bike. I've never taken it road touring per se because I usually go camping with my dog and that combination does not work on the side of a busy roadway!

I've had my Burley for a couple of years now. Mine has the rack attachment which I highly recommend - you can carry all kinds of stuff bigger than the compartment if you have one. My fencing bag, for example, is about 5 feet long. I lash it to the rack with bungee cords and off I go.

Security is a potential issue with this product. I've not found a good way to lock it. The wheels are quick release (great if you have a flat) but there isn't a good way to secure the wheels or trailer to your bike without a VERY long cable/chain - which is heavy. However, when I take it grocery shopping I disconnect it from the bike and wheel it around inside the store like a shopping cart - which works pretty well, particularly if you use those reusable grocery bags.

But back to camping. It's a dream to have. I camp in the desert and find I need to carry a lot of water with me. Having the bike trailer makes the camping trip possible. I put on more rugged tires and thicker tubes, but can pretty much go on the worst trails - typically two track old mining roads. The extra wheels add wonderful stability but you do need some trail width. I am not too sure how it would do on a single track - but I am almost always on old dirt roads.

Another nice thing about having the trailer is that you can pack it with your pump, spare tube, light, and tire change kits and its just always there in the side pockets. I've even got a water bottle and Cliff bar always in there, ready to use!

Burley claims you can put 100 lbs in this, I am not sure about that. At high weights the wheels tend to bow in and rub against the sides of the trailer. I've probably had 60 lbs in it though and pulling and stopping is no problem. Because the tow-bar is on one side (the left side) of the bike, you need to watch your right turn turning radius or the wheel might catch against the tow-bar. But I have never actually had this happen.

Also I got the classic hitch - is a snap (literally) to hitch and release the trailer. One important point is that you need a kickstand or someone else to hold your bike while performing attachment operations.

Finally, when not in use you can fold the thing up pretty compactly for storage. I like that a lot.

I love this product. I use this product regularly, and I highly recommend it. It's well worth the cost.

Comments about Burley Nomad Cargo Bike Trailer:

I first saw someone who was trailing a bike cargo carrier at my local grocery store and he raved about his. I am an avid bicyclist that commutes approximately 5 miles each way and I happen to carry more stuff than I'd like
but this is the answer. The Burley Nomad rides so smooth and I hardly know something is behind me with my heavy load. It is a snap to hitch and unhitch. I also like that with the cargo carrier's coloring I am more visible as a bicyclist. The cost of the item originally had me hesitating to buy it but now that I've ridden with it I can't believe I waited so long. It is so worth the money you pay for it. I love my Cargo Carrier!!

Comments about Burley Nomad Cargo Bike Trailer:

This trailer really increases the versatility of your bicycle, without adding permanent features such as a cargo bike. I have hauled six bags of groceries with no problem. (A little slow at the starts). I use it to take my musical instrument to work, and then to lessons once a week and it paid for itself in one summer of savings for gas and parking. The width does not seem to be a problem. It rides a little off set to the left so the right wheel is only out slightly beyond your right shoulder. Cars give you plenty of clearance as you are very visible. The standard hitch (A metal bracket captured by the quick release) is a bit noisy and sloppy. I went to the Classic hitch that clamps in the rear triangle and like it better. The only issue with the Classic hitch could be heal clearance, or if you have an odd frame shape like a recumbent. The trailer is not completely waterproof so any thing you haul in the rain should be protected with plastic bags of dry bags.

Service and delivery comments:

Purchased elsewhere but am very happy with all of my purchases at REI, especially with the unconditional return policy. Overall, that policy alone probably saves you money even if the initial cost is a little higher.

Comments about Burley Nomad Cargo Bike Trailer:

I haven't actually gotten the trailer yet - which is why I'm writing (the 4 stars is an assumption based on other reviews I've seen). I went to the store to pick-up the trailer, and was told that the hitch that comes standard was incompatible with my frame (a 2005 Jamis Nova). We had to call Burley and get alternative hitches mailed. This change will add time and money to your purchase, so make sure you call REI or Burley to check about your frame upfront.

Service and delivery comments:

Based on my product comment, the REI customer service was very helpful after the problem arose (the website didn't include a warning first). They made a good attempt at trying to make the hitch work; also, they handled special ordering the alternative parts from Burley and were very apologetic. While they wouldn't do an equal swap, they offered to only charge their cost for the alternative component and waived shipping.

Comments about Burley Nomad Cargo Bike Trailer:

When parking my vehicle in summer, these trailers do wonders. There are few ways to replace a trunk of a car, the Nomad is one.

Having two wheels out wide give it outstanding support, when compared to a narrow single wheel trailer. The two wheels also mean that you can load it heavy to one side not worry about stability when riding, nice when you ride along side busy roads without bike lanes. The right wheel may see extra abuse do to the width, it got flats quite a bit due to running off the road before I wised up.

There is some extra safety added with the Nomad, the bright yellow color and shear width make cars go around you. Not the slight movement around you, but sometimes 4ft or another lane when they see it. At dark, the rear reflective tape lights up and you are clearly visible.

Though I would not recommend loading it up to its capacity, 100 lbs is easy to pull until you find a hill, and it was only for a mile. The trailer doesn't push you down the hill, but it will make itself known when going up. Grocery shopping, 40 mile plus trips, and most of all; the ability to haul tubes and parts for the bikes saves time. The biggest use for me is for storage of extra water, the volume inside allows and has no other real point for me.