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| My Nomad and Steed on the Road |
Since I'm not really sure where to begin, I will review the Nomad on points I've seen addressed elsewhere: stability, rolling resistance, tongue weight, and wind resistance; as well as on a few other points that were important to me: capacity, visibility, footprint/tracking, and 'user friendliness.'
Stability- Simply put, this trailer has been very stable. When I bought it I had no intention of using the Nomad off-road, and haven't. On the surfaces where I have used it-- prepared surfaces--no single or double-track trails, and one hard-packed gravel road, the trailer has been very stable. Potholes, bumps, shoulders, and transitions (small curbs, and sloped path to street transitions) have all played their part in the commutes and longer trips that I have used this trailer on and none have given me cause to think the trailer was going to flip or slide off the road pulling me with it.
However, I am pulling the trailer with a road-style bike so I don't hit obstacles with as much abandon as I might with a mountain bike. I am also used to where the trailer is in relation to my surroundings, and as such am careful with what the wheels might be hitting. The trailer does bounce a little when it rolls over things at speed, so hitting something fast and hard with one wheel could theoretically flip the trailer, but based on my experiences so far, this would have to be one hell of a hit. The worst thing I've hit so far was a flattened raccoon carcass that I couldn't dodge due to traffic and the poor critter did no harm aside from a little goop on the wheel and bottom of the cargo bed.
Rolling Resistance- This subject seems to come up a lot in single vs double wheel debates, and while I haven't pulled a BOB around for comparison, I can say that once I get the Nomad rolling I hardly know it's there. The most weight I've pulled with it so far was around 45 lbs, and I couldn't really feel the trailer pulling on me once I get moving. On take off, up hill, and stopping I can feel the trailer, but it seems to me that this is a matter of gravity and the push/pull effect that any trailer causes, and the effects are countered with use different gearing and braking pressure than I use when riding without the trailer.
Tongue weight- According to the Burley site the Nomad transfers 10% of the weight in the trailer to the attachment point on the rear wheel of the bike thereby having a negligible effect on bike handling. I have found their claim to be fairly accurate. The one test I did came up with about 15% transfer, but it wasn't overly scientific. I weighed a loaded trailer then put the end of the tongue on a scale set at the same height as it attaches to my bike and a 42lb trailer transferred just under 6 1/2 pounds to the scale. In actual use these measurements would fluctuate due to how the trailer was loaded, and physics--when going down hill the trailer would transfer more weight to the wheel, and it would transfer less weight when going up. Regardless of the actual transfer ratio, there is significantly less weight on the rear wheel and frame of the bike than there would be if all the gear were in panniers.
Wind Resistance- Now here's a point that I can definitely speak to. On my first real trip with the Nomad I had some steady 20 mph head and cross winds, with gusts that were definitely stronger. These winds played hell with me, in that I had to do a bit of walking because it was simply too dangerous to ride, but I never noticed any problems with the trailer being thrown around. Due to the shape of the trailer I am sure it resisted the wind to a point, but even when the winds where bending the flag pole quite a bit to the side I never felt the trailer trying to pull me.
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| Anti-Loss Device |
Capacity- So far, I have used my Nomad to carry groceries, used it to do some local Christmas shopping, and to haul the recycling, tools for work, and supplies/gear for short tours. Not once have I wished I had more room for stuff. And, If I did for some strange reason want more room in (or rather, on) my trailer, I could always get the cargo rack attachment for it. The only downside I can see of the Nomad's cargo capacity would be the potential for carrying more than I need to, but this is more of a self-discipline issue than a cargo-capacity issue.
Visibility- With the color, the reflective piping, reflectors, lights, and flag this guy is more visible than my bike and I are. I have yet to feel that drivers have failed to see me whether it was dark or in the full light of day. This was a concern of mine given the idiocy of a lot of Indianapolis drivers. While the trailer's visibility hasn't diminished the idiocy it has certainly made me even more visible when I'm pulling it, and in some cases made people a little more careful around me--these are subjective observations, so may all be in my head, but I feel safer so they are a good thing.
Footprint/Tracking- This issue comes up a lot in reviews and questions about the Nomad. When considering the Nomad, a lot of people (myself included) seem to feel that its two-wheel design and width would cause problems. So far I haven't had issues with this. The trailer with wheels and quick-releases is a hair over 26" wide. It sits 2" off center with 12" going to the bike's right, and 14" to the left. Since my handlebars (which are centered) with mirrors are 31" wide the trailer rides within my footprint and tracks right along with me--if my bike can go through a gap the trailer will too. You do have to pay more attention to where you are in relation to curbs and such on your right, but I found this a quick learning process. I did have to learn to be a bit more careful on turns since the trailer adds to my overall length, but this hasn't been an issue since I got used to the extra length, and I would think this to be the case with any trailer.
For people without such a wide cockpit, if you figure around 18" for road bars and 29" for mountain bars the trailer will fit into the width of the mountain bars with 1" on the left and 2" on the right. On the road bike the trailer will be 5" wider on the left and 3" on the right. While you would have to learn to stay farther from curbs and other obstacles on your right, the width difference on your left is not such a big thing since a car passing within five inches of you would probably take you out with its mirror anyway. And like I said, drivers seem to be a bit more careful around the trailer.
User-friendliness- This would seem to be a purely subjective subject, but some of my observations may fall into areas that match other people's questions. First off it's easy to load. With the detachable divider inside and the design of the cover this trailer is easy to organize and pack. There are rings attached to the outside of the sides of the bed for using cord or bungees with overflow, and there are full length mesh pockets on the inside for small items. I like the open trunk feel of the cargo bed as opposed to the duffel bag style BOB bag because it allows me to organize things. Granted the Nomad is not waterproof due to its design, but I use stuff sacks anyway for organization so this isn't a problem (there are even drainage holes in the cargo bed for when water does get in). While I haven't used the trailer in a full on deluge, I have pulled it in light rain and through puddles and have yet to get any water inside it.
The trailer attaches to the bike easily and securely whether it's loaded or not, this I really like.
The only user issue I could see with the Nomad is security of the contents when unattended. When I use it for errands it doesn't have anything in it when it's unattended so this isn't an issue. However, when I'm on the road and make a stop somewhere for food or a nature break there is the possibility of someone stealing something from inside the trailer. This possibility applies to panniers, or other trailers as well, and with simple precautions like parking in visible areas and next to windows it is no different than just parking a bike anywhere. As for securing the trailer itself I use an extra cable with my lock to secure the wheels to the trailer and my bike which is in-turn secured to something else. This might not be adequate for long term security (such as overnight), but when I am using the trailer I am not in situations where I am away from the trailer and its contents with its being out in the open for long periods. The longest periods I have left my rig or just the trailer unattended was during hikes and sight seeing rides while on tour, and I just locked it/them up next to the park office and the attendant gladly agreed to keep an eye on it/them. In these cases there was more chance of my tent being stolen.
As for Burley's customer service I haven't had any dealings with them so I can't say anything about it one way or the other, but since I bought my trailer at REI which has excellent customer service I figure I will deal with them if the need arises.
So, overall, I would say I am very happy with my investment in the Nomad and am looking forward to discovering new uses for it and using it often for some time to come.
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