Cycling Across America - Bike Setup Upgrades

[@duncanhamilton5841]

The real danger of trailers is that they attract extra stuff. I can foresee this becoming a Top Gear road trip gift event, where you buy each other statues and portraits as momentos to lug with you

[@paulmil]

Justin is going to make them go back for the cowboy boots from day 5 or so

[@DC-lu5qs]

someone in Nevada or California needs to make a chainsaw sculpture of Justin on his handbike for them.

[@truth-Hurts375]

Its NOT true.I can write a book about trailers..finished a 8 821km trip with a burley Nomad 3months ago.Thing is people who shoot down trailers..never used one in their lifetime..they just comment what the read on facebook

[@duncanhamilton5841]

@@truth-Hurts375 Umm, did you actually understand the comment before saddling up that high horse? I meant, with a trailer there's a tendency to lose the weight discipline you have to have with panniers. I've come back from grocery shopping with far too much weight on my trailer as I end up buying what I want/need, rather than what I can fit on the bike

[@DC-lu5qs]

@@truth-Hurts375 it was a joke :) Lighten up, Francis!

[@pavelg4990]

Dude hauled the wheelchair all the way to NOLA!... With an Arm-crank powered bike... impressive. Arms generally aren't as powerful as legs, so seems fair to pass it to Francis. It's good to have a friend like this!

[@Aureas133]

Have you seen Justin's arms? I wish my legs were as big.

[@GenuinePluko]

@@Aureas133 the problem is shoulders simply aren't designed to do the workload Justin is doing, knees can cope fine.

[@PierreAlainMaire]

Nice rig ! This will be a long australian road train when you'll attach the tube to pull Justin uphills 😄

[@PierreAlainMaire]

@@frankchan5547 yeah but just imagine 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@brandonhoffman4712]

Reminds me of the times when i would have my buddy pull me on my skateboard with his moped on a rope. I used to wear the rope around my neck and go hands free on occasion! Until a crash almost lasso'd me to the ground, kids, am I right... Now that path is my favorite bike path. Its over 30 miles long, touches the beach path on one end, heads to the mountains on the other. There is a second section that stretches over 20 more miles. Including the gap one could ride 70 miles or so with minimal street use. Eventually the trail will connect the mountains to the sea and stretch over 100 miles. I hope to be able to ride it one day, but its been 40 years in the making and i dont have another 40. Awesome trail for a road cyclist though, a marathoner, or someone looking for a walk. I beleive some of it even has horse access.

[@mathewrose2951]

Burley has always made such great stuff. Our twins have almost outgrown the trailer we got (this will probably be the last summer), so it's good to see there's a Burley cargo trailer for the next stages and family camping trips. They should sponsor you for the exposure they're going to get.

[@mimosa17]

Speaker guy -'Like A Rock' quite apt for Francis and Justin's unwavering steadfastness.

[@terryvonzuben5674]

❤ my coho xc. I use it so that my service dog Molly can travel with me everywhere! The trailer has a suspension system for a smoother ride for the dog than a child’s bike trailer. It should lessen the fatigue on your chair? One drawback, be careful if you overload the trailer, it shakes at the front wheel if you put more than 100lbs in! Good luck and stay safe on the road.

[@SignorLuigi]

I swear I went through withdrawal symptoms yesterday with no "Adventures of Francis and Justin" video to watch. PLEASE, BY ALL THAT IS GOOD AND HOLY, try to never do that again!! 😳🙄🤣🤣🤣❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@lmbraga]

I honestly uttered "vibration" the second the wheelchair broke.... I'm a wizard!

[@Omnis2]

I would take the nets down from the sides of the Coho XC and then lash the wheels up to the sides of the trailer. Maybe keep the nets secured at the bottom and nest the wheels in them through an opening at the top.

[@maxhax4243]

Justin is such a funny guy :) How he laughs away his unjuries - heroic. Kudos on this great solution - it will make this journey a lot more bearable.

[@travisreed5965]

Fantastic And Productive Rest Day - Because Of Your Demeanor , Always Laughing And Approachable, Good People Are Attached To You Both - Have Throughly Enjoyed The First Third Of This Journey - Travel On My Friends Cheers

[@sn1krep1]

Can't wait for you both to get to the southwest and get to see our sunsets! This has been an amazing trip to follow and for such a great cause! We are all incredibly happy to support!

[@GordonChaffin]

It's true. I hated living in Phoenix, but they were the best sunsets of my life.

[@bennetthasty7886]

I know it’s dumb but I literally was worried for you guys with no video going out yesterday I was like I hope they are okay 😂

[@Jago8407]

Exactly the same here 😅😂

[@global_nomad.]

same

[@2far2drive]

@@global_nomad. its NOLA, that is a valid concern! Ever had a hand grenade or a hurricane? wooooweeee

[@GenuinePluko]

THIS

[@_Zane__]

Nice, but can you still employ the tire tube towing method?

[@michaeldavis7996]

You should probably get some pipe insulation to the top tubes of the trailer for the wheels to rest on to reduce damage to the wheels...and more bunji straps.

[@johnnydoe66]

This reminds me of why a trailer might be a better solution when touring. There use to be a channel of a man who retired from the Army and he started off with a hybrid/comfort bike and a single wheeled trailer on his round the USA bike trip after he left the military. The weight is off the bike, therefore your center of gravity is lower, plus it may aid in stability

[@HarryFunmaker]

People tend to pass with more space, too.

[@truth-Hurts375]

I finished a 8 821km journey 3months ago with a Burley Nomad...I haved traveled more than 50 000km on bicycles using trailers...never ever broke a single spoke.

[@DC-lu5qs]

Thanks for the update! Very cool setup you got. I'm really enjoying the ...problem solving?... aspect of this journey. My inner engineer is enjoying geeking out on the solutions you find to overcome hurdles in the absence of "home" resources. I hope everything goes smoothly. I also hope you are enjoying your time resting in NO, eating lots of good food, and getting rested and healed.

[@stefanpethybridge9855]

Raleigh UK were advertising your trip on their trade website, so guessing they sell something from one of your sponsors. They are the supplier of Burley Trailers in the UK. Ideal opportunity for you to be refunded/sponsored by Burley trailers..

[@deblordoutdoors5783]

One of my favourite places, New Orleans❤️

[@Patty-qy8qh]

Enjoy your rest day, you definitely earned that!

[@anthonykelly3231]

Watch out for bumps and road furniture that will easily uncouple the trailer, epic ride guys, apart from the massive achievement to get to the end raising a huge sum for the charity , getting there in one piece with an intact friendship will be an achievement too,

[@truth-Hurts375]

These trailers DONT come loose...they are designed to take the punch !!!

[@anthonykelly3231]

@@truth-Hurts375 boring!

[@robertmyers5269]

It may be possible to fab some brackets to clip the chair wheels to the outside of the Burley. I just checked the Burley website, and they do make a pannier rack for it, so that could be used for the stuff you need to relocate. Edit: It also seems like there are a bunch of water bottle type bosses on the frame that would provide mounting points for wheel brackets.

[@brandonhoffman4712]

Good on you for pulling the load thats asked of you. By American standards, you are a sir! And you deserve a salute.

[@bikeman8543]

You guys are inspirational...2023 is around the corner. .... I feel I might do 'something'.

[@ericb4608]

New Orleans is a great city to rest up in. as long as you don't over do it, which is easy. anxiously waiting for the next step in your trip. Good luck guys!!

[@Juricell]

What a great idea to help Justin with his drag issue! Will definitely keep the wheelchair from excess fatigue. Hopefully Justin won’t have to work as hard now.

[@joshualancekemp]

Rest well men! Y’all deserve it👍🏼

[@markreams3192]

I believe it has one wheel so you can take it on single track behind a gravel or mountain bike.

[@jonnythelegs2597]

Trailers are great fun, ive got an original extrawheel which uses a normal 700c wheel. Putting the weight on the trailer is so much better than on the bike, the bike still feels nigh on normal by comparison. I wouldn't stop at just the tailfin, if you can squeeze some of your other bags on, do it the bike will feel a lot better for it.

[@truth-Hurts375]

Extra wheel trailers are great...

[@HarryFunmaker]

I have an older 2-wheeled trailer and I like the feel of riding with a trailer more than riding with heavy panniers. Obviously it's heavier, but on a flat route the convenience is worth it. Seems like the perfect solution for what you need and I'm surprised you didn't start out with a trailer to begin with. That's a very slick connection/disconnection design.

[@drftkng.]

That looks like a great upgrade to assist you both. Glad you are able to rest some and re-think things to make the journey easier.

[@grahambell9831]

Thanks Justin & Francis for your vlog update & new gear update 👍. Have a great weekend of cycling gents 👊

[@htmGames]

Just saw (online) that there are racks for the trailers rear wheel which can then carry Panniers. Just in case space does become an issue. Awesome trip.

[@DC-lu5qs]

I just read through a bunch of the recent donation comments, and a lot of them are really nice/inspiring. Might make a nice little bit of bonus content to highlight some on a future rest day

[@craigboddice4951]

Hi Francis and Justin, firstly you're doing an amazing ride, secondly Francis I briefly met you whilst I was riding TCR 4 in 2016, and thirdly I literally said to my wife the other day you'd be better with a trailer setup. I've just got two (Bob yak and a topeak one) and they are great. Though towing Justin with your innertube might not work as a result. Fourthly, just keep pedaling. Chapeau.

[@timothysroot82]

That's great news! I'm happy you guys have found a helpful solution

[@dcltdw]

So glad to hear you found great solutions. Here's hoping the rest day really helps you both out!

[@markjthomson]

I use a Bob trailer, awesome things. The speed limit is there more because the greater the weight, the more the tail wags the dog. With the amount you are hauling it shouldn't be a problem.

[@mattford9140]

Coho comes with a flagpole too. Now you both can fly the stars and stripes!

[@jackpumkinhead9583]

I admire your spirit to keep going things happen on these kinda trips you have to adapt and overcome. The real journey it’s a mental one that being said it’s hard to find a good bike trailer. I’ve tried several they all have pros and cons.

[@cb6866]

Thanks Francis and Justin....

[@helion741]

Why don't we skip to the point where Francis just hauls Justin IN the trailer 😀 Keep us posted on the money you collected. Great job guys!

[@daniels.2720]

Hahaha !!

[@lizziecade1902]

Just checked their Just Giving page £59,302 😉👍🤩

[@MrRammell]

I found this genuinely exciting to see! It's going to be a gamechanger for Justin, too! There has to be some sponsorship for this, surely? All future adventure rides with justin will be able to make use of this awesome trailer. Have you throught about what you'll with it when you reach the West Coast? Is it going to come back to the UK with you guys?

[@ranxxerox6407]

Having a bobYak myself I can tell you when pulling one, it takes a little time to get used to it, especially when setting off from traffic, lights or junctions et cetera. But to be honest the only real issue you have to watch out for is the snaking of the whole set up once you get a feel for it, it’s something that you get used to very quickly. The BobYak also has a single wheel and I find this better personally than a trailer having two wheels. It means it will track with your bike when you’re going off road or on gravel. You just need to hunker down the stuff you put in it and keep the centre of gravity as low as you can Happy travels.

[@redauwg911]

What a great idea. You should put all the heavy stuff in there, Thanks for the video,

[@JakeMay]

Solidarity in action - beautiful to see!

[@jayobannon5359]

How are you going to tow Justin up hill with the trailer?

[@thebikepackingadventurer]

As I mentioned in the last video my Bob yak trailer worked brilliantly before with all the weight in the rear, but then I am 91kgs so probably balanced the weight out better. I hope you guys have a better day tomorrow and find a great solution

[@georgesj9536]

Reason for the 15mph limit might be the QR system when you hit something of uneven terrain, it might release because of that impact. So i'd check that or drive in the back if i were you :)

[@user-jk2zm7uq5s]

Or it might be litigious USA - bike locks that "may cause cancer in the state of California" spring to mind.

[@thebikepackingadventurer]

I have used a bob yak trail previously which is basically the same, and you don't even notice it behind you when riding, part from the additional weight. It tracks brilliantly and the faster you go the better it feels

[@alienaudaxer9827]

I used to use a Bob Ibex (also one wheel at the back). Bombproof but with a massive weight penalty, and also the temptation to fill it up with loads of stuff you'll never use.

[@truth-Hurts375]

I will use my Bob Ibex next year again behind my Surley Pugsley fatbike...it will be close to 9 000km on mainly off tod tracks...its all in the leggs..mate.I traveled over 50 000km on bicycles using trailers carrying up to 30lt of water alone...through the desert...never broke a single spoke...

[@alienaudaxer9827]

@@truth-Hurts375 That's awesome. Sounds like you're exactly the kind of person that deserves it. I ended up selling mine onwards to a old gent that was going to do a transalp on an eBike and bring a few items along.

[@MrDuLukes]

Seems to me like there is now enough space for another one chip challenge for justin.

[@trek520rider2]

The speed limit is not a joke. Be careful descending fast (yet to come) at high speed it's possible to brake and have the trailer jacknife = bad news. Hang in there.

[@thepandaman]

That's the trailer I've been eyeing up for a while! Having done a fair few miles with a two wheeled trailer, they're great and all but I found them a pain when attempting to dodge potholes, and was constantly wincing when hearing the laden trailer drop into a hole. Am interested to hear your thoughts on it at the end of the adventure :)

[@ivarbrouwer197]

I had s simpler, but similar version in 2005 when I cycled around half of Australia: it was a perfect system, didn't really notice it was there, but no one can draft you...

[@robertchappellsnr.5872]

Big chap looks well pleased he dissnae huv tae tow his chair now..!!!!! Well done lads.. Keep up da guid work...!!!

[@chrisschade6854]

The locals will say Brennan’s etc. I hope you guys experience THE COMMANDERS PALACE. 😊

[@andrewrobertson-mo1gh]

Try strapping the wheels vertically either side of the trailer, a bit like the panniers on your tailfin.

[@ChrisP978]

Could maybe attach a dummy axle of some kind to the top frame of the trailer so the wheels clip in easy.

[@thebr0wnhornet]

The guy with the speaker dresses like Darth Vader and hustles tips from tourist. Passes through my neighborhood on his way to work

[@BikepackingAdventures]

If that setup works out and I were you, I'd organise sending my tailfin back home to the UK.

[@compassionsix]

I have a Burley COHO XC, it does an amazing job.

[@billincolumbia]

Hey, I like it. I have wondered about using a trailer vs panniers on some of our trips.

[@stevenscott7738]

And there was me hoping James and Chris had flown out to help….

[@DC-lu5qs]

There are still 40+ days of cycling left! That would make an epic finale. Someone should tell them :P

[@stevenscott7738]

Come on Chris and James - make it happen………..

[@DC-lu5qs]

@@stevenscott7738 Daisy made a comment on another video hinting that she might meet them in LA. Maybe we can talk her into going out a few days early to ride with them :)

[@alexanderwendelbo1447]

20" Parcours disc wheel, and Hutchinson tyre Fusion 5

[@andreasl5707]

How u gonna be able to tow Justin now?

[@Cade_Media]

just tie to the back of the trailer - might not need to without the chair slowing him down though

[@ChrisWhatley]

Question, how are you going to deploy the "band of brothers/umbicycle cord" towing system now?

[@Destide]

That trailer is amazing, Next episode Tandem!

[@lemonshire1]

great news, hope it holds up

[@yankeejim5725]

You guys rock well done!

[@112chapters3]

So early, You guys rock. Love from Cayman Islands

[@Edders574]

Cool solution for stopping Justin's wheels getting messed up, think u got the best trailer there been looking at that burley for a while if it works well for u Francis and I trust Ur opinion I will get one myself

[@JBthePAdashC]

I’ve looked at that trailer before. Let me know how you like it. Oh wait… I’ll see on the next few episodes!

[@d7jab]

Brilliant idea! Quote of the day "on top precariously it is..." hahaha

[@BlackyBrownDestruction9337]

Cool trailer review

[@ivarbrouwer197]

this does make it difficult to tow Justin up a bridge or climb...

[@Cade_Media]

it was difficult anyway ;)

[@DC-lu5qs]

PS MORNING STATS as of 7:41 CST £59,251 raised of £75,000 target by 1,669 supporters

[@Cade_Media]

😱

[@xmateinc]

You don’t need a thru axel btw. And that speed limit is just burley not wanting to get sued! If loaded right you can descend at 30 to 40 mph.

[@sunny5142]

Why do you think these trailers are banned in Europe? They are not, at least in Germany. I have a similar one from another brand, it rides pretty well. You could get a second one and strap it to Justin's bike the same way you did the wheelchair before. The steering hinge should make it OK for Justin and you could distribute the weight of your luggage sensibly.

[@DC-lu5qs]

I was wondering about this, too, and the best guess I could come up with was that J&F just made up the banned thing to mess with us :D

[@kevinlyon9501]

Nice trailer bit like a BOB, are you still going to be using Tuberson as didn't look like any suitable points to hook up a tow. 🤔 If you do that is going to be one funny looking combo.😂

[@nibbs15]

Oh cool , upgrades

[@stubbingtonmarigold3032]

1) get a lock. That comes off quickly enough to disappear... 2) it’s only a matter of time until it’s used to tow leftovers....

[@JakebMiller]

Yall about 2-3 days out from Dallas? Be safe

[@Xhadp]

Will you still be able to two the handcycle with the tube now that you have the trailer?

[@kevinleepredom8386]

Thanks , Justin there's no really well built trailer for a wheelchair, or /handbike to carry stuff chair etc . Even if there was one would it be affordable.umm. what do u think .

[@crowlern]

How are you guys gonna use the bike tube towing system now? Will that be possible woth the trailer? 🤔

[@zacharyfera8724]

What about the "Band of Brothers?"

[@christopherhood9241]

I'm sure you can use the trailer on both bikes, giving the possibility of one of you peddling and one in the trailer ... resting :)

[@platti1]

Which is the Patagonia jacket Francis is wearing ???

[@peters8504]

The trailer will test the carbon of the Scott, we shall see how solid it is

[@paul_mason_]

Aluminium fatigue in the wheelchair. The new trailer is made of....... Aluminium Good luck guys 👍🏼

[@billincolumbia]

ha ha haaaaa, i thought the same thing!!!

[@deadpool8340]

"PIVOT !!!!" As said by Ross Geller

[@Gershwin17]

I used to ride with TWO of my sons pulled behind me as passengers. Francis has to be approaching that kind of weight. What does it weigh??!

[@shaunjnmkbrennan7539]

Why not bungee cord each wheel to the sides once you have the cargo net secured?

[@cycling2005]

Having toured with both one wheel and two wheel trailers, a two wheel trailer is superior in every way, and completely stable. One wheel trailers can cause speed wobbles, and put extra strain on your bike frame in a way it was not designed for. You guys are awesome.

[@davidbray5982]

But why is it illegal in Europe? You said so last video.

[@DC-lu5qs]

until proven otherwise, I'm going with the assumption that they made that bit up to mess with us :)

[@lifeincycling]

Nice thumbnail

[@linesided]

Put the net over the wheels, ya know in case of turbulence. So says an ex-rampie :)

[@112chapters3]

It’s more newwarleans…

[@jacksrandomadventures2769]

👍

[@Shmoilyman]

*My friend Justin and I :)

[@TheMrdominator1997]

So why’s it illegal in the UK???