eBike | Burley Nomad Trailer & Biktrix Ultra Beast 2 Compatibility

[@medman36]

Nice review. I have used it the last two years for a bike tour. I have the newer model.I notice with 25-30 kg of materials it does feel more heavy and pulls on the bike, even uphill.I have found it most enjoyable in combination with an ebike. Negatives I have experienced is that with more weight there is a bigger burden on the rear axel which causes the wheel axel and axel of the trailer to sag on the quick release push button hinges. This makes the wheels on both sag, causing the pins to bend. Especially when frequently getting off sidewalks and bumpy roads or stony trails. It will cause the pins of the quick release wheels to bend. On off road or gravel trails it will make biking a bit heavier as the wheels are less aligned. Squeek more on longer trips, and potentially be the weak point of the bike trailer in my view. The water "resistant" side covers can reasonably with stand the frequent European rainy weather, though they are absolutely not water proof. I do wrap non waterproof gear in plastics bags or water proof bags in the trailer tonkeep them extra dry. Tip is to put thin floor mats on the bottom of the trailer to keep things inside clean and dry. I think the bike rack on top is an amazing addition and worth the investment. Great for the occasional extra bag on top, but otherwise also a great cloths line for drying clothes, while stationary or even on the go! With velcro tape you can even stick extra light on the bike rack for better visibility and illumination. When folded up and with a third collapsible walking wheel, you can easily stroll it around. Use the bike rack a make as a makeshift handle bar. For those short walks. I think the weakest point I think the trailer lacks decent shock absorption in the axel, which I think could help with longer lasting wheels and axel on offriad or uneven terrain. I also mis and option for a collapsible handlebar. For those moments you want to convert to short walks with the trailer as a cargo stoller. The it would be a truly versatile tour and cargo stoller. The room is indeed ample in my experience. Though sometimes I wish the framework was just a little bit more square in the back and less "aerodynamic" to fit gear in the back more easily.

[@twowheeltim]

Thank you for the positive feedback and sharing your extensive experience. 👍🏻 The longest trip I've taken so far was a 209 km 3-day weekend road trip pulling about 34 kg of gear. I definitely felt the weight of the trailer, but on my powerful eBike with a 15 mm thru axle I had no issues. I have wondered about the Burley's quick release wheels and axle, however. I can see how over time they could wear out if carrying a lot of gear. I appreciate you sharing that knowledge. Finally, the "waterproof" design is definitely not waterproof. The front cover has that small gap where water and debris can fly up off the wheel and possibly get inside. When I did my little trip, I actually put a 1 meter by 1 meter plastic tarp inside over my gear just to be sure it stayed clean and dry. Thanks, again. Cheers! 👍🏻

[@medman36]

@@twowheeltim Thank you for your reply. I agree you hardly feel the trailer on an ebike. I think the moments it is when taking sharper bends and on first acceleration with the bike. Sometimes there is a slight delay when the elctric assist motor kicks in. Ik have done about 3 and a half weeks and 1300 km so far. I agree the trailer is not water proof. I've looked at the Burley website today and local retailers in my area. They do sell the new fabric cover on their accessories page if I'm mistaken. I think if one thing that can be improved in the front is a decent mudguard or some kind of water and dust and mud repellant layer in the front fabric. In my experience that part gets the most exposure to the harsh elements. I saw Nikwax also makes "waterproofing" sprays. Maybe those can help. I tried it my tent and it has worked good so far.

[@medman36]

I see that the Burleynwebsite also provides new axel for the trailer wheels in the accessories section. So I guess this might solve the wonky wheels because of a slightly bent axel shaft.

[@danielsiddiqui5903]

great review, been meaning to buy this

[@831dirtbags]

Cool stuff Tim. Good review.

[@twowheeltim]

Thank you, George!

[@BenoSaradzic]

Great review, looks awesome!

[@twowheeltim]

Thank you. Trailer works fantastic!

[@teacherry5559]

I wish I can do this, too!

[@gurucoconstructionandprope7973]

good content

[@twowheeltim]

Thank you!

[@alcatrazz4040]

Get the fat tires and the cargo rack for the trailer…. You won’t be disappointed

[@twowheeltim]

I was thinking of using the cargo rack to mount a solar panel. Thoughts?

[@alcatrazz4040]

@@twowheeltim that’s a cool idea, I strapped a case of beer to the top of the rack and held it like a dream

[@twowheeltim]

😆 That’s awesome!! I’m looking at solar charge controllers because I want to be able to charge without carrying a heavy solar power bank.

[@Elfraty]

One year later, any issues in wear and tear of the "cloth" material, f.i. is the bottom holding up?

[@twowheeltim]

So far, so good. 👍🏻 I think if one were to carry a single heavy object (30-50 lbs) in the front section constantly over a number of months or years, however, the fabric would eventually start to wear out. Burley recommends evenly distributed weight, as do I because it handles much better.

[@Joeblk10]

I'm little late to the game but which 12mm axle is it? There's like 8 different ones listed. I just got this trailer for my beast with the 16 wheel kit. Just need the right axle Edit: pausing at right moment is seems it's m12x1.5 but in 197mm. They don't make a 197mm?

[@twowheeltim]

I bought mine back in 2021 for $54.99 (still have the receipt 🙂), and at that time Burley sold the thru axle in a 12x1.5, 197mm. But you also needed the Thru Axle Flat Spacer for an additional $1.00. It looks like now they have a 172-178mm that includes the flat spacer for $59.99, but you likely wouldn't need the spacer. The only other option I see is the 229mm, which would be way too long because the threads would extend well beyond the threads in the drop out.

[@Joeblk10]

@@twowheeltim Appreciate the response. I felt like the 178 would be too short so I was able to find a 197 new in box on ebay. Thanks

[@dehoedisc7247]

Using 16" wheel/tires is such a "downgrade" on a mini-trailer, that the benefit of using 20" wheels/tires would be obvious. Dang.

[@joker-sh5hv]

I wonder if it would work on the ariel grizzly

[@twowheeltim]

Not sure what kind of axle it has, but I imagine there's a way. If it's a thru-axle, Burley sells all different sizes. If it's a standard axle, it depends on the design of the dropout.

[@joker-sh5hv]

@@twowheeltim hmm i only ask because i am purchasing one over the summer and I would love to be able to throw this on it and go camping! thanks for the response! :)

[@twowheeltim]

I'm currently in the midst of my next adventure, but when I get to my motel tonight I'll see if I can dig up some info for you.

[@twowheeltim]

Hey joker. I looked at the Ariel Rider Grizzly and as best I can tell it has a standard threaded axle with a capped nut. The dropout design looks pretty open, so I see no reason why you can't pull any Burley trailer. Here's a link to the type of hitch that comes with the Burley Nomad trailer. It simply fits over the axle and then you take the nut on the bike's axle and tighten it right to the frame. Very simple. arielrider.com/products/grizzly All the best! 👍🏻

[@joker-sh5hv]

@@twowheeltim awesome thank you so much! Thank you for doing that, I’m shocked! Thank you so much :)

[@starstorm00]

I'm hoping this will accommodate a jbl partybox 310 (or 2)

[@twowheeltim]

Not sure exactly how big those are, but in this video I show how much gear I packed for a road trip: eBike | Part 1: Preparing for Long Rides | 130-Mile Easter Weekend Ride | Ep. 13 kzbin.info/www/bejne/fHvUeXtveZlkeLs

[@starstorm00]

27inches tall, 12.8 inches wide, 14.6 inches deep and 38.6 pounds in weight

[@twowheeltim]

The width and depth aren't an issue, but the height will be. What about strapping in down on a Burley flatbed trailer?

[@starstorm00]

@@twowheeltim I'm considering laying them down side by side facing up. Hopefully their hight isn't longer than the nomad is long. They are water resistant speakers so the yellow rain cover appeals to me. Definitely don't want them exposed to weather as I ride to work all year round in (central maine). Also for grocery shopping etc.

[@twowheeltim]

A couple things. The Nomad is 32-inches long, 18.5-inches wide, and 17-inches high inside. It has an aluminum frame with the axle running through the middle of the trailer beneath the canvas material. The canvas bottom is soft and the axle can make loading longer items a bit awkward. The frame inside the trailer is exposed aluminum and runs the inside perimeter. When I don't need as much space for groceries that I want to stay upright, I took a 1/4-inch piece of plywood and cut corner notches to fit the inside perimeter of the frame allowing for a solid base. I painted it black and put some non-slip pads on it to keep groceries more stable. It definitely takes away quite a bit of storage space, but it's great for groceries. I haven't done a video about cutting a solid base, but there is a video on KZbin by another person. Based on the dimensions you listed, I'm afraid laying 2 side by side is just not going to fit. It should fit one quite well, however. And a final note about the waterproof cover. While it is true to be waterproof, I have found that water and debris will kick up from the tire and make its way under the front of the cover and inside the trailer. If you're going to ride in the elements all winter, you may want to get and additional small tarp to cover anything inside the trailer just as an extra layer of protection. I bought a cheap 3'x3' clear tarp off Amazon and fold it in half to cover items before closing the trailer's cover. Just some food for thought. 👍🏻

[@coryschlegel5705]

Omg yo. You could have gotten a kids pull along trailer. Way better than that half sized cargo trailer.

[@twowheeltim]

I suppose that's true IF I were pulling a child, but I wanted something designed to carry cargo and is more compact for longer trips. ✌🏻

[@billz410]

Many kids trailers don’t have a reinforced floor, so while they in theory have more storage capacity for bulky items, you could quickly destroy the fabric floor when hauling heavy items.

[@twowheeltim]

Plus, kids trailers are odd shaped and would not balance cargo evenly.

[@billz410]

@@twowheeltim Another excellent point, Tim. Wish I would’ve spent the money up front on a Burley. My cheap Schwinn cargo trailer is destined to be a short-lifed piece of equipment. Very poor fabric and stitching

[@twowheeltim]

I’d give your comment a thumbs down, but only from content. The context is worth sharing and that deserves a thumbs up, so thank for sharing. 👍🏼 🙂