Ep. 3 - 2023 Apex Nano 187RB [A Mountain Biker’s Perspective]

[@ViewDeeMooVee]

I am looking at the 191RBS or perhaps the 187RB, I was looking at a Clipper 17FQS with the Murphy bed but it didn't have ANY storage, whereas the 187RB 191RBS has a lot of storage. Pretty big trailer for a 22 Chevy Colorado to pull over Loveland and Vail passes every trip but I think its ok.

[@GREYWOLFrv]

I just had a look at the 191RBS floor plan and honestly, for the ~100lbs extra to get a slide and additional storage, that’s a shut-up-and-take-my-money situation. Moreover, the 191RBS has ~60lbs less hitch weight. Personally, I think it’s a no-brainer. I also LOVE the blue interior on the ‘24s and if you’re a subscriber to the channel, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised when I reveal which trailer I purchased for 2024. At the moment I’m building-up a back catalogue of videos to do a proper re-launch of the channel, so please accept my apologies but I’m more than happy to help offer my two-cents in the meanwhile. Re: towing capability, I used to have a supercharged FJ cruiser which was a mid-size body on frame, albeit with a much shorter wheelbase than your Colorado. It had a towing capacity of 5,000lbs (down from the Tacoma’s 6,500 likely due to that short wheelbase), but with the supercharger it had more than sufficient power. Taking a look at the Colorado’s towing capacity of ~7,500lbs (5,000lbs for ZR2), both the 191RBS and 187RB fall comfortably within its tow rating. My personal philosophy is ~60% of the towing capacity is the sweet spot and doesn’t require compromises such as vehicle stability at higher speeds, especially with compounding factors like high wind conditions. Even at ~3,500 for the heavier 191RBS you’re less than 50%. My only concern would be power. I anticipate you would be pushing that gas I4 on the mountain passes and a quick Google suggests it’s nearly as thirsty as the V6. That said, the V6 and even the diesel I4 would likely do great. My F150 has ~360hp and the trailer I purchased is ~4,500lbs and it tows perfectly fine, but expect 50% regular fuel economy regardless. In fact, my personal experience towing trailers as small as my 6x12 enclosed utility trailer and 9,000lb RVs is the #1 factor influencing fuel economy is whether you’re towing a trailer or not. Mountain passes certainly don’t help the equation, but the weight of the trailer -in my opinion- plays much less of a role. I hope you’ve found this info helpful. One point of consideration I would make re: the Apex Nano products are they do not have a heated and enclosed underbelly and have exposed sewer conduit. Thus, they will not perform as well in cold conditions which we often encounter in the mountains. However, these things add cost and the Apex Nano series in my opinion are a good value proposition, so just something to keep in mind.

[@ViewDeeMooVee]

@@GREYWOLFrv I told them I wanted the heated tanks. I would have prefered an underbelly but at $23000, I still think its a good choice. The Colorado has a 308hp V6 so it can get it over the pass. Hope it arrives before the Moab mtn bike trip I have planned!

[@GREYWOLFrv]

Excellent re: the engine and even more excellent re: the bike trip. Are you a subscriber to the GREYWOLFbike channel as well? If so, I’d love to ask you a few questions about how you’d like to see these channels dovetail between each other. Re: the heated tanks - yes, that’s a good call but keep in mind they’ll only resist the fluid in your tanks from freezing but be cautious about freezing valves. However, I 100% agree - it’s a $23,000 trailer. It’s actually why I considered it myself and included it in the ‘Mountain Biker’s Perspective’ series because everyone has different budgets and different requirements.