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On our recent e-bike journey across America, we relied on the Burley Nomad Bike Trailer, a purpose-built solution for bike touring that offers exceptional handling, safety, and stability on the road.
The trailer has a 100-pound carrying capacity, and its weatherproof cover and interior tie-down clips ensured our gear remained secure throughout the trip. We added the optional cargo rack for even more carrying capacity.
How did the Burley Nomad bike trailer hold up during our 4,685-mile journey through rainstorms, intense winds, muddy trails, and scorching temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit?
We were thrilled with the performance of the Nomad bike trailer, as it exceeded our expectations in every way. It proved an outstanding choice with its spacious capacity, prominent flag for visibility on the road, and remarkable stability even in the harshest weather conditions.
Despite facing gusts of wind from all directions during our cross-country trip, the Burley Nomad never tipped over because of the weather, which was truly miraculous.
Sharing the road with the very few cars on the road in the desert.
Don't Overload the Trailer
Through extensive field testing, we discovered a helpful tip for optimizing the performance of the Burley Nomad bike trailer.
Even with its 100-pound carrying capacity, we found it best to load the heaviest items in the panniers. While this may seem counter-intuitive, leaving the lighter but bulkier items for the Nomad Trailer and the heavier items, such as spare batteries for the panniers, allows for better convoy setup and greater control over the e-bike.
In addition, the trailer can more easily jump over obstacles, and although scientifically unproven, we noticed that this approach reduced the e-bike's energy consumption.
We found that the weight of our fully-loaded trailer for the cross-country tour (77 pounds, including the 15-pound weight of the trailer itself) was the limit our Riese & Muller Super Charger 2 e-bike could comfortably and efficiently tow. Any additional weight caused the trailer to push the e-bike forward when braking or jerk when accelerating.
However, at 77 pounds or less, we hardly noticed the trailer's presence. Therefore, field testing with various weights is essential to find the optimal balance for your e-bike and trailer setup.
Secure the Hitch and Use the Right Axle
It's essential to check with your bicycle shop to ensure the e-bike's axle is compatible with the hitch. You may need to replace your axle or use an adapter, as the quick-release may come loose under stress with the wrong axle. Additionally, since a significant amount of stress is put on the hitch, we recommend using Loctite if the hitch is mounted with an adapter.
The Incredible Stretch Connector
One of the critical safety features of the Nomad Trailer is the Stretch Connector system. This innovative design allows you to lower the e-bike while connected to the trailer.
If the trailer flips over due to steep or uneven road conditions, it will not pull down the e-bike and gently roll onto its side, preventing injuries and protecting the e-bike and trailer from damage. We experienced this several times on our cross-country e-bike journey due to steep and uneven road conditions along curbs, and we were grateful for this safety feature.
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We guarantee that we have reviewed and used products as described on this website. Our reviews are by E-bike Lovers for E-bike Lovers.
E-bike Lovers strongly recommends the Burley Nomad trailer for those looking to expand the capabilities of their e-bike. We give it 5 stars for price and 5 stars for design. Get your Nomad Trailer on Amazon.
See the trailer “in action” during our next biking event.
