But, it wasn't just the dog's approval that drove us to trailer ownership, it was the desire to broaden our cargo hauling capabilities. I had toyed with the idea of converting one bicycle into a cargo hauler, but the desire to keep my bicycle options open held us back. When we realized the dog was unwilling to ride on the bike, it was confirmed that the trailer was the way to go. The trouble was, they were out of the budget. However, good old Century Cycles provided a budget friendly option when they announced their sale of their rental equipment. With this fabulous option we had the chance to purchase a used Burley D'Lite for less than half its retail value!
Perfect!
Since we would be using it to carry this:
Or this:
Instead of this:
Cosmetic imperfections due to rental use were not a concern. Is the dog really going to be affected by a small tear in the canvas we can patch with duct tape? Doubt it. It was the perfect option for our needs.
Last Wednesday we decided to be responsible and rent one of the trailers ahead of time to make sure it was a good choice. In order to simulate the weight of cargo and a canine passenger, we stowed a backpack with various contents and a 10lb medicine ball in the trailer. We figured since the ball would roll around a bit, it would provide a decent simulation of a fidgety dog. Our test ride lasted about an hour on the Towpath. The Mr. pulled the trailer for the first 30mins and I pulled it the last 30. It was a great workout, let me tell you. However, we were really impressed with how well it handled, even with a full load, and how easy the install process was. The Towpath is the worst surface we ride on and the weight is likely the heaviest load we would ever take. Plus, there's no way the dog would be moving as much as that ball during a ride. So, we figured we successfully simulated a worst case scenario. The few minutes we were on the road, it was much smoother and less resistant than the limestone path. We were definitely slower, but not so slow that it was agonizing.
With the determination that one of these Burleys would make our lives easier, we arose bright and early to wait in line (Black Friday style) at Century Cycles. We arrived at the store about 8am to discover a line had already formed. One person had been sitting there since 6:15am! Others had brought along their lawn chairs, breakfasts, and DVDs. Good grief, you'd think they were giving away concert tickets! It was a good thing we got there when we did.
They were all very friendly so we spent the hour "shooting the breeze" and time passed quickly. Most of them were interested in the bicycles and thought our plan for the trailer was pretty unique. How cute that we were willing to get a trailer for our dog! Well! The only other person in line at the time who wanted a trailer also wanted it for his dog! So, ha! We're not crazy after all!
We were really impressed with how smoothly the staff ran the sale process. Each person was waited on individually and encouraged to look through the options before making a choice. They even took the time to assist in selecting the best frame size for each customer. The those of us in the trailer market successfully chose ones we liked and were quite pleased with how it turned out. With that out of the way, the Mr. and I headed to breakfast for a much needed coffee. By the time we left the restaurant, the line at Century Cycles was gone.
They are keeping their rentals to finish out the season, therefore we won't be getting our trailer until late November or December. Since we've gone this long without it and we saved a ton of money by getting one through this sale, waiting a few months is totally worth it.
With this trailer it will be much easier to go car light! Thanks, Century Cycles!
First the trailer, then cargo bike. It's a natural procession.
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