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review

Bumper Transporter trailer

7
£119.99

VERDICT:

7
10
A versatile boot for your bike that packs down well
Weight: 
0g
Contact: 
www.todayscyclist.co.uk

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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Cargo bikes are making a comeback but the humble trailer is still one of the easiest and most versatile ways to extend your luggage capacity. This wooden-based, nylon-sided unit from Bumper will swallow a huge amount of stuff and it's stable and simple to fit, folding down for easy storage.

The chassis of the trailer is made from sturdy square section steel and the bike hitch folds away underneath the plywood base to make it easier to store. The wheels are on short axles held in place with a captive pin. It's a simple and effective solution and as the axle is braced by two sides of a square section there's no play once the wheel is in place. The box itself is a collapsible tubular steel frame with a tough nylon skin and rain cover; you only need to do up two thumbwheel bolts to erect it which takes about thirty seconds. The whole thing can be readied from its flat packed state in less than a minute, and when flat it takes up very little space.

Attaching the trailer to the bike is simply a case of fitting a mounting point through the rear quick release and sliding the trailer hitch on. It's held in place by a pin and there's a webbing loop for extra security.

I'm not sure where these trailers are made or what market they're primarily for, but I'm guessing that it's somewhere that the traffic uses the opposite side of the road to us - that doesn't narrow it down a lot. The reason? The trailer is offset, the bike doesn't sit equidistant between the two trailer wheels. Logically you'd have the trailer poking out a bit into the road so that traffic wouldn't be able to pass so close to you and you'd be less likely to hit the kerb with a trailer wheel. The Adventure is the other way round, which means you have to be a bit careful to keep yourself a bit further out into the tarmac. It's not a big issue, but it would be good to see a specific UK version.

Out on the road it's very well behaved most of the time, feeling stable and secure. It can pogo a bit due to the spring in the hitch but you can normally adjust your cadence to stop it happening. It'll hold a huge amount of gear – the weekly shop will fit with room to spare – and I never worried about anything falling out, although I was a bit concerned that something sharp would puncture the side wall. The walls are flexible enough that unwieldy objects can press through and against the tyres, so careful packing is sometimes necessary.

Verdict

A trailer is a good alternative to a cargo bike for many people, and the Transporter is a good trailer: sturdy enough for the job, light and collapsible enough to not get in the way when it's not being used.

road.cc test report

Make and model: Bumper Transporter trailer

Size tested: n/a

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
7/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
7/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10
Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
7/10
Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes, a good way to extend your luggage capacity

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 36  Height: 190cm  Weight: 98kg

I usually ride: Schwinn Moab, urbanised with 700cs  My best bike is: Trek 1.5 with upgrades

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mtb, Mountain Bike Bog Snorkelling, track

Dave is a founding father of road.cc, having previously worked on Cycling Plus and What Mountain Bike magazines back in the day. He also writes about e-bikes for our sister publication ebiketips. He's won three mountain bike bog snorkelling World Championships, and races at the back of the third cats.

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1 comments

Avatar
Jon Burrage | 14 years ago
0 likes

Bought one of these for work...the trailer is fine but the orange cover is appalling. 2 slamm velcro pads and a couple of loops of velcro that are very poorly stitched. Forst ride out in a bit of wind (nothing major) and the lid went barrelling off down the road which resulted in some comedy running in cycle shoes.
The capacity is great, the ride is fine (you do get used to the spring bounce) but the cover lets it down for me.

I have bought 4 bungee cords to fix the problem.

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