Pulling a BOB Trailer

[jeffj]

As an engineer, you know those rear dropouts were not engineered with that in mind. Towing a BOB with a carbon frame Madone seems risky at best, but it's your time (if you get stranded) and money.

With an old steel frame, 1) who cares? 2) it seems to have far less potential (and penalty) for failure.

[lardbutt]

OK, so I survived my trip to Big Bend over the Holidays and wanted to report back in that I definately have changed my mind about pulling a bob trailer with a carbon framed bike. NO WAY would I ever do it. The problem is not with the "just riding along" part of the trip. The carbon would likely handle that just fine. The real problem is with the amount of torque created in the drop outs when you stop and lay the bike and trailer over and then hoist it back upright again. Worse, the torque is being applied from directions where it wasn't really designed to be coming from... I can't imagine the carbon/dropout joint would last very long with all that torque being applied. You have to feel how hard it is the get the rig back up in riding position from having been laid over on the ground to really get a feel for how much torque is created at the drop outs. Not recommended!

[Abui]

Kind of late to set your mind at ease but the dropouts pulling out are nothing to worry about. All forward pull is generated by the axle and the Bob is attached to the axle. If anything the dropouts are pushed into the chainstays when pedaling.

The only time there's a pull on the dropout from the Bob is when you are walking up hill.

[stjunkie]

Originally Posted by lardbutt

OK, so I survived my trip to Big Bend over the Holidays and wanted to report back in that I definately have changed my mind about pulling a bob trailer with a carbon framed bike. NO WAY would I ever do it. The problem is not with the "just riding along" part of the trip. The carbon would likely handle that just fine. The real problem is with the amount of torque created in the drop outs when you stop and lay the bike and trailer over and then hoist it back upright again. Worse, the torque is being applied from directions where it wasn't really designed to be coming from... I can't imagine the carbon/dropout joint would last very long with all that torque being applied. You have to feel how hard it is the get the rig back up in riding position from having been laid over on the ground to really get a feel for how much torque is created at the drop outs. Not recommended!

Thanks for the info. I've given up on the idea of pulling it with the carbon frame. Did you have any issues with the Alu frame?

Any chance of a ride report?

[lardbutt]

STjunkie,

No problems with pullling the bob with the Aluminum frame. Well, except when one of the front panniers came unclipped, hooked the front spokes, flipped me over the bars, jack-knifed the whole rig, and almost ended the whole trip! But you'll have to wait for the ride report for all the hilarious (it's funny NOW) details...

LB