Glad to see new interest and a balanced explanation of the BoB trailers. I've had mine since 2017 and used it on many paved and non paved bikepacking trips including GDMBR in 2018. Here's my input: The Ibex suspension makes the trailer easier to pull. The suspension provides compliance that allows the little wheel to get over bigger bumps without instantly lifting the entire weight. So don't think of the suspension as for a "smoother" ride for your stuff but for less tugs resisting your pulling effort. Although the suspension is a bit of extra weight to pull up every hill. Whether suspension or not, don't pump the tire hard. If you consider it a bother to use an on-line tire pressure calculator for the actual weight you are hauling then just pump the little tire to 20 PSI. At 20 PSI you'll be much closer to the most efficient pressure than if you jack up the pressure to the max rating on the sidewall. Many who are experts at solo bikepacking like to jump on me about needing a trailer - I "shouldn't need to carry so much stuff". But I'm an expert at enjoying bikepacking with my wife. She is very strong and athletic but very petite. The BoB trailer facilitates keeping heavy stuff off her bike without overloading my wheels. This distribution of gear gets her total bike+ gear weight down to 50% of her body weight while bringing my total bike+ trailer+ gear weight up to 40% of my body weight. Having our total loads more nearly equal in % of body weight keeps our pace and daily range more equal. The original BoB bag was an ongoing annoyance. It was dimensioned with the "clever idea" of also being used as a storage bag for the dismantled trailer. Therefore, the bag wants to be bigger than the trailer you're putting it in. Even if you've not packed it full it is still a guide and shimmy exercise to get the bag down into the trailer. And that happens every time you want to open/close the bag. The placement of the buckles for the roll top require the bag to be out of the trailer each time you want to open or close the bag. On a multi-day trip the clumsiness of this bag design accumulates to a lot of inefficiency. After lots of web surfing I found a Waterproof Sailing Bag (24x15x15") by Regatta Gear that fits nicely in the BoB trailer. Interior is accessed via a zippered flap top whether in or out of the trailer. I've pulled my same trailer and fork behind bikes with 29 x 2.0 , 27.5 x 2.1, and 27.5 x 3.0. I've had some struggles with the trailer when the load was over 65 pounds. When trailer+ load is under 40 lbs I don't even know it is there (until the next uphill). With my steel framed bike on 27.5 x 3.0 tires I sustained 45 mph for several miles down a mountain in Colorado. The trailer was about 50 lbs that day and followed perfectly. That said, I do not recommend getting near the manufacturer's max speed of 24 MPH unless you have a steel touring bike frame, all spokes tensioned to spec, and bike tires inflated to achieve 15% drop. I love my BoB Ibex. I do not foresee wearing it out so it will probably be the only trailer I have for my remaining biking decades.
I thank you for your detailed comment. It's nice to hear from someone who has used the trailer excessively. I will include some things in my next video about it! Cheers
I've had a BOB Yak for probably 30 years. A few years ago the attachment yoke broke (cracks forming in one of the joints--I've overloaded it many times). I was able to purchase a replacement yoke from BOB, and apparently I had a 26" yoke, but have 700c tires, so I 'upgraded' to the longer yoke. When storing the trailer, the shorter yoke would swing all the way into the trailler, but the longer yoke does not so storage isn't quite as neat. I only did one short tour with it, but loaned it to some folks who took it out for about 500 miles. Thanks for the great video, you covered all the details fairly and completely.
I also found my rack interferred with fitting of trailer. Had change some bolts to shorter heads so didn't rub, connecting is still issue. Need to jack bikes back wheel up to hook up, on plus side makes it more theft proof. Best try before you buy if you have rack that you can't or aren't willing to remove. Also found fullsize panniers interfer with trailer, not issue as I've 12L panniers which are fine for things that need during day. For me trailer was only option as touring with ebike and extra batteries which are just to bulky for panniers, plus bike is limited on its load carrying capabilities. Only done odd overnight, life got in way of my touring plans, hopefully this year.
Really excellent and informative video, thanks. I have a question, but not related to the trailer. It is about your Ortlieb fork packs in the video. Do you have the 4.1 or 5.8 litre version? I’m asking because I’m undecided which to buy for myself. TIA
Hey, I use the 5.8L version. I am a big fan of the bigger ones because I like to carry a bit more and because I only have the Gravel Pack with each 12L in the rear I can balance out the weight better. If you have "normal" sized panniers in the rear or like only taking the most important things, being more minimalistic, the 4.1L version is great because it limits you to its size. A friend of mine does long distance day and multiday trips with bike-packing bags and also the 4.1L version of the fork bag and is very happy with them. Cheers!
@@jeremyw.465 That's great, thanks for the info. I've also got the Gravel Pack. For longer trips though I found they were not enough, so I also loaded the top of my rack. Now I'm looking to shift this to the front of my bike to balance my load more. Hence my interest in the Fork Packs. Cheers
Thanks for the video. A 20 inch BOB, even more so with fat tire clearance, would be a dream for MTB bikepacking for sure, but that would make it heavier and a greater effort to pull still. Plenty other single wheel trailers have 16 inch wheels also, with 20 inch like on the Tout Terrain Mule seemingly being the exception rather than the rule. Can I ask a favor? If you still own these trailers, can you please take measurements of whether the cargo area is actually 40cm wide on the inside? I'm considering one of these trailers for groceries and as a fellow German you'll surely understand that "approximately 62x40cm" is too vague of an information when one plans to put a water crate or beer crate (or Eurobox for that matter) which are all exactly 40cm on the trailer sideways, and when a bunch of other single wheel suspension trailers including the Aevon models and the Burley Coho miss this extremely important and practical mark by literally a centimeter or two.
Hey, at the moment I am making a video about the MULE and the 20" wheel really makes a difference! After having testet it for some time now I find that the perfect trailer for touring is the mix of the MULE and the BOB. I will write you the exact measurements as soon as I find time :) Cheers!
So I measured it and the measurements of 62x40 are actually wrong, I should have measured it myself! The Platform has an oval shape and whilst the length is actually 62cm it is only 40cm wide at the widest point! At the bottom it is only 35,5cm wide, then slowly goes to 40 and then at the top it rounds up. But as you can see 01:43 that it does fit a box of bear, maybe mine was a different size…
@@jeremyw.465 Hey, thanks a bunch for the effort. So what you're saying is the sides slant outwards as they go up, and the base platform isn't actually 40cm wide between the sides? That's extremely disappointing and makes for yet another trailer that loses much of its utility because of a few missing centimeters. I can see it fits a crate of beer lengthwise just fine, but I had hoped that I could fit a crate of beer or water sideways at the back and then put another grocery bag in front of it, instead of putting the crate lengthwise and taking up basically the entire trailer. Looking forward to your Mule review (even though it seems like yet another trailer that's a little bit too awkwardly shaped to carry basic standard sized boxes and crates). It's like these trailers are all designed to fit precisely the bag that's sold with them, and not very much else. I don't know what's so difficult about building a single wheel trailer whose platform is actually 60x40cm.
@@Turbobuttes yes that is exactly the case with the BOB. Whilst it is sad that they haven’t got the measurements you are looking for they are designed for touring and therefore probably they did try to fit their bags as precisely as possible instead of trying to make it fit such boxes, but yes, if they are close to those measurements why not make it a few centimetres wider… Well does it have to be a single wheel trailer? The Burley Flatbed or Nomad might have the right size?
I have a BOB Ibex that I borrowed from a friend. He uses it with his bike with 650 wheels, my bike has 700 wheels and with the 42mm tyres there is very little clearance. I have seen a longer fork mentioned but have not been able to find one. Does anyone know where I can acquire the long fork?
you show 7,7 kb (aka 7.7 kg here in the US) as 170 lbs when it's in fact just under 20 lbs; however, 77 kg is just under 170 lbs so it's just a case of the missing decimal (or the equivalent mark for your region).
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Glad to see new interest and a balanced explanation of the BoB trailers. I've had mine since 2017 and used it on many paved and non paved bikepacking trips including GDMBR in 2018. Here's my input:
The Ibex suspension makes the trailer easier to pull. The suspension provides compliance that allows the little wheel to get over bigger bumps without instantly lifting the entire weight. So don't think of the suspension as for a "smoother" ride for your stuff but for less tugs resisting your pulling effort. Although the suspension is a bit of extra weight to pull up every hill.
Whether suspension or not, don't pump the tire hard. If you consider it a bother to use an on-line tire pressure calculator for the actual weight you are hauling then just pump the little tire to 20 PSI. At 20 PSI you'll be much closer to the most efficient pressure than if you jack up the pressure to the max rating on the sidewall.
Many who are experts at solo bikepacking like to jump on me about needing a trailer - I "shouldn't need to carry so much stuff". But I'm an expert at enjoying bikepacking with my wife. She is very strong and athletic but very petite. The BoB trailer facilitates keeping heavy stuff off her bike without overloading my wheels. This distribution of gear gets her total bike+ gear weight down to 50% of her body weight while bringing my total bike+ trailer+ gear weight up to 40% of my body weight. Having our total loads more nearly equal in % of body weight keeps our pace and daily range more equal.
The original BoB bag was an ongoing annoyance. It was dimensioned with the "clever idea" of also being used as a storage bag for the dismantled trailer. Therefore, the bag wants to be bigger than the trailer you're putting it in. Even if you've not packed it full it is still a guide and shimmy exercise to get the bag down into the trailer. And that happens every time you want to open/close the bag. The placement of the buckles for the roll top require the bag to be out of the trailer each time you want to open or close the bag. On a multi-day trip the clumsiness of this bag design accumulates to a lot of inefficiency. After lots of web surfing I found a Waterproof Sailing Bag (24x15x15") by Regatta Gear that fits nicely in the BoB trailer. Interior is accessed via a zippered flap top whether in or out of the trailer.
I've pulled my same trailer and fork behind bikes with 29 x 2.0 , 27.5 x 2.1, and 27.5 x 3.0.
I've had some struggles with the trailer when the load was over 65 pounds. When trailer+ load is under 40 lbs I don't even know it is there (until the next uphill).
With my steel framed bike on 27.5 x 3.0 tires I sustained 45 mph for several miles down a mountain in Colorado. The trailer was about 50 lbs that day and followed perfectly. That said, I do not recommend getting near the manufacturer's max speed of 24 MPH unless you have a steel touring bike frame, all spokes tensioned to spec, and bike tires inflated to achieve 15% drop.
I love my BoB Ibex. I do not foresee wearing it out so it will probably be the only trailer I have for my remaining biking decades.
I thank you for your detailed comment. It's nice to hear from someone who has used the trailer excessively. I will include some things in my next video about it! Cheers
I used to have one ,it was great it folowed right behind and never gets stuck on a corner or a tree ,works great off road
Good vlog, lots of interesting advice. Thank you.
Thank you!
I've had a BOB Yak for probably 30 years. A few years ago the attachment yoke broke (cracks forming in one of the joints--I've overloaded it many times). I was able to purchase a replacement yoke from BOB, and apparently I had a 26" yoke, but have 700c tires, so I 'upgraded' to the longer yoke. When storing the trailer, the shorter yoke would swing all the way into the trailler, but the longer yoke does not so storage isn't quite as neat.
I only did one short tour with it, but loaned it to some folks who took it out for about 500 miles.
Thanks for the great video, you covered all the details fairly and completely.
Thank you for you're positive commend :) Cheers!
just a thought for the bobbin at the rear. add some electrical heat shrink, this would be like adding a nylon bush
It sounda like an investment. I have only seen a few in use. The owners like them.
I also found my rack interferred with fitting of trailer. Had change some bolts to shorter heads so didn't rub, connecting is still issue. Need to jack bikes back wheel up to hook up, on plus side makes it more theft proof. Best try before you buy if you have rack that you can't or aren't willing to remove. Also found fullsize panniers interfer with trailer, not issue as I've 12L panniers which are fine for things that need during day.
For me trailer was only option as touring with ebike and extra batteries which are just to bulky for panniers, plus bike is limited on its load carrying capabilities.
Only done odd overnight, life got in way of my touring plans, hopefully this year.
Thanks for your comment, using the trailer for carrying the batterie is great!
Well explained👍🏻
Really excellent and informative video, thanks.
I have a question, but not related to the trailer. It is about your Ortlieb fork packs in the video. Do you have the 4.1 or 5.8 litre version? I’m asking because I’m undecided which to buy for myself. TIA
Hey, I use the 5.8L version. I am a big fan of the bigger ones because I like to carry a bit more and because I only have the Gravel Pack with each 12L in the rear I can balance out the weight better. If you have "normal" sized panniers in the rear or like only taking the most important things, being more minimalistic, the 4.1L version is great because it limits you to its size. A friend of mine does long distance day and multiday trips with bike-packing bags and also the 4.1L version of the fork bag and is very happy with them. Cheers!
@@jeremyw.465 That's great, thanks for the info. I've also got the Gravel Pack. For longer trips though I found they were not enough, so I also loaded the top of my rack. Now I'm looking to shift this to the front of my bike to balance my load more. Hence my interest in the Fork Packs. Cheers
Thanks for the video. A 20 inch BOB, even more so with fat tire clearance, would be a dream for MTB bikepacking for sure, but that would make it heavier and a greater effort to pull still. Plenty other single wheel trailers have 16 inch wheels also, with 20 inch like on the Tout Terrain Mule seemingly being the exception rather than the rule.
Can I ask a favor? If you still own these trailers, can you please take measurements of whether the cargo area is actually 40cm wide on the inside? I'm considering one of these trailers for groceries and as a fellow German you'll surely understand that "approximately 62x40cm" is too vague of an information when one plans to put a water crate or beer crate (or Eurobox for that matter) which are all exactly 40cm on the trailer sideways, and when a bunch of other single wheel suspension trailers including the Aevon models and the Burley Coho miss this extremely important and practical mark by literally a centimeter or two.
Hey, at the moment I am making a video about the MULE and the 20" wheel really makes a difference! After having testet it for some time now I find that the perfect trailer for touring is the mix of the MULE and the BOB. I will write you the exact measurements as soon as I find time :)
Cheers!
So I measured it and the measurements of 62x40 are actually wrong, I should have measured it myself!
The Platform has an oval shape and whilst the length is actually 62cm it is only 40cm wide at the widest point! At the bottom it is only 35,5cm wide, then slowly goes to 40 and then at the top it rounds up. But as you can see 01:43 that it does fit a box of bear, maybe mine was a different size…
@@jeremyw.465 Hey, thanks a bunch for the effort. So what you're saying is the sides slant outwards as they go up, and the base platform isn't actually 40cm wide between the sides? That's extremely disappointing and makes for yet another trailer that loses much of its utility because of a few missing centimeters. I can see it fits a crate of beer lengthwise just fine, but I had hoped that I could fit a crate of beer or water sideways at the back and then put another grocery bag in front of it, instead of putting the crate lengthwise and taking up basically the entire trailer. Looking forward to your Mule review (even though it seems like yet another trailer that's a little bit too awkwardly shaped to carry basic standard sized boxes and crates). It's like these trailers are all designed to fit precisely the bag that's sold with them, and not very much else. I don't know what's so difficult about building a single wheel trailer whose platform is actually 60x40cm.
@@Turbobuttes yes that is exactly the case with the BOB. Whilst it is sad that they haven’t got the measurements you are looking for they are designed for touring and therefore probably they did try to fit their bags as precisely as possible instead of trying to make it fit such boxes, but yes, if they are close to those measurements why not make it a few centimetres wider…
Well does it have to be a single wheel trailer? The Burley Flatbed or Nomad might have the right size?
Does it matter where you put the extra weight? Brakes wear faster with extra weight period.
True but the trailer weighs a lot more than the pannier bags and that’s why it does make a difference ;)
I have a BOB Ibex that I borrowed from a friend. He uses it with his bike with 650 wheels, my bike has 700 wheels and with the 42mm tyres there is very little clearance. I have seen a longer fork mentioned but have not been able to find one. Does anyone know where I can acquire the long fork?
Hey, I couldn’t find it on the crozier website which surprised me but I found it on this one: bobparts.com/bob-fork-yak-28-black/
I hope that helps!
@@jeremyw.465 I saw that but it is out of stock. Seems since they went out of business it is hard to find those. Thanks
you show 7,7 kb (aka 7.7 kg here in the US) as 170 lbs when it's in fact just under 20 lbs; however, 77 kg is just under 170 lbs so it's just a case of the missing decimal (or the equivalent mark for your region).
Thank you for letting me know! I appreciate that, cheers!