In this article, we use so-called affiliate links. With every purchase through these links, we receive a commission from the merchant. All relevant referral links are marked with . Learn more.
Own success becomes a problem for cargo bikes
Crates of drinks, camping equipment or paddle boats - not everything that needs to get from A to B fits on the carrier. But at the latest since the widespread use of pedelecs, the car has faced serious competition when it comes to transporting small loads. The motor has made starting off or overcoming inclines so effortless that even delivery services such as UPS use cargo bikes and bike trailers. The fact that trailers are overshadowed by e-cargo bikes in terms of image can only surprise a specialist like "Hinterher" founder Peter Hornung-Sohner: "Cargo bikes are seen as cool and as a symbol of a transport revolution. Yet the cargo bike has long been facing problems due to its own success. There is already competition for secure parking spaces in city centres. We have a psychological disadvantage here: trailers are seen as accessories and this is not properly recognised."
You can find these bike cargo trailers in the test:
- CROOZER CARGO TUURE EDELSHOPPER
- BURLEY FLATBED WEEKENDER
- WEBER KARGO COMFORT CRAFTSMAN
- BEHIND HMAX LITE ENDURANCE RUNNER
- REACHA CITY WATER SPORTS
A cargo bike also makes high financial demands. Higher-quality models cost at least €5,000 - around ten times the average price in our trailer test. Trailers are particularly attractive for users who do not need a cargo bike on a daily basis. They only come along when they are really needed. Most of them can be quickly dismantled and stowed away compactly.
In our test, we limited ourselves to two-track models. Single-track travel trailers are not suitable for everyday use due to their handling: it is almost impossible to manoeuvre a loaded single-axle trailer when uncoupled, while the two-axle trailers can even be used as handcarts. In terms of trailer size, the choice fell on the most popular category. Here, the loading area is around 50 to 60 centimetres wide and 60 to 90 centimetres long. The manufacturers recommend maximum loads of 35 to 60 kilos - almost always more than we would recommend for speedy driving. Alexander König, who was involved in the development of the Weber Kargo with a whopping 60-kilo load capacity, also sees this size category as a sensible maximum limit: "Since there have been so many e-bikes, people have been loading up their trailers like there's no tomorrow. But the whole bike technology is not designed for that."
Bicycle cargo trailer in the talent competition
Even with a payload of "only" 25 kilos, experience at the handlebars is required. When braking hard in bends, the load can push the rear wheel outwards, the turning circle is a challenge when manoeuvring - and parking a trailer in reverse is a job for people with a truck driving licence.
The range of high-quality cargo trailers is not huge. But even if we have missed a few models, our five candidates should cover the technical spectrum. To be able to compare them, we sent them through a test course with a 25-kilo load. A little slalom, a little cobblestone, a few kerbs ... Then several testers had to couple and uncouple them, dismantle them and stow them away. None of this is scientific, but it is practical. As expected, there were no total failures, but the different talents emerged.
There is the lightweight, the 6.5-kilo trailer from Burley. Its strength is its small stowage size. When assembled, it is a good companion for family outings. Reacha, a young company from the surfing sector, has launched a self-adjusting trailer that is particularly suitable for light, bulky items. This could be cardboard boxes, but also boats or surfboards. We can well imagine it with the optional fat bike tyres on the way to the beach. Croozer and Hinterher compete for the everyday crown. Both are easy to dismantle and well made, but differ in character. While the Croozer is a shopping trolley for many small items, the Hinterher would have to be upgraded with tail lifts or an aluminium box from the brand's almost endless range of accessories. On the other hand, it is much more tolerant of bulky items and therefore more versatile. Weber's large Kargo trailer needs a parking space in the garage - or in a workshop. It is very bulky and heavy for occasional household use.
Will this range take market share away from the cargo bike? In any case, Hornung-Sohner is not worried about the future of the genre: "I think we've backed the right horse with the trailers," he says. "Climate change, lack of parking spaces and traffic density play into our hands."
Bicycle trailer couplings in comparison
In our test field of two-wheeled cargo trailers, there are two different variants of attachment to the towing bike. The first of these attaches the drawbar to the seat post - which should be possible on any type of everyday bike. The Reacha model does not even have an adapter for this. The Velcro fasteners held reliably in the riding test. In terms of riding dynamics, however, the attachment point high up and at the front is not ideal. When pedalling out of the saddle or braking in bends, the load disturbs the riding experience.
All other clutches engage at the left rear dropout, at axle height or just below. The frame rigidity there is high, even tilting movements of the wheel are transmitted with ease. Weber and Hinterher use the Weber clutch. This tried-and-tested and safe coupling is available for practically all types of dropouts and thru axles. However, an unsightly adapter with bellows remains on the wheel. The Croozer coupling, which is also easy to operate and engages securely, is much more elegant and is available in slightly fewer variants. The very minimalist Burley version, on the other hand, is technically inferior, but this is acceptable for occasional use.
These rules apply to bicycle trailers according to StVZO
In the standardisation-happy EU, the quality of products is regulated down to the finest detail. The DIN EN 15918 standard formulated for bicycle trailers even deals with the flammability of trailers.
It is astonishing that the question of maximum permissible dimensions and payloads for load trailers on bicycles does not appear to have been clarified in a similarly meticulous manner. The same regulations therefore apply to bicycle trailers as to car trailers. According to the letters of the StVZO, this means a permissible width of 2.55 metres, a height of 4 metres and a permissible length of 12 metres. The actual limit when buying a trailer is therefore set by the provisions of Section 30, which stipulates that "its normal operation does not harm anyone or endanger, hinder or inconvenience anyone more than is unavoidable".
Apparently this is sufficient in practice: On roads and cycle paths, trailers of four or five metres in length, for example with a boat or SUP board, can only be seen in exceptional cases. Extra-wide trailers fail because of the distances between the barrier posts on cycle paths and the door widths at home. The load limit is regulated by the limited drive and braking power of a bicycle or pedelec. There are no trailers approved for S-Pedelecs on the market. The manufacturer's load specifications are usually higher than the load that can be moved comfortably and safely.
However, lighting is clearly regulated for trailers purchased after 2018. As with bicycles, side reflectors in the wheels or reflective tyres are mandatory. Trailers over 60 centimetres wide (and therefore all those in the test) and those whose load covers the bicycle rear light require their own rear light on the left. A white light on the front left would be mandatory for trailers over one metre wide. Due to their width, the trailers in the test must also have two red reflectors on the rear and two white reflectors on the front.
You can download the complete comparison test of bicycle cargo trailers, including all test results and individual evaluations, as a PDF below the article for a fee.
Why not free of charge? Because quality journalism has a price. In return, we guarantee independence and objectivity. This applies in particular to the tests in MYBIKE. We don't pay for them, but the opposite is the case: we charge for them, thousands of euros every year.
