Bicycle trailer: Bob Ibex single-track trailer in the MYBIKE test
There was no need for the yellow pennant. Anyone towing a low-loader like this behind them doesn't have to worry about attracting attention. Pensioners walking their dogs and mothers pushing their children stop, the street sweepers lean on their brooms for a moment as we approach the limits of the single-track trailers in the icy cold park. In the car industry, this is known as the "moose test": a sharp evasive manoeuvre at high speed, then back onto the straight.
Several laps later, one thing is clear: if the payload is right, the single-trackers are the usual choice. load trailers are superior in some respects. They follow the bike true to the track and with a lean angle through all bends and roll pleasantly smoothly even with tiny wheels. Their low centre of gravity and the double-sided attachment to the rear wheel axle allow them to glide effortlessly when touring. So the perfect solution for touring cyclists? No - or at least not for everyone.
Even hooking up a loaded trailer is extremely difficult without help, and new problems lurk when pushing, manoeuvring and parking. Parking on the rear stand? Pushing out backwards? Better not, it works better with two-wheeled trailers. And when travelling, there are many arguments in favour of the classic method with two racks mounted on the frame: with the average six to seven kilos extra weight of a trailer, pedalling uphill is unnecessarily tough. Even 30 kilos of luggage - which is a lot even with camping equipment - is almost always easier to transport on a rigid touring bike with good racks.
Tried out: Bob Ibex single-track trailer
Some time, space and tools are required to assemble the "Bob Ibex". Once you have familiarised yourself with the instructions, the work steps become clear. They are explained step by step and clearly presented in the user manual.
At home in the field
An Ibex is an ibex. It feels at home on bumpy terrain. The bob trailer of the same name has been travelling on such terrain since the 1990s, making it a pioneer of the genre. Its 16-inch wheel has adjustable suspension, which protects the load and material on rough terrain and is beneficial to the driving behaviour.
On normal bike tours, you can do without it. The Ibex tends to wobble a little with short, angular steering movements. The large, flexible load volume is a plus. For road riders, the unsprung Yak from the same manufacturer could be the better solution.
Details about the Bob Ibex
- Price770 Euro (without bag), 870 Euro with bag, 94 litre capacity
- Weight: 7,7 Kilo
- L × W × H: Total: 161,3 × 42,5 cm
- L × W × H Loading area: 62 × 40 cm
- Maximum payload: 32 Kilo
- EquipmentSingle-track, sprung cargo trailer for 26" - 29" bicycles, 16" wheel, quick-release system up to 140 mm axle width, pennant
StrengthsProven, robust design with high payload. Spring rate can be adjusted to the load without tools.
WeaknessesMounting on bikes with mudguards/carrier can sometimes be tricky.
Single-track trailers - pros and cons
Advantages of single-track trailers
- Where the bike fits through, the trailer fits too
- Relative relief of the rear wheel
- Better driving dynamics than two-track trailers
- Soft ground: Trailer runs in the path of the bike
Disadvantages of single-track trailers
- a hindrance when manoeuvring and parking
- Expenses/costs for rail and air transport
- Noticeable additional weight on mountainous terrain
- Critical in extreme driving situations
