Bagpiping with the Burley Travoy
I don’t want to start by sounding cliché, but just the name Travoy says it all for my first impression of Burley’s new pull-along trailer. Right out of the box, it’s as easy as one, two, three!
Literally two unfolds, connect to the bike, and you’re ready to haul.
My reasoning for trying the Travoy was for multipurpose cargo transport. As a touring cyclist, I wanted something efficient for hauling camping and touring gear. As a musician, I wanted something quick and lightweight for transporting my bagpipes and binders of music to weekly rehearsals. As a commuter who relies solely on the bicycle for transportation around town and to and from work, I wanted the freedom and ability to carry various forms of cargo easily and efficiently.
Touring/Overnight Traveling
I started by packing up for an overnight excursion, which could easily extrapolate to multiple nights out on the road. Tent, sleeping bag, stove/cooking gear, food, extra water, etc. Concerned about weight, I confirmed the Travoy’s capacity: 40 pounds for the lower two-thirds of the cargo area and 20 pounds for the upper one-third. Excellent! Packing was a breeze. I used Burley’s cargo bag for the larger items on the lower portion and strapped a mid-size backpack to the upper portion using the tie-down straps that Burley has strategically positioned for a secure ride. With gear, food, and extra water, the load came in at around 35 pounds with room for more if needed.
With the Travoy fully loaded, I set out for multiple surfaces to test how it rides — pavement, steep inclines and declines, and washboarded gravel roads. The results? I’m rather pleased. The load stayed together very securely even on the gravel and washboarded ruts, and the Travoy stayed in place directly behind the bike, never tilting or bouncing around, which is what I thought I would experience. Because the Travoy is closely attached to the bike, I felt very little drag on the incline, which isn’t the case with larger trailers. On the declines, I eased into higher speeds being careful to not let the rear weight get away from me. To my surprise, the Travoy stayed in line: no speed wobbles and no out-of-control feelings of being pushed downhill. I felt very safe with the Travoy traveling at high speeds.
For touring, the Travoy surpassed my expectations. I look forward to using the Travoy on a multiday trip in the near future.
Musician/Commuting
A few days a week, I travel to band rehearsals. The Travoy is perfect for this commuting and gear hauling. My bagpipe case fits perfectly on the Travoy, and the laptop bag carries my music binders with no problem. Shooting through town after work to my destination is a breeze! Better yet, because the Travoy detaches from the bike in a matter of seconds and works as a dolly, I can easily wheel my instrument right into the practice hall.
Overall Thoughts on the Travoy
The Burley Travoy is a great replacement for racks and panniers and much easier to pack. When pulling a load, the Travoy is hardly noticeable. The Flex connector that attaches the Travoy to the seatpost allows for the bike to easily lean into turns while the Travoy stays safely upright throughout the entire maneuver. As for tracking and a smooth and quiet ride, I am impressed with the fact that even at high speeds, the Travoy stays directly behind the bike.
If you’re looking for a purely functional addition to your bike commuting or travels, consider the Travoy. You’ll find that it solves many of your hauling needs.
