Perhaps one of my greatest bike-related purchases of 2014 was the Bill Trailer by Surly. This bike trailer is an absolute work horse, allowing me to pull large items and large amounts of weight almost effortlessly.
There are quite a few options these days for trailers that carry relatively small loads. Trailers are nice because they can be detached when not in use, but most trailers can’t haul much weight and the ones that do suffer some design drawbacks such as incompatibility with many kinds of bikes. Conversely, there are quite a few cargo bikes that can haul bigger loads, but cargo bikes meant for a lot of weight can be difficult to load, are sometimes difficult to ride, and require a lot of space to store. But this Surly trailer helps bridge the gap and are meant to haul a lot, to be easy to use, and work with a bike you have already.
The Bill Trailer is 63” long and 24” wide. It’s made out of TIG-welded 4130 Cro-moly steel for strength and long life, with stainless steel hardware for corrosion resistance. The beds have threaded eyelets for bolting down decking, corner posts, or creating other custom accessories using readily-accessible materials from your local hardware store, lumberyard or home improvement store.
The wheels are 16", keeping cargo low to the ground. 16" wheels are also stronger than larger diameter wheels favored by many trailers. Surly even designed their own hubs to meet the requirements of this frame. The rims are double-wall with stainless eyelets. The spokes are stainless steel, radially laced. Combined with smooth, easy rolling 1.95" tires, these are stout wheels designed specific to their purpose.
The hitch system is designed to be as universal as possible. It works with full-suspension frames, disc brakes, rear racks, and fenders. It adjusts to accommodate hub widths from 120 – 145mm and allows you to align the centerline of the trailer on the centerline of the bike. It will work with bikes that have wheels as small as 20" and as large as 29" while keeping the bed level with the ground. This is especially important when you are hauling long items that hang off the back of the trailer.
The Bill Trailer comes as just a frame, which is great because we can customize it for whatever you need to use it for. Using 2x4s and some hard plastic sheets I built up a great low profile frame. Then in the bed of the trailer, right behind the bike, I secured down a sealable, water-proof box where I can keep tools, tie straps, and anything else I may need on the trip.
I've paired my Bill Trailer with my Surly Cross Check and it is a match made in heaven. Since I've owned my trailer, I've definitely put it to work. Hard work.
My most common use for the trailer is taking our yard waste and recyclables to the City Recycling Center which is just over a mile from our home. But everything from pulling my girlfriend and our puppy to the ice cream parlor, or toting friends around downtown to pulling a snowblower to help a friend dig out of a Michigan snowstorm, this Surly trailer can handle it all!
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