B.O.B. Yak Plus Cargo Trailer
By James Sharp

Moab's White Rim trail is 110 miles of waterless desert road. The biggest problem facing any rider who is up to the challenge of riding completely self-supported is how to carry enough water as well as the rest of the required gear for a multi-day ride. Whatever is used, it should have plenty of carrying capacity, be stable and not interfere with the bike's handling too much. Enter B.O.B., manufacturer of one-wheeled trailers. More than enough room to carry water and gear, as well as an attachment system that works on any bike, whether full suspension or hardtail, road or recumbent.

The model reviewed here is the Yak Pus. This model comes with a dry Yak-Sac, which is an enormous 5700 cubic inches. It would easily fit enough camping gear for an overnight trip for two people, and longer for just one. The cargo capacity is 70 lbs. In addition to the Yak-Sac, the trailer comes with an ingenious bungee cord (more like two bungees attached at the middle) that does a nice job of securing the cargo. There was some assembly required, but the instructions were well laid out and easy to follow. I was up and running in less than 20 minutes.

The mounting system is very clean and well thought out. It basically constitutes a special quick release skewer that extends beyond the clamping mechanism (see picture). There is a hook and cotter pin that attaches the trailer to this extension very securely. To change the trailer over to another bike, it is as easy as swapping out the skewer, or for $25 you can buy another one from B.O.B. I can't imagine a more simple system.

A nice feature of the trailer is that by placing it at a right angle with your bike you can park your bike upright and have access to the stuff in the trailer.

"All right, those are good details, but what happens when you take it off-road" you ask? Thanks to a single wheel, the trailer tracks your rear wheel very well. In fact it didn't have any problems tackling tight switchbacks. Pick a line like you normally would and the trailer follows where your rear wheel goes. It's that simple. A warning though, on steeper and tighter turns it does tend to push a bit. Not enough to be dangerous but it is noticeable. The Yak would be ideal for trail maintenance; it would facilitate getting larger tools farther in from the trailhead with relative speed.

Summary: For self-supported bike adventures, there is no other option, really. The trailer is versatile, easy to use and can haul plenty of gear. At $270 it isn't cheap. What it is is a well thought out, versatile and durable trailer that can help you go farther that would otherwise be possible. If you are into adventures, epics, or just want to use your bike in a utilitarian way and ditch the car you need the Yak Plus.

James Sharp is a contributing editor for GearReview.com specializing in mountain biking.

For more information, contact:
B.O.B. Trailers, Inc.
3641 sacramento Dr., #3
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
USA
1-800-893-2447
www.bobtrailers.com
bob@bobgear.com