Burley Nomad Review

Burley is one of the top names in excellent, durable, and highly functional bike trailers. Not only do they crank out quality cargo trailers, but they also make refined kid and pet haulers worthy of a look if you're in the market.

Performance Comparison

Capacity

The Nomad boasts a massive weight capacity of 100 pounds. If you haven't attempted to ride a bike loaded with that much weight, it is extremely difficult. We did our best to load the Nomad to maximum capacity, and while we struggled to get it up hills, the trailer was no worse for wear. The cargo space allows you to hold around 105 liters inside with the cargo cover on and secured. The built-in waterproof cargo cover can also be easily removed to allow for large or misshapen objects to fit in the trailer as well.

Ease of Use

Assembly and use of the Nomad is about as easy as it gets. The trailer came almost completely assembled, requiring only that we snap the wheels and arm into place before hitching up. The real highlight of this trailer is the simple latching system making the cover easy to remove or close even with thick gloves on. If we had to sum up the overall use characteristics in a few words, it would be simple, intuitive, and scrumtrulescent.

Ease of Towing

Of the two-wheeled trailers we tested, this was one of the top scorers for ease of towing. The Nomad rolls smooth and has what appears to be replaceable sealed wheel bearings. Additionally, the wheels are true and without warbles — something other more affordable trailers lacked. While the efficiency of a two-wheel design is inherently less than a single-wheel design, the Nomad strikes a nice balance between efficiency and versatility, allowing one to transport significantly more weight than a single wheel could.

Smoothness of Ride

One of the most noticeable attributes when switching between budget trailers and the more refined Nomad is how quiet it is while rumbling down dirt and gravel roads. Other trailers rattled like crazy, while the Nomad was largely quiet and composed. The Nomad has no suspension to speak of, which certainly keeps the overall weight down but makes for some extra bounce when the terrain gets rowdy. We did manage to get it up on one wheel a few times when taking turns too tight and clipping a curb with one wheel, but this is entirely avoidable.

Versatility

While not offering as much versatility as the wide-open canvas of a flatbed trailer, the Nomad is lightweight, relatively efficient while pulling, and can manage a hefty load. Any trailer capable of taking you on an overnighter, to and from the grocery, or just out to watch a ballgame with cooler in tow is pretty versatile. That being said, the two-wheel design makes long-distance touring more difficult than it needs to be, and the small footprint and shape make hauling large odd-shaped items difficult as well. The overall versatility is balanced towards being an efficient urban trailer that can take you on an overnighter pretty easily.

Value

The Nomad is not cheap, but it is a great value. Everything about it seems rugged and well made, from the burly top cover to the chunky attachment points. The idea that this trailer could function well as a grocery getter and a decently efficient overnight hauler speaks to how well it is designed. When parting with three or more crisp benjamins, we absolutely want to know we're getting something that is made well and will deliver on its promises. The Nomad truly does its job well, and while we might pick something a bit more efficient for long-distance touring, it is a jack of all trades.

Conclusion

It's no mystery that Burley makes quality bike cargo trailers. They generally are refined and serve very specific purposes. The Nomad is effective as a fun overnight gear hauler or for the randomness that is required of an urban problem solver. While it lacks the ability to haul oversized or odd-shaped items, it does work well for the general day-to-day hauling around town. It was difficult to find attributes we didn't like about this trailer!