Bike purchase frame question

[crustyfur2000]

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?Mod...

Not sure if anyone can answer a question for me but here goes,
am looking at buying either of the above linked bikes mainly for comuting to work along back roads which are fairly good, but also want to attach a kiddie trailer for weekend riding along compacted gravel trails near me, was chatting to our local Halfords about the Boardman bike & he commented that the frame might be thinner to save weight & therefore may be possible that it could fracture with the extra weight of the trailer & said it would be better to go for a stronger mountain bike frame, can anyone help ??

Thanks in advance

[anonymous-user]

crustyfur2000 said:

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?Mod...

Not sure if anyone can answer a question for me but here goes,
am looking at buying either of the above linked bikes mainly for comuting to work along back roads which are fairly good, but also want to attach a kiddie trailer for weekend riding along compacted gravel trails near me, was chatting to our local Halfords about the Boardman bike & he commented that the frame might be thinner to save weight & therefore may be possible that it could fracture with the extra weight of the trailer & said it would be better to go for a stronger mountain bike frame, can anyone help ??

Thanks in advance

to be honest, i dont think there will be much of a problem with either. the cube will make it feel easier on account of the knobbly tyres and the more upright riding position.

where does the trialer mount to hte frame? you can buy ones that attach to the seat tube, or others that are brackets onto the back stays up to the seat.

as the boardman is a hybrid/commuter bike it will be slightly lighter but whilst i wouldnt expect the frame to snap if you were towing a trailer with a child in it, is the risk of metal fatigue is not higher given its probably thinner material? (i am not a metalugist and might be talking cock here!....) but this itself is subjective as even the best welders in the world can have an off day and if one weld is a bit shoddy, regardless of the thickness of the metal, thus there might be an issue on whatever bike you buy.

[Agoogy]

I agree...pretty much any bike should cope with a trailer... unless the child weighs a considerable amount of course...

[Sarkmeister]

pablo said:

crustyfur2000 said:

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?Mod...

Not sure if anyone can answer a question for me but here goes,
am looking at buying either of the above linked bikes mainly for comuting to work along back roads which are fairly good, but also want to attach a kiddie trailer for weekend riding along compacted gravel trails near me, was chatting to our local Halfords about the Boardman bike & he commented that the frame might be thinner to save weight & therefore may be possible that it could fracture with the extra weight of the trailer & said it would be better to go for a stronger mountain bike frame, can anyone help ??

Thanks in advance

to be honest, i dont think there will be much of a problem with either. the cube will make it feel easier on account of the knobbly tyres and the more upright riding position.

where does the trialer mount to hte frame? you can buy ones that attach to the seat tube, or others that are brackets onto the back stays up to the seat.

as the boardman is a hybrid/commuter bike it will be slightly lighter but whilst i wouldnt expect the frame to snap if you were towing a trailer with a child in it, is the risk of metal fatigue is not higher given its probably thinner material? (i am not a metalugist and might be talking cock here!....) but this itself is subjective as even the best welders in the world can have an off day and if one weld is a bit shoddy, regardless of the thickness of the metal, thus there might be an issue on whatever bike you buy.

The knobbly tyres wont make it feels easier. They might cushion some of the bumps, but peddling will be a fair bit harder. I've commuted on both a mountain bike (2.25" tyres) and a hybrid with 28mm tyres, and the difference in effort required is massive.

[Agoogy]

He'll be wanting a hybrid tyre then.... smooth enough not to make the commute tiresome...but tough enough with a few knobbloes to deal with pulling extra weight along the gravel...
plenty to choose from...

[anonymous-user]

when i said knobblies will make it easier, i was actually thinking about the front tyre and being able to steer. i appreciate knobbly tyres take more effort to roll but with a trailer anda kid in the back, you are hardly thinking about tyre choice being a critical factor in terms of effort required to get moving/maintain speed are you!?

the extra weight and wider track at the rear should mean that in effect, a tyre with more grip at the front is required to prevent what can only really be described as "understeer".