A Bike Trailer for Kayaks? reacha has hand or bicycle trailers for kayaks in its range, which are ideal for outdoor enthusiasts who prefer to pedal to the nearest lake or river emission-free. The SPORT LONG model can transport a kayak with a length of up to 4.5 meters. For longer (lake) kayaks with more than 4.5m in length, the company offers the reacha SPORT XXL. The choice of the suitable bicycle trailer varies depending on the route - road or terrain -, length of the tour (days, weeks), and personal preferences - e-bike, racing bike, etc.
How many kilometers are realistic? Or in other words: When is it worth transporting
kayaks by car? Hardly at all if you already live near a lake or river suitable for kayaking. This may be
different if you own a van or bus, but with a standard 5-seater, transporting the kayak is at least complicated
- in most cases, you would probably need a special roof rack.
Could a more practical solution then not be
to attach a suitable bicycle trailer to a mountain bike, racing bike, e-bike, trekking bike, or city bike and
drive directly to the lakeshore - instead of struggling to find one of the last parking spaces and dragging the
heavy boat to the water's edge? In most cases, it will not be possible to drive to the shore by car. With a
bicycle, the chances are much better. And at the same time, you are helping the environment, saving your nerves,
and saving a lot of time.
The advantages of the reacha kayak trailers at a glance
- easy to assemble and disassemble without tools
- usable as a hand and bicycle trailer
- adjustable in length and width
- lightweight due to aluminum frame
- also suitable for other outdoor sports equipment (besides kayaks)
- inflatable kayaks can also be transported in the inflated state
- load capacity of up to 35 kg (bicycle) or 60 kg (hand) possible
- resistant to rust and saltwater
Indeed, some partners share their travel reports with us, especially when one of our reacha trailers has been on the road for several days (or even weeks) in a row. Excursionists, who undertake longer kayaking trips, inevitably encounter low-water spots, locks, or other obstacles and thus often have to transport their kayak (or other luggage) on land before reaching their destination. They prefer a trailer with a small footprint that can be quickly and easily assembled and disassembled.
The guys from Bike2Boat were on the road for 21 days and 800km with reacha and their kayaks in the Alps
Compact size for longer tours
For this purpose, the SPORT LONG compact 20" with its small footprint (120x60x30 cm) is the ideal bicycle or hand trailer. And thanks to its lightweight aluminum frame, small 20-inch tires, and a simple plug system, the compact trailer is easy to dismantle and can also be transported in a space-saving manner with the kayak. With a maximum load capacity of up to 35 kg as a bicycle trailer, it also provides the necessary load capacity and can transport kayaks up to 4.5m in length.
For very short kayaks or other errands
On the contrary, the SPORT SHORT is suitable at most for an extremely
short playboat like the Dagger G-Force 5.9 or a children's kayak. It is primarily
designed not for boats, but for shorter water equipment such as foil boards. However, it
also makes for a more agile figure for everyday errands in the city.
Thanks to the modular system of the reacha SPORT, these advantages are also accessible
to owners of the SPORT LONG. The short towbar is also available as an accessory and can
be easily mounted on the SPORT LONG without tools.
For especially long kayaks
For all those paddlers who want to be environmentally friendly with extremely long boats beyond the 4.5m mark, the SPORT XXL is the transport solution. The SPORT XXL is 10cm wider than the SPORT LONG and, above all, it has the XXL towbar, so that, for example, even an inflated Grabner Riverstar with 5m length or a 5.7m long sea kayak can still be transported by bicycle.
Stability - depending on the application
As already mentioned, all reacha SPORT trailers are made of aluminum tubes and high-strength plastic to withstand the stresses of outdoor use in all weather conditions.
However, in terms of stability, the SPORT PRO stands out somewhat from the other three kayak trailers SPORT SHORT, SPORT LONG, and SPORT XXL. The SPORT PRO is primarily aimed at business customers, e.g. kayak schools or hotels with their own water sports equipment for rental. Therefore, the SPORT PRO is equipped with a reinforced towbar, allowing it to transport up to 80kg manually. Its 26" fatbike tires ensure that it can be pulled even on gravel and sand. In addition, the reacha PRO comes as standard in its basic configuration with two side loading bars, so-called bows, and bow covers.
Thanks to snap fasteners, every reacha can be disassembled into its individual parts without tools
Flexibility - thanks to modular lightweight construction
Basically, all reacha hand and bicycle trailers are designed to meet the needs of kayakers. Each reacha trailer is flexibly adjustable in length and width, allowing thinner, smaller, or medium-sized boats to be transported as well as wider large kayaks up to 5.5 meters in length. In addition, reacha kayak trailers can be quickly and easily assembled and disassembled - completely without tools - and easily stowed away.
The plug system made of lightweight aluminum tubes with snap fasteners reduces the weight to a minimum with maximum stability. The manufacturers recommend a maximum load capacity of up to 35 kg for cycling - completely sufficient for any standard kayak - and up to 60 kg for manual transport. Additionally, the modular plug system allows accessories to be attached afterwards, such as extra loading bars. Initially, all reacha kayak trailers are pulled by hand. Only with the Bike Connector, can kayakers easily attach the trailer to their bike or the seat post.
Regional production = higher costs?
While most manufacturers of bicycle trailers produce their products inexpensively in China or other Asian countries, all aluminum components of reacha trailers are produced locally in Rosenheim. On the one hand, the founders of reacha want to promote regional producers and, on the other hand, avoid CO2-intensive transport and particularly questionable production conditions. An insight into their supply chain can be found here.
The plastic used mainly originates from recycled material from the aircraft industry. Naturally, this affects the costs or the price. On the other hand, the products guarantee high quality and durability, following the motto: "buy cheap, buy twice." In contrast, the corrosion-resistant reacha trailers are almost indestructible and guarantee a long service life. This also gives customers a two-year manufacturer's warranty and 10 years of spare parts.
Customers are also convinced
★★★★★
5 STARS DELUXE
The assembly was child's play. Quickly hitched to my cargo bike, strapped the 3.17m long kayak, and through the city traffic to the water: Easy!
Jörg
Conclusion
Undoubtedly, the bicycle trailers for kayaks from reacha offer a real alternative: Instead of transporting the kayak (or the inflatable kayaks) by car, you attach your reacha model to the seat post of the bicycle, jump on the saddle, and head directly to the nearest shore - without having to search for a parking space. Owners of inflatable kayaks especially benefit from not having to inflate their kayaks on site each time.
Particularly the adjustable width and length loading area are convincing in practice, as the transport area can be reduced and enlarged flexibly according to individual needs. The complete assembly and disassembly is straightforward and can be done without tools. Therefore, kayakers who do not live directly by the water, can store their kayaks near the shore, and regularly transport their water sports equipment to different locations will find in the reacha models a sustainably and regionally produced companion - qualitatively processed, versatile, and made in Germany.
