CycleTote's Training Tote

The Training Tote

Introducing the newest product in CycleTote's family of high quality bicycle trailers -- the Training Tote. While cyclists have always been able to change their pedaling resistance on indoor trainers, this capability has, until now, not been generally available to the outdoor cyclist. With the Training Tote, cyclists can now change their pedaling resistance while riding uphill by carrying up to 120 pounds of water in two separate containers. Safety is enhanced on downhill runs with the Training Tote's Automatic Braking System. Furthermore, for additional handling control going downhill, you can lighten your load by emptying the water containers once you reach the top of your hill.

Why not just pedal faster? This is a question we've been asked -- "If I want more exercise when riding up a hill, why can't I just pedal faster?" What we're actually doing with the Training Tote is controlling the pedaling resistance, just as you can do on an indoor bicycle trainer like a LifeCycle. As part of a complete training program, sometimes riding faster with less resistance is preferable and, at other times, riding slower with more resistance is preferable. With the Training Tote, you have complete control of the speed/resistance tradeoff -- and you can be outdoors!

The Training Tote will benefit these cyclists:
•	Cyclists who want to be able to have complete control of their pedaling resistance while riding outdoors.
•	Mountain bikers who are deprived of their favorite trails in the winter or when it's too muddy and want to simulate a steep trail on a less-steep road.
•	Those better-conditioned spouses who want to get more exercise when riding with their lesser-conditioned partners.
•	Cyclists who want another exercise option in their overall training program.

The Training Tote includes these components:

Heavy Duty Frame -- CycleTote has taken our already-strong frame and increased the wall thickness of the outer drop-out supports (main frame) and the inner drop-out supports (swoopers). This provides extra durability for traveling with a full load on rough roads.

The TrainingTote's frame is hand crafted and TIG welded using 6063-T832, 6061-T6 and 2024-T3 aluminum. Drop-outs are precisely spaced and positioned to accept any full sized, front bicycle wheels. Wheels are canted inward 2 1/2 degrees for surer footing and aligned perfectly with the trailer frame to travel straight forward in the direction of travel. Combined with the center-pull hitch and the lowest center of gravity, CycleTote gives you lower rolling resistance, less tire wear, precise trailing and superior cornering stability.

Water Containers -- Two 7 gallon Aqua-Tainer water containers are provided with the TrainingTote. By using water as your load, you can empty the water containers (hopefully on some well-deserving flora) at the top of your hill climb, lightening your load for the downhill run. The containers are calibrated in 5 pound increments from 10 to 60 pounds, providing a total load of up to 120 pounds (plus the weight of the trailer).

Each Aqua-Tainer is equipped with a heavy-duty strap to facilitate lifting the containers in & out of the trailer.

Automatic Braking System -- The TrainingTote includes CycleTote's heralded automatic braking system which automatically applies the brakes during hard braking, providing more control on downhill runs. This can be important for unexpected events such as an animal jumping out in front of you, a car showing up in your lane or going around a corner and finding rocks in your path.

Because many hill climbs contain downhill sections in addition to the uphill sections, the Automatic Braking System has proven to be an important safety element. Even if you plan to discard the water at the top of your climb, the Automatic Braking System will provide an important margin of safety during any downhill sections of your climbs.

Sterilite Plastic Storage Box -- The water containers are securely carried in a 106 quart Sterilite Storage Box which fits snugly into the TrainingTote's frame. There is enough room around the water containers for you to pack items such as your foul weather gear, energy bars and the like.

Wheels and Other Equipment

Standard wheels and tires will vary, depending on availability. Currently, our standard wheels have 26 X 1.5 Weinman 519 rims with Shimano Acero-X M330 hubs or 700c X 25 Weinman 219 rims with Wheelmaster hubs. All have stainless spokes. Standard tires are a 26 X 1.5 Cheng Shin or a 700 X 38 Kenda. Both have a fairly agressive street (or hybrid) tread.

The Training Tote comes equipped with a 106 quart Sterilite Storage Box, 2 calibrated 7 gallon Aqua-Tainer water jugs, 2 jug-handling straps, a bicycle seat post hitch attachment (you'll need to specify your seat post diameter), either 700c (touring) or 26" (mountain bike) full sized bicycle wheels (customers typically match the wheel size on their bike), safety flag, rear reflector and wheel reflectors.

Customizing and Using the Training Tote -- One of CycleTote's customers, Dave, purchased our Bare Trailer and converted it into the predecessor of the Training Tote -- please see Dave's article Using a CycleTote Trailer for Training.

Conversion to other regular sized CycleTote trailers including the Family Model (child carrier), Doggy Tote or Touring/Cargo trailers -- This conversion can be done at anytime by purchasing as a package the items that are added to the trailer frame to produce such trailers. See the family model and touring model conversion packages shown on the price page.

Prices

Training Tote trailer with heavy duty frame, plastic storage box, two calibrated water jugs, jug handling straps, foam cushioning & misc. items	395.00
Automatic Braking System	275.00
Note: You can save $75 plus $32 shipping if you wish to purchase the the plastic box and the water jugs seperately. The price of the Training Tote would then be $320. It will still include the jug handling straps, foam cushioning & misc. items.