Croozer Cargo Tuure trailer in Review

As the only trailer in the group test, the Croozer Cargo Tuure had to go up against eight cargo bikes. Can the € 499 suspended cargo trailer from Cologne hold its own? Can the most affordable solution prove itself as a serious alternative to a cargo bike despite its lower payload?

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**Croozer** Cargo Tuure | 10.6 kg | € 499 | manfacturer’s website

Your garage is full and your bank account empty. You already have a bike standing in the garage, perhaps even an ebike that’s certified to pull a trailer. If so, the Croozer Cargo Tuure trailer might be just the thing! Its advantages can’t be dismissed completely out of hand. At € 499, the trailer costs less than 10% of a good cargo bike, fits into any nook when folded up, can be easily carried into the basement or even taken with you on vacation by train or car. You’ll continue using your existing eMTB and it definitely scores high in terms of its green credentials. Sure, a trailer doesn’t have the same charm as a cargo bike, its maximum payload is limited and you don’t get the same kind of ride. However, you’ve got to look at it like deciding between a large motorhome and a caravan. Do you need a completely new vehicle or, depending on the application, could you just add to what you’ve already got?

Unbeatable value for money! The Croozer Cargo Tuure offers a 135 L carrying capacity for only € 499 – cargo bikes can’t hold a candle to that!

**No more than 45 kg**
Officially, you’re not allowed to haul more than 45 kg, the maximum permissible weight is 60 kg, of which you should have no more than 3 to 11 kg weighing on the hitch itself.

**Needs cargo**
The maintenance-free Croozer AirPad suspension works like a charm when fully loaded but the trailer bounces around when unloaded and riding along bumpy roads.

**Double safety**
The safety strap gets wrapped around the seat or chainstay as an additional safeguard.

Croozer Cargo Tuure

€ 499

Specifications

Tires CST C1653X 16 x 1.5"

Technical Data

Size One Size
Weight 10.6 kg
Length 82 cm
Width 63 cm
Height 75 cm
Perm. total weight 60 kg

Specific Features

AirPad suspension

**Three in one**
The wheel bumper can also be used as a carrying handle or to lock the trailer to something.

**Brilliant workmanship**
The Croozer hitch works simply, quickly and is rock solid.

**Skinny**
Unfortunately, you have to keep the narrow tires pumped up quite hard, so they offer very limited damping.

Anyone familiar with the previous generation Croozer cargo trailers will be pleasantly surprised at how elegantly the new Tuure trailer rolls along on it’s small 16″ tires. Setting it up or dismantling it is completed in a few simple steps and takes less than two minutes. The water repellent outer fabric covers a high-quality aluminium frame and can be opened up all the way using two zippers. If you end up buying more than you’ve put on your shopping list, bulkier items can simply stick out of the top.

Before mounting the trailer to your bike, you should first check whether your bike is certified to pull one. If your rear wheel has a quick release axle, you can simply mount the hitch without any adapter. For modern thru-axle bikes, you’ll usually need to buy a separate adapter. Once you’ve mounted the hitch, you simply slide on the drawbar and the hitch locks into place automatically. For additional security, all you have to do is loop the safety strap around the seat or chainstay and off you go! You can lock the hitch, though not the drawbar attachment to the trailer. To remove the trailer, all you have to do is press the release on the hitch and pull the drawbar off.

**Helmet** KED Pector ME-1 | **Watch** NOMOS Glashütte Tangente

Before you get overexcited and head to the next hardware store to buy fresh sand for your sandpit: the trailer’s certified maximum payload is 45 kg! A few sacks of sand will quickly exceed this limit. The trailer isn’t certified to carry your kids or fur-babies either. While we’re on the topic, you’re German laws also prohibit you from pulling a trailer with an s-pedelec (limited at 45 km/h), though this may vary according to your country and region.

Cargo only. The trailer can carry up to 45 kg, but goods only. No kids or pets allowed.

Croozer have a few great alternative options for those with four-legged friends: the Croozer Dog Peppa, Jokke and Bruuno trailers are all suitable for large dogs and cost between € 699 and € 899. DOWNTOWN editor Manne has had many positive experiences with the Croozer and our office dog Henry over the years, as you can read in our sister magazine E-MOUNTAINBIKE. At 46 cm wide, 69 cm long and with a volume of 130 L, the carrying capacity of the Cargo Tuure is almost on par with cargo bikes such as the R&M Load 60 or the eBullitt. With the top zipped up, the height is limited to 31 cm at the front and rear and 42 cm in the centre. If you’re on an ebike, we recommend using the most powerful assistance mode. Don’t have a motor and relying on the power of your good old legs? Then we hope you live in flat terrain without any significant hills to speak of. With an unladen weight of 10.6 kg, the trailer itself is easy enough to pull and you’ll hardly notice it on an eMTB. If you’re riding on smooth, well-maintained paths you won’t hear it either as it rolls behind you quietly. However, on rougher terrain or on poor roads, the trailer jumps around like a grasshopper. The suspension hardly makes any difference when the trailer isn’t loaded and the narrow tires, which need to be pumped up quite hard, don’t do much to calm things down.

Tuning-Tipp: none

That all changes the moment you load the trailer up. Two crates of bottled water, a bag full of groceries and a bouquet of flowers for mum will bring you close to the 45 kg maximum payload. On a bike without a motor, acceleration is slothlike and you can only hope that your route home from the supermarket is downhill all the way. Once up to speed on level terrain, the trailer is surprisingly easy to pull. However, even the smallest incline is enough to bring out the expletives – we can only reiterate to use an ebike if you want to pull a trailer uphill. The Croozer AirPad suspension works using a maintenance-free, Sylomer-based damping mechanism (an elastic polyurethane material which absorbs and dampens vibrations) and it works perfectly when the trailer is loaded. Due to the added weight of the load, the trailer sticks to the ground much better and no longer bounces around uncontrollably, even on moderate off-road terrain. Potholes, cobblestones and other bumps are effectively absorbed and you don’t have to wait for things to settle before opening your sparkling water when you get home. The riveted plastic base plate of the Croozer Cargo Tuure feels solid but it does make quite a bit of noise, especially as cargo slides around on the slippery surface. We would have liked some kind of non-slip material as well as attachment points to strap cargo, especially large and heavy items such as beverage crates, down. Unfortunately, there are no eyelets, hooks or otherwise inside the trailer. What a shame!

A crucial safety consideration when transporting heavy loads is good brakes with a lot of bite! On long descents, with up to 60 kg pushing from behind, you have to be absolutely able to rely on your brakes. Never underestimate how much this can affect your braking distance and always keep it in mind when pulling a trailer. Hard braking at high speed can have surprising consequences with the trailer sliding out in a corner and taking your back wheel with it. That said, you should always approach corners slowly anyway since the centrifugal forces of cornering can cause the trailer to tip over. When cornering and manoeuvring, the angle between the bike and the drawbar should never be less than 90°. Due to the design of the hitch, when turning to the right the rear wheel will contact the drawbar even sooner. With a width of 75 cm, the Croozer Cargo Tuure trailer is narrow enough to squeeze between the kinds of obstacles you’ll typically find in an urban environment. However, a long john cargo bike like the R&M Load 60 is much narrower at only 58 cm. Generally, you can use the width of your handlebar as a guide – if your handlebars are narrow enough to fit through, the trailer should too. Chicane barrier can be tricky to get through as the bicycle together with the trailer can reach a considerable 2.50 m long – the 2.48 m R&M Load 60 is only slightly shorter – and manoeuvering a fully loaded trailer isn’t easy. However, with a little practice, you’ll quickly get used to the trailer and you’ll soon be leaving your car at home more often.

Conclusion

With a generously proportioned bed and suspension that works effectively when fully loaded, the Croozer Cargo Tuure is a high-quality cargo trailer. However, it tends to bounce around when unloaded. The Croozer Cargo Tuure is easy to store and quick to set up, making it particularly attractive for people who haven’t got the space for a classic cargo bike. There’s no solution that offers better value for money! We definitely recommend using an ebike if you’re considering this option. However, if you need more versatility, want to transport your kids and are looking for maximum fun, you still can’t beat a proper cargo bike.

Tops

high-quality workmanship
good suspension when loaded
generous loading bed
quick assembly and disassembly

Flops

tends to bounce when empty

You can find out more at croozer.com

The test field