Trailer Bike info

kingsley said:

Bought a trailer bike on the weekend... here's my brane-
dump before I forget it all:

There are a few brands available locally:

Burley - the 'Piccolo' ~ $900 Giant - 'Half-Wheeler' ~
$399 Adams - Trailer-Bike ~ $350 (also a tandem model) Alley-
Cat - Never saw one ~ (guess) $300 Pacific - $300 / $350
Some other brand $275

We borrowed a SS alley-cat, to make sure Katia (5) wasn't
going to say "I hate riding the trailer-bike". Tried it
out on a bikepath & she loved it.

Poking around on news & the web led me to believe the
usual failing point is the hitch with the bike. All
trailers except the Burley connect to the seatpost with
various different clamping mechanisms. The biggest problem
reported is the develpment of 'play' in the hitch.
Supposedly the Burley was immune to this, but I stopped
considering it as soon as I got the quote (from
Greenspeed, the official Aus. retailer).

Most of the lower-end trailer bikes are CrMo steel, and
much the same. Basically you need to spend around $300 to
get anything.

When we borrowed the AlleyCat, it was given to us with the
seat+seatpost attached - this was a fairly good indication
as to how easily it detached.

Gears didn't interest me - when the kids are big enough to
get to grips with the gears, they'll probably want their
own full-size bike. This doesn't significantly affect your
choice, most trailer bikes can come with or without gears.

Our target application, apart from weekend riding, is to
do some siginificaqnt touring early next year. So we were
definately looking for something of quality. Also needed
to attach a rear rack & mud-guard.

We ended up buying the Giant one, but had to go home from
the bike shop (45mins each way) to see if, when
connected, the tow arm will clear the rack (50cm, 700C
touring bike). It did!

The giant model is an Aluminium alloy rather than steel,
and feels significantly lighter than the others. The hitch
is a quick-release clamp, looks fairly robust (we'll see
in 6 months). The tow-arm is hinged in the middle, and
folds back on itself... thus it can fit inside the car
(holden stationwagon), 'cause these things are a bugger to
put on a bikerack.

So, um, that's about it.

cheers, -kt

Thanks for that - maybe it could go in the FAQ for future
reference?

&roo

"kingsley" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Bought a trailer bike on the weekend... here's my brane-
dump before I forget it all:

Quoted message said:

Pacific - $300 / $350

We bought this one on special this week at $220.

Quoted message said:

We borrowed a SS alley-cat, to make sure Katia (5) wasn't
going to say "I hate riding the trailer-bike". Tried it
out on a bikepath & she loved it.

Ear to ear smiles from my 4yo who can't yet ride a bike. He
loves being on a bike with daddy. We'll find out how he
feels after a few km next week.

Quoted message said:

Poking around on news & the web led me to believe the
usual failing point is the hitch with the bike. All
trailers except the Burley connect to the seatpost with
various different clamping mechanisms. The biggest problem
reported is the develpment of 'play' in the hitch.

I've already noticed this issue. As the child moves their
weight around, you get a distinct lean to one side, then it
slops to the other side. A little disconcerting when you are
trying to do hand signals. Probably safer not to do the hand
signals. The hitch might need some modifications later.

Quoted message said:

Most of the lower-end trailer bikes are CrMo steel, and
much the same. Basically you need to spend around $300 to
get anything. The giant model is an Aluminium alloy
rather than steel, and feels significantly lighter than
the others.

Pacific one definitely feels heavy enough to be steel.

We've had a Pacific one for about six months. We got the one
with gears and we are glad we did because it means that
Rosie can help out going up hills.

It always leans slightly to one side (I think it has from
the start); not enough to be a major problem, and it
definitely never switches the lean from one side to the
other as described below. Still, it would be better if it
didn't lean.

One thing I wish it had is some sort of small loop near
where it attaches to the main bike that you could put a
chain through to secure both the main bike and the trailer
bike with one chain (you would need a super-long chain to
reach back to the triangle of the trailer bike). We have
thought about trying to get something like this welded on.
This seems like such a simple and obvious design improvement
I can't believe they don't have it.

Regards, Neil

"Russell Lang" <[email hidden]> wrote
in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"kingsley" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:pan.2004.04.06.10.24.44.172116@maddogsbreakf-
ast.com.au...

Quoted message said:

Bought a trailer bike on the weekend... here's my brane-
dump before I forget it all:

Quoted message said:

Pacific - $300 / $350

We bought this one on special this week at $220.

Quoted message said:

We borrowed a SS alley-cat, to make sure Katia (5)
wasn't going to say "I hate riding the trailer-bike".
Tried it out on a bikepath & she loved it.

Ear to ear smiles from my 4yo who can't yet ride a bike.
He loves being on a bike with daddy. We'll find out how he
feels after a few km next week.

Quoted message said:

Poking around on news & the web led me to believe the
usual failing point is the hitch with the bike. All
trailers except the Burley connect to the seatpost with
various different clamping mechanisms. The biggest
problem reported is the develpment of 'play' in the
hitch.

I've already noticed this issue. As the child moves their
weight around, you get a distinct lean to one side, then
it slops to the other side. A little disconcerting when
you are trying to do hand signals. Probably safer not to
do the hand signals. The hitch might need some
modifications later.

Quoted message said:

Most of the lower-end trailer bikes are CrMo steel, and
much the same. Basically you need to spend around $300
to get anything. The giant model is an Aluminium alloy
rather than steel, and feels significantly lighter than
the others.

Pacific one definitely feels heavy enough to be steel.

cool

I have a Adam's trailer which both my girls love
(altho the 9yr old is too big and my 5yr old is getting too good on her own now)

was really cool when they were younger just riding with them and I earnt major brownie points with the girls
"Lets go to the shops". I wanna go with daddy!"
and riding with Matilda to school/creche when i was working from home.

I cant complain really about any noticeable play in the linkage, and mine usuallyy goes onto my mtb-commuter.
wish had got one with gears tho as my territory is very hilly and the supplied gear on the trailer is HUGE! especially for a kid

One of my (many) must-gets is a tandem now; altho i suspect that will mean towing the wife about (altho she is tempting me with european holiday on said tandem... )

kingsley said:

Bought a trailer bike on the weekend... here's my brane-
dump before I forget it all:

There are a few brands available locally:

Burley - the 'Piccolo' ~ $900 Giant - 'Half-Wheeler' ~
$399 Adams - Trailer-Bike ~ $350 (also a tandem model) Alley-
Cat - Never saw one ~ (guess) $300 Pacific - $300 / $350
Some other brand $275

We borrowed a SS alley-cat, to make sure Katia (5) wasn't
going to say "I hate riding the trailer-bike". Tried it
out on a bikepath & she loved it.

Poking around on news & the web led me to believe the
usual failing point is the hitch with the bike. All
trailers except the Burley connect to the seatpost with
various different clamping mechanisms. The biggest problem
reported is the develpment of 'play' in the hitch.
Supposedly the Burley was immune to this, but I stopped
considering it as soon as I got the quote (from
Greenspeed, the official Aus. retailer).

Most of the lower-end trailer bikes are CrMo steel, and
much the same. Basically you need to spend around $300 to
get anything.

When we borrowed the AlleyCat, it was given to us with the
seat+seatpost attached - this was a fairly good indication
as to how easily it detached.

Gears didn't interest me - when the kids are big enough to
get to grips with the gears, they'll probably want their
own full-size bike. This doesn't significantly affect your
choice, most trailer bikes can come with or without gears.

Our target application, apart from weekend riding, is to
do some siginificaqnt touring early next year. So we were
definately looking for something of quality. Also needed
to attach a rear rack & mud-guard.

We ended up buying the Giant one, but had to go home from
the bike shop (45mins each way) to see if, when
connected, the tow arm will clear the rack (50cm, 700C
touring bike). It did!

The giant model is an Aluminium alloy rather than steel,
and feels significantly lighter than the others. The hitch
is a quick-release clamp, looks fairly robust (we'll see
in 6 months). The tow-arm is hinged in the middle, and
folds back on itself... thus it can fit inside the car
(holden stationwagon), 'cause these things are a bugger to
put on a bikerack.

So, um, that's about it.

cheers, -kt

Does anyone know of an LBS in melbourne that has a decent
range of trailer bikes. Ivanhoe is probably closest to me
and they've usually only got 2 or 3 and I don't want to
spend a day going from shop to shop trying to compare them
all if I can help it (rather be out riding with the family).
Or is there just not the demand for anyone to have a large
stock of them? Dave B.

On Tue, 13 Apr 2004 12:19:07 +1000, DaveB <[email hidden]> Wrote :

<snip - big time>

Quoted message said:

Does anyone know of an LBS in melbourne that has a decent
range of trailer bikes. Ivanhoe is probably closest to me
and they've usually only got 2 or 3 and I don't want to
spend a day going from shop to shop trying to compare them
all if I can help it (rather be out riding with the
family). Or is there just not the demand for anyone to
have a large stock of them? Dave B.

I was going past Hillmans about 3.00 am the other day and I
_thought_ I saw some in the window. I was in "head down -
[censored] up" mode with a pretty good headwind so I didn't really
look. ( I _did_ have a ROARING tailwind a few hours earlier
though - what goes around comes around I guess..... Anyway
it couldn't hurt to give 'em a ring.

Ooroo

--

Humbug

flyingdutch said:

One of my (many) must-gets is a tandem now; altho i
suspect that will mean towing the wife about (altho she is
tempting me with european holiday on said tandem... )

We're considering this, but flying with a tandem seems
pretty nightmareish. You'd just about have to dismantle the
bugger to get it into any sort of bike box. Mind-you
carrying a pair of wrapped/boxed bikes around an airport
isn't much fun either.

You gonna take the kids ?

I rode my half-bike + trailer-bike + trailer on the weekend.
Only did a 22k bikepath (Katia's first significant test-ride
on the trailer bike). I thought it would be quite difficult
to turn, but being doubly-articulated(sp?), it turned
somewhat as easily as the tandem.

Our biggest problem on the tandem is that Larissa seems to
prefer a lower cadence than me. Sheldon's reckons that
smaller crank arms on the front(?) fixes this a little...
not sure myself.

-kt

kingsley said:

Bought a trailer bike on the weekend... here's my brane-
dump before I forget it all:

There are a few brands available locally:

Burley - the 'Piccolo' ~ $900 Giant - 'Half-Wheeler' ~
$399 Adams - Trailer-Bike ~ $350 (also a tandem model) Alley-
Cat - Never saw one ~ (guess) $300 Pacific - $300 / $350
Some other brand $275

We borrowed a SS alley-cat, to make sure Katia (5) wasn't
going to say "I hate riding the trailer-bike". Tried it
out on a bikepath & she loved it.

Poking around on news & the web led me to believe the
usual failing point is the hitch with the bike. All
trailers except the Burley connect to the seatpost with
various different clamping mechanisms. The biggest problem
reported is the develpment of 'play' in the hitch.
Supposedly the Burley was immune to this, but I stopped
considering it as soon as I got the quote (from
Greenspeed, the official Aus. retailer).

Most of the lower-end trailer bikes are CrMo steel, and
much the same. Basically you need to spend around $300 to
get anything.

When we borrowed the AlleyCat, it was given to us with the
seat+seatpost attached - this was a fairly good indication
as to how easily it detached.

Gears didn't interest me - when the kids are big enough to
get to grips with the gears, they'll probably want their
own full-size bike. This doesn't significantly affect your
choice, most trailer bikes can come with or without gears.

Our target application, apart from weekend riding, is to
do some siginificaqnt touring early next year. So we were
definately looking for something of quality. Also needed
to attach a rear rack & mud-guard.

We ended up buying the Giant one, but had to go home from
the bike shop (45mins each way) to see if, when
connected, the tow arm will clear the rack (50cm, 700C
touring bike). It did!

The giant model is an Aluminium alloy rather than steel,
and feels significantly lighter than the others. The hitch
is a quick-release clamp, looks fairly robust (we'll see
in 6 months). The tow-arm is hinged in the middle, and
folds back on itself... thus it can fit inside the car
(holden stationwagon), 'cause these things are a bugger to
put on a bikerack.

So, um, that's about it.

cheers, -kt

Woo Hoo, just picked up the trailer bike and the test ride
up and down the street ended up being up and down and up and
down and ...one more time Dad this is fantastic. Ended up
going with the Pacific for $280. Just one question, I assume
the connection between it and my bike is supposed to allow
the trailer bike to swivel on turns, ie. much like a car
trailer would, rather than be fixed into a position
permanently in line wiht my bike's frame?? Everything seems
to be as tight as it can go.

Dave B.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Daveb

Woo Hoo, just picked up the trailer bike and the test ride
up and down the street ended up being up and down and up and
down and ...one more time Dad this is fantastic. Ended up
going with the Pacific for $280. Just one question, I assume
the connection between it and my bike is supposed to allow
the trailer bike to swivel on turns, ie. much like a car
trailer would, rather than be fixed into a position
permanently in line wiht my bike's frame?? Everything seems
to be as tight as it can go.

Dave B.

cool. enjoy!

yep, meant to swivel. if it stayed in line your passenger would be continuously swiped sideways and the bracket wouldnt last long

the shorter cranks should slow your spped down and hence allow your stoker to keep at their liked cadence

re travelling with the tandem, its probably going to be a buy-it-over-there job as prices/choice is so much better in the UK/europe.
Have you seen those (cant remember the name. checkout ThornUK website) links you can put into a frame to make it collapsible? just a thought...

Take the kids? are you mad 😄

flyingdutch said:

re travelling with the tandem, its probably going to be a
buy-it-over- there job as prices/choice is so much better
in the UK/europe. Have you seen those (cant remember the
name. checkout ThornUK website) links you can put into a
frame to make it collapsible? just a thought...

S&S Couplers ? Only for Steel & Ti (not Alu)

Supposed to improve the stiffness of the frame too.

Quoted message said:

Take the kids? are you mad 😄

No way... Wouldn't go without them!

maddogsbreakfast.com.auFirsOpen ↗
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au/Diary/Europe2002/images/Camping_at_Schoonhoven.html http-
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e2002/images/The_Crew.html

-kt

--
Kingsley Turner, (mailto: [email hidden])
maddogsbreakfast.comABFAQOpen ↗ - news:aus.bicycle
Frequenly Asked Questions

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Kingsley
Bought a trailer bike on the weekend...
here's my brane-dump before I forget it all:

Thanks Kingsley for the brain dump. This evening I just went and looked at a second hand trailer bike ($195), to put away for my daughter for next year (when she turns 5).

At the moment we use a Philips Kiddiecarrier 2 wheeled trailer for her to ride in. We've taken her on one 4 day tour and the trailer meant she could have a nap in the afternoon. It is possible to tip/overturn these trailers at speed on gravel roads, as we found out. But children are protected by a five point safety harness and the trailer frame provided an effective roll cage. And, of course, she had a helmut on. She was just a bit shaken.

Full trailers (and their contents) become hard work up hill. Need some low granny gears to keep moving. So, I'll be looking forward to when my little possum is big enough to use a trailer bike instead.

Takver

takver said:

Kingsley said:

Bought a trailer bike on the weekend... here's my brane-
dump before I forget it all:

Thanks Kingsley for the brain dump. This evening I just
went and looked at a second hand trailer bike ($195), to
put away for my daughter for next year (when she turns 5).

At the moment we use a Philips Kiddiecarrier 2 wheeled
trailer for her to ride in. We've taken her on one 4 day
tour and the trailer meant she could have a nap in the
afternoon. It is possible to tip/overturn these trailers
at speed on gravel roads, as we found out. But children
are protected by a five point safety harness and the
trailer frame provided an effective roll cage. And, of
course, she had a helmut on. She was just a bit shaken.

Full trailers (and their contents) become hard work up
hill. Need some low granny gears to keep moving. So, I'll
be looking forward to when my little possum is big enough
to use a trailer bike instead.

Takver

--

You might find the trailer bike not that much easier than
the trailer. Just on the two weeks I've had mine I'm finding
it harder going than the baby seat was. I think it's because
I'm a bit more tentative about how much I'm rocking the bike
so that may change as me and my daughter both get more
confidant with it.

Dave B.

"takver" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Thanks Kingsley for the brain dump. This evening I just
went and looked at a second hand trailer bike ($195), to
put away for my daughter for next year (when she turns 5).

You could start earlier. My almost 4yo is riding on the
trailer bike, but not pedalling yet. He doesn't want to try
"scootering" on a small bike yet, maybe because he thinks
that if he can ride his own bike then he won't be allowed to
ride the trailer bike behind daddy.

The first few rides were *very* wobbly. He now seems to have
developed some balance, or learnt not to throw his weight
around. I can now use hand signals while towing.

As my child learnt to balance on the trailer bike, the slop
in the coupling became less of an issue.

The main use is riding to a playground other than the
close one.

Quoted message said:

Full trailers (and their contents) become hard work up
hill. Need some low granny gears to keep moving. So, I'll
be looking forward to when my little possum is big enough
to use a trailer bike instead.

Trailer bikes and an unpedalling child are also hard work up
hill. It is more weight than a child bike seat, but he much
prefers to be on *his* bike than in the child bike seat.

Hi all,
good to read of others thoughts on these machines...
My daughter and I have been riding for a year now together with a Giant Halfwheeler and we have found it to be a fantastic machine. She is tall for her age and first rode it just before her 4th birthday. We have tried to get out most weekends ever since and 40K+ is no problem for her, as long as it isn't to cold or hot.
A few comments on the Giant Halfwheeler...
I purchased the Giant ($399 from Goldcross) because of a) it's weight (or lack of) and b) the connection mechanism is far superior to any of the cheaper units and does need tools to go from bike to bike. Any sideplay in this joint mechanism is very disconcerting as it plays havoc with your balance on the rode. Even though the play was minimal with the Giant hitch, a few 0.2 mm shimming washers sorted that out totally. As she has got stronger I have swapped the rear freewheel for higher gearing but she still needs the occasional reminder to stop spinning her legs out when we are coming down a hill.
All in all a great unit although I have decided she needs gears now and have ordered a Half-wheeler 7 (spd) and child number 2 can graduate from the child seat behind my wife’s mtb to a trailer behind same!
-m