Author Topic: Which trailerbike? (Read 13326 times)

hairyhippy · « **on:** 14 March, 2009, 05:50:33 pm »

Are there ant to avoid?

Are there any that you really rate?

Do you have one that you would like to deliver to me for next to nothing?

clarion · « **Reply #1 on:** 14 March, 2009, 10:27:12 pm »

1. Lots

2. Islabike is the only one to have, really, if you can afford it.

3. No.

chris · « **Reply #2 on:** 14 March, 2009, 10:32:40 pm »

+1 for Islabikes, old or new they are the only one worth considering. Most of the seat post fastening ones flop from side to side, but the Islabike one is rock steady, even doing 43 mph down the Belach loaded up like this!

Oscar's dad · « **Reply #3 on:** 15 March, 2009, 09:07:15 am »

The thing you've got to watch is the hitch connecting the trailer bike to the towing bike. Too much play and you're jiggered.

We had a Trek Mountain Train which was excellent. The hitch was agricultural but effective. However, there is a flaw with the Mountain Train. The tow bar hinges for easy storage. We broke the pivot bolt twice which could have been dangerous. We may have been architects of our own demise as Twinkle Toes was probably a bit too heavy and we kept using it off road

Next we tried an Adams Trailer Bike. The bike is excellent, if a little heavy. The way it folds for storage is clever. We would never have broken it. The hitch was rubbish with loads of play. It got returned to Wiggle for a full refund.

Next we got Tina the Tandem, Twinkle Toes fits on the back as does her mum. But buying a tandem isn't an option for all.

If I had to buy a trailer bike again I would buy one from Islabikes. We nearly did. A point to note, when we looked into it the rack that you have to use wasn't compatible with bikes using a rear disc brake. This might be OK now.

PhilO · « **Reply #4 on:** 15 March, 2009, 09:18:53 am »

Essentially, you want one that hitches to the rack rather than clamping to the seat post, as it's the latter which tend to have a lot of play. As mentioned above, an Islabike one, or the Burley Piccolo seem to be the ones that get the most approving mentions.

Issue 21 of Velovision had a guide to family cycling which included, IIRC, a section on trailer bikes - available as a PDF for 99p in the Velovision shop.

TimO · « **Reply #5 on:** 15 March, 2009, 11:18:39 am »

I've never cycled using a trailerbike, but saw a lot of them at the last two Freewheels.

Most of them seemed to use some sort of clamp onto the seat pin, and some even used the childrens own small bikes (with the front wheel and forks removed). I really didn't like the look of most of these, the clamps often looked weak, the geometry of the arrangement often was clearly not good, and in some cases the towed bike was flopped alarmingly sideways, even when stationary, let alone when in motion.

I don't think I'd put any offspring of mine on something so obviously insecure and unreliable. I may have been unlucky, and there are similar designs which are OK, but I think I'd look at something more like the Islabike design.

Butterfly · « **Reply #6 on:** 15 March, 2009, 09:57:48 pm »

I've used an Islabike, which was a good trailer bike. I replaced it with a small wheeled tandem (Orbit Zodiac) which you can have for next to nothing if you like. I replaced that with a 26 inch wheeled tandem because my charge had grown and I struggled with a 5 speed hub gear on Sussex hills with an asthmatic stoker. (It was fine in London and would be ok with a stronger pilot or stoker

)

PrettyBoyTim · « **Reply #7 on:** 15 March, 2009, 10:28:52 pm »

Speaking of suck things, has anyone had any experience with trailgators? I like the idea of using one to get my littleun to the local parks on his bike so that we can both ride around when we get there. At the moment if he ever goes anywhere on the bike I have to run along side presidential-secret-service-escort-style as he's not really a reliable enough rider yet to ride along with me on my bike.

hairyhippy · « **Reply #8 on:** 16 March, 2009, 05:54:36 pm »

We have two trailgators. One has never even been out of the box. Good bit of kit, but they take a while to set up.

rusky · « **Reply #9 on:** 17 March, 2009, 06:48:47 pm »

I have an Adams, can't say that it wobbles much. Either that or the little git balances really well - in which case why won't he let me take the stablisers off his bike!

I did have 2 snapped spokes a few days after using it to go to Sainsburys, seemed fine after a bit of off-roading too!

andyoxon · « **Reply #10 on:** 22 July, 2009, 11:26:43 pm »

Quote from: rusky on 17 March, 2009, 06:48:47 pm

I have an Adams, can't say that it wobbles much. Either that or the little git balances really well - in which case why won't he let me take the stablisers off his bike!

I did have 2 snapped spokes a few days after using it to go to Sainsburys, seemed fine after a bit of off-roading too!

We have an Adams too... solid attachment. Bought the backrest separately, for when they were younger.

original folder 1 - trail-a-bikes - product - trail-a-bike.com

hatler · « **Reply #11 on:** 23 July, 2009, 12:42:41 am »

We have two Adams trailer bikes, one geared and one single speed.

The hitch is solid and wobble is limited, but the Islabike arrangement is definitely a superior design. I have used one of these and it was much better, no noticeable wobble at all.

Having said that, the Adams was pretty stable going down from Ditchling at a reasonable lick with a 7 year old mini-hatler on the back.

clarion · « **Reply #12 on:** 23 July, 2009, 09:06:11 am »

I think all families should be issued with Islabike trailers.

Oscar's dad · « **Reply #13 on:** 23 July, 2009, 09:18:13 am »

Quote from: clarion on 23 July, 2009, 09:06:11 am

I think all families should be issued with Islabike trailers.

Totally. In the long run it would probably save the NHS £thousands.

Regulator · « **Reply #14 on:** 23 July, 2009, 09:25:06 am »

Quote from: Oscar's dad on 23 July, 2009, 09:18:13 am

Quote from: clarion on 23 July, 2009, 09:06:11 am
I think all families should be issued with Islabike trailers.

Totally. In the long run it would probably save the NHS £thousands.

Would that be by someone else cycling you home from the pub after you've had a pint or two?

rusky · « **Reply #15 on:** 23 July, 2009, 01:22:58 pm »

Quote from: Regulator on 23 July, 2009, 09:25:06 am

Quote from: Oscar's dad on 23 July, 2009, 09:18:13 am
Quote from: clarion on 23 July, 2009, 09:06:11 am
I think all families should be issued with Islabike trailers.

Totally. In the long run it would probably save the NHS £thousands.

Would that be by someone else cycling you home from the pub after you've had a pint or two?

A nominated stoker??

hatler · « **Reply #16 on:** 23 July, 2009, 02:45:51 pm »

Quote from: hatler on 23 July, 2009, 12:42:41 am

We have two Adams trailer bikes, one geared and one single speed.

The hitch is solid and wobble is limited, but the Islabike arrangement is definitely a superior design. I have used one of these and it was much better, no noticeable wobble at all.

Having said that, the Adams was pretty stable going down from Ditchling at a reasonable lick with a 7 year old mini-hatler on the back.

You might be wondering why we didn't get two Islabike trailers.

Cost really. They are a chunk more than the Adams (especially if you get the Adams off eBay, Islabikes hardly ever appear there), and when we got our first one we wanted to be able to swap the trailer around between three bikes. This would have meant two extra racks (and one of the bikes doesn't have rack eyes in any case) at a cost of about £100, as opposed to two extra seat post hitches at a cost of about £30.

So, as with many things in life, we compromised. Still, I reckon we've got more miles out of our trailerbikes than 95% of the others in this world.

Oscar's dad · « **Reply #17 on:** 24 July, 2009, 11:09:47 am »

Quote from: Regulator on 23 July, 2009, 09:25:06 am

Quote from: Oscar's dad on 23 July, 2009, 09:18:13 am
Quote from: clarion on 23 July, 2009, 09:06:11 am
I think all families should be issued with Islabike trailers.

Totally. In the long run it would probably save the NHS £thousands.

Would that be by someone else cycling you home from the pub after you've had a pint or two?

I think one of those Bakfiet wheelbarrow bikes would be better for that task

domesticated ape · « **Reply #18 on:** 26 July, 2009, 10:25:17 pm »

My Dad got a secondhand Trail-Gator and did the London to Cambridge charity ride on it with my nephew on the back a couple of years ago. The main thing I remember is that no amount of fiddling would get it to hold my nephew's bike up straight, so for most of the ride he was leaning over a bit, which was quite funny but not much of an advert for Trail-Gators.

jellied · « **Reply #19 on:** 05 August, 2009, 11:38:41 am »

I'm looking on getting one of these = probably an Adams.

How easy are they to cycle with without the child on?
Likewise are they easy to transport on their own?

clarion · « **Reply #20 on:** 05 August, 2009, 11:46:14 am »

Don't get one that attaches to your seatpost if you want to ride for any distance on your own. Even an Islabike one can be like a skittish trailer on its own.

Oh - and also don't get a seatpost attaching one of you don't want your kid to be riding canted over at an alarming angle.

jellied · « **Reply #21 on:** 05 August, 2009, 11:57:01 am »

Thanks. I looked at the Isla bikes but at £200 that's a lot! I've just ordered an Adams, comes with stuff, and has things like extra seats if need be.

I'm surprised no one has invented a clamp that makes the arm rigid so you can cycle alone.

clarion · « **Reply #22 on:** 05 August, 2009, 12:00:59 pm »

Remember that Islabikes keep their value well - makes it look a better investment.

hatler · « **Reply #23 on:** 10 August, 2009, 08:03:05 am »

Quote from: jellied on 05 August, 2009, 11:38:41 am

I'm looking on getting one of these = probably an Adams.

How easy are they to cycle with without the child on?
Likewise are they easy to transport on their own?

We've got a couple of these and towing without a child aboard really isn't a problem.

If you're asking about how they transport when not attached to a bike, then pretty well. They fold in two. With the pedals removed and the handlebars straightened they fit in the boot of a car and take up very little room.

jellied · « **Reply #24 on:** 10 August, 2009, 12:08:18 pm »

That's good news hatler.

The project I'm running to encourage people to cycle with children has raised all sorts of issues I had not forseen.

Last week someone asked about a tag-along for a 5 year to get to school, but then the mother had to cycle to work afterwards. The child was picked up in the evening by a child minder and so can't just wheel the tag-along home. Sounds like it will be possible for her to cycle to work with the tagalong attached. I hope.

We'll see tomorrow night when I fit the thing.