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Any experience of the trail gator?

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tomj:
I have just purchased a Tag-along type (half) bike for my five year old daughter.
Is it just me or is towing this type of thing a nightmare?
What can I expect when she gets used to it and starts to shuffle about on the move?

All very disconcerting after the excellent burley d'lite trailer.

Has anyone any experience of the trail gator?

Trail-Gator Child Bike Tow Bar

Regards

Tomj

Adam:
I've used one of those Trail-Gators (in fact it's still in the garage somewhere).  My son (now 13) really enjoyed being tagged along.  I think I first starting using it when he was 5 or so until 7 or 8.

You're right that you've got to make sure your daughter doesn't lean over too much as that really unbalances the system.

Also, you've got to carefully plan sharp turns again linked in with the passenger leaning, so the trick is to get them to be looking ahead and trying (hopefully) to anticipate what's coming up.

You can tell when they're not pedalling, but even so it didn't seem too much of an extra effort otherwise, although I never did any really big hills.  The big advantage of the Trail Gator over a tag along is that when you get to your destination, you can fold away the bar onto your bike, and half pint can then pedal around on their own.

RJ:
Towing a tag-along takes a bit of getting used to.  I've no direct experience of using a trail-gator - but they look (to me) a lot even less stable than a trailer-bike, with the child leaning back at an alarming angle.  Others may differ, of course.

Oaky:
I've used a trailgator for Acorn #1 for several years.

I don't find there's much "slop" in the connection at all.  The only detectable movement in out system is where the pin connects the two halves of the bar, and that's very slight.

Acorn #1 does try her best to rock it around too.

You do need to make sure everything is torqued up tight though.

hatler:
I've used an Adams trailer-bike quite a bit with both the minis.

It's not the best thought out design but it is moderately well engineered. Yes, there is a bit of slop, but it did wonders for the minis' comprehension of what it means to be on a bike and how to pedal.

I've not used a trail-gator though. Some certainly seem to be fitted pretty badly where the kid's front wheel is way off the ground. That can't help proceedings at all.

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