You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
My daughter is now too big for her shotgun seat so I'd like to tow her using her new bike. I've seen bars that clamp to the seat tube and either allow the front wheel of the bike to make contact with the ground or others that lift it off. What are the pros / cons of both? Can anyone recommend one or advise?
Thanks!
Don’t go anything fancy and get charged a fortune for bike specific kit, get a car stretch tow cable works great for my kids. As long as she is bike confident there fine
Thanks, I had thought of that, but should have probably added that whilst she is keen she isn't very proficient and is also a daredevil, I can see it working for approximately the length of an ambulance...
We had one of these when the kids were small (up to about 5 / 6 years old)
They’re not cheap, but way more stable than a tag-along. Pretty easy to attach/unattach the kids bike.
Now they’re older we’ve just got a TowWhee tow rope, really lightweight, super quick to attach/unattach.
@Green that may be the ticket. Like you say, not cheap but it looks like it's stable and won't damage her bike.
I picked up a follow me tandem off eBay locally. It’s built like a tank and made of uranium I think as it weighs more than my kids bike! Worth a look on eBay. The critical thing is the follow me keeps the kids bike upright so they’re not leaning over like a lot of the cheapo tow bar versions. It’s the best tow thing but watch your fingers! Currently on loan to a friend but will be back soon for our youngest.
We’ve got a followme too and think it’s great. Really stable and pretty manoeuvrable when attached (the main pro for us - no kid on the attachment leaning at 45 degs) and fairly easy to unattach to ride on their own for a bit. Pricey but good if you can stretch to it and look like they may hold their value - although we moved on from the shotgun in the height of lockdown #1 so can’t make comparisons for any bike kit prices from then!
+1 for Follow Me. Yes they are expensive but hold their value.
I was just about to make a post asking the same question, what is the next step after a macride/shotgun.
I did look at the Follow Me, but worries about bike compatibility. I have an norco optic, allow rear end, boost through axle, full suspension. Will this work with the correct adaptors? Or are they far better suited to a hard tail?
@geomickb @benbrownuk @burko73 etc, what bike do you use the Follow Me on?
appreciate any and all feedback!
Yeah, that may be tricky. Give them a call, they are very helpful:
https://www.followmetandem.co.uk/ways-to-buy-followme-tandem/
I'm using my old Canyon 29er HT. Standard QR skewers.
Trailgator is a cheaper alternative to the FollowMe - not quite as well built and I've never used or even seen one that didn't result in the towed child riding at a slight lean - but hey, I've also towed and seen kids doing acrobatics like belancing whlie standing with one foot on the seat, so they're pretty stable. Worth considering
(Decathlon do their own version for £65 apparently)
Clamps to setapost / headtube so no issues with QR vs bolt through axles
Thanks all, after looking I'm going to go with the follow me tandem. I looked at the trail gator and have seem some headtube damage reported by some, and I think the connection at a lower point is better for balance too.
So, just got to find one now...
FollowMe Tandem is the ideal next step from MacRide etc. Great being able to start a longer ride with them pedalling solo, then hook them on when they tire or for a big hill. Had great use from ours but both mini-a11ys have moved on to 24"-wheeled bikes (plus Trax towing cables) - FollowMe only takes up to 20". And others say, weight a ton, built like a tank.
You can get all sorts of specific thru-axles for them to suit any bike - just need to figure out the length and thread pitch you need. Not cheap though. https://www.followmetandem.co.uk/followme-tandem-accessories/followme_thru-axle_adaptor_m12.php
Despite [url= https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/genius-or-utter-asshattery/ ]much wailing and gnashing[/url] from people who had never used it I went for a Trax system as well.
https://traxmtb.com/en/trax-2/
Works exactly as advertised. Easy to use, stows away fine and no issues with the angle (I’m running mine at the top of a fixed post though). Post was below minimum size but a rubber shim from some mount or another sorted that. Zip ties were secure but had enough give to spin it round when mini squirrel caught a root.
All in all I’d recommend it, sure other solutions are available but this is strictly minimum faff and easily stows away. In fact it lives on the bike all the time. My daughter was 6 when we started using it.
Follow-me-Tandem did disconnect our son’s bike once. Thankfully he was on the LOCT seat at the time - which I thought was wise as we were doing some bomb holes on Dalby red at the time.
Yes his mother was watching. We’re still married.
We just use ours with standard QR skewers on an old 26” slackline hardtail MTB retired to workhorse duties or our CX bikes. I phoned up before getting ours to chat through mounting options and things and found them really helpful.
There is nothing better for a smaller child than a FollowMe. We had 2 at the same time, and they were worth it, and held their value when sold on. They are secure and easy to use, although the initial set-up when first installing requires a bit of concentration. I have never seen anything that came even close, and lots of the trailgator things are beyond crap. I pity the squinty rider...
Now we carry a homemade Towwhee type thing, but most of the time I can manage with a wee push on the back if required. Both of my kids are on 24" wheels now and starting to get the hang of gears.
There is nothing better for a smaller child than a FollowMe.
Towing-wise, as opposed to a child seat which is worth having in addition if they still get really tired, this is 100% correct.
Just don’t do bomb holes with it. 😉
We used Trailgators. Not too heavy, stows out of the way when children want to ride, then hook it up when they get tired.
No use if you have a dropper post though.
You do need to clamp it tight on the headtube which may scratch the paint. I left the clamp on and sold bike with the trailgator included.
So I ended up getting a followme tandem but I need the hollow axle:
I don't suppose anyone has seen one in stock have they?
Thanks,
Can't help with the hollow axle adapter however came into the thread to recommend the followme as well.
@v7fmp (and any other through axle users)
I've towed ours with standard qr, 142x12 and 148x12. For the boost rear end I used a Robert axle project follow me axle as the follow me model would not for my genesis tarn. I'm glad I did as the end fittings on the RAP axle are much better quality and it's easier to hook the tandem up. You do have to make the tandem wider for the wider back end but this is easy. I can also use the boost RAP axle on the syntace x12 of my full sus bike with a modified right hand x12 fitting and a normal M12 nyloc nut.
For anyone with an awkward rear end I would recommend looking at the RAP axles. They have adapters and spacers so you should be able to use one on pretty much any bike.
With the trailgator put a bit of old inner tube around the headset under the clamp to prevent damage to paint. The bolts need to be done up with a torque wrench, if properly installed the childs bike shouldn't lean over, but a lot of folk don't have a torque wrench, hence the number you see with leaning bike...................
@nixie thanks for the info. Never heard of RAP before, what an Aladdin's cave of axles!
I take it when using your Followme you took it off-road without any issues?
Is there any risk of damage using one on a full suspension bike? Sped up wear to pivots etc? Just trying to work out if there is extra stress on the bike, or if all the load is spread across both bikes?
Just a thought, the hollow axle adapter is no more than the central bar of a QR axle and the two special ends that threaded on. I would bet that you could replicate this using one of the bolted sizes ( https://www.followmetandem.co.uk/followme-tandem-accessories/followme_hub_adaptor_for_kids_bike.php) and a cut down solid axle drilled and tapped.
@v7fmp No problem. Yes we use ours off road including some bumpier trails. The key is setting it up so the child's bike front wheel (and therefore the tandem) is not too low (but at the same time not too high which is awkward for the child). If it is too low then you can catch it on bumps when they are between the tow and towed bike. I've towed both children down Southampton bike park on it (you get weird looks doing the 4x track like this) and the youngest around Whinlatter's blue.
Can't say for definite however in my head when towing I decided that all the load behind would be doing is try to extend the suspension. The child's weight is spread between their rear wheel and yours. I'm more worried about the load on my dropper post from using a towhee for the elder child than any issues caused by the followme.
@nixie - awesome, just what i wanted to hear. I wont be going too wild, but my daughter loved being a Macride passenger on the QECP blue run, so to be able to do that with the Followme would be ace.
Top tip about the wheel height, much appreciated!