Towing childs bike ...
 

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Towing childs bike with no rider!

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I have some logistical challenges regarding riding to and from school, eg I can sometimes only collect in the evening, so my daughters bike is not always at school when it would be nice to ride home.

Options are:

  1. just drive, forget biking
  2. drive her bike to school, leave it there and drive home, then collect her and bike at going home time
  3. somehow transport her bike to school by bike

she's 9 so her bike is a 26" wheeled MTB!

option 1 and 2 are rubbish!

Could I get away with using something like a TrailGator (I did have one but sold it!), or are there better solutions?
The ride to school is mostly canal towpath and disused railway line, but the last bit involves steps and road.


 
Posted : 13/09/2023 1:38 pm
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Trailgator would normally work, or something similar like a tandem trailer, but neither seem to be capable of taking a 26" wheeled bike.

Tern do this great kit for towing with a GSD.


 
Posted : 13/09/2023 1:49 pm
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4. Get a tandem

I once strapped my daughter's bike to my back to do the same thing. It was only a 16" wheel one and was a right pain with bits digging in to me in painful places and things slowly moving and ending up sticking out further than I was comfortable with. It was less than a mile but I only did it once. A 26" would be impossible.


 
Posted : 13/09/2023 1:57 pm
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How is she getting to school when you're picking her up by bike in the evening? Can she not take the bike then?


 
Posted : 13/09/2023 2:00 pm
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Someone else takes her (my ex actually!), and wont take a bike in!


 
Posted : 13/09/2023 2:05 pm
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option 4) Tandem is a good idea, and would work ok, altho steps would be a pain, but no more than 2 bikes!

Was thinking of getting one for touring adventures etc

we hired one from Parsley Hay in the summer and it was great fun!

but not cheap for something acceptable


 
Posted : 13/09/2023 2:06 pm
 5lab
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fork mount attached to a pannier rack, and front wheel bungeed to the frame?

that kinda thing


 
Posted : 13/09/2023 2:11 pm
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that has legs.


 
Posted : 13/09/2023 3:05 pm
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In exactly the same situation but with 4 kids and 2 schools. For one bike, I would bag and drag with a bakkie pannier.

I may try it with 2 and have them take turns who ride and who goes in the cargo trike. I've towed 2x 16" bikes before but it was a bit hairy.


 
Posted : 13/09/2023 3:09 pm
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you're gonna have to explain what "bag and drag with a bakkie pannier" means I'm afraid.


 
Posted : 13/09/2023 3:29 pm
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My recent thread (but for an adult bike) might be of use https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/towing-a-riderless-bike/


 
Posted : 13/09/2023 10:15 pm
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Tern do this great kit for towing with a GSD.

fork mount attached to a pannier rack, and front wheel bungeed to the frame?

That's exactly what I've been thinking of doing after posting a similar thread the other month. Was hoping I could find a front hub to butcher and attach to rack, but then, as in the video above, realized it would be too high.

Have been considering if it would be possible to attach front forks lower down and either side of the wheel if spacing allows, but haven't really had time to investiage yet. Both QR wheels (ie QR front forks to go either side of QR rear wheel).


 
Posted : 13/09/2023 10:37 pm
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I can get two kids bikes on the back of the Big Dummy.  They sit vertically with a back wheel in a pannier and handlebars bungeed to the childseat.


 
Posted : 14/09/2023 8:07 am
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What are you riding? With a bit of practice and assuming both bikes have not too much of a difference in bar height it's possible to ride both - the main one one-handed and holding the stem of the other.


 
Posted : 14/09/2023 1:11 pm
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you’re gonna have to explain what “bag and drag with a bakkie pannier” means I’m afraid.

I've also taken the front wheel off before and shoved the fork in a normal pannier.


 
Posted : 14/09/2023 1:42 pm
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What you need is a Raleigh Chopper...

2 on the seat, one on the rack, and one sat on the crossbar - job jobbed! 🙂


 
Posted : 14/09/2023 1:44 pm
 goby
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I got a trailgator in the shed with all the parts, never use it now as the kids all grown up. You could have if for a few beer tokens?

Im in sussex as would be a bit heavy to post.

I think that fork mount on a rear pannier rack sounds good idea!


 
Posted : 14/09/2023 1:46 pm
 ctk
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I see a dad and daughter going to school on one bmx. Dad on the pegs, daughter on saddle, both holding the bars.

My 10 y/o boy can still ride our burley trail gator.


 
Posted : 14/09/2023 6:37 pm
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That whole front wheel off fork to pannier set up is daft.

You just bungy the front wheel to the side of the rack. The fron hub allows the uppy downy articulation and the headset provides the lefty righty articulation.


 
Posted : 15/09/2023 8:24 am
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That whole front wheel off fork to pannier set up is daft.

You just bungy the front wheel to the side of the rack.

If you've got some bungies and don't have 4 hungry children screaming at you.


 
Posted : 15/09/2023 12:59 pm

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