Bikeforumuser0019

Hello,

I've got a spare bike that I'd like to tow behind me w/o a passenger from time to time, to meet up with a friend who does not have a bike so that we can ride somewhere together.

I'm thinking I could use something like a Trail Gator, except I'm towing a full size bike.

My thinking is that a Trail Gator lock the rear bicycle steering column in place, correct? Also, does a product already exist to tow a full size bike in the rear, or do you think I could adapt a Trail Gator (meant to tow a kid's bike) for my purposes?

Bike I am towing clocks in around 32 lbs. I can supply pics of the bikes in question, if that is helpful or needful.

Thoughts? Advice? I'm trying to get a few friends into riding by supplying a spare bike for them to ride ((until, I hope, they fall in love with riding and they get their own)).

Thanks!
Jessica

Bikeforumuser0019

Hi, I just noticed another thread on this same topic, I'm going to start reading there. Sorry, I did try to search first but came up with little. Thanks!

Update: so I have two ordinary bicycles, not cargo adapted, and I want to tow one with the other. It doesn't matter which one is the tower or the trailer. Seems like I just need some kind of bar to connect the two. Am I being nearsighted for thinking it should be this simple? I'm eager to learn. Thanks.

Maxwell

The key is to keep the front wheel of the towed bike off the ground, you’ll notice the trail gator does that. I’ve towed bikes with an old front hub attached to the back of a sturdy rear rack(front wheel off the towed bike), or with the towed bike’s front wheel lashed to the side of a rear rack, or tucked into an xtracycle bag. It works better with a cargo bike, just for tractor to trailer weight ratio and slower handling, but it’s completely doable with a normal bike.

Maxwell

https://www.instagram.com/p/BNpTUNYh...=1umpppass1toq

like this

Bikeforumuser0019

This is great! Because I can't clearly see the method of attachment in this clip, quick question: To what extent is any pressure being put on the spokes, and would you forsee bent spokes as ever being a problem with this method of towing? For example, could I mount a piece of PVC pipe to the rear rack of my tractor, and then insert the front wheel of the trailer thru the pvc pipe so that a combination of the fork/rim are resting on the PVC, and then secure with bungees? That would allow the trailer to attach similar to what is shown in the link, but I can't exactly see in the link how he's affixed his trailer bike. I didn't know if attempting it with the PVC would pose a risk of spoke damage.

Many thanks for your guidance.

Maxwell

Yeah, I’ve definitely seen people make a little tray for the front wheel to sit in on cargo bikes, might have a heel clearance issue on a regular length bike though.

I think bent spokes would only be an issue attaching directly to the spokes, or if you crashed. I think in the video, he’s got a bungie around the base of the fork legs, and maybe somewhere else on the rim. I think padding the fork and strapping the rim and/or fork in two or three places works fine.

tim24k

I towed a bike many times by strapping in the front wheel of the bike being towed in the side bag of my Surley Big Dummy, no worries!

MikeyMK

I'd strap the front half of the front wheel to the side of the rear rack. Yes the bikes will be slightly staggered instead of perfectly in-line but I can't see any issues.