Stupid Question regarding Trail-A-Bike's

[Nooch]

I'm used to pulling a trailer, but have been inetersted in picking up a trail-a-bike for my eldest daughter, and just don't know the dynamic. Does the child have to balance? MJ hasn't quite gotten there yet, but is quickly approaching two wheel independence.

Thanks!

[ofcounsel]

I'm used to pulling a trailer, but have been inetersted in picking up a trail-a-bike for my eldest daughter, and just don't know the dynamic. Does the child have to balance? MJ hasn't quite gotten there yet, but is quickly approaching two wheel independence.

Thanks!

No, they don't have to balance themselves. The bike will stay upright as long as you are.

[ColonelJLloyd]

Not really, no. The front end doesn't have a whole lot of tilt play and with a little speed the trail-a-bike lines up naturally. I did buy the Burley backrest for my daughter that comes with a waist strap.

The biggest gripe I have with them is that the saddle won't go low enough. I zip tied some blocks to the pedals and my daughter is pretty good about keeping her feet on them correctly. She doesn't help much in the watts department, though!

Don't tell mom, but I forgot to buckle the waist strap on the way home from the park the other day.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4208/35740642735_570673ac58_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Wsh8Uc)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/Wsh8Uc) by ColonelJLloyd (https://www.flickr.com/photos/51002114@N03/), on Flickr

[sales guy]

^^^^^^ What he said.

The kids don't even really effect the balance while riding. It's really well made and works great for kids.

[Nooch]

Good to know guys. The burley seems to only work with a rack mounted hitch point, which unfortunately none of my bikes would accommodate.. Any other suggestions on manufacturers to go with/avoid? (Granted, I'll probably be looking second hand for whatever -- just curious what's good or if they're all the same)

[sales guy]

Just get a standard Adams Trail A Bike. They also make them that fold, have gears and even a tandem version. They even did an aluminum version for people who wanted a lighter weight one.

[ColonelJLloyd]

I have the Adams. It would be nice if it were aluminum, but it's fine; I paid like $45. Mine connects to the seatpost with a heavy clamp and plastic shim. I just use a cheap aluminum seatpost and spare saddle and switch the combo out when I want to use the Adams. Unless you're a serial procreator, this is the kind of thing you want to buy used.

[ofcounsel]

I had the REI brand model that I used for a bit, then gave to a friend for his kids. Also had a quick-disconnect clamp that connected to the seatpost. I would keep the clamp mounted to a spare alu seatpost/saddle combo I would swap out when using the trailer so as to avoid messing up my carbon post. edit: Just like the Colonel above!

[pdmtong]

I have the Adams. It would be nice if it were aluminum, but it's fine; I paid like $45. Mine connects to the seatpost with a heavy clamp and plastic shim. I just use a cheap aluminum seatpost and spare saddle and switch the combo out when I want to use the Adams. Unless you're a serial procreator, this is the kind of thing you want to buy used.

Did the same here. used Adams and a cheap post / spare saddle.
Put my blackburn rack on it and with panniers perfect farmers market vessel.

Bought one for one $40 off CL - sold it for $75 on CL.
Bought a folding one for $10 garage sale - sold it for $75 on CL.
I think the gears are worthless - the kid will learn to shift once they move to a 20" 6-speed
The Adams is great since they are attached and roll faster than a trailer

try to find the folding one - easier to store.

the kid can sway it if they lean hard side-side.

the biggest learning is KEEP YOUR HANDS ON THE BAR AND FEET ON THE PEDALS.

[schwa86]

My son and I went all over on ours when he was little. Additional thought, buy a bell the trailer -- it keeps em occupied, and they actually do start to learn things about looking out for riders, pedestrians, dog walkers, etc...

[Nooch]

Follow up on the original question -- located one locally for $45, was considering riding to work tomorrow but they'd like it gone tomorrow. How quickly could I attach it, and will it tow home with no one on it (I'd have to imagine yes, just extra weight up the hills!)

(and how would it attach to a thomson setback post...)

[ColonelJLloyd]

You can tow "empty", yeah.

Even thought the weird Thomson design tilts the post back a lot the hitch joint should be far enough away to clear the post. The clamps come with 3-4 white plastic shims (the Adams design anyway). You need the one that's marked "27.0-28.6" or something like that (or whatever shim corresponds to your seatpost diameter) so you'll need to ask the seller. Dollars to doughnuts they haven't got a clue and won't be interested in finding out.

If all the pieces are there, it'll attach in 5 minutes with a 6mm hex wrench.

http://www.trail-a-bike.com/video/connecting-tab/

[pdmtong]

You can tow "empty", yeah.

Even thought the weird Thomson design tilts the post back a lot the hitch joint should be far enough away to clear the post. The clamps come with 3-4 white plastic shims (the Adams design anyway). You need the one that's marked "27.0-28.6" or something like that (or whatever shim corresponds to your seatpost diameter) so you'll need to ask the seller. Dollars to doughnuts they haven't got a clue and won't be interested in finding out.

If all the pieces are there, it'll attach in 5 minutes with a 6mm hex wrench.

http://www.trail-a-bike.com/video/connecting-tab/

I think you are going to need 2-3" of straight post section to attach the shim.
Be sure to ask the seller for all the shims. chances are they pull with a cheap hybrid (27.2) but if they use a mtb, it might be 30.9

if the shim is bigger than your thomson, you can still pull it home - it'll flop a bit but since no kid on the back it'll be fine. bring a 3-4-5 park tool or a set of hex keys. maybe some tape if you think you need to build up your thomson dia a bit. 5 min job.

$45 is fair. you will get your money back out of it later.

[benb]

We've got a Weehoo:

www.rideweehoo.com

I would recommend taking a look at them. Perhaps they are better intended for smaller kids. My son is about 50lbs and almost 4 feet tall even though he's only 4, and he is nowhere close to maxing this thing out. And he can ride a 2 wheeler without training wheels at this point but is still psyched to go for a ride on this thing.

It has a lot of advantages. We actually got a free upright trail a bike too as a hand me down. We didn't like it as much and actually got rid of it in favor of the Weehoo.

The advantages of the Weehoo:
- Lower center of gravity/more maneuverable/probably more aero
- Kid is strapped in
- Pretty easy to mount up
- Actually works really well offroad

In comparison to what some others have said I've actually found both types to be harder to ride with than a trailer that mounts down on the rear axle... all of these affect your bike more than the trailer because they mount up high on the bike. The child has more leverage to throw your balance off if they move side to side. This has actually become less of a problem for me as my son doesn't really do this anymore now that he can ride by himself but it does make it harder to get out of the saddle. I end up stuck riding in fewer riding positions and it makes it more tiring to ride than riding solo. Last year when he couldn't ride on his own yet he'd throw his balance all over the place and it'd be kind of annoying. Some of this is probably related to bike choice.. I've mostly towed it behind my gravel bike, it works better on a MTB. I think a rigid MTB with a nice wide bar in a fairly upright position would be the best bike for towing these kind of things. You will need more tire or a lot more air in the tire with a trail a bike hooked up, and you want more tire too for comfort if you're stuck sitting more than you'd usually want to.

My son actually makes a noticeable wattage contribution.. when he feels like it. He will kick in enough power that I can feel it and will go up 1-2 cogs compared to if he wasn't pedaling. The problem is getting him to contribute that going uphill instead of downhill or on flat. He perceives the slow speed going uphill as boring and so doesn't want to pedal.

[pdmtong]

We've got a Weehoo:

www.rideweehoo.com

I would recommend taking a look at them. Perhaps they are better intended for smaller kids. My son is about 50lbs and almost 4 feet tall even though he's only 4, and he is nowhere close to maxing this thing out. And he can ride a 2 wheeler without training wheels at this point but is still psyched to go for a ride on this thing.

It has a lot of advantages. We actually got a free upright trail a bike too as a hand me down. We didn't like it as much and actually got rid of it in favor of the Weehoo.

The advantages of the Weehoo:
- Lower center of gravity/more maneuverable/probably more aero
- Kid is strapped in
- Pretty easy to mount up
- Actually works really well offroad

In comparison to what some others have said I've actually found both types to be harder to ride with than a trailer that mounts down on the rear axle... all of these affect your bike more than the trailer because they mount up high on the bike. The child has more leverage to throw your balance off if they move side to side. This has actually become less of a problem for me as my son doesn't really do this anymore now that he can ride by himself but it does make it harder to get out of the saddle. I end up stuck riding in fewer riding positions and it makes it more tiring to ride than riding solo. Last year when he couldn't ride on his own yet he'd throw his balance all over the place and it'd be kind of annoying. Some of this is probably related to bike choice.. I've mostly towed it behind my gravel bike, it works better on a MTB. I think a rigid MTB with a nice wide bar in a fairly upright position would be the best bike for towing these kind of things. You will need more tire or a lot more air in the tire with a trail a bike hooked up, and you want more tire too for comfort if you're stuck sitting more than you'd usually want to.

My son actually makes a noticeable wattage contribution.. when he feels like it. He will kick in enough power that I can feel it and will go up 1-2 cogs compared to if he wasn't pedaling. The problem is getting him to contribute that going uphill instead of downhill or on flat. He perceives the slow speed going uphill as boring and so doesn't want to pedal.

this looks pretty neat and i dont recall if they were available at the time I could have used it. That said, the other calculus is how much you might use one of these things and for what purpose and where to ride.

we used the trail-a-bike only for short trips to the park or market. I got tired of pulling my daughter around what might have been a "real ride" for me. Instead, I would just take her to the lagoon or bike path area and we would do long rides together each on our own bikes...I'm talking about a 3yo with 12" wheel/training wheel bike pedaling 7 miles around the bike path. ride to a bench, have a snack,watch some birds, ride to the play structure...etc.

so for me, no way I spend $200+ on the weehoo over the $10 I spent on the Adams...

[Nooch]

Can anyone tell if anything is missing at the hitch here?

[ColonelJLloyd]

Other than the receiver and pin? No.

[Nooch]

So this is the older style without the shims I take it -- I can't tell, does it fold (do they all fold?)

[Nooch]

Other than the receiver and pin? No.

Wait, so is that to say something is missing or you see the receiver/pin there?

[sales guy]

Wait, so is that to say something is missing or you see the receiver/pin there?


Yes, it is a folding model.

And it looks like you are missing the receiver. I attached a pic.

[pdmtong]

...

[Nooch]

Got it -- they've got it all (phew).

Gotta love Facebook marketplace!

[Nooch]

Picked it up, got it home, got it on the attack.

Got the daughter on it, pushed off -- and she almost took me out!! I took it solo around the block, All good, Got daughter back on and made it around the block. But man, it seems any input from her balance wise throws the whole lead bike of balance -- is this normal? Shoddy coupler?

Thanks!!

[sales guy]

Picked it up, got it home, got it on the attack.

Got the daughter on it, pushed off -- and she almost took me out!! I took it solo around the block, All good, Got daughter back on and made it around the block. But man, it seems any input from her balance wise throws the whole lead bike of balance -- is this normal? Shoddy coupler?

Thanks!!


Let me guess, taller frame size? If youre on a 55 and above, especially like a 58 or bigger, movement can throw the driver off a bit. Especially on a road tire. When I used one way back, I used a hybrid with a 38c tire. I didn't notice it as much but I was also riding on a bike too small for me. I normally ride a 60/61.

[Nooch]

Let me guess, taller frame size? If youre on a 55 and above, especially like a 58 or bigger, movement can throw the driver off a bit. Especially on a road tire. When I used one way back, I used a hybrid with a 38c tire. I didn't notice it as much but I was also riding on a bike too small for me. I normally ride a 60/61.

A 52cm actually with 28's -- I'll throw it on my mountain bike and see if it's any better..

[sales guy]

That's odd.

[Nooch]

just an update, ended up mounting it up to the wife's 7.1fx and it was 10000x better. Maeve and I made it to the bagel shop without incident, and around the block some more -- a total win.

Maybe the attack was too light (carbon) or the tires too narrow (25mm gatorskins), but the 7.1 handled it in stride.

I'm thinking now's the time to start looking for a cx bike again so I don't have to use the wife's for this duty.

[benb]

I think it's something in the geometry of the bike more than anything.. smaller frame, more sloping top tubes on MTBs/Hybrids, etc.. just works better with these things. If I was to look for a bike to pull a trail-a-bike I'd definitely look for something with a really sloped top tube.

I am getting off easy my son is riding like a maniac without training wheels now (turns 5 in November) so I'm not pulling him around much. He did a 4 mile dirt ride with us a couple weeks ago.

[cderalow]

just an update, ended up mounting it up to the wife's 7.1fx and it was 10000x better. Maeve and I made it to the bagel shop without incident, and around the block some more -- a total win.

Maybe the attack was too light (carbon) or the tires too narrow (25mm gatorskins), but the 7.1 handled it in stride.

I'm thinking now's the time to start looking for a cx bike again so I don't have to use the wife's for this duty.



pickup a cheap hybrid or use your mountain bike.

i've had a trail-a-bike and a trailer behind me before using my hybrid... definitely got some funny looks.

that combo would work better behind a tandem. i found the trailer at the end helped balance out the kid in the middle.

[stien]

pickup a cheap hybrid or use your mountain bike.

i've had a trail-a-bike and a trailer behind me before using my hybrid... definitely got some funny looks.

that combo would work better behind a tandem. i found the trailer at the end helped balance out the kid in the middle.

That's awesome. Tell me you got it on camera!

People love it when we trailer the dogs around with our tandem.

[cderalow]

That's awesome. Tell me you got it on camera!

People love it when we trailer the dogs around with our tandem.

i have not. strangely, its a common enough occurrence in my mind that it's not photo worthy.

definitely not the first person in the world to do it though. google brings up a ton of similar lunatics.

i will say this though, when towing like that, left turns are preferable over right turns, and sharp turns are impossible.

[Nooch]

That's awesome. Tell me you got it on camera!

People love it when we trailer the dogs around with our tandem.

I was seriously wondering if would be any issue to put the thule quick release trailer hookup on the trail-a-bike so Ryleigh could come along too.. but talk about a large turning radius, lol..

good to know it should work, though!

[lzuk]

the crew ready to ride- just need to find the dog

[Nooch]

the crew ready to ride- just need to find the dog

That's fricken awesome.

#squadgoals