A Few Questions About Riding With a Trailer

[Robson3022]

Just got this from someone on here last week so have been giving it a little go this week.

People who use these. Where do you go with them? Do you ride on the roads?

Ive bought it to use as a genuine piece of transport for myself and my daughter not just for pleasure. Now I have no problem riding on the roads and putting my self at risk but not so keen on taking my daughter in a cloth bag with wheels onto the road? Do you use paths instead?

 

[numbnuts]

Shout me down in flames, but there is no way I would put my kid in one of them, too low to the ground with all the exhaust fumes that in my option for what is worth

 

[mcshroom]

They're designed for use on roads so I would suggest that would be a sensible place to use one

The one's I've seen seem to get a lot of room from overtaking drivers. Perhaps you could try riding with it empty a few times and see how you feel about being on the road.

 

[mickle]

My mrs mickle has been using a series of Burley trailers for 18+ years. Her 4kids have all travelled extensively in them before graduating to the back of her tandem and thence to their own bikes. She's only come off once whilst towing, when the front wheel of the tandem washed out on ice, but the trailer remained upright. Cars give her much more space when she's towing it and she can haul a week's worth of shopping in it.You might want to revisit the instructions for how it attaches - it's supposed to fo on the chainstay not the seatstay - and those aren't the best hitches for use on fat aluminum frame tubing .... and you'll want to fit at least a rear mudguard and possibly additional mud flap if you don't want it to get covered in dirt, mud and possibly worse..

Sit a lone kid in the left hand side - as you've done - is recommende because you're more likely to take a sharper left turn than right turn, what with driving on the left side of the road and all....

Too low down? What does that mean?

 

[ianrauk]

I always ride on the roads. Car drivers give child trailers a heck of a lot of room and hang back a lot too. I have never had a problem on the road with one. They are also very visible to car drivers. As mcshroom says, go out and try it on the roads with no kid in the back. You will surprise yourself at how safe it is.

Numbnuts is talking rubbish about car exhausts, he's still living in the 60's with crappy car engines
Too low down? Trailers are the same height as a kiddies pram.
If everyone was to worry about car exhausts then no one would go out in the streets.

 

[PpPete]

I'm toying with the idea of a trailer for the dog (kids are all of an age to ride on their own now)
There are some nice places to walk him nearby, that are just too far away from home to walk to, and it seems a waste to use the car.
The Bob Yak style single wheelers are said to be very stable, and although they cost £££ there are some much cheaper clones on amazon.
Anyone any experience?

 

[Robson3022]

My mrs mickle has been using a series of Burley trailers for 18+ years. Her 4kids have all travelled extensively in them before graduating to the back of her tandem and thence to their own bikes. She's only come off once whilst towing, when the front wheel of the tandem washed out on ice, but the trailer remained upright. Cars give her much more space when she's towing it and she can haul a week's worth of shopping in it.You might want to revisit the instructions for how it attaches - it's supposed to fo on the chainstay not the seatstay - and those aren't the best hitches for use on fat aluminum frame tubing .... and you'll want to fit at least a rear mudguard and possibly additional mud flap if you don't want it to get covered in dirt, mud and possibly worse..

Sit a lone kid in the left hand side - as you've done - is recommende because you're more likely to take a sharper left turn than right turn, what with driving on the left side of the road and all....

Too low down? What does that mean?​

Ive got it attached in the correct place as far as I can see? Where else could I attach it? I dont really know what you mean about the attachment, could you link me a pic of a better one?




Im not worried about exhaust fumes.

Thanks for the feed back!

 

[compo]

I'm toying with the idea of a trailer for the dog (kids are all of an age to ride on their own now)
There are some nice places to walk him nearby, that are just too far away from home to walk to, and it seems a waste to use the car.
The Bob Yak style single wheelers are said to be very stable, and although they cost £££ there are some much cheaper clones on amazon.
Anyone any experience?

Our little dog likes my trailer.
(I've lost a fair bit of weight since this photo was taken!)

 

[mickle]

Ive got it attached in the correct place as far as I can see? Where else could I attach it? I dont really know what you mean about the attachment....

 

[Lanzecki]

I use a trailer regularly, people give must more space then when I'm not towing. Even if it's empty. The best thing to do it pull it around empty a few times, you'll be surprised at the effect.

The connection to the bike needs to be on the chainstay, not the seat stay.

Don't overly think about it, just get it on the road.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

I'm toying with the idea of a trailer for the dog (kids are all of an age to ride on their own now)
There are some nice places to walk him nearby, that are just too far away from home to walk to, and it seems a waste to use the car.
The Bob Yak style single wheelers are said to be very stable, and although they cost £££ there are some much cheaper clones on amazon.
Anyone any experience?

Read about it here

 

[Robson3022]

It is connected via there the pic just doesn't show it very well

 

[Arch]

With regard to safety, I've seen a trailer rolled over (when a kid on a tryout track thought it would be fun to actually ride full tilt on his bike into his Mum who was on a bike towing the trailer). The trailer rolled onto its side, but the two kids inside were fine. They were strapped in properly, and suffered nothing worse than a bit of a surprise. The trailer frame acts as a roll cage.

And yes, the fumes are not an issue. Kids would be walking or in buggies at the same height, and would breathe more fumes cooped up in a car than outside in the air.

 

[trickletreat]

I have used a trailer to take my daughter to school, summer and winter for over 4 yrs and 6.5k miles. We started off with an old Trek, then a Swiss bike followed by a couple of recumbent trikes.
I decided that if I used it daily through the first winter then I would sell my car. I fell off on ice that winter and my wife joked that I needed a three wheeler!
No problems with traffic, and I pass three schools daily, with loads of mums in a rush to drop off their loved ones. Take the road and think big! We are such an unusual sight that we are given loads of room.
Get a mudguard and extend it! I rolled the trailer once, combination of too much speed, tight corner and daughter was getting to big...but my fault. She was always strapped in well and wore a helmet..."can we do that again!" Yes but don't tell mum!
We then bought a second hand Hase Trets trailer trike, and she now helps with the pedalling. We will start the school run after next Easter back on separate two wheelers, I think we will both miss our time joined together.
Here is a brief picture story...

 

[trampyjoe]

Wot they all said about roads ^^^

When I first got my trailer I was concerned about cars not seeing it so I went out a grand total of twice with it empty. The only roads I wouldn't take it on are the narrow country lanes round here, but I mostly use it to go shopping which means going into town.

You really will be surprised at how much room drivers give you (but don't get too comfortable as there will be, at some point, one that will pass close) but if you are worried just get one of those flags - that's what I did. Oh and the cheap aldi lights - 2 sets so you've got both sides of the trailer covered front and back (and they also double as pram lights). Oh and a 'Child on board' sign .. it stops people asking

As for the traffic fumes.. just don't let your kid suck on exhaust pipes then you'll have nothing to worry about