Can you tow two trailers?

[Moonpud]

I would like to take my 4yr old and wife cycle camping, but little one has just progressed to a trailer bike, and mrs moonpud is not fit or confident enough to pull a trailer. I could load up my bike with panniers and bar bag and put a minimal load on wife's bike but that really restricts how much we can take, and the tent is quite big.
So is it possible, and am I allowed to tow a trailer behind the trailer bike? I am not worried about being the silliest vehicle on the road!!

Thanks

 

[Crankarm]

Crikey, how much stuff are you taking????????!!

 

[spandex]

There is no reason you can not.

 

[Moonpud]

Crankarm, enough to keep a 4 yr old happy!! Spandex, thanks I shall give it a try then.

 

[Bigtwin]

I've done this with a trailer behind a tag-a-long.

It's fine so long as you don't do much reversing, and don't want a lot of speed up hills.

Also done it with a tandem and two. Rather long, but keeps average speed up.

 

[chris667]

I think you sound like a pime candidate for a long bike like the Xtracycle.
I'm currently building a homebrew version for my own use, results will be here when it's built.

 

[willem]

It is precisely for this reason that we went for a childback tandem rather than a trailer bike. You are putting quite a bit of strain on the trailer bike's coupling. How about the trailer bike behing the missus' bike, and the trailer behing yours (with all the luggage). This is what most people seem to do in these circumstances.
Willem

 

[RedBike]

It should be possible but god help you on the hills.
Not sure I would want to put all that extra strain on the hitch for the tag along though.

I think your best option is to get Mrs Moonpud used to carrying some of the load

 

[Wobbly John]

AndyGates has done it with BOB Yaks!

 

[Arch]

You could all get Kettweisels. What's the record, 93 linked together?

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3w6aerpgUQ&feature=PlayList&p=A2675DA658EA5DCE&index=2


http://hasebikes.com/index.php?article_id=64&clang=1#

 

[Moonpud]

Thanks again for responses, feel MUCH better knowing others have tried it first! Mrs moonpud unfit at present, and far too lacking in confidence to tow little one, would take some weight in her panniers but not much, I was thinking sleeping bags and thermarests etc. Trailer bike is an Islabikes one that fixes to it's own (heavy) rack, not the seatpost and is built for 4 to 9 year olds, mine being 4 is at the lighter end of the scale so feel quite confident re hitch.
As for getting another bike/loadcarrier/tandem, thought about it but i actually really like riding MY bike (and tandems are sooo expensive!).
Hopefully, if successful, mrs moonpud would gain fitness and confidence and this whole thing would no longer be an issue. Trouble is, they both have to enjoy it to repeat it!

 

[Moonpud]

Knew this forum was a bad idea, now i have to have one of those Kettweisels! they look ace fun.

 

[Arch]

Oh, if it's an Islabike, I'd be pretty confident in its strength...

I can see your point about not overdoing it and turning mrs moonpud off the idea. Where abouts are you, is it hilly etc? I guess the best thing, as you say, is to keep her load light, and for your sake keep the rest down to the minimum you can. Still, you'll have assistance pedalling, won't you?

Anyway, hope you all have fun!

 

[gavintc]

I have tried towing 2 trailers behind a land rover. It is all well until one trailer starts to snake. I was driving slowly on a disused airfield. Once you get the harmony of the swing it is very very difficult to control. I think I was only doing about 20-25 mph and I had a wheel in the air on the 2nd trailer. It was quite frightening. A bike might be more stable and the speeds less, but I offer caution.

 

[Moonpud]

Thanks yet again, caution, you will be pleased to hear, is my middle name with the little one along. We live in South Shropshire, in "the heart of the shropshire hills area of outstanding beauty!", its hilly right enough, but usually there is a way of avoiding the worst ones. Rather the hills than the A49 anyday though! Amazingly Arch, she does pedal (bless her heart!).