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Which bike for tagalong / chariot towing?

ajodajod Posts: 3
edited February 2018 in Family & kids cycling forum
I'ld be grateful for people's thoughts about which bike to use to tow which child!

Is it safe to pull either a chariot or a tagalong with a carbon frame? I mean safe from the bike's perspective, not the child's. If so, which do you think is more suited to carbon?

I'm going to Doussard (Lake Annecy) for a couple of weeks in June, with our 4 year old and 1 year old. Intend to use the fairly flat cycle path to travel up and down the side of the lake with the family, but also intend to head up the hills on my own for some early morning exercise. We've only got space on the roof for two bikes (plus roofbox). I've got a carbon frame (Bianchi Vertigo) and a much tougher Trek Crossrip. My wife has a robust Whyte Somerset.

It goes without saying that I would ideally like to take my Bianchi to enjoy the hill climbing.

We've currently got a Cougar chariot which has had plenty of use when the 4 year old was younger. She's too old for this now so will be using it for our 1 year old. I'll therefore be getting either a tagalong or a towbar for her Frog bike (that's a separate debate).

So one of us will be towing a chariot, the other a tagalong. I really don't want to have to take the Trek bike. I can't work out which would be less likely to damage the Bianchi. I don't know anything about material strengths but my understanding was that carbon can be quite brittle... Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

Posts

  • natrixnatrix Posts: 1,111
    How will you be attaching to the towing bike? Some rear axles don't take too well to attaching to trailers. If you have a carbon fibre seat post, I certainly wouldn't advise attaching a tag-along or tow bar to it. What bike did you used to use to tow the trailer??

    I used to find that my heavier mountain bike seemed to be better at towing duties than my ligher one (both aluminium framed though).....
    ~~~~~~Sustrans - Join the Movement~~~~~~
  • ajodajod Posts: 3
    Thanks for reply

    The seat post is alloy.
    The chariot attaches to the quick release skewer.

    Previously used both an old mountain bike (with semi-slick tyres) and then the Trek Crossrip to tow the chariot. I found both easy to tow the chariot, both fairly robust bikes. I'm not worried about pulling the chariot as the tow path is easy and the chariot is light... Just worried about my bike :?
  • oxomanoxoman Posts: 11,735
    Personally i'd take the Trek.
    Too many bikes according to Mrs O.
  • slowbikeslowbike Posts: 8,498
    Both should be fine on a carbon bike .. emphasis on the SHOULD ...

    But, what happens is that the bikes get scratched - either at the attachment point or having to lean the bike against various items when getting kids in/out/off/on.

    I've done a few holidays now where I'd love to have my best road bike - but take my CX as I can put a childseat on it or tow a trailer - and leave it outside/around the place without worrying about it being damaged/stolen....
    If I do get out for a solo ride then it's a bonus and whilst my strava times may suffer, it's still good training ...
  • mrfpbmrfpb Posts: 4,569
    ajod wrote:
    Thanks for reply

    The seat post is alloy.
    The chariot attaches to the quick release skewer.

    Previously used both an old mountain bike (with semi-slick tyres) and then the Trek Crossrip to tow the chariot. I found both easy to tow the chariot, both fairly robust bikes. I'm not worried about pulling the chariot as the tow path is easy and the chariot is light... Just worried about my bike :?

    I towed my kids for 10 years using an aluminium seatpost (using a trailgator), and it had no effect on the seatpost at all - it didn't even scratch it. I would be more worried about using a road gearing system for towing, but if it's canal paths you should be fine.
  • mountainpenguinmountainpenguin Posts: 37
    I tow a lot with a chariot on a carbon bike.
    No problems yet
  • mountainpenguinmountainpenguin Posts: 37
    I did want to add disks though !
  • tangled_metaltangled_metal Posts: 4,021
    We got a followme tandem. It attaches to a special qr and lifts tyre child's bike up. Finally tried it out at the v weekend and it's a great buy. Our child loves it. I'm really surprised at how I can really feel my 4 year old pedalling at times. He's got a bit of power for a young child I think.

    Anyway consider that because it's supposed to be more stable than a Trailgator type of tagalong. Plus works with rack or even child seat too if you the the trek and seat for your 1 year old.
  • bproud79bproud79 Posts: 30
    All depends on the design of the dropout. Chariot attachment doesn't fit on my carbon bike.
  • Steve-XcTSteve-XcT Posts: 267
    I don't know anything about material strengths but my understanding was that carbon can be quite brittle... Any thoughts?

    Whichever way you look at it material wise carbon is more quirky....

    A scratch can be fatal... or not....

    I have some really strong carbon wheels but I use some cheap aluminium ones on my trail bike when riding uplift days

    They might be a lot stronger but a single scratch off an errant rock and they could be toast so I just spend time worrying.
    I recently scratched one of the aluminium rims .... nothing even spectacular - just scratched against a stone (indeed they were only on because I'd not changed them) but that might potentially have written off the carbon ones.

    In a similar way.... you might well get away with it... but adding the tag along - just getting distracted and such could lead to expensive damage. If it was me I'd prefer the peace of mind.
  • mountainpenguinmountainpenguin Posts: 37
    robert axel project for adapter to "funny" standards. They are great with advice and can make it fit anything pretty much.
    Offset axel can help to get past frame problems.
    Hydraulic disks feel much safer
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