Tag-a-long trailer for children...is it bad for the motor?

[Bikesman]

Hi guys i recently have bought a tag a long bike for my daughter who is only 4, i never thought there would be an issue however thinking about it is it putting to much strain on the motor etc?? I have a cube reaction pro with bosch gen 2 crank drive and my daughter is about 21kg also the attachment is pretty heavy bit of kit also im about12st. Enlighten me please

 

[SRS]

Hi Bikesman

I have been using a tagalong for a good 18 month.
12 month on a Gen1 Bosch Ktm and 8 month on my Gen1 Haibike.

Both mtb's. I'm 14 stone with a 6 year old. Almost all rides are off road over the South Downs. Both my bike and the tagalong take a real hammering but no issues as yet.

I'm sure the additional loads must increase wear overall. We have done several hundred miles and nothing has broken or shows obvious signs of wear on the Bosch units

Can't speak for Gen2 versions but I would not expect them to be weaker.

 

[flecc]

I haven't damaged either a Panasonic crank motor or a hub motor by towing the large and heavy loads shown here, so I doubt your tow-along will be a serious problem. We have members who are well over the combined weight of the two of you and your trailer, and they have no special issue with destroying motors.
.

 

[Bikesman]

Cheers guys, should be fine to use tag-a-long then I think.

 

[Hugh]

I've towed a DoggyRide (does what name implies) with my Haibike this summer on very rough and hilly terrain in Croatia. All was well there, but a spoke went in the back wheel as I was coming down Mt Ventoux in Provence (without the dog, I hasten to add). I suspect the breakage may have been due to the extra strain caused by towing on rough ground, but it may of course just have been a crappy spoke

 

[Deleted member 4366]

When you consider that many of us are over 100kg and riding round on bikes like yours, it can hardly be a problem.

 

[steve.c]

I haven't damaged either a Panasonic crank motor or a hub motor by towing the large and heavy loads shown here, so I doubt your tow-along will be a serious problem. We have members who are well over the combined weight of the two of you and your trailer, and they have no special issue with destroying motors.
.

Hi Flecc.Where can you get a tow bar for a bike which hooks on to the back of the bike and not to the wheel axle or connects to the seat stay or rear rack ????.

 

[flecc]

You can't Steve, I devised those for myself since e-bikes with greater forward weight can easily balance out the trailer nose weight. I wanted that greater tracking accuracy for pedestrian safety reasons when using shared path facilities.

The one on the Lafree is explained on this link, but it was superceded later by the type I made for the eZee Quando, which is explained on this link
.

 

[axolotl]

Looks excellent, Flecc! Wish I could buy something like that in the shops.