Tandem Cycling - Tandem and a B.O.B. Trailer

I posted the following in other forums and received some good advice. Since this is my favorite place and you’ all my favorite forum members, I thought I should share the question with you.

Well, we finally got the skewer needed to hitch up the BOB to the Tandem. Now we're pulling it all over so as to get used to it. We put groceries and such in it. The trailer hardly feels like anything back there on the flats. We haven't experienced any big hills with it yet. Putting the tandem and trailer away is pretty tough and is taking a lot to get used to. When the trailer is empty, the wifey picks it up while I back the tandem into the garage and negotiate around the front of the car. When the trailer is full, it's quite a chore backing it all in!

We'll use the BOB trailer and tandem on our upcoming TransAm ride. (Still a couple of years away).

Anyone else use a BOB with their tandem? Any advise would be welcome!

hi gus a couple of tips re yak bob

attach the pins to the axle as usual but tie a bootlace to the yak
bob so that if the pin becomes loose and detaches you dont lose it
also if touring go to a workshop or such and buy some extra pins
just in case you lose em on the road
we did this in nova scotia just as a back up...
re hills also you might have to fit lower gears
the strain on the gears is tremendous
we found this out to our cost on a lap of the isle of arran
its about 60 odd miles... the trailer was really loaded and
the pressure had made the chainrings work loose so you have to check them occasionaly as well all good fun as a tandemist
some of my cycling tours on my site nova scotia ,the western isles off scotland also (http://www.raunch-raf-regt.20m.com/)

Originally posted by stever
hi gus a couple of tips re yak bob

attach the pins to the axle as usual but tie a bootlace to the yak
bob so that if the pin becomes loose and detaches you dont lose it
also if touring go to a workshop or such and buy some extra pins
just in case you lose em on the road
we did this in nova scotia just as a back up...
re hills also you might have to fit lower gears
the strain on the gears is tremendous
we found this out to our cost on a lap of the isle of arran
its about 60 odd miles... the trailer was really loaded and
the pressure had made the chainrings work loose so you have to check them occasionaly as well all good fun as a tandemist
some of my cycling tours on my site nova scotia ,the western isles off scotland also (http://www.raunch-raf-regt.20m.com/)

Hey thanks Stever, I've heard about the spare pins before...I plan to take that advice. The boot lace recommendation is very worthy as well and one I hadn't thought about. Like a safety chain for trailers. We already sport the largest XTR cassette in the back but have an Ultegra front crank system. I plan to replace that with XT so we have a lower "Granny" capability.

We checked out your Western Isles trip! Wonderful! You want some visitors? ;) Only joking!

Originally posted by Gus Riley

We'll use the BOB trailer and tandem on our upcoming TransAm ride. (Still a couple of years away).


I'm so jealous! As soon as my kiddo is off to college that is one of my dreams.

Just got a Bob for Christmas.
We'll try it out on singles first.
Do you think it might help if both parties(cap'n and stoker) are happy pulling the Bob on singles?

Have fun :)

Originally posted by poptart



Do you think it might help if both parties(cap'n and stoker) are happy pulling the Bob on singles?

Have fun :)

I'm a bit confused by this question. Do you mean you both want to do the TransAm on your singles pulling BOBs? Yes I think pulling one with a single would be cool. We hardly feel it back there when on the tandem. I think we'll feel it plenty when climbing tho!

re bob and singles

q1. do you tour with singles
q2.would the person with the bob be happy to carry all the gear???

try the bob on the tandem we like it on scottish roads as
my partner feels cars and other road users give you more room

i suggest a larger more prominent flag as well as the bob pennant
hope this helps
steve rooneyexample re bob with scottish flags (http://www.raunch-raf-regt.20m.com/photo4.html)

I'm curious. BoBs sound great and all but I wonder about load distribution between the front and rear of your bike. Seems like a front pannier rack loaded with some gear that you can get to in a hurry would really balance out the load well.

What do you think?

Originally posted by jonnymaus
I'm curious. BoBs sound great and all but I wonder about load distribution between the front and rear of your bike. Seems like a front pannier rack loaded with some gear that you can get to in a hurry would really balance out the load well.

What do you think?

Good question, but one I have no answer for yet. We planned on a BOB and rear panniers, but may go with front panniers if the answer to jonnymaus's question is for front panniers.

re bob with rear panniers i would tend not to do that

the bob keeps the pressure off the tyres at the rear

small front panniers is a good way of balancing the weight

hope this helps... :D :D :
steve r