Utility Cycling - Bike Hauling Bike W/o Trailer

I've been perusing through the bike trailers and admiring all the great designs, but i've been thinking lately is it possible to haul a bicycle with a bicycle without a trailer? If you have, post your inventions I'd love to see them!

Here's my attempt. I have a stainless steel old-school luggage rack, I took the bicycle I was transporting and tied the fork to the rack with wires and wrapped as many bungee cords around it as I could. For being a slap together thing it's pretty well-balanced. There was a little twitching going over bumps with the wind but it didn't give me any trouble.

For larger adult bikes I've considered removing the front wheel and using the rear as a half trailer and securing the fork to the luggage rack just like in this case. It would be more grounded, but I think extra precaution would have to be taken to lower the center of gravity as it wouldn't connectted to the bike like in my frame haul. I actually think hauling the the full bike with the wheels on would be tougher, because alighment and connectivity would be more variable with the wheel placement needing to be in the correct tire patch spot. I'll post pictures of that if I'm ever successful.

Flickr Pics below:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3540/3842977009_99b12077e3.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3539/3842977017_4f077a6ae7.jpg

There might be a pic of someone doing just as you describe here on BF. At least that is where I think I saw it.

edit: couldn't find the pic, but did find a suggestion for towing second bike. Take a quick-release hub and use heavy duty zipties to attach to the rack on the main bike. Remove front wheel from bike #2, then you just secure the fork of bike #2 to the hub.

The ziptire thing is a bad idea in my opinion lol so are them clamps you adjust with a screwdriver. depending on the bike's size anyway. I was hauling a crappy tire special bike home and it twisted sideways on the back of the bike then fell down. If you use the quick release idea be sure to use them U shaped bolt things this
http://www.allproducts.com/metal/ucando/Product-20071127114125-l.jpg

I find thats a solid fix and the hub dosn't budge. however this happend to me with the zip things so after many mistakes these U bolts helped

The ziptire thing is a bad idea in my opinion lol so are them clamps you adjust with a screwdriver. depending on the bike's size anyway. I was hauling a crappy tire special bike home and it twisted sideways on the back of the bike then fell down. If you use the quick release idea be sure to use them U shaped bolt things this
http://www.allproducts.com/metal/ucando/Product-20071127114125-l.jpg

I find thats a solid fix and the hub dosn't budge. however this happend to me with the zip things so after many mistakes these U bolts helped

Thanks for the idea! That will work much better for the fork. I'll just have to bring along some nylon/rubber so it doesn't damage the fork. Bolt-on method > all. I can't believe that slipped my mind :)

Can you post pics of your ride with a bike hook-up? It'd be cool to see it in action.

this is made to mount on the bed of a pickup truck, but should work on a rack. It's less than $10 online if you can't find it at the parts store.
http://www.pricepoint.com/popups/popZoom.htm?page=popZoom.htm&zoomimg=Z_255%20SETHC6.jpg&altText=Sette%20Hitch-It%20Bike%20Mount%20at%20PricePoint.com&title=Current%20Zoom%20Image
http://www.pricepoint.com/popups/popZoom.htm?page=popZoom.htm&zoomimg=Z_255%20SETHC6.jpg&altText=Sette%20Hitch-It%20Bike%20Mount%20at%20PricePoint.com&title=Current%20Zoom%20Image

I "carried" an Atala road bike home from my semi-local bike shop with my hybrid. How? With one hand on my left handlebar grip and my right hand on the stem of the atala. No problems. I walked wherever a curb jump was necessary, but rode two trails. I also walked on the sidewalk over a bridge.

One guy passed me as I walked over that bridge. Two miles later, I caught up with him on the beach MUP. He was shocked to see me and picked up speed, embarrassed that I'd caught him!

It was kind of nice, as the second bike made me a four wheel vehicle, so balancing was easy. There were a few spots, transitioning off a sidewalk downhill onto the road, where I literally just lifted the bike in the air as I rode, rear tire down, setting the bike gently on the rear tire and then lowering it.

I would do this again-- it wasn't particularly hard. About a four mile ride, new haven to west haven. Flat, so staying in one gear was no problem.

I heard you like to ride bikes, so I put a bike on your bike so you can ride while you ride!
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z172/stephenhazelton/CustomCruiserII/4496Proc.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c269/AzCowboy/Bike%20stuff/S7300146.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c269/AzCowboy/Bike%20stuff/S7300148.jpg

Hauled the bike about 20 miles like that... (Clear across Denver/surrounding 'burbs!)

dummy hauls bikes...

smorris had pictures of towing a bike behind their XtraCycle in the 50+ forum. That was pretty clean.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=585639

http://smorris.smugmug.com/photos/647258366_HufR2-XL-2.jpg

I now notice that he made a whole thread about it here in the Utility Bike forum.
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=581028


And here's what the Master did.

http://sheldonbrown.org/kidbikeback.html

http://sheldonbrown.org/images/kidbikeback-1-89.jpg

oh yes:

my homebuilt xtracycle with a duffle bag holding the front wheel:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/thehum/bike/DSCN5064.jpg

and then when the axle on that bike broke, wald rear baskets to the rescue:
http://i777.photobucket.com/albums/yy59/bubikesphotos/august09/dscn5099.jpg