Daveyates

On Sunday i need to pick up a new bike and it is complicated to get there with public transport.
So i was thinking of riding there and carrying it back. The problem is that the bike is about 18 kilometers away.
I was thinking of taking my big ruck sack and dismantling the bike and placing the bars , cranks etc inside the rucksack.
Then tying the frame and wheels to the back of the rucksack. Does this sound possible to cycle back like this?

The bike has a mixte frame.

Any suggestions on another way of carrying a bike?

Cheers
Dave

clasher

Wheels lashed to a pack aren't terrible to ride with, I've done it. I've seen pictures of what looks like a piece of flat bar bolts under the front wheel's nut. It has a drop-out sized hole cut in the other end of the bar allowing one to bolt the wheels on the front of the bike, held securely to the ends of the drop bars with old toe straps. I'm sure someone has a picture of what I'm talking about, it was how club riders did it in England in the 50s. Eureka! Sprint Carries and I even posted in that thread and no I haven't got around to finding the right bar to make it... should soon.

RubberLegs

Last year, I started meeting my son at his bus stop with his bike instead of driving. At first, I slew his bike over my shoulder...somewhat uncomfortable and a tricky bit keeping it balanced and parts of his from interfering with moving parts of mine. I have taken to riding and pulling his, side by side, with his bars just slightly aft of mine. I grab it by the stem where it meets the bars. Works well, I have gone several miles this way. Both road bikes.

clubman 

Tie everything to rucksack as high as you can and use multiple bungies to fix it all in place. Your main goal is to keep anything from slipping down to the wheel and drivetrain. Mudguards and rear rack would be key. After that it's just 18 kms of uncomfortable riding. Anything can be moved with a bike

edit....rubberlegs stem tow works great too if you've got a comfortable position, a strong body and great front brake. Just take your time with it.

Daveyates

Thanks for the idea!
I have done a rough test with a spare set of wheels and two derailleur clamps.
I think i need something a little longer though.

David Newton

+1 with Rubberlegs, I used to shlep my bike and my wife's bike quite a ways by pulling it along side me.
Once though, it got tangled up and I went down, but it was on grass.
18KM? what is that, 1/4 mile?

mharter

I just strap one fork blade of the bike being towed to the rear rack of the tow-er bike. If you make a sharp turn with this setup, the bike being towed will fall over, pulling the tow-er over as well. It is a low speed calamity that will make you laugh when it happend, but otherwise the setup is great.

You can tow two bikes at once by strapping one to each side of the rear rack.

Daveyates

It's about 11 miles!
I might give up the backpack idea and just try the Rubberlegs method.

RubberLegs

Just be aware that stopping distances are LONGER, and turning radius is wider. Must keep the tag-along under control. Subtle twists of the wrist and you can lean it into corners with no problem, just keep the bars from tangling and offset trailing a bit. I did tangle up once, tried to turn to sharp and we tangled a bit, I grazed a curb and fell over in slow motion. Pick a good gear before you take off, as shifting is a bit tricky while doing this, it CAN be done, but carefully.

storckm

It's also possible to strap a bike onto a rear rack, with care. I've done this with one of my bicycles too, but don't have pictures.

JReade

Take one of these



mount it to a block of wood, place on top of the rear rack that I'm assuming you have, bolt to block of wood under rear rack that I'm assuming you have. Take the front wheel off the new bike and mount the fork in there.

hopefully it recreates one of these



just very awkwardly.

puchfinnland

its not pretty no matter how you do it.

I have many-a-times fallen bringing a bike back from the dump and trying to be creative.
on my back, the handlebars,rear rack.

I see a great kickstart project for someone to sell a jig to do this job.

must fit all bikes, no tools required for bike in tow.

best concept i have is to have something like 2 small hands hold each fork blade, and this jig is also fastened to the seatstays in the same manner.

brianinc-ville

I'm assuming you don't have / can't borrow a folding bike to go get it with? I've done this before with my Dahon Piccolo -- it's not too bad:

mparker326

I've held one side by side for a short distance but not 11 miles. I've got an xtracycle as well, but it would have to be a hell of a mixte for me to make that trip on a bike.

I like doing the car free thing as much as the next guy, but I'd drive. If you don't have a car, can you rent one of those Autolib' cars your fair city has?

ColonelJLloyd 

Can you make it rideable for the 18km and just take public transportation to the bike and ride it home?

nlerner collected a bike for me using his St. Etienne porteur, but it didn't have wheels. He's just that good, I think. I've seen him ride while eating doughnuts, drinking chocolate milk and smoking a cigarette.

sotramk

How about using an old wheel hub mounted on a post so it looks like a "T". Mount the post on a on a base with a bearing.
You would then have some vertical and lateral capability for better tracking.

sotramk

Maybe fab a wheel cradle that mounts to a rear rack,..lift the front of the bike to be towed and secure it's wheel in the cradle then away you go.

seely

Couldn't resist.

Daveyates

Thanks for all of the suggestions!
I don't have a rear rack on my bike but i do have a baby seat with bracket for it.
The seat can be removed leaving a suspended rear rack. I did try mounting a spare front hub to the rear rack to tow the bike.
I couldn't make it secure enough though! The trial bike was flopping around when the bikes cornered.

I just have a small photo of the bike and the frame appears to be Reynolds 531 with gold Simplex Super LJ components.
So i need to be careful bringing it back.

Ferrous Bueller

This. It's really not as hard as it looks.
Farthest I've done it is 5 miles or so. You can move the coasting bike to the other side if your hand gets tired.
Seriously. 12 year old Dutch kids do it all the time.

calamarichris

Am I missing something? Just poke your head through the main triangle of whichever bike is lightest and carry it on your shoulder.
If you have a sweatshirt or small pillow, that might make it easier on your shoulder/neck. Take breaks and walk with the bikes abreast if the bike is heavy. And be sure to bring some kind of proof of ownership, so you don't get pulled over or accused of thieving. (No one likes a bike thief. )

Daveyates

The blood , sweat and tears?

Ciufalon

Ride the mixtie home since it has a rear rack. Attach a spare front hub firmly to your rear rack near the rear of the rack (maybe use hose clamps). Then just attach the front fork of the other bike you to that. Strap the front wheel to the frame of the bike being towed.

Daveyates

I've just tried that technique and it doesn't work. I fixed hub to a rack and it was rock solid. The problem is that the bearings in the hub can make the forks move up or down which causes the rear bike to flop to the side on corners. I think it can work if the forks and hub were fixed so that the bearings couldn't move.

jyl

I have an Xtracycle. I can place a second bike's front wheel in the Xtracycle's big "pannier", bungee cord it, then ride with the second bike's rear wheel towed behind. Kind of like a single-wheel trailer. Rides okay, not going to win any races, but it isn't scary or anything.

Can you attach the second bike's front fork more or less firmly to your bike's rear end - don't know if you have a rack or something to lash to. I like the idea of a bike rack fork mount bolted to a rear rack.