Instead of the drop-out clamp, why not use an old hub? It should be pretty easy to find someone to weld an attached point onto the center section (or use a hose clamp or two to attach the hub to the rack) then even with the front fork of the bike-in-tow clamped tightly in place, it can still pivot up and down over bumps. If you're handy with fabricating parts, you could really simplofy the whole set up since you can get away with simple bushings instead of the hub's bearings.

Rolling resistance of a nobby with no weight on it should be less than any trailer system or small (roller blade) wheeled platform. Forget about the extra weight of a trailer too. Also, that would be extra peices to lock up at the trailhead. I think I would spin the bike around and let the front tire be the one on the ground. I would tie the rear tire to the left side of the rack...if your rack has an extension for panniers there is a lot of surface available there for stability. I would be natured to try this out of curiousity...however, it seems that the awkwardness and time involved would negate any time savings from riding the road bike. Luck.

Edit: Also, the tread configuration of my mtb rear tire yields much more rolling resistance than the front tire.

I saw a post a while back with a trailer with a tray attached like you'd see on a car roof-rack. It looked like the most stable option I've seen yet, with a pretty low center of gravity. I'd opt for that even though it's a little extra weight.

Yeah, we must!

I live off County Line, between Old Worthington (the S of Polaris Pkwy version) and Cleveland Ave. Do you ride the Alum path? My wife rides that sometimes.

If I ride all the way (like every Tuesday) I ride S on Old Worthington until it meets up with Sancus. Turn L then R onto WIlson Bridge (going west). Take Wilson Bridge and ride the Olentangy Trail downtown... If I drive I just park at the northern head of Olentangy Trail and ride it in. I have a few other routes I can take that go straight in, but all go through some dangerous situations, so I prefer the drive/ride the best. Still 14 mi x 2, so a decent ride every day.

Bike Porn!

Guilty as charged. I think that's how I keep ending up with one more bike in the garage/basement!!!

Following up on this thread from September, I bought a bike on the way home from work today and towed it home.

In the original thread, I speculated that mounting one of these to my rack would work. Thinking it through, that could damage the fork dropouts. The reason is that it's meant to clamp the forks tightly in a roof or pick-up truck rack where the bike isn't moving, relative to the object it's attached to. Using it as a tow hitch wouldn't let the bikes pivot up and down over bumps. This would put stress on the dropouts and probably wouldn't make for a good ride either.

But the idea was close enough, that I worked something else out.

I removed the front wheel and attached it to my backpack using the load compression straps. Next, I rested the towed bike's fork dropouts on a crossbar on my rack. The fit was perfect. Then I bungeed the towed bike's downtube to the back of the rack--tight enough to keep it there, yet with enough "give" for over the bumps.

It rode marvelously. It was as if it wasn't there at all. I could have ridden miles and miles that way.

And the looks I got from cagers were entertaining.

Any chance of a photo? I don't quite understand the set up. I've thought about using "one of these" cause a have one, but just have had too many other things to do to, to test that method out. You never know when a new bike opportunity pops up. A trailer would work, but I'd hate to always tow a trailer. Some small equipment tow set up would be nice cause you could always have it with you.

I too have given some thought to the idea of a 'tow bike' and am intrigued. Pictures or death! (at least a schematic?)

Pictures! That would solve one of the main reasons I won't hunt for bikes at the thrift stores while riding mine.

I usually just ride with the other bike in my hand next to me. I have ridden like ten miles this way before.

What kind did you get?

I prefer the good old "grab the stem and ride carefully" method.

There is also this method:

Not amenable to my 5 yr old's 12" bike.

If the bike was that small I'd just strap it to my bag and go

When this was discussed before, someone mentioned attaching an old hub to the rack. This would allow using a quick release axle to attach the bike and also allow it to pivot over bumps. And a front hub in 100mm spacing will fit almost any bike and weighs about nothing. I have an Ebay bike I need to go pick up and really wish I had an old hub to work with. I'll probably just use my Flat Bed trailer again. Luckily this bike isn't 25 miles away like the last one.

Probably not. I don't have a camera--either digital or analog.

That was going to be my fallback position if this didn't work out. It was after dark, snowing, the roads were greasy, and most of the ride home was a four-lane with curbs and no shoulder. So I really wanted both hands on the bars and I didn't want to present any wider profile than necessary. Plus that would increase the possiblity of being mistaken for a theif. As it was, the cops didn't pay any more atention to me than the other cagers.

This is essentially what I did, using the rack's crossbar in place of a hub. It fit right on the crossbar perfectly. then the bungee took the place of a hub's QR.

As for trailers, that would necessitate buying one and then storing it someplace. A bungee is cheaper, easier to store, plus I already own several.

Same goes for the xtracycle. I'd have to buy one of those, and then try to fit it up the fire escape stairs to in my apartment. Standard bikes are challenge enough. And again, I already own bungees.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to have both a bikes-at-work trailer and an xtracycle. It's just not practical right now with my living space, nor can I justify the expense for such irregular use.


This is what I bought. It's an older (although not quite elderly) Trek 1000. Needs only the usual wear items is all. I figured it was worth $100 (and a few parts) to have a spare bike lying around.

I found the same problem with a regular clamp on my rear rack - wearing on the dropouts when going over bumps/curb cuts/etc.

I fixed it by buying some 1/8" thick Delrin washers, and sticking that on both sides of the dropout in the clamp. That allows a nice sliding surface, but still holds the bike securely. They'll need be replaced every so often, but realistically I tow a bike 2 or 3 times a month max.

You could also do this with nylon washers available at any hardware store - not quite as lubricious as delrin, but it'd do.

A while ago I was thinking about a tow-bike, for bikes,
I thought about a small side-car that would go near the rear wheel of the towing bike.

The hub would be a little more sophisticated but what you did is some good McGyvering. I might give it a try (after a test fit first before leaving home) before going to get my $41 Ebay Trek (way older than the bike you just bought though and needs a lot more work).

I don't know... it just seems the forks are too high. Making the fork turning action at a gangly angle. I'm thinking if I can get the forks down lower, then it would be at a more natural turning angle. So I'm going to try an attach some PVC pipe segments on the rear bike rack stays and just put the forks in there, like I've seen people do with fishing rods or rakes and shovels on trucks.

The poster here that often talks about their Xtracycles showed a picture of him with a bike strapped to the Xtracycle

The only way to roll..

Well there ya go

Always thought that was a cool setup