Tandem with Gary Fisher Freeloader (tagalong)?

[Williams]

Would it be safe to attach the Freeloader behind our tandem? Obviously,
turning and maneuvering might be a bit slower. What about braking
(traditional front/rear caliper brakes only)? Any thoughts would be
appreciated.

Craig

[Clive George]

"Williams" <cwillyATE@oohay.com> wrote in message
news:DpF1j.21024$ya1.18439@news02.roc.ny...
> Would it be safe to attach the Freeloader behind our tandem? Obviously,
> turning and maneuvering might be a bit slower. What about braking
> (traditional front/rear caliper brakes only)? Any thoughts would be
> appreciated.

Probably more stable than towing it behind a half-bike.

If the tandem's brakes are up to scratch for the two of you, the additional
weight of a tagalong + kid won't be a problem. If they're marginal, maybe
need to improve them (or just ride slower :-) )

cheers,
clive

[daveornee]

Williams Wrote:
> Would it be safe to attach the Freeloader behind our tandem?
> Obviously,
> turning and maneuvering might be a bit slower. What about braking
> (traditional front/rear caliper brakes only)? Any thoughts would be
> appreciated.
>
> Craig
I have seen it done on paved trails around the Chicago area.
I think you have already touched on the concerns.
Since we are tandem riders and grandparents we tried it with
"Freeloader" or trailer. Braking distances and control are issues so we
kept the speeds low and stayed away from any downhills where visibility
up the "trail" were safety concerns. We met a young family who was
riding a triplet (husband, wife, 7 year old) and a 5-1/2 year old on the
"Freeloader". They were riding at ~20 MPH on the flats. I don't know
that I would try that, but they said they had over 1,000 miles that way
without any problems.


--
daveornee

[Nick Payne]

I've seen a tandem not only with one of those attached but also with a
trailer behind the tagalong toting an even smaller child...

"Williams" <cwillyATE@oohay.com> wrote in message
news:DpF1j.21024$ya1.18439@news02.roc.ny...
> Would it be safe to attach the Freeloader behind our tandem? Obviously,
> turning and maneuvering might be a bit slower. What about braking
> (traditional front/rear caliper brakes only)? Any thoughts would be
> appreciated.

[SMS 斯蒂文• �]

Williams wrote:
> Would it be safe to attach the Freeloader behind our tandem? Obviously,
> turning and maneuvering might be a bit slower. What about braking
> (traditional front/rear caliper brakes only)? Any thoughts would be
> appreciated.

I've had a Burley Piccolo attached to the tandem, and a Burley trailer
attached to the Piccolo. It seemed safe, it was just a little unwieldy
if you went onto a bike path.

[Chalo]

Williams wrote:
>
> Would it be safe to attach the Freeloader behind our tandem? Obviously,
> turning and maneuvering might be a bit slower. What about braking
> (traditional front/rear caliper brakes only)? Any thoughts would be
> appreciated.

You could take the easy/lame/cliché approach, and simply hitch a
trailer cycle to the back of your tandem. Lots of boring people do it
like that. Or you could spice things up a bit. Hauling _one_ trailer
is for sissies. Try two in a row, or better yet, three. For extra
style points, use a combination of one- and two-wheeled trailers.

This guy is on the right track, but he could stand to turn it up a
notch: http://www.trail-kids.com/images/paraImage112.jpg

I think you should use a tandem trailer cycle to go with your tandem
bicycle. Take somebody else's kid to fill it in, if necessary.
There's tons of folks out there who'd be greatly relieved to turn
their little cur into someone else's problem.

http://www.gopbc.org/bike_support/adams_tandem.jpg

Swipe an extra baby, and bungee the little sucker into a BOB trailer
as a compact spare-- in case one of your other kids gets a puncture on
the road. Despite having no surplus cranks to turn, this woman has a
spare baby stuffed in her duffel bag. That's thinking ahead:

http://www.shakeyourpeace.com/uploaded_images/SSPX0148-796746.jpg

Toting a small tribe of wee porkers is tough work, so consider adding
a pusher trailer to the tail of the train. That should have the side
benefit of making your convoy's handling far more entertaining than it
would be otherwise:

http://www.geocities.com/vancyclist/PT50.html

No need to thank me-- I'm glad to be of service.

Chalo

[Williams]

Thanks for all the replies. Apparently quite a few have gone before us in
this area, so it seems like as long as we aren't taking undue risks, it
should work fine.

Craig

"Williams" < wrote in message news:DpF1j.21024$ya1.18439@news02.roc.ny...
> Would it be safe to attach the Freeloader behind our tandem? Obviously,
> turning and maneuvering might be a bit slower. What about braking
> (traditional front/rear caliper brakes only)? Any thoughts would be
> appreciated.
>
> Craig
>

[Michael Press]

In article
<731ddf95-0621-41d0-be17-06c9c35cabfc@y5g2000hsf.google
groups.com>,
Chalo <chalo.colina@gmail.com> wrote:

> Williams wrote:
> >
> > Would it be safe to attach the Freeloader behind our tandem? Obviously,
> > turning and maneuvering might be a bit slower. What about braking
> > (traditional front/rear caliper brakes only)? Any thoughts would be
> > appreciated.
>
> You could take the easy/lame/cliché approach, and simply hitch a
> trailer cycle to the back of your tandem. Lots of boring people do it
> like that. Or you could spice things up a bit. Hauling one trailer
> is for sissies. Try two in a row, or better yet, three. For extra
> style points, use a combination of one- and two-wheeled trailers.
>
> This guy is on the right track, but he could stand to turn it up a
> notch: http://www.trail-kids.com/images/paraImage112.jpg

Yeah. Too many spokes.

--
Michael Press

[SMS 斯蒂文• �]

Chalo wrote:
> Williams wrote:
>> Would it be safe to attach the Freeloader behind our tandem? Obviously,
>> turning and maneuvering might be a bit slower. What about braking
>> (traditional front/rear caliper brakes only)? Any thoughts would be
>> appreciated.
>
> You could take the easy/lame/cliché approach, and simply hitch a
> trailer cycle to the back of your tandem. Lots of boring people do it
> like that. Or you could spice things up a bit. Hauling _one_ trailer
> is for sissies. Try two in a row, or better yet, three. For extra
> style points, use a combination of one- and two-wheeled trailers.
>
> This guy is on the right track, but he could stand to turn it up a
> notch: http://www.trail-kids.com/images/paraImage112.jpg

I've done the same thing, but with the Burley Piccolo. I spit on those
other tagalongs.

I heard that Burley is bringing back the Piccolo, now if they would just
bring back the d'Lite with the outboard frame.