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#1
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Towing carbon-frame bicycles?
It rarely happens but I have towed bicycles on occasion when a chain was
irreparably pretzeled or the derailer had snapped. Or as "power assist" when a rider plain ran out of steam. I carry a towing rope in the left pannier. It doubles as a tie down rope for bulky loads and to tie down the bike in the bed of a pickup truck. Now that many bikes have fancy carbon frames this brings up the question whether one can still tie the towing rope to the head tube. Or is that now too sensitive and it is better to wrap it somewhere around the stem area? -- Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com/ |
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#2
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Towing carbon-frame bicycles?
On 8/19/2017 1:51 PM, Joerg wrote:
It rarely happens but I have towed bicycles on occasion when a chain was irreparably pretzeled or the derailer had snapped. Or as "power assist" when a rider plain ran out of steam. I carry a towing rope in the left pannier. It doubles as a tie down rope for bulky loads and to tie down the bike in the bed of a pickup truck. Now that many bikes have fancy carbon frames this brings up the question whether one can still tie the towing rope to the head tube. Or is that now too sensitive and it is better to wrap it somewhere around the stem area? If it's deemed necessary for one reason or another, a better idea may be to have the towed rider simply hold the end of rope or cord. One might also simply ride along pushing the rider's hip occasionally with one hand. I have seen some ugly crashes on group rides over the years with a tethered bicycle. -- Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org/ Open every day since 1 April, 1971 |
#3
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Towing carbon-frame bicycles?
On 2017-08-19 12:02, AMuzi wrote:
On 8/19/2017 1:51 PM, Joerg wrote: It rarely happens but I have towed bicycles on occasion when a chain was irreparably pretzeled or the derailer had snapped. Or as "power assist" when a rider plain ran out of steam. I carry a towing rope in the left pannier. It doubles as a tie down rope for bulky loads and to tie down the bike in the bed of a pickup truck. Now that many bikes have fancy carbon frames this brings up the question whether one can still tie the towing rope to the head tube. Or is that now too sensitive and it is better to wrap it somewhere around the stem area? If it's deemed necessary for one reason or another, a better idea may be to have the towed rider simply hold the end of rope or cord. One might also simply ride along pushing the rider's hip occasionally with one hand. I have seen some ugly crashes on group rides over the years with a tethered bicycle. Holding is an option even on a road (side-by-side riding isn't) but it means the other cyclist can't use the brakes well but he or she is going to have to do most of the braking. As long as no slack is allowed in the rope I found it to be fairly safe. It's mainly for long uphill slogs and not at high speed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFtJQpQlFss Even motorcyclists do it. If the engine quits in the middle of nowhere in Nevada it may be the only option. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmerGH5zkF4 The worst we've ever done as students was transporting a bed, as is, over several miles. Strapped to the rack of my bike and tied to the handlebar of the other cyclist's bike. Max pressure in the tires. We had to cross the then still existing German-Dutch border which raised some eyebrows among the guys in uniforms. -- Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com/ |
#4
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Towing carbon-frame bicycles?
On Saturday, August 19, 2017 at 11:51:07 AM UTC-7, Joerg wrote:
It rarely happens but I have towed bicycles on occasion when a chain was irreparably pretzeled or the derailer had snapped. Or as "power assist" when a rider plain ran out of steam. I carry a towing rope in the left pannier. It doubles as a tie down rope for bulky loads and to tie down the bike in the bed of a pickup truck. Now that many bikes have fancy carbon frames this brings up the question whether one can still tie the towing rope to the head tube. Or is that now too sensitive and it is better to wrap it somewhere around the stem area? -- Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com/ Wow, is the tow rope in the pannier pocket next to the heart-lung machine, or is that in another pannier? I carry a full selection of shop tools, derailleur hangers, spokes, rims and a friction-drive motor, just in case the rider is tired or I can't completely repair the bike. https://www.electricbike.com/wp-cont...plerBike21.jpg I used to bring a granite surface plate and gas torch for fixing and truing steel frames, but most people are on aluminum or CF these days, at least back on the super-gnarly trails where I ride. -- Jay Beattie |
#5
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Towing carbon-frame bicycles?
On 19-08-17 22:15, jbeattie wrote:
Wow, is the tow rope in the pannier pocket next to the heart-lung machine, or is that in another pannier? I carry a full selection of shop tools, derailleur hangers, spokes, rims and a friction-drive motor, just in case the rider is tired or I can't completely repair the bike.https://www.electricbike.com/wp-cont...plerBike21.jpg I used to bring a granite surface plate and gas torch for fixing and truing steel frames, but most people are on aluminum or CF these days, at least back on the super-gnarly trails where I ride. Eckart Heinrich has a web page (in German) with tales of his bike tours. In one case he was in the Italian part of Switzerland and wanted to go from Val Calanca to Val Blenio. Along the way he had to lower his bike down a drop using a rope. So yes, a rope can be useful. I carry a couple of meters of light climbing rope, which weighs almost nothing. If I get stranded and have to spend the night somewhere up on a mountain meadow, the rope and the emergency blanket could make for a shelter. Also useful in case something breaks and needs to be tied in place. A couple of months ago on a dirt road in Sardinia I gave the rope to a guy on a motorbike for this reason. Ned |
#6
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Towing carbon-frame bicycles?
On 2017-08-20 01:53, Ned Mantei wrote:
On 19-08-17 22:15, jbeattie wrote: Wow, is the tow rope in the pannier pocket next to the heart-lung machine, or is that in another pannier? Underneath of the homemade Belgian Tripel that hitched a ride on Wednesday. ... I carry a full selection of shop tools, derailleur hangers, spokes, rims and a friction-drive motor, just in case the rider is tired or I can't completely repair the bike.https://www.electricbike.com/wp-cont...plerBike21.jpg I used to bring a granite surface plate and gas torch for fixing and truing steel frames, but most people are on aluminum or CF these days, at least back on the super-gnarly trails where I ride. Once when I came upon a stranded motorist and rolled out my tool kit he was quite surprised. And we fixed his car. Eckart Heinrich has a web page (in German) with tales of his bike tours. In one case he was in the Italian part of Switzerland and wanted to go from Val Calanca to Val Blenio. Along the way he had to lower his bike down a drop using a rope. So yes, a rope can be useful. I carry a couple of meters of light climbing rope, which weighs almost nothing. If I get stranded and have to spend the night somewhere up on a mountain meadow, the rope and the emergency blanket could make for a shelter. Also useful in case something breaks and needs to be tied in place. A couple of months ago on a dirt road in Sardinia I gave the rope to a guy on a motorbike for this reason. It is also really nice when picking up machine parts somewhere and the box is bigger than anticipated. Or when a big package has to go to Fedex but it's past the local pickup time. -- Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com/ |
#7
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Towing carbon-frame bicycles?
Holding is an option even on a road (side-by-side riding isn't) but it means the other cyclist can't use the brakes well but he or she is going to have to do most of the braking. The proper way is described here http://www.cycleworld.com/2015/09/04...-safely#page-2 The rope goes around the bars and the gooseneck/tripleclamp/whatever and is held to the bars by one hand. The rope has to be let-go-able. |
#8
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Towing carbon-frame bicycles?
On 2017-08-21 09:35, Doug Landau wrote:
Holding is an option even on a road (side-by-side riding isn't) but it means the other cyclist can't use the brakes well but he or she is going to have to do most of the braking. The proper way is described here http://www.cycleworld.com/2015/09/04...-safely#page-2 The method in the first picture is what the video I linked shows. The rope goes around the bars and the gooseneck/tripleclamp/whatever and is held to the bars by one hand. On modern motorcycles that is often hardly possible anymore. Too much stuff in the way. But on bicycles it works. Holding it by hand is iffy because the trailing rider must do the braking. My question was mainly because I don't know if a rope tied to the stem could exert too much force in the top steerer bearing or into frame at that spot when the disabled bike is CF. Going up a hill it can be a lot. OTOH tying it around the head tube to might crush the head tube but I don't know about that. The rope has to be let-go-able. Ideally, yes, but I never had any quick-release on mine. Once it gets screwed up and tangled in a wheel it's almost too late anyhow. -- Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com/ |
#9
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Towing carbon-frame bicycles?
On Monday, August 21, 2017 at 10:28:31 AM UTC-7, Joerg wrote:
On 2017-08-21 09:35, Doug Landau wrote: Holding is an option even on a road (side-by-side riding isn't) but it means the other cyclist can't use the brakes well but he or she is going to have to do most of the braking. The proper way is described here http://www.cycleworld.com/2015/09/04...-safely#page-2 The method in the first picture is what the video I linked shows. The rope goes around the bars and the gooseneck/tripleclamp/whatever and is held to the bars by one hand. On modern motorcycles that is often hardly possible anymore. Too much stuff in the way. But on bicycles it works. Holding it by hand is iffy because the trailing rider must do the braking. My question was mainly because I don't know if a rope tied to the stem could exert too much force in the top steerer bearing or into frame at that spot when the disabled bike is CF. Going up a hill it can be a lot. OTOH tying it around the head tube to might crush the head tube but I don't know about that. The rope has to be let-go-able. Ideally, yes, but I never had any quick-release on mine. Once it gets screwed up and tangled in a wheel it's almost too late anyhow. -- Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com/ The rope HAS to be let-go-able |
#10
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Towing carbon-frame bicycles?
On 2017-08-21 13:53, Doug Landau wrote:
On Monday, August 21, 2017 at 10:28:31 AM UTC-7, Joerg wrote: On 2017-08-21 09:35, Doug Landau wrote: [...] The rope has to be let-go-able. Ideally, yes, but I never had any quick-release on mine. Once it gets screwed up and tangled in a wheel it's almost too late anyhow. -- Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com/ The rope HAS to be let-go-able So far I have successfully completed all my tows by tying knots to my bicycle and to the trailing bicycle. Some over lots of miles. -- Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com/ |
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