How To Carry A Bicycle On Another Bicycle?
Carrying a bicycle on another bicycle can be the only option in certain situations, but it can also be risky if not done properly. There are a few ways to do it, and some may require modifications to your bicycle as well.
In this article, I will discuss different ways of transporting a bicycle on another bicycle, by providing you with step-by-step instructions for each method.
Whether you want to wear the bike or tow it, I will explain each method thoroughly.
So, whether you are an experienced cyclist or a beginner, read on to learn more about how to carry a bicycle on another bicycle.
Contents
How to Carry A Bicycle With A Bicycle?
Although there are multiple methods of carrying a bicycle on another bicycle, not all of them are considered safe. In fact, if you’re new to cycling, you shouldn’t even attempt some of them.
In this article, we’ll go through all of these methods, risky or not. However, we’ll go through the risky ones and gradually come to the safer ones. So, make sure you stick to us till the very end.
Wear It!
Did you know that you could wear a bicycle if you wanted? Yes, you can wear a bike if you’re capable of carrying its weight. Confused? Here’s how you wear a bike:
The trick is to wear the bicycle like a backpack. Put one of your hands through the large triangle created by the tubes of the bike, and let it rest against your bike, while you grab onto the handle of the bicycle that you’re riding.
Here, your major concern should be balancing the bike on your back. If you lose control over the bicycle you’re carrying, you’re likely to lose control over the bike you’re riding as well. This will lead to an accident inevitably.
Another thing you should consider before going with this technique is the bike’s weight. If the bicycle is too heavy, it will wear you out and you won’t be able to ride long distances with it. Even if you manage to do it somehow, you’ll be completely drained once you reach your destination. This is why we highly recommend carrying a bike in this method only when it’s lightweight.
Plus, if you’re new to cycling, you should not try this. It is one of the riskiest ways of carrying a bike while riding another and should be attempted by experienced cyclists only.
Grabbing by the Handlebars
Another popular way of carrying another bike while riding one is this. When you’re riding one bicycle, you can grab another by the center of the handlebar, raise the front wheel, and keep the rear wheel touching the ground. Make sure that the bike you’re holding is parallel to the one you’re riding.
Through this method, you’ll be able to carry the bicycle much more easily. It won’t take much effort as you won’t have to rest the entire weight of the bike on your shoulders. However, you’ll require considerable arm strength to hold the weight of the front part of the bike in one hand.
So, you shouldn’t attempt this if you don’t have enough arm strength. If you do so despite the shortcomings, you’ll only end up tiring your hand, and you won’t be able to carry on from one point. In fact, you may even suffer from muscle cramps if you push yourself too hard.
Even if you have what it takes, we highly recommend warming up your hands and shoulder before doing this. It may save you from muscle cramps.
Tow It
There’s another way of carrying a bicycle while riding one, and it’s called the bicycle towing system. In this system, you attach the front wheel of the bike you’ll carry with the rear end of the bike you’re going to ride.
Although the installation process is quite complex, it’s one of the easiest and safest ways of carrying a bicycle while riding another.
There will be two major parts to the component that you’ll have to craft. Firstly, there’s the solid rectangular section that’ll be installed on the top of the rear rack. You can create this easily with rails that are used with windows and sliding doors. This will help you cut the cost.
Then, you’ll need to attach a strong metal arm to that. You need to set the metal arm in such a way that, if the top-end of the front tire of the bike is attached to the metal arm, you’ll be able to the rear-most point of the tire to the end of the metal arm.
Finally, you’ll need to strap another point of the tire to the chainstay of the bicycle you’re going to ride. If you attach three points of the bike that you’ll be carrying to the bike you’ll be riding, the front wheel of the former will be lifted a few inches off the ground. This will allow you to drag the cycle along with you without damaging it.
Get a Trailer
Finally, you can use a trailer for doing this. There are different types of trailers on the market, and not all of them will allow you to carry a bicycle without a hitch. In fact, these may even require a minor modification to allow you to carry a bike. Plus, they can be expensive as well.
However, this is the easiest and safest way of carrying a bike while riding another. To do this, we recommend getting a flatbed trailer from any online marketplace. You can go for the Burley Flatbed trailer as it’s quite durable and it’s easy to mod.
Once you purchase it, mod it by yourself or get it done by a professional welder. You just need to weld or attach a piece of long metal where you can tie the bike’s rear wheel. Make sure there’s a vertical extension at the end of the metal arm so the bike can be held straight.
The rest is pretty self-explanatory. Once everything is set up, attach the trailer to your bicycle , and strap the other bike onto the trailer. Now, you’re all ready to carry a bike on a bike!
Conclusion
Carrying a bicycle on another bicycle should mostly be done by experienced cyclists to be on the safe side. Carry a bicycle on your back only if you have a lightweight bicycle. If you want to transport the second bicycle by grabbing its handlebars, you must have the considerable arm strength.
The safest way is using a towing system or a bike trailer. These methods can be expensive, but they are the most secure. If you are a beginner at cycling, I would suggest using a towing system.
