# Question about Trail a Bikes



## CupOfJava (Dec 1, 2008)

I got a Gary Fisher Freeloader for free and was wondering if the trailer bike was supposed to move side to side? No matter how much I tighten the hitch clamp around the adult bicycle seat post the trailer bike still moves and ends up not in line with the parent bike. I'm thinking I should just loosen the bolts and let the trailer bike move side to side - perhaps it was designed to move? Can anyone here give me some insight on what to do? Thanks

Trek and Gary Fisher make this type of trail a bike:









Picture of the clamp that attaches to the seatpost:


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## merlinm (Feb 12, 2010)

CupOfJava said:


> I got a Gary Fisher Freeloader for free and was wondering if the trailer bike was supposed to move side to side? No matter how much I tighten the hitch clamp around the adult bicycle seat post the trailer bike still moves and ends up not in line with the parent bike. I'm thinking I should just loosen the bolts and let the trailer bike move side to side - perhaps it was designed to move? Can anyone here give me some insight on what to do?


It probably has to give at least a little because the long cross bar would receive too much stress from turning otherwise. Don't know if you should loosen it though, did you read the manual?


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## CupOfJava (Dec 1, 2008)

merlinm said:


> It probably has to give at least a little because the long cross bar would receive too much stress from turning otherwise. Don't know if you should loosen it though, did you read the manual?


I didn't read the manual because I got the trail a bike used.


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## haager (Oct 9, 2009)

We have the Trek version..very similar. It should be able to rotate a bit on the seat post. You want it tight,but not too tight..tighten the clamp untill you can just barly rotate it by hand. Make sure the large bell side of the shim is face down and rests right on top of your seat post clamp. Our 5 year old loves this thing.


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## CupOfJava (Dec 1, 2008)

haager said:


> We have the Trek version..very similar. It should be able to rotate a bit on the seat post. You want it tight,but not too tight..tighten the clamp untill you can just barly rotate it by hand. Make sure the large bell side of the shim is face down and rests right on top of your seat post clamp. Our 5 year old loves this thing.


Great thanks for the advice. I'll have to make some adjustments when I get home.


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## Badkharma (Sep 18, 2006)

I don't have a trail-a-bike, but I have the Weehoo iGo which is essentially the same thing. The "trailer" is meant to rotate around your seatpost. You should be able to rotate it around your seatpost by hand. It's like a ball hitch on a car. If you turn, it's like towing a trailer - the trailer will cut to the inside of the turn.

However, if you're just going straight and it's going side to side, perhaps the clamp around the seatpost is too loose, or a wheel isn't straight. If your kid is on the trail-a-bike too, they could be shifting their weight back and forth while pedaling which could also explain the side-to-side movement.


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## nanook93 (Oct 16, 2008)

haager said:


> We have the Trek version..very similar. It should be able to rotate a bit on the seat post. You want it tight,but not too tight..tighten the clamp untill you can just barly rotate it by hand. Make sure the large bell side of the shim is face down and rests right on top of your seat post clamp. Our 5 year old loves this thing.


+1

I have a Trek Mountain Trail 201 as well. I found the instructions for the current year's model on the Trek website (find them under the index at the top left):

http://www.bike-manual.com/brands/trek/om/trailerbike/index.html

The instructions say to "tighten the bolts evenly, just until it becomes difficult to rotate the hitch on the seat post by hand." The trailer bike SHOULD pivot on the seat post hitch because the instructions also say, "the trailer-bike works like a trailer behind the lead bicycle and does not follow the same path." The the diagram that accompanies this statement shows the trailer bike pivoting. Plus, you are also instructed to apply grease to your seat post under the plastic bushing.


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## CupOfJava (Dec 1, 2008)

Thanks for the info guys!


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