A trailer bike (also known as a trailer cycle, and trademarked names such as Trailerbike, Trail-a-bike, Half wheeler or Tagalong) is a one-wheeled, or sometimes two-wheeled, bicycle trailer designed to carry one or more children in positions that closely resemble that of a bicycle rider. It can be described as the, "back half of a bicycle." [1] The rider of a trailer bike usually has a saddle, handlebars, and pedals. Some fold for more compact storage.
The trailer bike was patented by Canadian entrepreneur Delbert Adams in 1987. [2] [3] Adams started the manufacturer of trailer bikes, Trail-a-Bike, and began selling them in the early 1990s, [4] although the same concept had been previously independently and imitatively invented by others at least as far back as the 1930s with the Rann Trailer. [5]
Trailer bikes have come in a variety of configurations. These include upright-bicycle-like seating, and recumbent-bicycle-like seating as with the Weehoo iGo. [6] Trailer bikes have been available in single-seat and tandem configurations. [7] Trailer bikes may have just one gear or more than one. They seldom have brakes.
A trailer bike is attached to a bicycle at either the seatpost or on a special rear rack by a linkage that allows for pivoting. Alternatively, the hitch mechanism may rotate using the seatpost as the pivot. The attachment may include a quick-release option. [8]
The Trail-Gator tow bar and FollowMe Tandem coupling are two products that convert an existing, complete kid's bike into a trailer bike. [9] [10]
A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike, push-bike or cycle, is a human-powered or motor-powered assisted, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A bicycle rider is called a cyclist, or bicyclist.
A tandem bicycle or twin is a form of bicycle designed to be ridden by more than one person. The term tandem refers to the seating arrangement, not the number of riders. Patents related to tandem bicycles date from the mid 1880s. Tandems can reach higher speeds than the same riders on single bicycles, and tandem bicycle racing exists. As with bicycles for single riders, there are many variations that have been developed over the years.
A recumbent bicycle is a bicycle that places the rider in a laid-back reclining position. Some recumbent riders may choose this type of design for ergonomic reasons: the rider's weight is distributed comfortably over a larger area, supported by back and buttocks. On a traditional upright bicycle, the body weight rests entirely on a small portion of the sitting bones, the feet, and the hands.
A tricycle, sometimes abbreviated to trike, is a human-powered three-wheeled vehicle.
A bicycle brake reduces the speed of a bicycle or prevents it from moving. The three main types are: rim brakes, disc brakes, and drum brakes.
A velomobile ; velomobiel, velo, or bicycle car is a human-powered vehicle (HPV) enclosed for aerodynamic advantage and/or protection from weather and collisions. Velomobiles are similar to recumbent bicycles, pedal go-karts and tricycles, but with a full fairing and are not to be confused with purpose-built mobiles for racing or speed records fully faired vehicles with two wheels, generally called streamliners. Streamliners have set many speed and distance records.
Bicycle touring is the taking of self-contained cycling trips for pleasure, adventure or autonomy rather than sport, commuting or exercise. Bicycle touring can range from single-day trips to extended travels spanning weeks or months. Tours may be planned by the participant or organized by a tourism business, local club or organization, or a charity as a fund-raising venture.
A bottle cage is device used to affix a water bottle to a bicycle. Composed of plastic, aluminum, stainless steel, titanium or carbon fiber, it is attached to the main frame of a bicycle, the handlebars, behind the saddle, or, in uncommon cases, the fork. Most modern bicycles have threaded holes in the frame to hold the bottle cage, often called braze-ons even though they may be welded, glued, riveted, or moulded into the frame material. Clamps are necessary on bicycles not so equipped, such as older or less expensive models.
A touring bicycle is a bicycle designed or modified to handle bicycle touring. To make the bikes sufficiently robust, comfortable and capable of carrying heavy loads, special features may include a long wheelbase, frame materials that favor flexibility over rigidity, heavy duty wheels, and multiple mounting points.
This is a glossary of terms and jargon used in cycling, mountain biking, and cycle sport.
A bicycle trailer is a motorless wheeled frame with a hitch system for transporting cargo by bicycle. It can greatly increase a bike's cargo capacity, allowing point-to-point haulage of objects up to 3 cubic metres in volume that weigh as much as 500 kg. However, very heavily loaded trailers may pose a danger to the cyclist and others, and the voluntary European standard EN 15918 therefore suggests a maximum load of 60 kg on trailers without brakes.
A handcycle is a type of human-powered land vehicle powered by the arms rather than the legs, as on a bicycle. Most handcycles are tricycle in form, with two coasting rear wheels and one steerable powered front wheel. Despite usually having three wheels, they are also known as handbikes.
Burley Design LLC is a company in Eugene, Oregon, United States that has produced outdoor family products since 1978. Its blue and yellow children's bicycle trailers were among the first on sale, in the early 1980s. In the past, Burley also made bicycles, tandem bicycles, recumbent bicycles, and rain gear.
A bicycle saddle, often called a bicycle seat, is one of five contact points on an upright bicycle, the others being the two pedals and the two handles on the handlebars. The bicycle saddle has been known as such since the bicycle evolved from the draisine, a forerunner of the bicycle. It performs a similar role as a horse's saddle, not bearing all the weight of the rider as the other contact points also take some of the load.
A luggage carrier, also commonly called a (bicycle)rack, is a device attached to a bicycle to which cargo or panniers can be attached. This is popular with utility bicycles and touring bicycles.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to bicycles:
TerraCycle, Inc. is a designer and manufacturer of recumbent bicycle parts based in Portland, Oregon in the United States. TerraCycle is known for its idlers and Cargo Monster load-carrying extensions.
Cruzbike is a brand of recumbent bicycles based in Newburyport, Massachusetts, United States. The company was founded in 2005 and all models are now designed in the United States and manufactured in Taiwan. Cruzbike started life in Australia and was featured on the ABC show The New Inventors. It is fairly unusual in that it makes a front-wheel drive recumbent bicycle with a Moving Bottom Bracket (MBB). The bottom bracket is the piece that the pedals attach to, and in this case it moves left and right with the front wheel when steering the bicycle. This design allows for better climbing ability, and eliminates "heel strike" on turns, but comes with a slightly longer learning curve as there is a pedal-steer effect.
| General and technical | |
|---|---|
| Utility and slow recreation | |
| Sports-related cycling and fast-paced recreation | |
| Health, safety and infrastructure |
|
| Other | |
| Lists | |
