Any problem with attaching a bike trailer to an aluminum frame?
Most trailers today attach to the rear axle. I suspect that the frame doesn’t notice anything other than more weight. I certainly wouldn’t use a trailer with a ultralightframe (of any material). As a rough guide I would be comfortable using any frame with a lifetime unconditional warrantee, especially if it comes with rack eyelets. If its a short warrantee racing bike its probably not suited for a heavily loaded trailer. That said I doubt even the lightest racing frame would break with a 40 pound load on a short trip.
Thanks for the reply. My trailer does attach to the rear axle, but I figure that still stresses the seat and chain stays somewhat. Right now the trailer is on my wife’s steel bike, so I’m not worried about it. And I’m not hooking the thing up to my Vitus in the near future. (It’s a two kid carrier, btw, so probably closer to sixty pounds.) But I’m thinking about that Giant TCR, and wondering if it could handle the trailer or not- figuring rides of 20 or 25 miles.
I’d be ok with an axle connection. I would NOT be ok with a trailer that clamps directly to the seat and chainstays. Mine connects to the seat post, which makes a nice strong anchor.
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Look into the “alternative hitch” from Burley. It replaces their stock hitch and replaces the quick release. In the end the cconnection is solely the quick release. You could look at one of these and retro fit to the trailer that you are looking at if it isn’t a Burley.
vitus979,
I wouldn’t attach a trailer to any high performance/light frame road bike. It’s just not engineered for this sort of riding. I wouldn’t have any problem with attaching a trailer to any aluminum frame that was intended for general riding or touring, however.
On the road, the aluminum frame is much more free to move in response to forces applied to it than it would be “locked/frozen/fixed” in a training stand.