I know this may sound a daft question, but will a normal 16 speed racer tow a trailer and its doggy contents ok? total weight including dog will be about 30 kg – Im wondering if a hybrid may be better suited.

Never tried it with a lightweight roadie, but it was fine for me with two kids in the trailer behind a Dawes Super Galaxy. No reason why it shouldn’t work, but wouldn’t want to mount a trailer on a carbon or thin alu bit.

Probably be ok then, its just a normal alloy racer, I got this feeling its going to feel unstable though!

I towed a trailer with 2 kids in it with a lightweight road bike (Cannondale R3000)
I also asked a guy in my LBS if he thought it was OK and said there should be no problems.
I generally use my roadrat now though, but it can be done.
The hills are hard work if you don’t have low enough gears though 🙂

i suggest this…..

and a pannier rack.

😀

incidentally Ed, have you seen this….

dogless

My dog will be towed home from work tonight using my road bike, about the same weight as you will be towing, and it seems to do the bike no harm (its an entry level bike so not that lightweight though) but it feels better sitting in the saddle and spinning along steadily rather than stomping on the pedals.

No probs on my old steel roadie.
Is half the effort towing than with the mtb.
Once its rolling you barely notice, even with my two aboard.

Big un’ always falls asleep on way home!!!

I do this regulary with my giant scr which is a alu frame. You just have to use slightly easier gears and start braking sooner.

No reason at all not to. I tow my son around all the time with my 15lb carbon road bike. Doesn’t feel at all unstable – in fact feels just like riding the bike normally apart from lots more weight up the hills, and more wind drag on the flat.

a friend once toured italy with a 2002 Cannondale R600 (CAAD5) and a BOB.

If it can survive that then im sure a dof in a trailer will be easy work.

Thanks for the advice folks, i’ll give it a whirl and get a trailer sorted soon…..

and Chris, I have no fond memories of that ‘mud’ puddle at 1:20 – you had to get that shot didn’t you! 😕

Hooked the AT2 trailer and a 4 year old onto the back of my Cannondale CX bike, OK… tough on hills (only has a 39t small ring!) a bit of flex on the carbon fork under braking. Much better towing with MTB on cyclepaths but was OK on roads with CX bike – just.

Would be much better if it had a triple and a stiffer fork.

Am I the only one towing with a singlespeed? Great strength training!