People,
Has anybody any experience of either of these said products? Any thoughts or opinions?
Thank you.
Robert
Kidderminster CTC
Tail Angel or Tail Gator
Re: Tail Angel or Tail Gator
Useful thread: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=44268
Pop "Trail Gator" (with the quotes) in the forum search engine for a few more. There's only one mention for "Trail Angel".
The "Follow-Me" gets better reviews but it's got a premium price tag.
Pop "Trail Gator" (with the quotes) in the forum search engine for a few more. There's only one mention for "Trail Angel".
The "Follow-Me" gets better reviews but it's got a premium price tag.
High on a cocktail of flossy teacakes and marmalade
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latequartet
- Posts: 71
- Joined: 8 Oct 2013, 2:10pm
- Location: South Yorkshire
- Contact:
Re: Tail Angel or Tail Gator
We have two FollowMe tandem couplings.
For the premium price you get:
- solid positioning (no counter-tilting);
- room for rear rack / luggage / bike seat;
- additional safety features;
- 30 seconds to hitch / unhitch.
Obviously a rear rack bike seat plus FollowMe adds 10kgs, but means our two can chill out / snack without travelling being suspended.
Pic only has one bike seat on, but a Yepp maxi fits on the step-through frame. Note, the Yepp Junior works in combo with rear panniers, up to a point (and depends on rack strength).
For the premium price you get:
- solid positioning (no counter-tilting);
- room for rear rack / luggage / bike seat;
- additional safety features;
- 30 seconds to hitch / unhitch.
Obviously a rear rack bike seat plus FollowMe adds 10kgs, but means our two can chill out / snack without travelling being suspended.
Pic only has one bike seat on, but a Yepp maxi fits on the step-through frame. Note, the Yepp Junior works in combo with rear panniers, up to a point (and depends on rack strength).
- Attachments
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A towing-daily-road cyclist (without a car) with children and a wife. Cycling close to and on the NCN 6 in Sheffield.
Re: Tail Angel or Tail Gator
We didn't get on with that sort of thing. I had a Tail Gator briefly. I like the idea, but I found it made my bike unstable at higher speeds. Once I knew that Mini V liked pedalling behind me, I bought a used child back tandem, and it's been well worth the money.
That said, it does seem to work well for some people. Even if we'd gotten on with it, it's use was going to be somewhat limited for us, because I have two kids. We have a trailer bike for the tandem, and that works pretty well. The kids like it, though Mini V is mostly cycling independently, now.
You might be able to borrow or hire one to try it out? That way you wouldn't spend money on somehting that may not work for you?
That said, it does seem to work well for some people. Even if we'd gotten on with it, it's use was going to be somewhat limited for us, because I have two kids. We have a trailer bike for the tandem, and that works pretty well. The kids like it, though Mini V is mostly cycling independently, now.
You might be able to borrow or hire one to try it out? That way you wouldn't spend money on somehting that may not work for you?
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
Re: Tail Angel or Tail Gator
Many thanks. I do like the idea of the follow me, if the price is a little wincing. I not considered a child back tandem. I have heard mixed reviews of budget tandems.
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latequartet
- Posts: 71
- Joined: 8 Oct 2013, 2:10pm
- Location: South Yorkshire
- Contact:
Re: Tail Angel or Tail Gator
2nd hand child-back can be effective, but FollowMe allows your bike to become a tandem and depending on child age, save the need for kiddicranks for a tandem. UK stockists of FollowMe and supplier all have advantages. Buying from Bike-DE 10% cheaper, but local bike shops have >10% advanatages I guess. We've done it both ways, recommend both!
Worth noting, three different adaptors for child's front spindle come as standard. If your child's bike has a quick release (QR) skewer, you need to buy the fourth adaptor for a further ten quid (e.g. Islabike range).
Jeremy
Worth noting, three different adaptors for child's front spindle come as standard. If your child's bike has a quick release (QR) skewer, you need to buy the fourth adaptor for a further ten quid (e.g. Islabike range).
Jeremy
A towing-daily-road cyclist (without a car) with children and a wife. Cycling close to and on the NCN 6 in Sheffield.
Re: Tail Angel or Tail Gator
We bought a secondhand Thorn Voyager. IIRC, I paid £500 or £550 (approx. £1000 build spec), and I think you can get them in reasonable condition around that price. Ours is basically the second car, so it's seen lots of use, with absolutely no trouble.
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
Re: Tail Angel or Tail Gator
Vorpal wrote:We bought a secondhand Thorn Voyager. IIRC, I paid £500 or £550 (approx. £1000 build spec), and I think you can get them in reasonable condition around that price. Ours is basically the second car, so it's seen lots of use, with absolutely no trouble.
We found the tag along trailer bike experience distinctly underwhelming. We found the steering and braking and handling unsafe, and I know other people have had the same experience. We then got a proper tandem, and that was great. Stable, easy to stop, and fine for longer journeys. Bolting two bikes together does not make a tandem, unfortunately.
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latequartet
- Posts: 71
- Joined: 8 Oct 2013, 2:10pm
- Location: South Yorkshire
- Contact:
Re: Tail Angel or Tail Gator
Yes we knew of problems with tag along from a steering / braking / balance point of view. We cautiously greeted the Cycle Magazine's FollowMe review with interest. It's slower, heavier and longer than a tandem. We were surprised and continue to be impressed by its versatility. For us those obvious disadvantages were overwhelmed for us by our 4 & 6yr olds wanting to ride alone so much. We have plenty of weekly traffic-free places to go, where we need to travel hitched together to arrive. We also put our set up on and off trains 40 - 50 times a year.
Is the FollowMe worthy of its "tandem" moniker? It is more like a tandem than any other tag-along option.
Is the FollowMe worthy of its "tandem" moniker? It is more like a tandem than any other tag-along option.
A towing-daily-road cyclist (without a car) with children and a wife. Cycling close to and on the NCN 6 in Sheffield.
Re: Tail Angel or Tail Gator
Sorry to ressurect a 7 year old thread but today my son (who has sensory difficulties and is taking a longer than most children to learn balance) and I had a near-death experience with our Trail Angel. Whilst riding along there was a loud "crack" sound and his bike listed to the side and he nearly fell.off. We stopped quicky and discovered that the quick-release pin connecting it to the seat post bracket had failed. In particular the thread on the nut had stripped.
Both of use were quite shaken and were a fair few miles away from home - fortunately my wife came to the rescue in the car.
Not sure what to do now. Its 2 years old and have misplaced the receipt. Don't want to use it anymore in any event.
Both of use were quite shaken and were a fair few miles away from home - fortunately my wife came to the rescue in the car.
Not sure what to do now. Its 2 years old and have misplaced the receipt. Don't want to use it anymore in any event.
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Tangled Metal
- Posts: 9509
- Joined: 13 Feb 2015, 8:32pm
Re: Tail Angel or Tail Gator
For a cost followme tandem would be my advice. We had one and it's really good. No slipping of the fixings like seatpost tailgator type tagalongs but especially good is the fact that your little one can ride free when safe to do so.
At 4.5 years old our son did a 2 week cycle tour in the Netherlands which does actually have hills. We have no idea of distance but we had a few days where 50 miles was the probable distance cycled. He did mostly riding free but we had a few battles getting him back in it but when tired he did and it meant we could keep going. A year later we left an important piece of it at home so had to leave it in the car at the UK port. It was missed. Year after that he was too old for it.
Seriously good piece of kit IMHO.
At 4.5 years old our son did a 2 week cycle tour in the Netherlands which does actually have hills. We have no idea of distance but we had a few days where 50 miles was the probable distance cycled. He did mostly riding free but we had a few battles getting him back in it but when tired he did and it meant we could keep going. A year later we left an important piece of it at home so had to leave it in the car at the UK port. It was missed. Year after that he was too old for it.
Seriously good piece of kit IMHO.
Re: Tail Angel or Tail Gator
Thanks for the advice - I have been looking at the Followme Tandem and they certainly look rubust and a lot more stable. Not too bothered about cost as there is no price for my son's safety and there are plenty of good ones on the used market. I particularly like the fact that it mounts onto the rear axle rather than seatpost.
Re: Tail Angel or Tail Gator
If you change your mind on that... with Brucey's advice I redesigned the seat post mount for the trailer trike used by my daughter and grandchildren. It now works very well.Chris56 wrote: ↑26 Jun 2022, 7:20pm Sorry to ressurect a 7 year old thread but today my son (who has sensory difficulties and is taking a longer than most children to learn balance) and I had a near-death experience with our Trail Angel. Whilst riding along there was a loud "crack" sound and his bike listed to the side and he nearly fell.off. We stopped quicky and discovered that the quick-release pin connecting it to the seat post bracket had failed. In particular the thread on the nut had stripped.
Both of use were quite shaken and were a fair few miles away from home - fortunately my wife came to the rescue in the car.
Not sure what to do now. Its 2 years old and have misplaced the receipt. Don't want to use it anymore in any event.
...
We used tandems with our children and the family now also has an enclosed trailer, child seats, a Follow-Me and that two-child trailer trike. Always happy to share experiences.
Jonathan