A bike trailer makes your bicycle more versatile. It can turn your bicycle into a wagon that carries even heavy cargoes. The instep bike trailer pulls anything, including children and pets. Attaching the trailer to your bicycle creates a more enjoyable and fun cycling experience.
However, the process of attachment or installation comes with challenges, especially if you are doing it for the first time. You need a step-by-step guide to ensure that you are doing the right process.
Thus, here is our simple guide about how to attach an instep bike trailer successfully. It includes attaching the instep trailer to the bike seat post and attaching the instep trailer to the rear axle.
For complete details, read this guide below.
Table of Contents
What Makes a Good Bike Trailer?
1. Compatibility
When searching for an instep bike trailer, the most important thing is its compatibility with your bicycle. Even when you are getting the best product, if it does not fit your bike well or it has a poor instep bike trailer install mechanism, you cannot enjoy its functionality.
2. Hitching Mechanism
Another factor you should consider is the hitching mechanism. There are different hitching mechanisms, and you should first assess what your bike requires. It can be a habit of quick release (QR) skewers and it is a device that you insert into the rear dropouts and pulse.
3. Size
Instep bike trailers are usually in ‘two-seater’. It is also called an instep double bike trailer because of its size. But you still have to measure its interior in order to know whether it is compatible with your bike. Depending on how much cargo you need to carry, the size of your trailer also varies.
So, it is essential to check the manufacturer’s specifications and the structure of your bicycle before purchasing. It will ensure that the trailer has the perfect fitting to your bike.
4. Materials
Instep trailers come from different brands, and the construction and material used also varies. Ensure that you are choosing an instep trailer that offers durability and longevity. In this way, you can use the device long-term.
5. Storage
Another consideration is the storage system it offers. You are using a bike trailer for a reason and you need to find an alternative to improve your bike’s storage system. It is crucial to check whether the trailer has enough space for extra luggage, so it can carry the cargo you need to bring. Also, find a product that is easy to carry, and foldable to not take up so much space when not in use.
6. Safety
If you are looking for a trailer to carry your children, safety features should be the top priority. You need to ensure your kids’ security when using an instep trailer. Thus, looking at whether the product passed the safety standards and has CE (UK)marked to ensure that you are getting a quality bike trailer. For US products, look for the ASTM F1975-09 safety standard, too.
Also, consider extra features, including a protected and childproof five-point exploiting system, and functional handbrake, and strong coverage in the product.
Step-by-step Guide to Attach Instep Trailer Successfully
Attaching the instep trailer to the bike seat post
Step 1: Connect the receiver onto the seat post
The receiver is an important component of a seat post that attaches to the bike trailer anytime. Most bicycle seat post trailers have small circular plastic components that differ in size. This should go between the seat post and the receiver for a stable fitting.
For this step, you need to detach the bike seat first to attach the receiver onto the seat post. It will ensure that the trailer and the bike are connected properly.
Step 2: Reinstall the bicycle seat
Once you are confident with the attachment of the receiver and seat post, you can now reinstall your bike seat. Tighten your bicycle seat at a comfortable height when doing this process.
Step 3: Attached the hitch mechanism into the receiver
The hitch mechanism will connect the instep bike trailer to the bike. You can see this mechanism to the trailer arm and notice that the edge can connect to the receiver installed on the bike seat post.
While attaching the trailer hitch to the receiver, you will observe that there are holes at the top and bottom parts of both the hitch and the receiver. You should align these holes and create a straight line for both parts.
The holes are designed for a quick-release pin mechanism. The quick-release pin lets you install and re-install the trailer to your bike easily. It is the main connecting point of your bicycle and the instep trailer.
Step 4: Install the safety strap
If you choose a product with a safety strap, you must wrap the strap around the seat post, and clip-on onto the arm of the trailer. In this way, in case the hitch detaches from the post, there is still a safety strap connected to the bicycle.
Step 5: Test and inspect the connection
Before you actually use it, you should test for yourself if the instep bike trailer attachment is solid and stable. In this way, you can prevent accidents from occurring.
Attaching the instep trailer to the rear axle
Step 1: Remove the rear axle
For this step, it requires you to use a wrench in order to loosen the rear tire from the bike frame. Make sure that you won’t detach the tire entirely from the bicycle frame. You still need to tighten it back to its original position after the whole process.
To remove the axle from the back wheel, it is important to loosen the nut entirely until it completely detaches from the axle. Then, you can now pull the axle out of the tire.
Next, you need a washer and the receiver and slide the axle into these components. Ensure that both the washer and the receiver are properly placed on the axle. You can now insert the axle back into the wheel and tighten it correctly.
Step 2: Attach the hitch mechanism into the receiver
This step will require you to prepare the trailer for the installation. You need to insert the trailer hitch or the instep bike trailer connector into the receiver. You can apply some force to connect the trailer and the receiver successfully. It is crucial that these two are well-connected to avoid accidents from happening.
Then, check whether the holes from the receiver and trailer are aligned to each other. The alignment is very important so you can easily pin the hitch and receiver altogether.
Step 3: Repeat Step 4 and Step 5 when you attach the instep trailer to the bike seat post
Conclusion
Instep bike trailers are a great device that help you extend the carrying and storage capacity of your bicycle. However, it is still essential to know how you can successfully hook up an instep bike trailer to enjoy its functionality better. It will also prevent any untoward incidents that can happen due to poor attachment.
May this guide give you the right information about how to attach an instep bike trailer seamlessly. We kept the steps straightforward for easy understanding.
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“I ride my bike to work for years, but is that enough? Our carelessness towards our surroundings has taken a toll on the environment. And now, everyone is responsible for changes; even the most minor contribution is counted. With this hope and spirit, I started with my partner to establish Biketoworkday to help more individuals commute to their work sites on their bikes.”