# Followme Tandem



## middleagecyclist (18 Jun 2013)

My 7 old and I have loads of fun going out for rides with her on a tagalong but as she now has a new big bike and is increasing the distance she can cycle independently I feel the tagalong will soon not be the joy it once was*. However, I do not want to get caught 10+ miles from home with a tired daughter who cannot or will not cycle home and so i'm giving serious consideration to purchasing a Followme Tandem bracket (no interest in a trailgator as I had one before I do not like them). The FollowMe is over £200.00 though and while I know they hold the value well I would like to get as much info as possible about them before I splash the cash. So, any CCers using one? Thanks for any help.

*gratuitous vid of her on the tagalong for those who have not seen it before.


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## ianrauk (18 Jun 2013)

I love that vid @middleagecyclist
She looks like she is so enjoying the ride, totally taking everything in that's around you/her.
How old was she when that was filmed?

I am already looking at a tagalong.
Little fella is only 3 so early day's yet.


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## middleagecyclist (18 Jun 2013)

ianrauk said:


> I love that vid @middleagecyclist
> She looks like she is so enjoying the ride, totally taking everything in that's around you/her.
> How old was she when that was filmed?


She was five and half then. Obviously bigger now and she puts in more effort but this will likely be the last year we can really make use of it and I do want her to get used to doing longer independent rides with me. I'll still shed a little tear when we get rid of it though and i bet she will too


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## ianrauk (18 Jun 2013)

well let me know when you want to sell the tagalong.. if you will of course.
I so want some of that fun with the nipper.


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## macbikes (18 Jun 2013)

That is a really lovely vid. We have a trailgator but have only used it for short runs. Having seen your video I am determined to get out for some longer cycles.

Sorry can't help with the FollowMe questions.


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## benb (18 Jun 2013)

Hmm, I really like the look of that, as I could have the youngest in the seat on the rack, and the eldest on his bike on the bracket.


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## hatler (20 Jun 2013)

[QUOTE 2509586, member: 45"]I'd certainly have bought one of these if I was aware at the time we could get good use out of one. As it is, we've only got another 6-12 months where it would be useful so I can't justify the cost. Love it though.[/quote]
Snap. If I'd known these things existed before we bought our two Adams Trailer bikes I'd have definitely bought two of these.

I've seen one in action and it is indeed very neat.


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## Red Kite (23 Jun 2013)

We've got one. We use it attached to a Dawes City Vision towing an Islabike Cnoc (16" wheel).
All connected, it rides nicely, very solid. My 5yo daughter loves it and I feel she is quite safe on it. Her bike stays upright and follows my wheel truly. It doesn't feel at all like it would jackknife, as it relies on it's own damped pivot to turn instead of using the childbike's steering like other towbar arrangements that I have seen.
I carry two big panniers as well. My daughter doesn't have to pedal, but she can give a useful turbo-boost up hills, and she can also apply her brakes when necessary. 
It takes two minutes to connect or to disconnect the childbike and hook the Follow-Me up. This feature means I can let my daughter ride by herself offroad, and then hitch up to go along a road. Today we're taking the whole caboodle on the train for the first time, but we've often cycled together to the station, then disconnected my daughter's bike and brought that only. I've also gone and retrieved my daughter's bike a few times when she hasn't been able to ride home eg from the swimming pool (tummy cramps).

So... it's fab.

Now the downsides:
It's heavy. About as heavy as my daughter's bike. 6 kilos or so? The motherbike has to be sturdy to cope, and you wouldn't want to ride around with it hooked up if you didn't absolutely have to. BUT...
...taking the Follow-me off my bike takes about 6 minutes, with practise (which is an age if you need your bike naked to dash to the station on); and requires brute strength that many people would not have. Even so, if you often take the Follow-me off and put it on like I do, there's a serious risk of injuring your wrists (which I did). After resting my wrists for six weeks I got round it by using my knees to brace my arms to pull the bars of the Follow-me apart.
When folded up on the motherbike, the Follow-me sometimes bashes my Standlicht, it would break it if left to do that. Follow-me will sell you a piece of wire for £15.00 to solve this problem. I fixed it myself by tying it carefully.
The fixing that stays on the childbike is really awkward to get on. The first one broke, predictably, because it's flimsy. The second one worked, but only after cutting my hands, predictably, because it's a sharp-edged strip of metal. Now it has slidden down the childbike allowing the front wheel to ground out. I'm not looking forward to adjusting it.
It rusts. 

In general...

It looks and feels like a prototype or a beta, but ****if you are handy enough and strong enough****, it rocks.


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## benb (24 Jun 2013)

Thanks for that, I've now gone off it completely and will just stick with the tagalong that we already have.


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