It was a spontaneous thing–we were already in Ballard and while I’d ideally have used my WideLoader and attempted this with one or zero kids in tow, today turned out to be a good day to pick up Karen’s tandem trail-a-bike. Her two kids mostly ride solo so she recently Xtracycled her mountain bike. Now she can ride solo and haul one or both kids and their bikes if need be. The kids of the TAB’s new owner won’t grow into it for a couple years so she’s letting the Family Bike organization borrow it in the interim and I’m just the courier, ferrying it from one garage to another.
The current tandem folder trail-a-bike weighs 34 pounds so this one probably does, too, but it’s a heavy 34 pounds. I’m also not the most effective cargo packer so I’m sure I made things harder than necessary. I was worried that if I carried it on the right side of my bike, it would interfere with the gears, but having it on the left side meant the gear shifter poked my front kid in the back a bit and a bolt dug into my left thigh. A smarter person would have found a tool and taken off the bolt. I opted to ride a few blocks until a bruise formed and then ride most of the remaining 6.5 miles one-handed so I could hold the hitch off my leg. The good news is that the bruise will remind me for a quite a while “at least I’m not towing a tandem trail-a-bike right now!”
Today’s miles: 25.1
April miles: 363.4
Family Ride 
Love all your hauling adventures. Every time I try a new load on my Mundo I think of you and the twin box spring… :)
No! Not the box spring! I still haven’t recovered and a rental van donated it while we were moving so I’ll never have my revenge. But happy to inspire :)
I was with you until you said you weren’t the most efficient cargo packer. That is a lie. You are world class.
You are too kind. I must just get lucky because shoving awkward items into cargo pockets while small people fight and nearly run into traffic is not the ideal packing environment :/
Taking the environment while packing into account only ups your awesome status. I haven’t even bothered with panniers on my back rack because I wouldn’t have time to load them. “Get in the bike so your brother will!” is something I yell almost daily.
oh dear. thank you, though! have you talked with Morgan? has she agreed to this plan? I have not heard from her. I guess I will send her a contract and find out.
Oops, I didn’t adequately capture how AWESOME it was to transport such big cargo. So fun! And yes, a little painful :)
I know Morgan is on board–send her that contract. And thank you!! I didn’t realize it had the rear seat back–very cool.