Disc brakes are the right braking accomplice whilst pulling a bike trailer. They offer advanced braking electricity in your bike, that is in particular wanted when towing 40+ lbs of extra weight.
But are disc brakes like minded with bike trailers?
Right here’s the whole thing you need to recognise approximately how to connect any bike trailer to a disc brake bike.
Table of Contents
Are you able to pull a bike trailer with thru-axle disc brakes?
Disc brake bikes with a thru-axle will typically require an adapter costing around $60 in order to drag a bike trailer. Specifically, burley, thule, and hamax bike trailers will likely require an adapter for you to connect the bike trailer hitch to the thru-axle.
Keep on analysing to discover if your disc brakes and bike trailer setup is compatible!
What you should understand when you have disc brakes
When you have a disc brake bike and would love to apply it to pull a bike trailer, then there some crucial matters so that it will understand.
1.Bike trailers are notoriously incompatible with disc brakes
Burley and thule bike trailers particularly may not be well suited together with your thru-axle disc brakes. But that doesn’t mean it received’t paintings!
Bike trailer manufacturers do a very good activity of providing instructions on the way to make it paintings. In reality, many bike trailers now include an updated coupler attachment this is well matched with disc brakes.
Which means, when you have an older bike trailer, then there’s an excellent chance it’s going to not be like minded out of the field.
2.Your disc brakes might work simply high-quality without any attachments
Although bike trailer organisations do a quite true activity at explaining what you need to do when you have disc brakes, the truth is that there are too many styles of disc brakes for them to maintain up with.
My exceptional advice is virtually to simply get the bike trailer you need and spot if it suits. If it doesn’t fit, then go to this guide to get the attachments which you want.
From my private revel in of attaching my burley bee trailer to my disc brake bike, it is not as straightforward as burley’s website states. The reality is that there are such a lot of versions of disc brakes thru-axle sizes, thread sizes, and axle lengths.
The burley website offers commands that don’t paintings for each disc brake owner, and in some cases, the attachments they endorse aren’t even wished.
I have a solution for you: just get the bike trailer you need and notice if it fits.
The purpose i say this is based on private experience. I first of all sold all 3 of the attachments that burley recommends for thru-axle disc brakes (about $ninety in total).
Once I got the attachments from amazon and used them with my burley trailer, i observed that my burley trailer labored just pleasant with my bike’s authentic through-axle!
My first-class recommendation in relation to attachments and bike trailers is to just get the bike trailer you want and notice if it attaches in your bike. If it doesn’t healthy, then follow the guidelines in this guide on how to connect any bike trailer to any bike.
Can all bike trailers connect to disc brakes?
Although it is feasible to connect any bike trailer with any style of disc brakes (with the proper adapter), it is critical to notice that not all manufacturers of bike trailers play nicely with the almighty disc brake.
Burley, thule, and hamax trailers particularly are infamous for being incompatible with disc brakes.
If you have a 12mm through-axle disc brake gadget, then i might hesitate to even advise getting those bike trailer brands due to the added hassle and capacity extra expenses of the attachments wanted (it may upload up to around $ninety in total). It’s far without a doubt simply so complicated!
In case you are set on getting a burley, thule, or hamax trailer, then simply get it and notice if it suits. There’s a chance you will no longer need any adapters, as was my case.
Study beneath how to adapt your bike to work with any bike trailer brand.
What to do in case your bike trailer doesn’t match your disc brakes
In case your disc brake bike is not well suited with your trailer, the motive is in all likelihood which you have a 12mm via-axle style rear wheel.
Thru-axles which can be as a minimum 12mm in diameter will occasionally now not match thru the hole of the coupler hitch attachment that includes the motorbike trailer.
An example of this would be any burley bike trailer. Popular burley trailers use a unique patented hitching gadget that lets in for higher pivoting, in keeping with burley.
This gadget become not originally optimised for disc brakes that have 12mm thru-axle, which lamentably method additional attachments is probably required.
Happily, bike trailer producers are keeping up with the disc brake fashion by way of supplying answers for disc brake customers.
The issue with through-axle disc brakes is that there are such a lot of distinctive sizes of thru-axles that it’s far very tough for bike trailer producers to keep up with it.
So if you bike trailer does now not healthy your particular bike, then follow the recommendations beneath.
The way to measure your thru-axle
Maximum of the confusion around thru-axles and bike trailers comes right down to the reality that there are such a lot of unique sizes of thru-axles.
Right here’s a way to measurements you may want in an effort to discover the precise thru-axle adapter in your bike:
1.Axle diameter
The axle diameter measures the diameter around the axle. Most thru-axles are 12mm, so it’s probably secure to expect your through-axle is 12mm.
2.Axle duration
The axle length measures the distance (commonly in mm) from the head of the axle to the stop. You will need to know your bike’s axle length so that it will purchase the perfect through-axle adapter.
3.Thread pitch
The thread pitch measures the gap between every character thread. You may need to understand your bike’s thread pitch if you want to purchase the best adapter for your bike trailer.
Wherein to get the right thru-axle adapter
That is any such common place query, that i determined to make a helpful guide on precisely in which to discover the proper through-axle adapter for any bike trailer.
Test out that adapter manual here.
Below we outlined the specific methods to attach your disc brake bike to your specific logo of bike trailer.
Are your bike trailer and disc brakes compatible?
This segment will provide an explanation for the primary sorts of trailer and bike mixtures to help you identify if your bike trailer is like minded and if you’ll need to choose an adapter.
Here’s a helpful desk to reveal you which adapter you might want to attach your bike trailer for your any bike.
Notice: those are trendy recommendations that work for maximum conditions. Every bike has a unique kind of axle length and thread.
Burley for hooded dropout spacer (View on amazon).
Thule for hooded dropout spacer (view on amazon).
Burley bike trailer: the way to attach a burley trailer to disc brakes
Burley has created a handy educational manual and a number of useful motion pictures (below) to help owners recognise what kind of adapters they could want.
In my experience, disc brakes come in too many distinct sizes to recognise precisely which adapter you will want.
Consequently, my great advice is to simply get the trailer you need and check to see if it suits your bike before buying any adapters.
If it doesn’t suit, then check out this whole adapter manual on how to find the proper adapter in your burley trailer.
My revel in become that i bought $ninety really worth of attachments and i ended up no longer even wanting them due to the fact my burley bee works perfectly satisfactory with my bike’s original thru-axle disc brakes.
Ordinary, i hesitate to even suggest getting a burley bike trailer if you have disc brakes. But if you do have a burley trailer, then cross ahead and notice if it fits. If it doesn’t healthy, then check this adapter manual for precise instructions approximately your disc brakes.
Here’s my guide on wherein to get the proper adapter in your bike.
What does burley say about it?
According to burley’s website, right here’s what you want to know approximately adapting for disc brakes:
“12mm thru-axles will require burley’s adapted through-axle. This alternative axle has outside threading to deal with the set up of our axle mounted hitches.”
Burley also states, “the classic hitch isn’t always well suited with disc brakes or rear suspension.”
The purpose the classic hitch will no longer work is both because (1) the skewer of your rear wheel is simply too thick to bypass through the hitch,
Or (2) the disc of the wheel receives within the way. In this case, the more modern burley metal hitch adapter will paintings to your disc brakes.
Burley’s website goes on to mention, “in case you are upgrading from a traditional hitch to a metal hitch, you’ll additionally need to purchase a flex connector: part # 950038 (rectangular tow bar) or part # 950037 (round tow bar).”
If you are still absolutely harassed approximately burley hitches and adapters, then test out the helpful videos at the lowest of this submit.
Right here’s a beneficial guide to burley hitches:
Thule bike trailer: a way to connect a thule trailer to disc brakes
Thule bike trailers normally play properly with disc brakes. But, if you have a 12mm through-axle (like i do), then you may maximum in all likelihood want to purchase a thru-axle adapter.
On account that there are so many unique styles of disc brakes, it makes it even more confusing for proprietors of thule bike trailers.
Here’s my guide on wherein to get the right adapter for your bike.
Consequently, i’ve tips:
1.Use the adapter manual to find the proper adapter
Thule has such a lot of unique varieties of adapters that it’s overwhelming for most people. I advocate the use of this useful adapter manual to measure and discover the suitable thru-axle adapter for your bike and bike trailer.
2.Use a special bike or don’t get a thule bike trailer
I understand, it’s a bit of a stretch to mention this, but i hesitate to even propose getting a thule bike trailer inside the first place in case your bike has a through-axle.
Thule is already an costly bike trailer brand and paying over $50 for more attachments doesn’t seem reasonable.
I’m surprised that thule hasn’t figured out a manner to make a extra popular coupler system that suits all types of thru-axles.
Any other opportunity to remember is to just use a different bike to pull your thule.
Schwinn bike trailer: a way to attach a schwinn trailer to disc brakes
Schwinn bike trailers are a lot less complicated to attach to disc brakes! When you have a 12mm thru-axle and an older schwinn trailer coupler machine (pictured underneath), then you may want to buy a more recent coupler as a way to suit the through-axle. The through-axle will now not fit thru this older coupler.
When you have a more recent schwinn coupler (pictured beneath), then your thru-axle bike will attach great to a schwinn bike trailer.
If your bike trailer nonetheless does no longer suit with the newer coupler, then you should purchase an adapter the usage of the adapter manual.
Instep bike trailer: the way to attach an instep trailer to disc brakes
Instep and schwinn are below the equal corporation, so observe the equal commands in the above phase approximately schwinn trailers.
Recommended hitch attachments from amazon
Burley bike trailers
Trouble: i’ve a thru-axle disc brake bike
Solution
In case you recognize the form of via-axle that you have, then test out burley’s many through-axle adapters you could discover here.
Thule bike trailers
Problem: i’ve a thru-axle disc brake bike
Solution
In case you understand the kind of via-axle that you have, then take a look at out thule’s many through-axle adapters you may find right here.
Schwinn or instep bike trailers
Trouble: i’ve a thru-axle disc brake bike
Solution:
If you have an older coupler attachment, purchase the more moderen coupler.
When you have the more modern coupler, you’re correct to head.
If you have every other bike trailer that isn’t one of the 4 fundamental manufacturers stated above, please read the adapter guide for details about your bike trailer or examine the trailer’s user guide.
Why are disc brakes better for pulling a bike trailer?
Whether you’re a disc brake fanatic or you’d like to get a disc brake bike, you’ll be satisfied to know that disc brakes are best companions for bike trailers.
They offer great braking energy in even the worst riding situations, at the same time as additionally supplying you with the greater wanted pressure to prevent the ahead movement of pulling a bike trailer.
So, in case you are set on the usage of your disc brake bike to drag a bike trailer, then you’re in good fortune because it is truly viable. But there are a few bike trailers to look at out for, which i explain below.
Can all bike trailers attach to disc brakes?
Although it is possible to connect any bike trailer with any style of disc brakes (with the proper adapter), it is critical to be aware that not all manufacturers of bike trailers play nicely with the almighty disc brake.
Burley trailers and thule trailers particularly are notorious for being incompatible with disc brakes.
When you have a thru-axle disc brake device, then i would suggest reconsidering getting a burley or thule bike trailer because of the extra prices of the attachments wished (up to $50–$ninety in overall just for attachments).
What are thru-axles and why do disc brakes use them?
For protection motives, thru-axles are determined on most disc brake bikes nowadays, as opposed to the short-release gadget.
The very famous bike brand trek recalled a positive disc brake bike due to the fact the quick-release lever become reportedly getting stuck within the disc rotor while the lever changed into left open even as using.
This incident reputedly taught the enterprise that the safest device for disc brakes is thru-axle, rather than quick-release.
Thru-axles additionally add a level of sturdiness and stiffness to the fork of the bike while going over rougher terrain.
Conclusion on attach a bike trailer to disc brakes
Are you getting excited about the concept of pulling a trailer with your disc brake bike? In that case, then don’t let the capacity greater price of an adapter prevent you in your tracks.
But if not, then it’s flawlessly safe to apply a everyday bike with caliper brakes to drag the trailer.
Make sure to test what kind of bike you have and the emblem of bike trailer you’ve got or want to get. Burley and thule trailers are the least well suited with disc brakes if you have a 12mm thru-axle bike, so be aware of what you’re getting yourself into!
Want help locating the proper bike trailer?
In case you want help locating the right bike trailer for you, my recommended trailer for most of the people is the scwhinn joyrider, that is an low-cost double-seater that converts fantastically to a stroller. Test out my complete evaluation with photographs right here.
Test out the remaining guide to buying a bike trailer for extra assist with deciding on a trailer. I also have compiled a list of the pinnacle bike trailers for each not unusual scenario, which you can take a look at out here.
Trip on!
Burley hitch video courses
Burley in-depth hitch manual
The way to installation burley hitches and adapters
Burley thru-axle commands
Burley flex connector guide
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