Bike trailers can be perplexing and irritating to parent out how to attach to a bike. Some bike trailer brands, such as schwinn, instep declare to have a “universal” hitch coupler.
But is there definitely a “universal” bike trailer coupler attachment?
I’ve connected every essential bike trailer brand to many specific sorts of bikes, which include cruisers, hybrid bikes, mountain bikes, road bikes, and disc brake bikes. This text covers everything i’ve found out about how regularly occurring bike trailer attachments certainly are.
Table of Contents
Is there a universal hitch coupler?
There’s presently no hitch coupler available which could universally attach to all manufacturers of bike trailers. However, schwinn and instep bike trailers presently have the maximum prevalent coupler available. They can connect to conventional brief-release bikes and thru-axle disc brake bikes with out the want for an adapter or greater attachments.
In different phrases, schwinn/instep hitch couplers are regularly occurring in that they can attach to any kind of bike, but they can’t attach to all brands of bike trailers.
Right here’s a guide on a way to attach any bike trailer to any bike.
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Well matched with: schwinn and instep bike trailers
Schwinn and instep made updates to their bike trailers after november 2016 that use this more moderen fashion of coupler attachment. Most substantially, this coupler will match a thru-axle bike. If you find more its also my recommendation.
A bike trailer coupler is a small attachment that connects the rear wheel of the bike to the hitch arm of the bike trailer. The coupler securely attaches the bike trailer the use of a security pin, which allows you to quick attach and detach the bike trailer.
There are some reasons you can need a new coupler:
- Your coupler broke
- You want one for any other bike
- Or you purchased a used bike trailer that did no longer include one
It may be a trouble to exit and get a new coupler, so beneath you can locate some on amazon for under $15 so one can supply right to your door.
If you want to find out more about it, just scroll down below, then scroll down below you will find all the information you need.
Keep Reading!
Why are bike trailer hitch couplers so incompatible?
The primary cause bike trailers are not well suited with a few styles of bikes (particularly disc brake bikes) is because the bike industry is swiftly innovating at a charge quicker than bike trailer manufacturers can maintain up with.
As an example, bike trailers have been initially designed in most cases for widespread quick-launch bikes returned within the early Nineties. Lower back then, disc brakes had been not commonplace on bicycles, and the recognition of disc brakes did now not hit the market until a decade later.
Since the growth in reputation of disc brakes and different sorts of bikes, bike trailer manufacturers have made widespread efforts to house the hastily-converting bike industry. Appreciably, many bike trailer organisations have produced thru-axle adapters for disc brakes and spacers for bikes with hooded dropouts.
Some bike trailer manufacturers have even long past to exceptional lengths to completely redecorate their hitch coupler attachment system so one can accommodate thru-axles and different types of bikes.
Most significantly, burley and schwinn are businesses that absolutely redesigned their coupler device. That is a rather bold circulate on their part, as it would upload a great deal more investment of time, cash, and training on their element.
Right here’s a entire guide on attachments.
What is the most compatible bike trailer brand?
Schwinn and instep bike trailers are the most like minded and problem-unfastened on the subject of attaching to any type of bike. I have attached my schwinn trailers to a cruiser, a mountain bike, a road bike, and a hybrid bike with none want to shop for additional attachments.
But, they’re now not totally “popular” as their product descriptions claim to be. That means, they may be regular in that they could connect to all styles of bikes (disc brakes, short-release, and many others.), but they can not attach to all manufacturers of bike trailers.
Regrettably, no one has found out how to make a sincerely regularly occurring coupler attachment device, but schwinn is getting pretty near! They made a big improve to their coupler gadget in 2016 that even works with thru-axle disc brake bikes.
Schwinn and instep bike trailers are below the identical organization, so that they use the precise equal coupler attachment device.
How do bike trailers attach?
bike trailers either attach to the axle of the rear wheel or on your bike’s seat publish.
In most cases, you’ll be able to effortlessly attach your new bike trailer right out of the box, with all add-ons covered. Specially, if your bike’s rear wheel has a wellknown brief-launch (skewer that goes thru the middle of the wheel), then most trailers will attach easily on your bike.
A few kinds of bikes, however, may additionally require a easy adapter for you to attach the trailer. Commonly, bikes that have through-axle wheels or hooded-fashion dropouts might also require an adapter.
When you have disc brakes in your bike, make sure to examine this newsletter on attaching to disc brakes.
Can you diy a bike trailer coupler?
Except you are an extremely skilled welder, it’s far strongly recommended to simply spend $10-$15 to get a new coupler. It’s worth the investment!
Although not encouraged, it’s miles possible to connect a bike trailer with out a coupler, however most effective in case you are a quite-skilled welder. A few people that choose to diy their coupler attachment
How to attach a coupler to a bike right
here are the basic steps to attach coupler to a bike:
1.Take away the fast-release from the middle of the rear wheel. If you have a bolted wheel, then use a wrench to put off the nut from the wheel.
2.Area the coupler and accompanying washer onto the axle of the wheel. In maximum cases, the coupler goes on the left-hand aspect of the rear wheel.
3.Re-attach the short-release nut over the coupler and tighten until at ease.
4.You’re now equipped to connect your bike trailer the usage of the safety pin supplied with the coupler attachment.
I wrote a detailed article on the way to attach a bike trailer to any bike, which you may discover right here.
3 different types of couplers
Choosing the right coupler is straightforward. There are most effective three primary forms of coupler attachments. The kind you want definitely relies upon at the emblem of your bike trailer.
Coupler for schwinn or instep
At just underneath $15, this preferred attachment is well suited with all schwinn and instep bike trailers.
Burley metallic hitch
At simply $10, the metallic hitch is a strong steel coupler computable with any burley bike trailers.
Thule hitch cup
Thule is a excessive-stop bike trailer producer that gives excessive-price ticket items. Therefore, the attachments and accessories are regularly high-priced as properly. At around $50, the thule hitch cup is the available alternative for thule proprietors.
In case you’re no longer sure what form of coupler attachment your bike trailer requires, just take a look at the person manual that came with the trailer or at the product description page.
3 top-rated bike trailer couplers under $15
Those coupler attachments all have over 4.1 star scores on amazon and are underneath $15. Buying a coupler simply isn’t an highly-priced investment if it gives you get entry to to a running bike trailer!
Coupler for instep and schwinn bike trailers
Well matched with : schwinn and instep bike trailers
Schwinn and instep made updates to their bike trailers after november 2016 that use this more moderen fashion of coupler attachment. Most substantially, this coupler will match a thru-axle bike.
Odier metal hitch for burley bike trailers
Well matched with: burley bike trailers
Thule bike trailer ezhitch with quick launch
Like minded with: thule bike trailers
Potential issues with disc brakes
Maximum bike trailer couplers are well matched with disc brake bikes right out of the container, except you have got a 12mm thru-axle.
Mainly, burley and thule bike trailers might also require you to purchase an extra attachment so one can adapt the bike trailer hitch to work with a 12mm thru-axle.
Even though it is possible to attach any bike trailer coupler with any style of disc brakes (with the right adapter), it is crucial to observe that no longer all brands of bike trailers play properly with the almighty disc brake.
Burley trailers and thule trailers particularly are infamous for being incompatible with disc brakes.
If you have disc brakes, you need to read this guide on disc brakes and bike trailers.
What is the most compatible bike trailer brand?
Schwinn and instep bike trailers are the most like minded and problem-unfastened on the subject of attaching to any type of bike. I have attached my schwinn trailers to a cruiser, a mountain bike, a road bike, and a hybrid bike with none want to shop for additional attachments.
But, they’re now not totally “popular” as their product descriptions claim to be. That means, they may be regular in that they could connect to all styles of bikes (disc brakes, short-release, and many others.), but they can not attach to all manufacturers of bike trailers.
Regrettably, no one has found out how to make a sincerely regularly occurring coupler attachment device, but schwinn is getting pretty near! They made a big improve to their coupler gadget in 2016 that even works with thru-axle disc brake bikes.
Schwinn and instep bike trailers are below the identical organization, so that they use the precise equal coupler attachment device.
What is the least compatible bike trailer brand?
I have attached every primary bike trailer brand to many one-of-a-kind styles of bikes, together with a cruiser, mountain bike, hybrid bike, disc brake bike, and a road bike.
From my experience, the least compatible bike trailer brand to my exclusive bikes is thule.
It’s a near tie between thule and burley, however thule bike trailers are specially difficult to attach when you have a thru-axle disc brake bike.
Right here are reasons thule trailers are the least like minded:
1.The coupler hollow on thule trailers doesn’t match a thru-axle
Different coupler systems at the least have a large enough hole to in shape a 12mm thru-axle so that you can see if it will suit your bike, however thule’s coupler doesn’t even have a huge enough hollow to even try it.
As soon as i got my thule chariot pass, i was right away defeated thru the fact that i had to spend some other $60 on an adapter.
For this type of excessive-quit bike trailer producer, i’d wish that thule can at least produce a coupler which could deliver disc brake bikes a hazard by way of making a larger hollow. Even schwinn made a large coupler, and that they’re no longer nearly as high-end as thule is.
2.Thule trailers do now not include adapters
I understand it may look like a stretch to ask a employer to provide a thru-axle adapter to their customers. But with a high charge tag of over dollars a thousand for a number of its bike trailers, i don’t suppose it’s unrealistic to provide the adapter within the container while a patron orders the product.
Of path, there are many forms of thru-axle sizes, in order to offer the appropriate adapter relying on the kind of bike the consumer has. For a high-stop business enterprise like thule, i don’t suppose it’s unreasonable. It simply looks like double-dipping to invite customers to buy a $60 adapter simply to attach the trailer to a bike.
The good information approximately thule is that they do offer greater variations of thru-axle adapters than any other agency, which you can check out in this put up.
Conclusion on coupler for instep and schwinn bike trailer
If you’re thinking to simply make do with out getting a brand new coupler or make your personal, don’t do it!
Couplers are reasonably-priced and designed to make sure protection and safety at the same time as pulling the bike trailer. They’re simply one of those stuff you want so as to pull a bike trailer nicely, however from time to time they wreck or get misplaced.
I recognize, it’s a problem to get a brand new one, but for simply $10–$15, it’s well worth the investment to experience the achievement of pulling a bike trailer and treasured cargo with your own two legs.
Want help finding the right bike trailer?
If you want assist locating the right bike trailer for you, My endorsed trailer for the majority is the scwhinn joyrider, that is an low priced double-seater that converts beautifully to a stroller. Test out my full evaluate with pics here.
Test out the remaining manual to shopping for a bike trailer for extra assist with deciding on a trailer. I also have compiled a listing of the top bike trailers for each common state of affairs, which you may check out right here.
Trip on!
Continue reading
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