Bike trailers can be perplexing and irritating to parent out how to attach to a bike. Some bike trailer brands, such as schwinn, 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.
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.
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 universal bike trailer coupler attachment
There will clearly be a prevalent hitch coupler designed within the future, however for now, we’ll just should manipulate with the bike trailer agencies which might be making attempt to innovate new ways of attaching bike trailers.
If you’re inside the market for a new bike trailer, i might recommend a stable Schwinn joyrider bike trailer (here’s my private preferred). No longer only for the compatibility with all varieties of bikes, however also for the affordability.
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!
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