How do I tow a child's bike?

How to tow a child’s bike with your own bike (easily and without special equipment)

Is your child getting tired at the end of a ride? Need to bring their bike back from school or take it along with you? Good news: with a Bakkie bag, you can tow a child’s bike with your own, easily and without special gear. We’ll show you how to keep the small wheel well aligned with your bike for safe towing.

Take your time the first time

Before heading out, take a few minutes to adjust the straps and find the right settings. Once everything is set, you’ll see: handling becomes quick and intuitive.

The goal: align the small bike’s wheel with the towing bike’s wheel so it rolls straight, without rubbing or wobbling.

Preparing the bike bag for towing

1. Take out the 3 straps stored in the bag pocket. Stitch markers:
   • Green = shortest
   • Yellow = medium length
   • Red = longest
2. Loosen the vertical straps.
3. Unclip the rear vertical strap.
4. Pre-position the straps:
   • Green strap: clip its female buckle to the male buckle inside the bag. It will then pass inside the base of your towing bike.
   • Yellow strap: thread it through one of the rack’s tubes to keep it ready.
   • Red strap: clip its female buckle to the male buckle at the top rear of the bag. It passes inside the rack platform.

Placing the child’s bike wheel

1. Do a dry run:
   • the wheel barely sticks out at the front
   • the bottom of the wheel is 10–15 cm off the ground
   • the child’s pedals don’t hit your rear wheel when turning
2. Place the child’s wheel in front of the bag to find the right position.
3. Check alignment and adjust vertical strap height.
4. Place the child’s wheel inside the bag.
5. Reclip the rear vertical strap, either over or through the spokes depending on the setup.

Securing the straps: keep the front wheel parallel

1. Green strap: clip the buckle and adjust it to center the wheel in line with the bike.
2. Yellow strap: clip and tighten slightly to maintain alignment.
3. Red strap: clip it behind the handlebar or around the child’s bike frame, depending on its geometry.

💡 The key is that the rear wheel of the child’s bike follows your track perfectly.

First tries: towing the child’s bike

• Practice a little in a quiet area: the child’s bike should follow smoothly and you should feel comfortable.
• Then check that the straps are still tight.

Small issues? Solutions!

Here are some helpful tips from experience:

• A strap loosens?
  • Reposition it properly in the locked position. (See manual)
  • You can also use the green strap without the clips: fasten it directly between the small wheel and the base of your bike.
• The child’s wheel rubs against your rear wheel?
  • The luggage rack is probably too short.
  • Solution: add a Bakkie stiffening slat to give better support at the back of the bag.

In summary

Towing a child’s bike with yours is easy, stable and safe with the Bakkie bag. Once you’ve found the right settings, you’ll tow with confidence. A great way to extend outings… without risky carrying!