Trailgator or tagalong?

[SuperBunny]

DS can ride a 2 wheeled bike without stabilisers but is now too fast for me to jog along side him so I'm about to get my own bike.

DS is only 4 so will get tired and will need help getting up hills in the forest so I was thinking about getting a trailgator. It seems like a really good idea but I've read mixed reviews. Have searched the archives but wondered if anyone had recent experience. I'm not convinced they are very stable.

We use a trailgator with ds3 from age 4 and it was/is fine. Seems just as stable as a tagalong bike which we have also used on holidays - and at least you don't need to store 1/2 a bike. Works for us as we used it on a camping holiday and on the camp site he still had a bike as we disconnected it.

Haven't used a trailgator myself, but a friend had one and didn't seem wildly enthusiastic (lets put it this way - they've bought a tagalong for their 2nd child).

I suspect they're probably good if your child is mostly riding independently, and just needs a tow from time to time. If they're mostly going to be travelling with you, a tagalong is probably better.

We've got an old Islabikes tagalong, and its fab, still use it occasionally even now dd is 7 if we need to go somewhere further afield and have a deadline, or if I need to go pick her up & she doesn't have her bike. With the tagalongs, I think that the ones that attach to a pannier rack are generally considered better/more stable than those that attach to the seatpost.

Thanks both.

We looked at the tagalongs today but the man in the bike shop thought DS was too small for them so the trailgator seems like the only option. He's quite independent and cycles a couple of miles by himself and I think he can go further. We'd use the trailgator to hook him on when he's tired so it wouldn't be all the time. From what you've both said, I think it would be ok for us. Thanks for answering

I'd say it depends how far you go and how often you want to use it. We have an old islabikes tagalong as well, (bought from ebay), but we take it on hols and can do up to 30 miles at a time on it. (dd is 6 btw). For that distance I wouldn't trust anything which attaches to the seatpost, as they can be unstable. Islabikes do still make the trailerbike I think, but new ones cost a fair bit!
I ride with a cycling club and a couple of families have childback tandems. They look great but are v expensive unless you can pick up a 2nd hand one.

I'll have a look for Islabike tagalongs but can;t find any on ebay atm

We'll only be going on short-ish rides (less than 10 miles) to beging with and I only want to be able to tow him when he gets tired. I think we'll try the trailgator and see if we need a tagalong when he is a bit older.

Thanks for all the help

Superbunny, I got my trailgator off eBay. The bidding is quite competitive, but they come up quite regularly. I paid around £30-40.

We love our trailgator and so much more flexible than tag along as DS can cycle himself then just hook up when tired. Otherwise he wouldn't do any cycling himself. No problem with stability

Fab, thank you

We have a trailgator and my sister has both trailgator and tagalong. Trailgator is very flexible for a child who's already cycling but can't do long distances/hills/busy roads.

Our 5yo goes on it for about half the time when we're cycling.

It stores away to a tiny pole too which is really useful.

Tagalong is probably slightly more stable but less flexible in that the child then doesn't have the option of cycling alone.

I've got the Trailgator!

Was a total pita to fit but have tested it and it is fab. DS cycled 5 miles by himself and then I did the 5 miles home with him attached. Was brilliant. Am so happy with it.

Cheeky question - any of you with islabikes trailer bikes thinking of selling?

Isla is not stocking them at the moment - apparently they are bringing out a new version but have needed to source new components etc and they don't know when it will be in stock, maybe the summer. In the meantime, I'm not having any luck on ebay or cycling websites.

So do let me know if you might be selling one in the near future, or know someone who is.

I know this is a long shot as the chat is old but if you are still looking for an Islabike trailer bike I have just finished with mine, am thinking of putting it on ebay soon to make space in the garage.

They are by far the best trailer bikes I have tried, so much more stable than the seat post mounted ones and took our DS from 3yrs.

We had a tag along, which both kids used from about 4 onwards. The advantage was that it lighter ( you don't have the weight of the unused wheel & forks). The disadvantage was that when we went away we still had to take the bike for independent riding.

Are you still selling the islabikes tagalong? If so - are you anywhere between Inverness and York (up either coast ;-))