Tow ropes (again)...

[z1ppy]

So after my bike broke mid ride and I had to be pushed back to the car (up a 1mile hill), and though I was impressed my friend was able to do it, as I've pushed another m8 back along a flat fire road and that hurt enough, I'm wondering about a packable emergency tow rope. I'm not interested in using it unless necessary, so the trax system is out, but as the threads I can find are all from december, I wondered if anyone had found any better solutions than the 4m elasticated tow rope off ebay? (looks a bit cumbersome to live in my pack)

 

[Pdoz]

For years I carried a length of spectra on motorbike trips as an emergency tow rope. It worked, but is nowhere near as easy or safe as the trax. It's awesome having the line retract and prevent wheels getting tangled as we negotiate corners / obstacles etc. Try a trax, you will not regret it

 

[R120]

Towwhee?

TowWhee Bungee

 

[z1ppy]

Trax system has limits:
USAGE INFORMATION
Maximum weight per towed cyclist – 90kg / 200lbs
Maximum recommended speed – 10km/h / 6mph

fine for the kids but my group of m8’s (& myself) might be pushing it (Also there’s a review online where they snapped one at the weight limit)

I like the TowWhee bungee but £40 seems a bit expensive for a once in the blue moon event (well hopefully), where a couple of inner tubes could do a similar If crapper job. I can see cheap & cheerful elasticated rope on the ’bay, but don’t like the look of the clunky hooks

 

[Zimmerframe]

If it's just for emergencies, can't you use a length of 25mm webbing ? like a ratchet strap type thing ? 2.5 or 3 meters would roll up to virtually nothing and probably squish in the seat rails. Or even a length of para-cord ? That seems to be pretty strong and none bulky. I guess if you were really trying to be space saving, some high strength fishing line. I think mono filament goes upto about 150kg and braided upto about 250kg. You could wind that round the bike somewhere as extra scratch protection and tape it in place.

 

[Slowroller]

Your mate couldn't ride along a flat fire road? Maybe you need a new mate....

 

[R120]

Surely there must be some sort of bonkers strong paracord that up to the job?

 

[Zimmerframe]

Surely there must be some sort of bonkers strong paracord that up to the job?

 

[CjP]

Trax works a treat. I’ve towed many analogue mates around 80 to 90kgs up hills while they pedal.
Anything heavier than they mate and you’ll be killing the bike. It’s not in the way at all unless you don’t have clearance on your seat tube and can clip on in 5 seconds.

Ps thanks Pdoz!

 

[Pdoz]

Trax system has limits:
USAGE INFORMATION
Maximum weight per towed cyclist – 90kg / 200lbs
Maximum recommended speed – 10km/h / 6mph

fine for the kids but my group of m8’s (& myself) might be pushing it (Also there’s a review online where they snapped one at the weight limit)

I like the TowWhee bungee but £40 seems a bit expensive for a once in the blue moon event (well hopefully), where a couple of inner tubes could do a similar If crapper job. I can see cheap & cheerful elasticated rope on the ’bay, but don’t like the look of the clunky hooks

My kid is 6 foot tall, I'm not game to ask her weight , and we regularly shuttle above 10 k - but that's a reasonable set of limits until you both have a LOT of practice. For emergency use, how much would you pay to be towed at 10 k for an hour rather than walking for 3 hours?

I'm not going to feed the click baiters by going looking for what they did to break a Trax at the weight limit, were brakes involved?

To be honest, if you only want emergency use then buy some 2 mm dyneema line - it has a breaking strain around 400 kg and could probably be used as a chain link in an emergency. Just be VERY careful not to wrap it around things - I'd be willing to bet for dyneema against a set of wheels in a fight....

 

[Cubie]

Just sacrifice your spare tube. Loop it round the seat rails/post and hook it round your bars, job done. You’ll stretch it but it’ll get you home.

 

[B1rdie]

View attachment 31489

The line used to to tow a hangglider plus pilot at 150 kg approx is a 3mm like this. ?
To tow my dog I use a tubular 25 mm ( 2.000kg) with a bungee inside, but sometimes she tows me uphill ?

 

[GrandPaBrogan]

Your chains stretching much, guys?

 

[Gary]

Since when was a mechanical ONE MILE from your car an EMERGENCY?

WTF has happened to mountainbiking? ?‍

 

[jsalas2]

So after my bike broke mid ride and I had to be pushed back to the car (up a 1mile hill), and though I was impressed my friend was able to do it, as I've pushed another m8 back along a flat fire road and that hurt enough, I'm wondering about a packable emergency tow rope. I'm not interested in using it unless necessary, so the trax system is out, but as the threads I can find are all from december, I wondered if anyone had found any better solutions than the 4m elasticated tow rope off ebay? (looks a bit cumbersome to live in my pack)

I use this, small fits in pack and works. I have used it many times to tow and to be towed. I tow motocross style around the stem to half round the grip. The person being towed can let go at any time Chase Harper USA 9100 - Buddy Tow - Tough military spec nylon webbing (1785 lb. test) 12' x 1" - Orange

 

[jsalas2]

So after my bike broke mid ride and I had to be pushed back to the car (up a 1mile hill), and though I was impressed my friend was able to do it, as I've pushed another m8 back along a flat fire road and that hurt enough, I'm wondering about a packable emergency tow rope. I'm not interested in using it unless necessary, so the trax system is out, but as the threads I can find are all from december, I wondered if anyone had found any better solutions than the 4m elasticated tow rope off ebay? (looks a bit cumbersome to live in my pack)

I use this, small fits in pack and works. I have used it many times to tow and to be towed. I tow motocross style around the stem to half round the grip. The person being towed can let go at any time Chase Harper USA 9100 - Buddy Tow - Tough military spec nylon webbing (1785 lb. test) 12' x 1" - Orange

Chase Harper USA 9100 - Buddy Tow - Tough military spec nylon webbing (1785 lb. test) 12' x 1" - Black

 

[Rusty]

Meh - watched a guy on a Levo towing his missus up a hill (long and shallow) after she fell and broke her derailleur. Half way up the hill his Brose stripped the belt.

Towing with a eMTB is not recommended.

 

[Pdoz]

Towing with a eMTB is not recommended.

How is towing any different to high torque riding? As an example, I can tow up the 4x4 shuttle at the local mtb park -3.5 km, 300 m elevation, we usually do 4 runs. My legs cope better with that than struggling up heart attach hill solo

 

[Rusty]

How is towing any different to high torque riding?

Weight - plain and simple. Many manufacturers have a maximum weight - Trek for instance 136Kg (300 lb) bike and rider. I remember reading somewhere Giant is 140kg. I know back when I was around 116 kegs there were several bikes I looked at and the dealer said ... nope.

So, at say 80kg and your 20kg bike, then towing another 100kg you are putting quite a load on.

 

[Pdoz]

Weight - plain and simple. Many manufacturers have a maximum weight - Trek for instance 136Kg (300 lb) bike and rider. I remember reading somewhere Giant is 140kg. I know back when I was around 116 kegs there were several bikes I looked at and the dealer said ... nope.

So, at say 80kg and your 20kg bike, then towing another 100kg you are putting quite a load on.

Do you mean liad through motor or frame?

Frame I can understand - and if I ever snap it I'll accept that.

But motor? All the motor can do us deliver max torque , how does it make a difference if that max torque is pulling 180 km up a 10% steady grade vis punching this overweight lame rider up a steep rocky grade? For perspective, last year I ripped one of my quads iff my knee cap punching up a steep climb solo in full assist- surely that puts more load through the drive train / motor ?

 

[Rusty]

how does it make a difference if that max torque is pulling 180 km up a 10% steady grade vis punching this overweight lame rider up a steep rocky grade?

It does make a difference. I don't have any of my engineering books to go through these days but there is a formula than can extrapolate the added stress on the components.
I remember a discussion about towed weight for a car and when it got technical I was corrected about how the manufacturers not only have a limit as to what the chassis/towbar can handle, but also things like clutch/gearbox.
As an aside, many a time I have towed a motorcycle out of the desert only to have clutch slipping issues the next time I went riding. Me, replacing clutch plates in a MC engine is something I used to do between motos and can be done in 5 minutes or so if necessary. Replacing a stripped belt on a Brose motor is a pain, even if you could get the parts and if you mention towing I bet the dealer would be "sorry, warranty doesn't cover that." Also, one must remember most other motors have at least 1 plastic gear in their system.

I ditched my Levo after stripping the belt as I expected to do that regularly based on my 110kg weight and my aggressive riding style - and fining many other 100kg+ riders having multiple engine replacements due to stripped belts.

 

[Pdoz]

It does make a difference. I don't have any of my engineering books to go through these days but there is a formula than can extrapolate the added stress on the components.
I remember a discussion about towed weight for a car and when it got technical I was corrected about how the manufacturers not only have a limit as to what the chassis/towbar can handle, but also things like clutch/gearbox.
As an aside, many a time I have towed a motorcycle out of the desert only to have clutch slipping issues the next time I went riding. Me, replacing clutch plates in a MC engine is something I used to do between motos and can be done in 5 minutes or so if necessary. Replacing a stripped belt on a Brose motor is a pain, even if you could get the parts and if you mention towing I bet the dealer would be "sorry, warranty doesn't cover that." Also, one must remember most other motors have at least 1 plastic gear in their system.

I ditched my Levo after stripping the belt as I expected to do that regularly based on my 110kg weight and my aggressive riding style - and fining many other 100kg+ riders having multiple engine replacements due to stripped belts.

Interesting comparison - I remember my 98 triton ute had a 1.5 t towing limit but the turbo equipped 2000 model had 2.5 t. Same chasis etc . Now I understand why the lbs removed my trax ....

The motorbike - I'd always assumed this was from frying the oil rather than clutch plates. After weeks spent crossing desserts I'd dump the oil assp - putrid. Fried clutches riding single line on blue smokes....now that's time to replace the plates...

Sooo....you're saying I need to buy a new emtb and hand the giant down to the kids ?

 

[Rusty]

Sooo....you're saying I need to buy a new emtb and hand the giant down to the kids ?

Any excuse for a new bike huh?

Tell the missus it is all Rustys fault ............ everyone else does

 

[wkearney99]

All this talk about towing... and the picture of a kid without eye protection... the tension carried in a taut line is DANGEROUS. If a line snaps and comes back at someone you could be looking at a very serious injury. A line whipping back will take out an eye, break bones, severely lacerate skin or worse, all the above. Do not undertake to tow anything without giving serious pause for safety.

 

[R120]

All this talk about towing... and the picture of a kid without eye protection... the tension carried in a taut line is DANGEROUS. If a line snaps and comes back at someone you could be looking at a very serious injury. A line whipping back will take out an eye, break bones, severely lacerate skin or worse, all the above. Do not undertake to tow anything without giving serious pause for safety.

Totally agree, thats why the Towhee is the only one I would consider using.

 

[Zimmerframe]

All this talk about towing... and the picture of a kid without eye protection... the tension carried in a taut line is DANGEROUS. If a line snaps and comes back at someone you could be looking at a very serious injury. A line whipping back will take out an eye, break bones, severely lacerate skin or worse, all the above. Do not undertake to tow anything without giving serious pause for safety.

I don't see where a member has posted a picture?

You are correct. Though I think something like a trax line would t have enough mass/energy to ping back.

Something heavier, yes. I was rolling a large felled oak with my van with a kinetic extraction rope when the strop on the tree came free.

The back of the van still has the dent where it looks like I was being chased by an angry 300kg snake and I slammed the brakes on...

For anything with energy in it, you'd normally lay a coat or something over the line to absorb the energy and take it to the ground. A fat tight rope walking e-biker would do the same if you didn't have a spare jacket.

 

[wkearney99]

Ooops, I have been reading many threads, so it's possible I crossed them wrt the kid picture.

 

[CjP]

The trax won’t spring back if it snaps. It may retract back too fast and whip me though but I’m more than ok with that. Actually I may change the way I use it from now on..

 

[Waynemarlow]

Going to the Dyneema SK78 type lines used for sailing would be way over kill at 3mm line ( about 800kg breaking strain ) 2mm is available but really fiddly to put knots and splices into. But you actually need a bit of stretch and bounce in the line to take out the trail chatter of bumps and rocks and stuff, if you put a bit of 3mm bungee down the centre of it, it just takes some of the rigidity out of it. We do this on our ski bike " leashes " to make it more usable.

 

[Dave 80]

Inner tube.

Or length of rachet strap nylon. This is better IMO, you can use for other repairs and carrying items is great. Even form a harness for the tow'er.

Just watch getting it tangled in the back wheel.

PS I also carry an old pillow case and use the above strap tie it off Veschmeshok style if required. Especially if I come across something on a ride I need to bring back home ......apples most likely

Also, if you have no faith in the rider your towing.... lash a bit hazel to your toptube making a overhang at the back so if they drop the rope it has less chnace to tangle in your wheel.