I will have the babes in tow… Over 100lbs with them in it! Used a cruiser last summer, but the upright position killed my knees. My mountain bike was a bit thick for the connection to the trailer… wondering if there is another type of bike that someone has used while towing the kids?
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I tow my cargo trailer behind a hybrid
The only particular requirements for towing are excellent brakes and some low gears.
1. It wasn’t the upright position that killed your knees. More than likely you had the saddle set too low, and you tried to push too huge a gear.
Set the saddle as high as you can get it without rocking your hips as you pedal. For most people this means a slight bend in the knee at the bottom of your downstroke. Amount of bend depends on the flexibility of your hamstrings.
You must be constantly shifting gears to maintain a cadence above 80 rpm. Most humans develop most horsepower between 90-105. Lower than 80 can produce knee problems, and is very inefficient.
2. What kind of bike? Can’t comment without seeing bike and trailer in person. Too many different bike and trailer combinations possible. I would reflect a mountain bike would be appropriate, but apparently there’s something about yours that makes it not so.
A hybrid is a cost-effective solution. Most hybrids have mountain bike style gears with lots of power for pulling that gray trailer. The frames are usually closer to road bike “thickness” at the trailer connection points. If it’s practical, you must probably take the trailer with you when you go to the bike shop to look for a hybrid.
Knee pain has a lot to do with bike fit and cadence. Make sure the seat height is adjusted properly and that the seat forward/aft adjustment is right. Your bike shop must do this for you free when you buy a bike there. That’s just one reason out of many to buy at a shop instead of a huge box store.
Knee pain also has to do with how you ride. Don’t strain hard, mashing the pedals against a huge gear. The professionals don’t even do that. Let the bike do some of the work for you. Use your gears to keep your cadence up. You must be pedaling against light resistance at all times. If you start to feel discomfort anywhere, do something different. Go your heel in or out a few degrees. Slide back or forth on the saddle. Do both.
HTH
I tow a trailer to by groceries and it holds a hundred pounds of cargo and as everyone else has said the hybrid is a excellent choice. I also agree you want to use a lower gear and that is simpler to spin but whatever thing over 70 rpm’s is much too quick for pulling children in a trailer IMO. Just set yourself up with a nice simple and comfortable pace for you and you’ll be fine.
You were wondering if there is another type of bike that someone has used while towing the kids, let me toss out an alternative or a suggestion. Have you ever thought about the recumbent as an alternative, that’s what I use http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/strada/CatrikeSpeed.jpg Most come geared for pulling trailers and are simple not only on the knees but the body as well. I can tell from my experience that pulling the Burley with a full load you can’t even feel the thing back there, it takes no effort at all, and the nice thing is there are no balance issues. Cost wise they are a small more money but worth every penny. It’s an alternative and just a suggestion and if you have too stay with the bike I’d go with the hybrid like people have suggested.
The mountain bike must work. You can either get a comfort or a hybrid bike. You want to use a low gear that is simple to spin at 70-90 rpm’s. That will keep you from getting too tired. Your knee problem was probably due from having the saddle set too low and mashing on the pedals.
http://bicycletutor.com/part/saddle/