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Anybody know if you can attach a kid trailer (example: https://www.buybuybaby.com/store/product/burley-bee-bike-trailer-in-yellow/1061738171?skuId=61738171) to an EBike? I have a huge hill to go up to get home and would like some help. I'm worried I might break the bike with the excess weight or it won't be able to accommodate the trailer.
Thoughts?
Anybody done this?
The details depend on the exact trailer and, more importantly, on the bike.
There are lots of trailer couplers that simply go on the end of the rear axle and are clamped to the bike by the wheel bolt. But on an e-bike with a rear wheel motor, you might have a cable coming out of the axle on the side you want the trailer.
If you google images for "bike trailer adapter" you'll get a bunch of ideas for adapters you can buy, and if you look for "homemade bike trailer adapter" you'll get a bunch more ideas for workarounds you can use if a stock item won't work. Again, it depends on the bike and how much scratching or other damage you're willing to risk, but I see a bunch of pictures using hose clamps to attach something to the stays that a trailer coupler can then attach to.
We jury-rigged something on our cheap ebike many years ago: we didn't care about scratching and we figured it was pretty cheap steel but strong enough so we clamped the trailer coupler on with a U-bolt.
This is the best picture I can find of the bike with the coupler U-bolted to a seat stay:
Yes. I’ve done so with my ebike. I have two trailers — a dog trailer (miniature version of a child trailer) and a cargo trailer that I use when I go to the hardware store; and N+1 bikes and ebikes. All use the same NDS rear axle mounting system (below). I use the same hitch system on all my bikes, electric and human, so I can choose what I pull with and what I pull.
On my main ebike, the rear hub motor/wheel has a thicker axle than normal. So I had to drill out the hole in the trailer hitch coupler to the larger axle diameter. There was still plenty of meat on the coupler even bored out, and it’s made out of welded steel so I’m not worried about it breaking, but if the idea of doing so freaks you out, you might have a (bike) mechanic check to see if it’s something that can be safely done.
Caution: it will likely void your warranty on the ebike and maybe the trailer. Pulling a trailer puts more stress on your bike frame, the motor, and the brakes.
