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So, my e-bike and trailer got stolen. I couldn't afford the same e-bike again, went for a cheaper. Thought kids seat would work. Didn't. The bike would sway so much with my kid on the back I actually collapsed with it. So back with trailer. Then I realised it doesn't have an easy to remove part to attach the trailer. And now I'm wondering if I actually have to replace the bike, cause I need the trailer.

Anyone got a clue if a trailer can be attached to this? I've had the same trailer and it was easy to attach to my last one. I don't know what you call it, quick release or axle, or something. Now it looks like it's just bolted closed.

I'll go to my bike shop to ask, but I wanted to know if it was even possible.

photo of the left rear drop-out from behind, showing the axle bolt photo of the left read drop-out from the side

Please help. Lol.

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    A picture of the trailer's hitch could be useful. Can you claim on insurance against the theft?
    – Criggie
    Jul 7, 2022 at 19:25
  • That looks just like an axle with nuts. The trailer attachment plates I've had would work at least as well as on a QR (and did, on a similar axle). But without knowing what attachment this trailer uses, it's hard to be certain
    – Chris H
    Jul 31 at 18:52

2 Answers 2

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It depends on the trailer and the axle. None of it is standardized.

Of the hitches that are axle-mount such that they're intended to fit over a solid axle, some are able to accommodate some flatted hub motor axles such as this. Burley is an example where the hole in the default "Steel Hitch" is 12mm. Flatted hub motor axles are commonly either 12mm or 14mm at their maximum diameter, so they can accommodate some but not all motor hubs. And there are designs that copy the Burley standard hitch design but where the hole in it is closer to 10mm exactly and can't work with any of them.

If you've got a hitch where it could work if only you drilled or filed out the hole, it's not necessarily crazy but it's very much at your own risk, and don't expect a business to help with that for liability reasons. The hitches are thick, hard steel, and shops don't necessarily just have drill bits appropriate to the task either, and doing it neatly with a half-round file is possible but takes time.

If the axle-mount hitch that a particular trailer manufacturer offers doesn't work with your hub motor, it then becomes a question of whether they offer an alternative that works with your bike. Since this appears to be a non-disc brake bike, something like the Burley Classic hitch would probably work, which is a rarity these days.

On your bike the fender bolt could get in the way of the trailer hitch, but it's probably possible to switch it to the inside of the dropout. If it's fixed length you might have to bend it around afterward to align the fender.

EDIT: There are trailer hitch adaptors available for most hub motor axle sizes. These work by replacing the left axle nut completely and providing a piece of M10 surrogate axle sticking out the side for you to attach your trailer hitch to.

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I don't see an off-the-shelf solution for you. I am building a trailer to use on my ebikes. I have had to design a custom hitch using part of an old hitch and part of a bike frame. However, I am mechanically gifted in some ways and I have the imagination, skill and tools to do so.

One thing I did was to google for something like "diy ebike trailer build hitch" and then look on the Images tab for inspiration.

You haven't provided a pic of the trailer but from what you've said I gather the hitch attaches to the axle. There are other kinds of hitches that go up over the back wheel to attach to the seat post. That type might be more do-able.

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