How to Attach a Bike Trailer to a Bike

A bike trailer can turn a bicycle into a veritable wagon, pulling anything from non-human cargo to young children behind the bike itself. It may look difficult at first glance, but attaching a bike trailer to a bicycle can be done in a few simple steps.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

Wrench
Tab washer
Coupler plate
Bike trailer (including tow bar)

Step 1

Use a wrench to remove the nut and washer holding the bike's rear wheel to the bike frame (in the center of the wheel). Put them aside in a safe, secure place, as you'll use them again soon. The bike's axle should now be sticking out of the wheel, devoid of nut and washer.

Step 2

Slide the tab washer onto the bike's axle. Turn it until it fits naturally into the bike's frame.

Step 3

Slide the coupler plate onto the bike's axle. Fit it to the holes in the tab washer. The large hole should be on the bottom, not the top.

Step 4

Put the wheel's washer and nut back on to the axle, then tighten--first by hand, and then with the wrench.

Step 5

Fasten the bike trailer's tow bar to the coupler plate. The tow bar should slide through the coupler plate's large hole. A pin or some other fastening device should have come with your bike trailer; use this to fasten the tow bar to the coupler plate.

Article Written By William Jackson

William Jackson has written, reported and edited professionally for more than 10 years. His work has been published in newspapers, magazines, scholarly journals, high-level government reports, books and online. He holds a master's degree in humanities from Pennsylvania State University.

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