The coupling weighs 10 pounds, just for the parts that detach from the bikes, and the parts that stay on my bike are at least another 5 pounds, though I didn't weigh them before installation (and the last time I removed them, it look a hammer because of all the rust; see below).

My experiences are generally positive, but differ from other available reviews, many of which seem to be based on a day or a week of using the coupling. Sometimes we screw them back into the axle adapters on the bike, but we don’t like having them on the bike all the time just in case they come loose or get damaged. It would be good if the FollowMe Tandem extended a bit further away from the wheel to accommodate mudguards. It’s a pretty complex invention, and if you want to grasp all the ins and outs and do it justice, it just needs some time to explain everything.If your bike has a different axle (like a through-axle or solid spindle, for example), then you’ll have to purchase a corresponding adapter.

Now I’m not allowed to do that because one of the most important elements of testing out new equipment is whether or not the accompanying instructions help or hinder in the quest to get going. It is of paramount importance that you have confidence in the products you use, especially when it is the only thing keeping your little one attached to your bike. I contacted the UK distributor for the FollowMe Tandem who didn’t know and I contacted Islabikes, who were helpful, but gave me the wrong information. Secondly, there is a little strap and spring hook included that you may want to run through your saddle.As I was riding along I was starting to plan the logistics of future trips out – suddenly the difficult period between T being too big for a bike seat but too small to complete a decent length ride has disappeared. While on the Trans Pennine Trail, my other half and eldest stopped, complaining that the FollowMe Tandem had started touching the floor.

The fact that you can bend it slightly also seems to contribute to problems with the holes lining up.

For days cycling without children, the FollowMe can be removed completely from the adult's bike within seconds. A quick test proved that it’s almost impossible to start from a stationery position when the child’s brakes are applied (though he was riding an Islabike, which has serious braking capabilities). My rear disc brake is mounted on the trailing side of the seat stay (that is, behind the seat stay) rather than on the leading side of the seat stay (that is, between the seat stay and the chain stay). If your bike has wheel nuts, a hub gear, or a thru-axle, you can still install the FollowMe but you will need to request the appropriate adapter kit. On the face of it, the FollowMe Tandem is eye wateringly expensive for a piece of metal to connect two bikes together!

The clearance from the centre of my back wheel to the driving surface of the tire cannot exceed 380mm or 38cm On one bike it will likely not clear, the other may have another 0. All you need to do is remove the two screws from either end of your rear axle adapter, pull out the splints and take the FollowMe frame off. The instruction booklet has nice imagery that certainly helps, although there are a few steps that you’ll kind of have to figure out on your own. This happened to me when I was carrying my son in his bike seat to the emergency room for a head wound! I have to say yes because not only does it exude quality, but it also feels secure and it is this that is the overriding factor for me.It’s not a case of attaching a bar and tightening a bolt and away you go, but more of a logical sequence of stages that take time to work through. It is the actual component that connects the parent’s bike with the kid’s bike and is, to be honest, quite a genius construction.