Family Rides /

Simply & Cheaply Towing A 20″ Kid’s Bike With A Bakfiets (Bucket Style) Cargo Bike

two children are seated under the rain cover over the bucket of a bakfiets style cargo bike. The cargo bike has a 20" child's bike strapped behind on the rear luggage rack to be towed behind.

I recently needed to take my kid’s bike with a flat to the shop. I was getting my studded tires swapped out anyway, so I figured it was a good chance to get everything done at once.

Last fall I purchased these Velcro straps to securely strap my kid’s 20″ bike to the rear luggage rack of my Urban Arrow. It worked! I would make a few modifications next time.

First, I used two of the 12″ straps and one of the 18″ straps to place the bike in this position. However, it was too far back and pressing the fender into the rear wheel, so I quickly decided to try moving it more forward, and having the fork support the bulk of the weight of the bike rather than the wheel. This was more secure but the back of my foot bumped it when pedaling. We got it there, but it wasn’t the most comfortable ride.

A 20" wheel is strapped to the rear rack of a bakfiets style cargo bike with velcro straps.
This was my initial attempt at strapping the my kid’s 20″ bike to the rear rack of my Urban Arrow. All the weight is held at the wheel. It pressed on the fender and made an annoying noise while we rode, and I did not want to damage my fender. So I reconfigured a few feet down the alley.
a child's bike wheel attached to the rear luggage rack of a bakfiets style cargo bike with black velcro straps.
This was how I ended up attaching my kid’s 20″ bike to my Urban Arrow take the 2 mile ride to the cargo bike shop. The weight is held chiefly at the fork, not the wheel. The pedal itself cleared, but my foot bumped, so I didn’t love it. But it got the job done.

Mel, the GM at The Cargo Bike Shop, said they get some kind of protective packaging with their tubes and I could try that to keep the bikes from rubbing together. I think I’ll give it a shot next time, or cut up a pool noodle for some extra padding.

We had a nice ride that sunny day!

How about you? How do you tow other bikes with your cargo bike? What hiccups and solutions have you run into? Let us know in the comments!

two children are seated under the rain cover over the bucket of a bakfiets style cargo bike. The cargo bike has a 20" child's bike strapped behind on the rear luggage rack to be towed behind.

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