For more fun for you and your children
TANDEM BAR FOR NEW FAMILY ADVENTURES
XLC Tandem Bar: For a safe connection between your bike and your kid's bike
Bicycle Tandem Bar or Trailer Bar
How to Attach Your Child’s Bike or Transport Them by Trailer
A tandem bar or a trailer bar offer effective solutions for younger family members to actively participate in cycling tours. A tandem bar, such as the XLC Tandem Bar TW-S03, is a special device to securely connect your child’s bike to yours. A trailer is attached directly to your e-bike or bicycle.
)
)
Possibilities and Advantages of Bike Tandem Bars and Trailers
The key difference between the two methods: A trailing bike lets you decide whether your child will ride their own bike or not before you start the tour. A tandem bar gives you more flexibility by making it possible to separate the bikes quickly and without additional tools. If your child is too exhausted to continue riding by themselves, you can easily couple them back to your bicycle or e-bike.
By actively participating in the tour, your child can fulfil their natural urge to move, enhance their physical and cognitive development and they can undergo their first road safety education in a safe environment. If you have already purchased a child’s bike, we recommend using a tandem bar. This allows your child to experience first tours and kilometres on two wheels and getting familiar with their own bike.
Advantages of Bicycle Tandem Bars and Trailercycles
Advantages Tandem Bar:
Flexibility. A tandem bar allows your child‘s bike to be quickly connected and disconnected from their parents’ bike. This allows you to remain flexible during tours and gives your child a break when it is exhausted without having to stop for longer periods of time.
Safety. A direct connection between parents’ and child’s bike means stability and safety. This is particularly important in areas of heavy traffic.
Promoting your child’s learning process. Getting used to handle and balance a real bike while still being supported by an adult is the perfect environment for learning.
Advantages of a Trailercycle:
Ease of use. Once attached, a trailercycle provides a stable and safe ride without having to make frequent adjustments.
Comfort for your child. Trailercycles are often designed to be comfortable, with a seat and handles which are also tailored to the needs of smaller children.
Bike Assembly Instructions for XLC Tandem Bar TW-S03
This article is intended as additional help for the assembly of our XLC Tandem Bar TW-S03. You should have the instructions provided with the product to hand. If you can no longer find the instructions, you can download them as a PDF.
The tandem bar is suitable for childen’s bikes with a tyre diameter of 10 to 20 inches.
We’ll show you through pictures and comments how to easily mount the product, so you and your child can cycle and have fun together.
You require the following tools:
2x 13 mm open-end spanner
2x 10 mm open-end spanner
1x Phillips screwdriver
Estimated time required for assembly: 60 minutes
Note: This product is not suitable for dropper and/or suspension seat posts!
First, make sure you have enough time, space and a safe assembly location. A second person may be useful for some steps.
Unpack the components and sort them according to the module categorisation specified in the operation instructions. Areas B, C, D, E and F are relevant now.
Start with assembly D, the installation of the tie rod.
This section deals with the installation of the tie rod. The tie rod will later be used to connect the tandem bar to the head tube of the child’s bike.
Fasten the two tubes with appropriate hexagon bolt, 2 washers and the appropriate nut. Tighten the bolt only slightly so you can still adjust the bar. Only tighten the screw once the two bikes are connected.
You can now screw the tow bar to the tandem rod. In order to do so, the long ends or the tow bar must be fastened with assembly A. The screws should only be tightened firmly enough to still being able to move the tow bar.
The coupling piece will now be attached to the other end of the tow bar (short end). Depending on the design or the head tube of your child’s bike, it may be necessary to rotate the coupling piece by 180°. Attaching it to your child’s bike should take place at a later stage, and only using the suitable bracket.
Installation of tie rod with hexagon bolt
Assembly group C comprises the assembly of the hub inserts for your child’s bike. Check in which direction the hub axle attachment must be mounted to your child’s bike.
)
)
After that, you can attach the inserts to the tandem bar in the correct direction using the two screws included in the mounting material of the tandem bar.
)
)
Attaching the pulling device to the tandem bar
The pulling device can now be attached to the tandem bar which is connected to the adult bike. These are assemblies B & E. In the instructions, you can find the assembly of these components by looking at pictures B, E and E1.
First, the black joint cover must be pulled over the bar of the tandem bar. This will later serve as a cover for the universal joint.
Attach the universal joint to the tandem bar (figure B in the operating instructions).
Assembly E should be attached to the seat post before it is connected to the rest of the tandem bar (figure E1 in the operating instructions).
Tip (see photo): Screw together assembly E only very lightly, remove the seat post from your bike, thread the assembly with its appropriate scratch guard and then fix your seat post at the correct height.Don’t forget to press the black rubber plug into the opening of the tube. Then connect the tandem bar to your bike and secure it with the quick release.
Assembly tandem bar attach pulling device
Now you can connect the two bikes together.
a. Loosen the knobs (A1 + A2, figure A in the operating instructions) and place the two inserts on the wheel hub bolts of your child’s bike.
b. Tighten the knobs (A1 + A2) and ensure that the inserts are correctly placed on your child’s bike (figure C in operating instructions).
Assmebly tandem bar loosen knobs and connect to child's bike
c. Start by attaching the clamp and bracket to your child’s bike. Don’t forget to use the scratch guard. Once the clamp is secured, you can connect the tow bar to the clamp on your child’s bike. To do this, align the tow bar so that you can thread the threaded rod through and tighten it (figure F in operating instructions).
d. Tighten the remaining screws and ensure that the structure is secure and stable.
)
)
Important: The front wheel of your child’s bicycle should be approx. 12 cm (5 inches) in the air. Also check that the teeth of group A mesh correctly.
To detach your child’s bike from yours, proceed as follows:
To safely transport the tandem bar when not in use (figure G in operating instructions), loosen the small knobs (A2) and remove the bracket. Alternatively, both brackets can be transported in a rucksack or similar.
Loosen the threaded rod which connects the tow bar to the clamp.
Also loosen the large knobs (A1) and remove the tandem bar from the hub of your child’s bicycle.
To attach it to your bicycle, slide the bracket over the hub inserts and attach them depending on the frame shape or thickness.
Finally, tighten the buttons (A1 + A2) again.
To reattach your child’s bike, simply loosen the knobs, remove the bracket and attach the tandem bar to the hub and tow bar. Don’t forget to tighten the knobs again after fastening.
Please check if all screws and connections are correctly tightened before every journey. Retighten them if necessary.
Detach tandem bar from kids bike and attach ends to adult bike