I put this together, joining my bike and my daughter's, yesterday at the park. It was quite a time-consuming task but I did it carefully, following the instructions to the letter.
My friend who has owned two bicycle shops and has a profitable hobby fixing up and selling high-end bicycles was on hand and assisted me with much of it.
Upon completion, we observed that my daughter's bike leaned and wobbled. Unlike some fixed trailer bikes, this product that joins two existing bikes has three points of flex and potential failure. We re-tightened everything, going beyond the manufacturer's specifications, and still we found wobble and lean occurring shortly afterward. After brief use, the part that attaches to my daughter's frame had shifted, angling her bike to a side. Perhaps with some frame styles this would not have happened, but with my daughter's particular Mongoose frame, this product was a poor fit. We tightened it so tight that it crushed and stripped the metal Mongoose emblem on the frame, and still her bike ended up shifting and then leaning.
Ultimately, both my friend and I concluded that the Gator was unsafe to use. I had purchased it too long ago to return (and on sale for only $40) and I thought it potentially unsafe for others to use, so rather than giving it away, I threw it in the trash.
The literature contains legal disclaimer wording to the effect 'if installed improperly may cause death.' I think serious injury or death is quite possible even when installed per the instructions.
I'm posting this here out of concern for the safety of other children. If the device twists while the adult is pulling, he or she is unlikely to notice immediately and may not notice until too late.
Note to the Gator company: Please feel free to bring a defamation suit against me for libel if you think I won't be successful in convincing a jury of my opinion that your product is potentially dangerous even when installed per your instructions. I frankly find it reprehensible that you are selling a product that seems so potentially dangerous to the lives of children.
Get more detail about Trail-Gator Trailgator Bicycle Tow Bar.
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