The TowWhee bungee could well be the best thing a parent could ever buy. Now available in UK via Gone Biking Mad distribution.

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Disclaimer: I have a TowWhee, I bought it from TowWhee USA a few months ago. I’ve been using it on rides with my son since he was five. Basically, I think it’s brilliant. We can now go for a ride around trail centre Red routes or our local trails (it’s hilly where we live). It’s extended our rides significantly.

There are two great and unique things about the TowWhee: it’s elasticated, and it’s quick to install/remove on the trail.

The elasticated ‘bungee’ nature of the strap means that there’s no jerking of the towed rider going in. Setting off from a standstill is actually very calm and controlled. There’s also no nasty jolt as the TowWhee reaches full extension (180in, static length is 56in).

I’ve never had the TowWhee get jammed in my bike’s gears/wheel/brakes. Being anchored at the saddle nose means it sits sufficiently high above things. It’s well made too and has an impressively tough canvas outer.

Most of the time my son does actually do some pedalling whilst being towed. So he is still getting exercised and building up his strength and mental fortitude for riding uphill. Sometimes he is exhausted and does stop pedalling, which is fair enough.

For the majority of our riding the TowWhee isn’t used. It stays in my backpack (or wrapped around my handlebars). As and when he or I think he could do with a bit of help, we stop briefly, loop the TowWhee around his bike’s head tube, loop the other end around my saddle nose and continue our ride. Minimal faff. Minimal hassle. And when we get to the flat bit or the descent, we pause and detach the TowWhee, stash/wrap it away and get on with the ride.

My son, now six years old, has got better at climbing – technically and fitness-wise – and better at riding generally. We no longer have to avoid the more interesting trails because they’re inaccessible. The TowWhee literally extends a child’s riding.

Basically it’s one of the best things I’ve ever bought.