So, let’s talk bikes…bikes are one of my favorite things in the world to talk about, second only to dogs, naturally. But, super snazzy carbon-fibre race machines aren’t the only way for bikejor. Age, style and cost rarely come in to it. You just need to following:
- Make sure your bike is safe. Don’t know how to tell? Get it in to your local bike shop for a quick once-over. £30-50 should get you a proper run through and adjustment to get everything working properly, and they’ll let you know if there’s anything of any concern.
- Make sure your brakes stop you quickly. If your brakes can’t stop you quickly, what chance have they got against you and a dog pulling? Hydraulic disc brakes are an almost-must, although I appreciate that they can cost-out some people. Again, it’s worth talking to your local bike shop about this. Prices have tumbled in recent years, and provided your bike can accommodate them, they are a very worthy investment.
- Bikejor arm. A bikejor arm is a piece of kit that aims to keep the running line out of your front wheel (and you out of trouble). They aren’t fool-proof, as I’ve found to my own detriment, but they are a huge help, and we genuinely couldn’t recommend running without one. Check out the video below for some more info. To find the right bikejor arm for you, search out local stockists on The Bikejor Bible Facebook group.
- The line. Using a walking leash here simply will not suffice. It doesn’t matter if it’s got 8 bungees and naturally deters squirrels, it’s just not made for it. Material type, length and all the other options you can think of are generally personal preference, but be aware that some race organisations (should you go down that route) do specific min/max lengths. For strong dogs, you should be looking out for something with a good strong bungee. There’s so many options available, your best best again is to search out local stockists on The Bikejor Bible Facebook group.