At the end of last summer I was in an uncomfortable position. We had
been riding on a singletrack that followed the spine of a very steep
ridge. The trail cut sharply up and to the right to go around a tree
that had fallen. I tried to make it over the tree but was not
successful. Since I was completely stopped I backed up so I could get
a clear shot at the 20 feet of diverted trail that cut straight up the
hill and around the fallen tree. I backed my bike up a foot or so, and
before I knew it my rear tire was off of the single track and I was
sliding down the steep hill covered in loose rock and wet vegetation.
Of course my
riding buddy had cleared the section and was no where to be seen so I
spent the next 15 minutes solo trying to haul my bike back up the side
of the hill to get back to the trail. Unfortunately for me it seemed
like I never could get my body in the right position to yank on the
bike. I pulled on the fenders; I pulled on the tires; the handlebars and
anything else I could get a finger around. By the time I made it up to
the trail I was exhausted, and my friend Brandon was just returning
after noticing my absence after a few miles. The energy I wasted
dragging my bike seem compounded by the fact that there just never
seemed like the right grip to give the bike a good tug. I'm sure that
most would agree, when you're stuck on the side of that hill with no
cavalry in sight, a good hand grip could be worth its weight in gold.
Just to rub in my
sidehill excursion, a few months ago Brandon sent me a link to the
"Tugger" website (www.highline-recreation.com).
This was a new product designed by a couple of guys who had experienced
situations similar to mine, and decided to build a product that could
help a stuck rider give a better "tug" on their bike.
1" Strap with custom Embroidery
Hardware tucks nicely into side panels
The Tugger is a
unique and well-built product. Essentially it consists of a section of
webbing (that you can get embroidered with lettering for a few extra
dollars - given my affinity for getting stuck, Brandon suggested a few
different words I could get stitched on the webbing, none of which I can
repeat here) that ends with two laser cut aluminum buckles. These
buckles then pivot on a pair of machined tubes that act as pivots and
seat bolt washers through which the seat bolts are located for most bike
applications. The length of webbing is adjustable and is custom built
for a specific bike, and the webbing also has a section of heavy-duty
elastic sewn in to ensure the Tugger sits flat against the seat when not
in use. The construction of the Tugger is burly with super-duty
stitching, solid aluminum parts and no-nonsense function. The Tugger is
designed to be used help get the bike unstuck, or move it around on a
trail, and it is not intended for use as a tie-down location or lots of
heavy lifting around the shop.
When I first put
the Tugger on the not-so-lightweight DRZe, I was concerned that I might
bend the seat bolts, or perhaps rip them out of the subframe completely
during a heated tugging session. Well after a couple of months of riding
and testing I can say that the Tugger lived up to all of the
expectations and looks no worse for the wear. I used it on more than one
occasion and was glad to have it with me. Even though I'm fairly tall
and have a tendency to move around a lot towards the back of the seat,
the Tugger was barely noticeable during riding. Most riders may not
notice the added strap at all. It should be noted though, that the
Tugger seemed to loosen up the seat bolts after a longer ride. I suspect
it was the result of me moving back and forth across the strap causing a
bit of torsion at the seat bolt. No worries though, Just a quick check
of the seat bolts (which you should be doing anyway!) between rides
ensures a trouble-free journey. Other than that, the Tugger proved to be
a worry-free addition to the bike.
I guess the Tugger
is not for everyone...some bikes have nice handholds, and are fairly
light. But if you've ever thought that an extra grab location would be
exactly what you need to get out of the tough spot, the Tugger proves
priceless. It is a good value for the price; a solid product, and made
in the USA. What more could you ask for? Perhaps a muscle-bound riding
partner who can extract your bike from the side of the hill while
curling a Red Bull? For the rest of us we'll just have to settle for the
Tugger.
Specs:
Size: 1
Inch wide Webbing
Construction: Aluminum Machined parts and Reinforced stitching
Embroidered
letters: optional (up to 10 characters)
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