News and Views

From my kids accomplishments, to my heretical perspective of the world

News and Views header image 2

The Springer

August 8th, 2007 · 7 Comments

A few weeks ago I tried to take Apollo for a run on my bicycle. I had one hand holding the leash, and the other on the handlebars.

Everything went fine until he saw a cat (or dog, or bird — I never knew what it was for sure). He took off running, pulling me off flat onto the pavement. I held on, but paid for it with a skinned knee, elbow, shoulder and hands. It could have been worse, as my helmet bonked hard against the pavement, but the helmet absorbed the shock and my head wasn’t hurt at all.

That ended the bike-with-leash-in-hand experiment.

So I did some research on the web, and discovered “The Springer“. It’s an attachment that bolts on to the bicycle frame just below the seat. The dog is harnessed to this through a strong spring.

Apollo on the Springer

The attachment below the center of mass of the bike-and-rider, and the spring to absorb shocks, gives the rider complete control. I was quite surprised, but even if Apollo sees a dog or cat and lunges towards it, it’s just a gentle pull on the bike that I can easily control. The assembly just next to the pedal means that he can’t bump into my foot. He learned quickly to cooperate with me, and loves to go for a run.

Watch the Springer promotional video. The first part is exactly what happened to me when I was trying to hold the leash in my hand. The next part, where the German Shepard is lunging away from the calmly riding bike rider is accurate too.

Tags: Computers, Tech & Science · Family Updates

7 responses so far ↓

  • 1 Grandma // Aug 8, 2007 at 3:04 pm

    If you go one way around a pole, and he decides to go another, it looks, from the video, as though it snaps apart before there is any damage to either or both of you. I hope you don’t ride as close to cars as it shows.

  • 2 Donna // Aug 8, 2007 at 4:46 pm

    Wow, that is VERY cool! I’ve never seen anything like it. The little shelties in the video look like my doggies, except they would never run along side me like that. Apollo’s smart to train you well right from the start.

  • 3 Daryl // Aug 9, 2007 at 10:31 am

    Mom, there is a plastic piece connecting the rope to the spring. It is very strong when the dog pulls straight against it, but (apparently — I haven’t tested it) it is very brittle, and when it gets bent even a little it it snaps apart. Straddling a pole would theoretically put enough stress on the clip that it would snap apart.

    Donna, your shelties might have enjoyed it back when they weighed about 20 pounds less! I doubt they could make it to the end of the driveway now! 😉

  • 4 Donna // Aug 9, 2007 at 5:54 pm

    Apparently, you have never seen my Shelties run back and forth along my back wall barking at joggers in the alley.

  • 5 Grandma // Aug 9, 2007 at 9:32 pm

    Comparing jogging to the bicycle at fast speed would be like comparing you and me running a 100 yard sprint.

  • 6 Donna // Aug 10, 2007 at 6:45 pm

    I was just making the point they could make it to the end of the driveway. 😉

  • 7 Grandma // Aug 12, 2007 at 9:10 am

    I couldn’t get that far!