Nearly dead batteries, sweaty jerseys, and snow on the peaks – it wasn’t just the kommit towing system that was pushed to its limits in this test. But how did it perform on the steep climbs and epic rides in the Dolomites? We’ve put it through the wringer to find out!
Your arm hurts, your legs are dead – sound familiar? If you’ve ever pushed an analogue rider up the hill, you know the struggle. Either you leave your mates behind on the climbs or play Sherpa, pushing them up the hill. Neither option sounds fun, right? Well, kommit have the answer: the kommit bike towing system, which is meant to put an end to aching arms and gruelling ascents. Bavaria isn’t just known for great beer – sometimes it delivers clever products too.
The kommit towing system can withstand a pulling force of up to 120 kg and extends to 2 metres – perfect for towing your analogue riding buddies, so you don’t have to keep waiting for them. Even with kids, longer rides are like a walk in the park. So, no more excuses for skipping that 50 km evening ride. We tested the € 69,99 kommit towing system for you to tell you how it fares!
kommit towing system on tes
Sick rider, 1,000 metres altitude gain, snow, a steep climb, and a standard MTB. The first test of the kommit towing system was somewhat of a coincidence. On the first day of our work trip to the Dolomites, we had to tackle 1,000 metres of climbing to reach the starting point of our test trail. For most of the team, this was no big deal – after all, we were all riding full-power eMTBs. Everyone, except the one guy that had a flu, who ended up on a regular analogue MTB. The perfect opportunity to put the towing system to the test.
Installation is quick and easy: straight out of the box, you just have to strap the kommit under the saddle with the cinch strap. Once installed, the system blends in seamlessly with the bike, ensuring a discrete look. The strap fits tightly on virtually any saddle, and if not, kommit also add a carabiner to the housing, giving you even more mounting options. Just be mindful of your paintwork and carbon parts, as the carabiner isn’t rubberised. If you prefer not to mount the system under the saddle, you can attach it to the seatpost using the cinch strap. In this case, it’s a good idea to wrap an old piece of inner tube around the post to avoid scratches. Once attached to the towing bike, simply pull on the reinforced rubber loop, extend the tow line from the system, and hook it onto the stem of the bike that is in trouble. Keep in mind that the rope isn’t elastic, so the rider that gets towed should pedal lightly when starting off to avoid a sudden jolt. It’s worth practising this beforehand.
On gentle climbs, the extra weight hardly affects the bike’s handling – depending on which motor your bike uses and how much juice there’s left in your legs. When the gradient gets steeper and the bike you’re towing gets tired or enjoys the ‘lift’ a little too much, you really start to feel the load. The bike’s handling changes drastically, especially if you’re pulling a heavier rider.
You have to actively weight the front wheel to keep it tracking. Depending on the load, you might feel like a sweaty pack mule. This takes some getting used to, and even when you get the hang of it, the effort required is considerable, even in turbo mode. But hey, anything for your mates, right? It’s also worth mentioning that this is always the case with any towing system and tow rope. Still, we much prefer this to pushing someone by hand – which is always a hassle, since you have to take one hand off the bars, and after two minutes, it feels like your arm is about to fall off.
A major advantage of the kommit towing system is that the tow rope doesn’t flap around when not in use and is automatically retracted by the system. Once you let go after towing, it smoothly retracts back under the saddle – no fuss, and no chance of getting whipped by the loose rope. This is a clear advantage over traditional tow ropes.
With standard systems, you usually have to stop and pack the rope away in your backpack or hip pack. In contrast, more experienced riders should be able to hook and unhook the kommit towing system while riding. However, when riding with kids, we wouldn’t recommend this – it’s better to take your time and attach the child’s bike more carefully.
It’s also worth mentioning that the kommit towing system isn’t just useful for climbing. On longer rides, we used it to tow our (sick) colleague on a regular MTB when he ran out of steam – and we didn’t have to take constant breaks. This made the rides more enjoyable for everyone and made group outings much more relaxed.
kommit also suggest other uses, like pulling back someone with a faulty bike when going downhill, and we can confirm this works well. In this case, the system is attached to the bike of the person needing assistance, and the loop is hooked to the rider behind – essentially turning the towing system into an anchor.
Accessories for the kommit towing system
kommit Bike Bungee
kommit offer more than just the towing system, including additional accessories like the Bike Bungee for € 24,95. This device is mounted on the handlebars and helps reduce the jolting effect that occurs when the person that gets towed doesn’t pedal along. Two straps are hooked onto the handlebars and connected to a forward-facing carabiner – the clever part is that there’s an elastic band between the bars and carabiner, which dampens the pull and makes the tow smoother.
In our experience, it worked well, and we appreciated that the handlebar mounting concept doesn’t have real limitations – even on one-piece cockpits, which are becoming more common on modern e-bikes, the system works flawlessly. The two loops can be hooked into the plastic clips, keeping them securely in place on the handlebars. When heading into a descent, you can leave the Bungee attached to the handlebars. While it does move around a bit on rough trails, it doesn’t make any noise or come into contact with the frame – nice!
kommit Bike-Mount
kommit also offer the Bike-Mount for € 24,95, which is designed for bikes where the towing system loop can’t be attached to the stem. The Bike-Mount resembles the mount for a portable bike light: instead of a light holder, there’s an aluminium cap where the loop of the towing system can be hooked. Nothing moves around here, though it doesn’t provide the soft-pull effect like the Bungee.
In comparison to the Bungee, the Bike-Mount doesn’t feel as high-quality, and this impression isn’t improved by the inclusion of various rubber bands meant to protect the handlebars from scratches and prevent the mount from slipping. It feels like they could have just used a rubber strap for mounting instead – it works, but it’s a bit more fiddly.
One feature of the Bike-Mount is the SP-Connect interface, which can replace the aluminium cap. The SP-Connect adapter is not included, but you’ll only need a 4mm Allen key for the swap.
kommit Multisport CLIP + Outdoor-Belt
The kommit Multisport CLIP broadens the range of uses for the kommit towing system, offering a practical, hands-free way to tow or brake your little ones or friends while jogging, skiing, or biking. It allows you to pull without having to use your hands, making it particularly useful for a variety of sports. There’s also the kommit Outdoor Belt – a simple nylon belt with a plastic buckle that allows you to attach the Multisport CLIP – although it works just as well with any regular belt.
The Multisport CLIP itself is a plastic mount that secures the bike towing system with a Velcro strap. It also makes it easier to attach the towing system to a bike frame, thanks to a rubberised recess in the clip. This design provides added versatility, allowing the system to be used across a variety of sports and scenarios.
We strapped the Outdoor Belt together with the Multisport CLIP – around the waist of our “pack mule” and rode up the same hill we used to test the towing system. The verdict: the Multisport CLIP works, but it’s rather uncomfortable when you’re pulling an 80 kg colleague and their 15 kg bike. In this case, we preferred mounting the towing system under the saddle. However, if you’re towing kids, the Multisport CLIP should work well.
Attaching it to the bike frame also turned out to be hassle-free. Despite our wild bike manoeuvres, we didn’t get the chance to break out the skis – the weather in the Dolomites was just too good! We didn’t have any kids with us to test, but our rule of thumb is: if it works with an adult, it’ll work with a child too.
Conclusions about the kommit bike towing system
The kommit towing system is a well-thought-out solution for helping your kids and analogue mates on steep climbs and long rides. This means more time on the trail and bigger adventures with the kids – absolutely brilliant! The only downside is getting used to the abrupt pull when the towing starts. The system can also be used for other sports, and while the accessories are practical, they’re not strictly necessary.
Tops
- Automatic retraction system
- Easy to attach under the saddle
- Can handle a towing force of up to 120 kg
- Bike Bungee absorbs load spikes during towing
Flops
- Abrupt initial pulling force
For more information, check out the kommit website.
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Words: Robin Ulbrich Photos: Mike Hunger
