Now that 'little one' (15 months) has comfortably crossed the 10kg mark my skinny gas tubed hybrid can't cope with the waggle force of a fidgeting 15 month old on his child seat (nice Topeak one). The flex is so bad that when I try and stand to pedal or do a slow tight turn I can feel the rack/ frame bending.

We tried fitting the Topeak disc friendly rack to the back of my 456 but the rack mounts are too close the axle / end of the QR and it won't fit.

What do the STW massive do for kiddy carrying? Trailer (wife not so keen) or back seat and if you use a seat what bike do you bolt it to?

what's wrong with a trailer? Been using one since 12 months – no probs. Lots of room for goodies as well.

Hamax Sleepy. Attaches to the seat tube. Usually attach it to my Scandal singlespeed as there are no cables to get in the way of the mounting bracket. Have had it on my 456 aswell.

I think its the "head at bumper height" thing, always a concern and the fact it's lower than most motorists (and especially Audi Q7 'driving' t**ts) eyeline.

Living in central southern England (motorist) intelligence and quiet roads are in especially short supply but there are plenty of 4x4s being driven by people making important phone calls about whether they will be having caviar or oysters with Lucinda and Tarquin.

Aaaahhhh. Well, I am not ashamed to say that I use pavements to get to the park.trails when the trailer is on the bike. I agree that you wouldn't want to use on on a road.

Fwiw, I use this one

i use a seat post mounted carrier atm on my commute bike as it just pops on and off but now i have a copilot limo(dogs bollox) but i need to get a new rack was thinking of a trailer for the cycle paths but she loves being up high and i feel safe on the road with her closer to me
jut dont feel safe in clips with her tho.

I have a double Croozer and its great, but it never goes near the main road

Co-pilot Limo, then LOCT, but we might get a Weeride for the one on the way because the balance of the bike with a mid mounted seat is noticeably better (though the rear wheel traction when climbing with the Co-Pilot was amazing)

Sorry – doubled

If it will get plenty of use what about an Extracycle.
Not cheap though.

I use one of these (well the wife does) and it is far far better than the old rear mounted seat we used to have. The bike is much more stable, our son can see where he is going and he is protected far more.

http://www.weerideuk.co.uk/Weeride_Kangaroo.asp

Best thing I have bought for a long time

I have a trailer (Chariot Cougar 1) and a bike seat (Hamax something or other – seat tube mount), and use both of them together. I also quite happily ride with them on the road – including A roads – have been riding on the road with a trailer for almost 3 years now. Admittedly I don't live in the South, but I've never had a problem when towing – if anything I get far more room and far more considerate driving than normal. IMO the idea that some idiot in a car will run over your trailer is more imagined than real.

To come back to the point, I'm very happy with our choices and what we have – I reckon the single seat trailer and bike seat combo works far better for my riding than a double trailer would. Whilst it would be nice for them to sit together, a double trailer would be a right pain on most of my rides. Today was a good example – off the top of my head I can think of at least 10 points today where I slowed down to manoeuvre the trailer through a gap, most of which I'd have at least had to get off the bike with a double trailer in order to squeeze through. For the OP, the trailer came first, another decision I'm happy with, as I reckon the support and comfort in the trailer for a little one is superior (though mini-aracer #1 was in it from when he was 9 months old). The seat now works fine with a 3.5 year old.

Used to use a trailer for carrying my two little uns but it was a bit of a ball ache and the eldest started to outgrow it. So I ended up buying a Surly Big Dummy.

Its a real beast, takes a bit of getting used too but is tons better than the trailer solution for me. There are other long bikes out there (Yuba Mondo, Kona UTE) or you can fit and extrcycle to an existing frame

(Belated) Thanks to all who've posted. Have managed to get the loan of a trailer in a couple of weeks and will see how that goes / what it's like.
😀

I've got a GMG classic seat fitted to my freeradical (xtracycle) bike. I'm shortly going to get the frame and forks swapped out and the whole lot powder coated and components upgraded.

Our daughter's 15 months old and enjoys trips out in it. Currently a good ride of about an hour and a half is do-able without her getting too crotchety. With time, her in-seat stamina will no doubt improve.

Zaynan at Practical Cycles is a good chap to talk to, as is Rob at Really Useful Bikes.

I'd like to echo a point made above. The double trailers are too wide for a lot of gates and access points to parks and the like. I fI had my time again I'd still go with a trailer but get a single one and worry about what to do with the extra sprog when/if it comes.

http://www.dutchbike.co.uk/Work3.htm[img]http://www.dutchbike.co.uk/images/Familybikes/CargoBikeBIG.jpg[/img]

I've got a double Chariot Cougar. It's definitely the best way to carry the load, even with 2 – fabulous piece of kit, they are secure and cosy, they can play with books, toys etc and if they drop them they stay at their feet or in their lap. Have been on all day rides with this, with stops and lunch etc. And when we have had two kids in it they do entertain each other nicely. It also makes the best pushchair I've ever used, on and off road 🙂

However on some gates and steps etc it can be a pain. I'd never use it on a main road, only on small side roads, and these can be a bit narrow. If I had a rear seat I'd be much more comfortable with the narrow streets, but less comfortable re handling and security.

Swings and roundabouts. If you've got wide pavements/bike trails and the roads are wide and easy going then trailer for absolute sure.