Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 61 total)
  • Getting a 7 year old to school
  • phutureproof
    Free Member

    I’d like to use the car less and have been searching for a good way to get my 7 year old girl to school. She is tall for her age and weights in at around 30kg. I am also tall at 6’5″.

    When she was a toddler, I used to use a Burley Solo which was fantastic, but she outgrew that a few years ago (her head poked out of the top.

    I have since been using a Weeride Propilot tagalong. This is ‘ok’, but I just don’t really feel it is as stable as it should be and I have started to get some annoying rattles that I find hard to pin down. This wasn’t the cheapest tag-along and I bought it mainly because it is aluminium and therefore lighter and less likely to rust. Although the frame is aluminium, almost every other part is steel and has rusted to pieces! For these reasons, I am using the car more and more and the bike/tag-along is just sitting in my garden looking tired and sad.

    I was looking at a Bobike Junior seat which looks good, but only takes around 32kg safely, so my daughter is close to that limit already.

    I have been contemplating an Xtracycle extension kit for my hibred bike. These look very good, but they are £450+ which seems expensive.

    My commute is around 3-4km each way, though I usually only do the drop off then cycle home from work without her. She hasn’t had much practice on a bike herself, so she can’t really cycle along side me all that way. Even if she could, it isn’t practical to leave her bike at school.

    I’d be interested in other options.

    Stoner
    Free Member

    I have no other ideas to add – I have an xtracycle and have used it for Jr when he was 4 and 5. He has ridden to school with me since 5 (1.5mile) and now he is 6. I hate the tagalong and used it only a few times on longer rides when he has got knackered when younger. Now, he can do 20km on the flat without a problem. Id suggest getting the practice in used to carrying a large lock and maybe a plastic bike cover to store her bike somewhere near the school.

    chilled76
    Free Member

    Cutstom tandem with her seat right down?

    wwaswas
    Full Member

    I hate to say this but a scooter might be the best solution.

    It’s a doable distance for her, you can ride along with her she can leave it at school during the day and if she gets picked up in a car bring it home with her.

    My daughter was happier scooting than being on the tag-along as lots of her mates scooted to school too.

    cookeaa
    Full Member

    I think you’re just dancing around the obvious solution here OP.

    One word… Trebuchet.

    iolo
    Free Member

    3-4km you say?

    therealhoops
    Free Member

    My commute is about the same. TRHjnr’s (6years old) skool is less than half a mile up the road so he stands on the rear pegs of my BMX. We’ve done this for over a year now and it’s epically quicker than any other transport. Plus, all the other kidz think I’m phat and kool.

    +1 for the scooter idea

    5thElefant
    Free Member

    Cutstom tandem with her seat right down?

    Unless schools are very different to they used to be you’d still be paying for therapy 20 years later if you take her to school by tandem.

    edlong
    Free Member

    She hasn’t had much practice on a bike herself, so she can’t really cycle along side me all that way

    If you started doing it every day, she’ll soon pick it up – maybe a few rehearsal rides on a weekend when the time pressure of the school bell isn’t looming?

    it isn’t practical to leave her bike at school

    Is it worth having a word with the school to see if anything can be done about that? (I’m assuming “not practical” is about no secure parking facilities. If it’s not practical for your family logistics then I’m obviously barking up the wrong tree, apologies).

    TiRed
    Full Member

    Kiddyback tandem. The best bike in the world for kids up to about 11. Used ours for the school run and gave rides at the school fetes. Look for a used Thorn or Dawes Twocan.

    meehaja
    Free Member

    kona ute?

    phutureproof
    Free Member

    Wow – thanks all. That was quick.

    The main reason for it not being particularly practical for her cycling to school is that she typically gets dropped off by me (and I cycle on to work) and she then gets picked up by my wife who doesn’t drive and isn’t very confident on the bike. She uses the bus.

    So, if my daughter cycles to school on her bike with me, I’d struggle to get it home again.

    I think the only real options are:-
    1) Car = easy
    2) Tandem = expensive
    3) Own bike plus wife on her own bike = yikes

    Do you know if you can get tandems big enough for a 6’5″ beanpole up front?

    sparky1uk
    Free Member

    Have you seen the “Followme” tandem coupling? Cyclesence in Tadcaster are the UK distributor.

    I’ve just got one and am very impressed with it, no sideways wobble.

    You and your wife fit the special QR to your rear wheels, and you lock up your girl’s bike and the followme at the school during the day so your wife can collect her on the way home.

    ajc
    Free Member

    I have used a thorn child back tandem nearly every day for 2 years. less than £500 second hand and I’m sure I’ll sell it for that when i’m done with it in 5 years time. I’m 6’2″ and fits well. You wouldn’t actually need a child back, just a large/small tandem for a tall 7 year old.

    iolo
    Free Member

    Won’t they allow a kids bike onto a bus?
    She can cycle in with you and home with mummy on the bus.

    sparky1uk
    Free Member

    If your wife would be happy towing the littlun that is.

    phutureproof
    Free Member

    Buses in Oxford are busy. My daughter has a 24″ wheel bike. No way would she be able to get it on a bus I’m afraid. I remember when I was in NZ a few years ago where the buses had racks on the front of them for fastening bikes/prams etc. Great idea.

    Followme looks interesting.

    Will investigate tandems, though I am still concerned that they won’t be big enough for me.

    irelanst
    Free Member

    We went through a similar problem last year when my daughter (6yrs at the time) had a broken arm so couldn’t ride her own bike or even the tag-along. The solution for us was to do what the Dutch do, she sat on the pannier rack.

    iolo
    Free Member

    Maybe something like this would work

    takisawa2
    Full Member


    IMAG0774 by pten2106, on Flickr

    For sale by the way. 😉

    [edit] The bike obviously, although a deal could be done… 🙂 [/edit]

    StirlingCrispin
    Full Member

    I’d suggest the FollowMe too (recommended by Sparky1uk.)

    Me and the boys have been on all sorts of adventures on ours – and the FollowMe can also be used to carry an empty bike.

    motorman
    Free Member

    Yuba Mundo, either as a complete of frameset flavour.

    Really strong, stable bike

    (My fat build is not standard spec 😉 )

    miketually
    Free Member

    My fat build is not standard spec

    But it’s superb. Nice bike, mister.

    BigJohn
    Full Member

    I want a Hase Pino

    wwaswas
    Full Member

    neither of my kids would have allowed me to take them to school on one of those for fear of piss taking from fellow pupils.

    miketually
    Free Member

    At the distances given, and with the need to be able to take onto a bus, I’d say a fold-up micro scooter would be the best option. Or, just walking.

    aracer
    Free Member

    Unless schools are very different to they used to be you’d still be paying for therapy 20 years later if you take her to school by tandem.

    Is this something you have direct experience of? His daughter is 7, not 14 – for my kids (aged 6 and 4) the tandem is the coolest way to travel, given the chance they’d probably choose to get to school that way every day. The other kids also think it’s cool (possibly only beaten by me doing the school run on a uni).

    Our tandem is a standard adult tandem with kiddy cranks fitted, so I’m sure there wouldn’t be a problem getting one big enough if you set it up like that, but cost might be an issue (ours is probably worth over £2k).

    http://www.tandems.co.uk/m3b0s57p580/DAWES-Second-Hand-Horizon-Twin ?

    sweaman2
    Free Member

    motorman – Is that a custom build… how did you do that as it looks fantastic 🙂

    BigDummy
    Free Member

    I do not have children. I do however have a wife, and use a Surly Big Dummy for transporting her around as it is cheaper than taxis (she doesn’t really understand about buses).

    The Big Dummy was (I felt at the time) horrifyingly expensive at c.£2,000. I realised the other day that that was 5 years ago. It has been used almost every day since, and is my go-to machine for most journeys. It is difficult to explain how utterly awesome it is without sounding like a complete lunatic.

    Gratuitous photo:

    DaveP
    Full Member

    Mine used a tandem at that age. One off ebay, it worked really well, for a relatively short time.

    phutureproof
    Free Member

    Is this something you have direct experience of? His daughter is 7, not 14 – for my kids (aged 6 and 4) the tandem is the coolest way to travel, given the chance they’d probably choose to get to school that way every day. The other kids also think it’s cool (possibly only beaten by me doing the school run on a uni).

    Our tandem is a standard adult tandem with kiddy cranks fitted, so I’m sure there wouldn’t be a problem getting one big enough if you set it up like that, but cost might be an issue (ours is probably worth over £2k).

    http://www.tandems.co.uk/m3b0s57p580/DAWES-Second-Hand-Horizon-Twin ?

    I actually saw this and have made an enquiry. I’m not sure if my daughter is big enough for the back bit – though you mention something about kiddie cranks – will check out what they are.

    takisawa2
    Full Member

    Utter codswallop about kids laughing at them. I’ve spent an hour some days giving kids a ride on that big black bike thing. Kids love it because they’re parents are too afraid of what others think to ride a bike let alone something like a cargo bike. I’ve honestly never had as much fun on two wheels.

    OP, if your near Staff’s your welcome to try our Ute out.

    cbike
    Free Member

    Hase pinos are fun fun fun! My gf has one.

    Bez
    Full Member

    Do you know if you can get tandems big enough for a 6’5″ beanpole up front?

    I’m the same height (and my wife’s short at 5’1″), we have a Thorn Rohloff one. Cannondale made one that would fit us, too. Both a bit expensive just for the school run, though.

    Might a Follow-Me tandem work? (Edit: oops, only just seen it’s already been mentioned) -> https://twitter.com/beztweets/status/318482064485777410 – it allows you to split and ride individually, and it tows just fine with no offspring on it once you’ve dropped them at school. Used it for the school run last week: the boy rode in, and then I hooked it up to tow it back home afterwards.

    aracer
    Free Member

    though you mention something about kiddie cranks – will check out what they are.

    You can see mine in this shot (somewhat above normal crankset):

    http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/kiddy-crank-seat-tube-attachment-block-with-1225-mm-sealed-b-b-bearing-286-318-mm-black-prod18903/

    leffeboy
    Full Member

    I used a tandem as above but without the kiddy cranks. I found that the seat post from my daughters regular bike fitted and would go just low enough to get her feet down to touch the regular pedals. It’s a 16in frame size at the back

    Brilliant thing, fast as and still gets used all the time. Tandems rock

    Edric64
    Free Member

    I think you need to get her used to riding her own bike that small distance .Why are the issues over leaving a bike at school surely its a good thing if a pupil rides a couple of miles?

    Edric64
    Free Member

    I have a set of kiddie cranks if the op is interested ? including the chainset with short cranks.

    wwaswas
    Full Member

    Why are the issues over leaving a bike at school surely its a good thing if a pupil rides a couple of miles?

    because they’d have to get it home on the bus every night as the OP has said.

    Get a scooter. It’s a 10 minute scoot and it’ll cost you £50 for one that’ll last years.

    Going out and spending hundreds on a tandem plus modifications isn’t going to make the journey significantly different.

    Plus it’ll only take one negative comment from an influential ‘other kid’ to stop your child wanting to ride in on a trailer bike/tandem – I’ve been there and no amount of rationalising etc will change your kids view.

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