Any recommendations on trailerbikes, also has anybody used one of those trailgator towbars which allow you to hitch up their bike to yours when they get tired? What age can you start? Just thinking about this now mini-aracer (age 3.5) is finally riding his own bike without stabilisers.

I also have the option of putting a kiddyback kit on our tandem – it's not been ridden since before he was born, and I have kept threatening mrs aracer that she needs to get on it soon or her seat will be stolen. Is this a beter option, or do I need to wait until later? The big issue is the cost!

<edit> the power of google – I go off to do a search on this and it finds this post already!

I've just started using trailgator & a cheap 12" wheel bike for our school run. Eldest can do the ride ok on his 12" but younger brother who is still on a balance bike gets too tired. Works very well, youngest is only just turned 3. Trailgator was from Argos for £59. I leave kids & bikes at nursery & head on to work. Using ss Inbred as toe bike.

Put the kiddycranks on the tandem, Or sell and look for a proper kiddyback. Having tried both – and kiddyback tandem WITH tag-along, the tandem option wins out every time.

Started on out Dawes Twoucan aged 3.75. Cycled London-Oxford aged 6.

One point – if the tandem is a marathon frame, the kiddycranks can be a tight fit. Personally, I'd sell up and look for a Thorn voyager or Dawes Twoucan – there are a few others around too. You'll be using it for many years.

Thanks – have been having a look since posting, and it seems I can get kiddycranks for less than I'd seen – is £60 for the BB housing as sold by SJSC as cheap as I'm going to get (I reckon I should be able to make one by cutting up an old frame, but that may be too much trouble)? Should be able to do the whole setup for ~£100 with that, along with parts from my bits box.

About £100 is right for kiddycranks. Might be some cheaper on the tandem club website link. But I'd go with the SJS ones. You will be able to resell them easily. You may also need crank shorteners for the child's smaller legs (I did).

One other point, the weight can be high up with kiddycranks and of course teh child has to "scale the bike" when small, but it's a definite improvement on a tag-along.

Well he has to scale the bike to get at his kiddy seat at the moment, and given mrs aracer is taller than me I doubt the CofG will be any higher than I am (was 4 years ago) used to. Given I only have to buy the adapter kit, not the tandem it looks like the way to go. The next question then is how to put the handlebars in the right place for him?

some good person on here sold me some kiddycranks and shipped some handle bars with them – i don't know what they are called but you see tourers sometimes with them – like a full u-turn at the end with the grips on the "horns" parallel to the "lower" bar
so moving up and down by swivelling in the clamp has a big effect distance (reach) wise

only other issue is kid keeping feet on pedals – they lift feet and pedals hit calves so need toe clips – i'm using old fashioned roadie clip and straps but think the tandem site suggests some fancy US diagonal strap system

pic of the handlebars on tandem