[Closed] commuting with smalish child

Chariot / wagon

Are you sure you want to be riding along a steep dual carriageway though?

thats something else i haven't considered tbh

im just considering its 2 miles door to school. Im trying to think of alternatives to a car (which i dont have to buy)

"Very steep dual carriageway" is usually something I'd avoid on my own, let alone with an offspring.

Is there no alternative route?

I'd go for a trailerbike contraption of some sort rather than a chariot: a decent sit-in trailer is an expensive thing and I suspect will be outgrown quickly. (I don't think we used our trailer beyond the age of 2, but it was a cheap one.)

shes just gone 4.

Go on,she would love it 😉

Used to see a chap on my commute with a school aged child sitting in the basket area of an old butchers bike! The bloke was always smoking a cigar too.

I have just started taking my daughter to school using my bike (1 mile, all downhill).

I'm using a secondhand Burley trailer. It's waterproof and she doesn't have to pedal or be alert. She also needs 48 separate bags containing books, swimming kit, PE kit, cuddly kittens, 5 litre water bottle and goodness knows what else. This collection of bags easily fits in the trailer.

It is working well so far. We also used it on The High Peak trail and threw her bike in the back so she could pedal some bits with us.

I am keen to try a WeeHoo Igo because then she will be able to pedal a bit (when we do trails at weekend) but this needs a separate cover and could be a faff. These are designed to take a child up to 9 years old, so may move onto this.

Yes, I know kids are waterproof etc etc but that means getting her to put an extra layer on (getting her to keep her socks on is hard enough!) and more faff taking it off.

Tried a Trailgator and hated it, trashed her bike because of the way it connects and kept veering off to the side. She has used a seat since she was a baby and we both loved it but I think she is getting a bit big now and there is still the problem of bags and keeping her dry.

Is there somewhere you can get changed at work? Then it wouldn't matter what state you arrived in. When I cycle commute I always get changed at work (sometimes just in a cubicle). For two miles, you don't even need to be that waterproof, you won't have time to get cold.

Mick

Ok longer answer

I have a cheap 2 man halfords trailer, a 2 man weehoo and weerides.

My eldest has also just started school, I intend to use the trailer once he gets settled as it is the only easy way of getting him there dry and warm (apart from driving). I also like the idea of the extra width hopefully making drivers more cautious. He is 4 and fits in quite easily. I think max weight is 36kg so a while yet until he is too big for it.

The 2 man weehoo is great for fireroads and the like, but it is majorly long and cumbersome to turn. I would also be worried about cars pulling out at junctions and not aware of how long it is. Balancing the kid in it to get then in/out is also a challenge, I ended up buying the exortionate frame stand too. Luggage capacity is far less than trailer This maybe less of an issue with the one man version. They do a cover too which would help waterproof them, but compared to the trailer its all more of a pain.

Weerides he can just fit in, which is a shame as if the weather is nice, weeride and bags on the rack.

I'm looking at either another front seat like the cheap one oxford do or maybe a rear seat for nice days.

interesting responses.

One way to the school its either main road (which is very congested) or jostle with the other parents on the footpath. im thinking of taking the footpath.

i dont think a weehoo (looks ace btw) would be suitable.

maybe ill just try the rear seat and see if it works first before hooking up bikes etc.

Also from using the seat in the past. is there a trick to getting them in and out while balancing the bike. it all seems a bit precarious.

Long tail cargo bike?

@andybrad you need to balance the bike against a wall and it's not too bad.

IMHO cycling of the footpath is fine, especially when taking a child to school.

Have a look on Gumtree on FB, there are plenty of used trailers around.

Mick

My nearly 5 year old has just started school. 5 mile commute, mainly on a Sustrans path (Fallowfield loop) but a mile or so on roads. Takes about half an hour.

I use a wee ride co pilot: https://www.weerideuk.co.uk/Weeride_copilot.asp

So far pretty impressed. He enjoys riding it and you can chat to each other really easily as you ride. If he's knackered he just sits and cruises along on it. Managed to fit it over my existing rack and panniers so school bags etc. go in there. Feel pretty safe on the roads, been quite surprised as to how courteous car driver shave been so far (fingers crossed this continues), guess the flag, high viz etc helps.

Only problem so far is if it is properly raining then I tend to use the car, so he doesn't turn up drenched - I can see the advantage of a proper trailer in those conditions. However i'm planning a trip to Decathlon and the purchase of lots of waterproofs to help on this.

As with most commuting, it might be as quick and less stressful to ride 3 miles on the back streets rather than 2 miles in heavy traffic?

How about a Circe Morpheus?

I Wang A waterproof cover on the nipper when it rains on the commute.

Maybe used it 5 times in about 2 years.

Rummage here:

http://schoolruncentre.co.uk/

I'd be thinking a Circe Helio tandem so the child can grow.

Or something with a motor to give you a boost.

Local family use a Bakfiets to carry two young disabled children. Biggest grins on the planet!

I would definitely avoid the steep dual carriageway.Just ride on the footpath.
As for the luggage - I broke Junior J's heart several times whilst he was in reception,because I couldn't fit his myriad of card board constructions to the bikes. ha.

An a perennial commuter with kids (does that mean all year round???!!) i’d Honestly have a look at a long tail cargo bike...

I’ve a Kong Ute (though had a minute for several years) and it’s amazing... easily carry the 4 and 9 year old on it, or a combo of one/neither/their bikes!!

Re the staying dry bit... i’ve Got the little one a ski/waterproof onsie ..seems to work fine!

Also..get a ‘UE Boom 3’ speaker..it fits in the bottle cage perfectly, and you’ve got pumping tunes!!!

DrP

As above, long tail cargo bike is the answer. I had an Xtracycle kit to convert my normal commuter, could load up a 4yo plus his bag and his pedal bike for the trip to daycare. Had a Yepp Maxi seat on it.

With that you can pootle along the footpath and you're no wider than a normal bike (for getting past pedestrians).

For weather protection I got a Hamax poncho, it's designed for kids' bike seats, fitted and elasticated to hook round the feet. That way they can just wear normal clothes underneath plus layers for warmth. It folds up inside its own pocket so can easily live in their bag year-round, so it's always handy.

well had a chat with the missus last night after a quick go back with the old bike seat on an old mtb.

me and the daughter loved it.

wife has put a stop to it as she feels its too dangerous. i can see her point about the dual carriage way that we have to cross 3 times (to keep on the pavement)

🙁

thanks for the replies folks.

Is there any possibility of an off-road route? There's no pavement between out house and the school (busy road) but we managed to find a path through the trees, a hole in a fence, cut around the cricket pitch, past the playground and we're there..............

If you've got the kid on the bike seat then surely it doesn't matter if the detour to avoid the dual carriageway is 6 miles 😀

i can get on the pavement 90% of the way i think if i take her in the kiddy seat.

tag along or trailer its not possible and would have to be road.

i guess its not the right time as well. getting wet through winter and all that. Maybe wait till next summer and just walk?