Now the weather's getting warmer (& fuel prices rise) we're looking at alternatives to the car for getting our son to school.
Sam's 6, enjoys riding, but the schlepp (4 miles) to school involves a couple of hills. This is too much for Sam by himself at present & whilst I might be able to push him uphill, it's Mrs Mascy who takes him to school & isn't quite so comfortable with that idea.
Burley type trailer not really an option (roads too busy, Sam's too big). Mrs M is seriously considering buying a rickshaw which I think will be as vulnerable as a burley on the busy roads plus it'll get stuck in traffic.
The Trail Gator sucked, so that's no good. Anyone have any other ideas? Maybe a funky trailer or other, more stable / versatile method of bike attachment?
Tagalong. You can get em with gears. Trek mountain train is my favourite.
tandem + kiddyback cranks. Might be able to find a basic one 2nd hand.
Have you thought of a Kona Ute or simular??
I take my 5 year old to breakfast club on a Ute style cargo bike. I've clamped an old stem and some BMX handle bars to the seat post for her to hold onto.
Did this with our 2 on a tagalong when they were ages 4/5/6...2nd hand 30 quid, sold it on for £30. My Mrs took them 3 miles and back to Nursery/reception.
I Also did a couple of blues at Glentrss and Kirroughtree and Abriachan on it.
Bloody ace fun...when they get to six they can put down a surprising amount of power, which makes it very interesting going through a twitchy downhill.
There's a pic somewhere on tinternet of us riding over the seesaw at Abriachan on it.
This:
Dawes Toucan tandem ebay item 150578526784
(can't seem to create a link to it). Had ours nine years (this isn't ours). It is simply the finest means of moving a kid and an adult by pedal power. You can also ride home and have other options for collection time. We also had a Burley piccollo, that was good but not the same. And when attached to the tandem made for interesting hill training!
Thorn also make a Kiddyback Voyager tandem.
I don't really think grown adults should be riding a 6 year old to school.
Think of his back!!!!
Its only a busy road because everyone drives a car alonmg it, bikes take up less space,are environmnetally freindly, and within a few weeks he will be romping up the hills.
project +1
Google FollowMeTandem - not cheap but it works
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Though you won't need the extra seat on the back. Did 7 miles each way (to get to an activity session for the one on the back) with that setup this week - the one in the middle pedalling is just 4 (was only 3 when that piccy was taken).
Trailgators are pretty poor, We got a tag along and it's been used for all three kids and is aout ten years old now. Don't worry too much about gearing on it as they become very adept at pretending to be pedalling whilst doing bugger all except laugh at you, quite literally behind your back.
Another alternative...
The Freeradical Big Stoker XtraCycle to convert an existing 26" bike.
[url= http://www.xtracycle.com/cargo-bicycles/freeradical-cargo-bicycle/bigstoker.html ]FreeRadical BigStoker[/url]
Get it with the Family Van Kit - handle bars, padded seat and foot rests.
With side bags you can get the shopping in on the way back 🙂
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I've got a Spokey Joe trailer bike and it's great with my 5 year old.
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Aracer. That's bloody brilliant! Loving it.
At 4 and 5 my kids rode their own bikes to school.
Raleigh max 16's. I'd accompany them up the hill, then ride back down and the 11 miles to work.
They went thru 20 and 24" bikes, but now, at 13 and 14yrs old they get the bus to school, and pester me to take them out MTBing on weekends.
It's a shame I have to work most weekends, so they take their BMX's to the local ride spot and shred. Wish i could join them.
Tag-a-long all the way. I did also buy an aluminium seatpost for when I attach the tag-a-long though, as I didn't want it scoring my carbon post.
My kids (5 and3) have grown out of the trailer thing and now want to cycle themselves and this is the best way to cover ground. Both the wife and I ride with the tag-a-long.
I've got a set of Peter Hague kiddycranks if you get a tandem.
I should of course acknowledge the contributions of sc-xc and mieszko off here who donated toe straps and a right hand crank for free, which helped me put the kiddy cranks on that.
