[Closed] Kona Ute with 2 kids

As it happens I have a 7yo and a 5 to but they are too big now for my Ute, the younger one used to sit In the middle and the eldest behind but as the smaller one grew she ended up taking more space so the eldest was so far on the back of the deck she sat behind the rear axle and unbalanced the bike. Now the school run consists of the eldest walking and youngest sitting on the bike whilst I push, this will be replaced by both walking soon when the weather improves

Ah well! Thanks for the reply. We had fab use out of a trailer a couple of years ago I just wish I bought a cargo bike straightaway when they grew out of it.

Warning: putting your kids on the back of a cargo bike will lead to unexpected results.

On your ordinary mtb you'll start wondering why your mates are having problems with that easy hill that used to leave you breathless...

Best training device ever. 🙂

(A friend has a Big Dummy)

Yes I found that was the case when I used to use a trailer, could do with some of that effect again tbh!
@Ed I read somewhere that the Ute was less balanced than other cargo bikes as the kids were higher.

I've always fancied fitting a motorcycle seat to the deck, footpegs and a set of stoker bars for the passenger to my Minute. However, the boy starting riding before he would been large enough for it work and the girl is in a child seat strapped to the deck.

How do you install your kids on yours?

I used to have my 6 year old twins on the back of my Yuba Mundo with no issues. Well, until i had to ride up steep hills that is......

But, they had fun, they fit and even steep hills are just a granny ring slow spin.

I used some clamp on bike seats from PollySport. They're very secure and have enough space between them.

Bugger it I'm gonna get a Yuba Mundo, if I get one fun summer out of it then its worth it. Theres a budget version (hi-ten, v-brakes, 7 speed) for 1000E posted or a cro-mo frame kit for 1200E from Yuba Europe. I've got most of the bits to build the frame so am tempted to get the lighter cro-mo option.

Damn, I used to think towing a single child on my SS was hard work.
No way I would manage 2 !

Yes careful route planning required. Or the ebike option...

If anybody wants a Kona Ute Electric version, we have one available. My father recently passed and it was one of many bikes in his collection. Its as new, he only rode it a few times. We have all the keys, panniers etc and invoice etc. He bought it new. Metallic bronze frame colour. Tan panniers. Bamboo rack top. Bike is original spec. Been stored indoors inside its whole life and kept charged. New Forest south coast.

My two were 5 & 7 when this was taken.

This was July & I think when school started back in the Sept, we used a tag along with the eldest on his own bike.

You could really feel the bike flexing I seem to recall.

But we had some fun times on it, my lads still talk about the time we all fell off it in the snow.

Priceless memories. 🙂

https://www.flickr.com/photos/takisawa2/7558582866/in/album-72157632432701996/

^^ Link to the photo from my post. Stupid new forum has defied all my attempts to post the pic.

(Sorry mods, but if it stays like this I reckon a lot of folk will simply lose patience).

@ctk

If you do get one and need two seats for the back.... let me know.

BTW, the cheaper Hi-Ten steel version is a proper tank. Heavy as F•ck.
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Thanks for the replies chaps

Great pic Takisawa, cant wait.

Lardman I'll pass on the seats thanks I'm going to fit the cushions and see how that goes.

I've had such good fun with a trailer and also a LOCT seat really looking forward to getting on this.

Need to decide between buying the Mundo Lux frameset for 1200E or the whole hi-ten bike for 1000E.

Pros of the Lux is that its frame is 2.9kg lighter, I can build it with parts I have in stock including disc brakes, DH wheels, double chainset etc. Cons are its bound to cost more than I imagine building it.

Pros of the Hi-Ten are its a whole bike ready to go. Cons are its 7 speed and v brakes which I'll want to upgrade I'm sure. Also its a 14mm rear axle (?) and the wheels are not disc ready and it takes a freewheel on the back rather than a cassette...

Bikes can be seen on yubaeurope.com

(I'm not even going to try a link!)

I wouldn't worry about the gears, agricultural are good for a cargo bike because they're easy to work on and cheap to replace - it's the Vbrakes that would be the deal-braker (see what I did there) as I have hydro disks on my Kona and two kids on the back, you need stoppingpower

also, yes it's true that 700c wheels on the Ute make for a high platform which can have stability issues but it's not that big a deal - although if you were in a position to choose Ute or Big Dummy it would be the dummy

Thanks Ed. I've got some Magura hydraulic rim brakes that I could stick on there. (By luck they came off a tandem so the rear hose would be long enough) But really

Big Dummy is an option/ spanner in the works(!), apparently a bit faster and nicer to ride than the Mundo but the Mundo has more room. Frameset approx the same price also. Looks cooler, the full bike at £2k is good value with better kit than the Yuba Mundo full bike.

So Big Dummy frameset or
Mundo cro-mo frameset or
Mundo Hi-Ten bike

https://humofthecity.com/2012/02/07/bike-v-bike-yuba-mundo-v4-meets-the-surly-big-dummy/

https://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/frames-forks-c6/road-frames-c47/big-dummy-frameset-p17135/s50669?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=surly-big-dummy-frameset-size-medium-colour-green-size-medium-colour-green-fmsubd2g&utm_campaign=product%2Blisting%2Bads&cid=GBP&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrf_GiKSC2QIVSrHtCh2HRghwEAQYAyABEgKwI_D_BwE

Cant edit so

But really... I think I'd want discs on there.