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By bicycle. What is the best method? Child seat on the back? Kiddie trailer? Tow bike? Never had a child on the bike before and was wondering the preferred method. Open to all suggestions.
Kiddie trailer, they are a lot less vulnerable it it goes Pete Tong
We had a Croozer trailer (well, still have, but he's old enough to ride himself now..) from age 9m to 2ish years.
Fantastic bit of kit - I felt he was safe and secure in it.
Come rain or snow he was in it - snug as a bug!
DrP
Nearly every day with a Hamax rear seat and the official rain cover for the rain and wind when it is nippy. If you do go for a rear seat, get one that fits the seat tube rather than the rack - much plusher ride for the little monkey.
(Also with a 3 year old)
My son's not quite 2 and a half, I use a Yepp Maxi seat on an Xtracycle Free Radical (search the forum for previous posts on kid carrying, Stoner has the same set-up and has posted pics).
I carry his rucksack on my back, my bag (pannier) on the back, plus I usually have his scooter or balance bike strapped on behind the Yepp seat.
I also have a trailer, but never liked it. It doesn't weigh that much but adds a huge 'drag' feeling to the bike, like I'm towing way more weight than I actually am. Having the boy on the bike still feels heavy, but way, way easier than the trailer. I also don't like the width of the trailer, I feel like cars are more likely to hit it than just the bike, as they have to pull out more. I know you could argue that it's similar to owning the lane, but I just don't like it. plus there's storage of the trailer - can you leave it at the daycare? Can you store it at work?
As for weather... we cycle every day, regardless of the weather. It never snows here but does get down to 1 or 2 degrees C, so chilly enough for a kid on the back. For the wet/cold days he just has a waterproof all-in-one suit with an appropriate amount of layers underneath, and wellies on with the suit legs over the top which are effectively water- and draft-proof. Hood up, helmet over the top, toasty as. Sunnies on all year round, they keep the sun and rain out. He's never complained about the wind, cold or rain.
My 2 1/2 year old has just outgrown the childseat, but she's a bit of a beast.
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She now does the scooter - it's about a mile. I reckon we could do 2 miles with a bit of whipping. Any further than that and I'd get a trailer (which I used to use for her and her brother when she was younger).
I used a rear seat (can't remember the brand). I didn't fancy a trailer as we were in inner London at the time and I figured a trailer would have been more difficult on the brief section of busy road. Moved onto a tag-a-long type once they were bigger and had moved to Aus. (commute involved quieter side streets and older child)
3yo?
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I use a trailer for the 3 mile journey. Works well and we leave it at the nursery with all the pushchairs.
I knew this yummy mummy who transported her pair round in a trailer everywhere.
Looked good.....
weeride.
I knew this yummy mummy who transported her pair round in a trailer everywhere.
Looked good.....
And her kids? How did they get there?
I don't recall!
I used a trailer until the eldest was 5. The great thing is you can still use it in rain and snow and you have somewhere to shove schoolbags and all the rest. Leave it at the nursery during the day. I tended to fold it up during the day to stop kids playing in it. I had a bike seat as well but they preferred the trailer.
And after dragging two kids around in a trailer all week you tend to rocket up the hills. Well, for the first 5 mins at least
At 3 ours walked, scooter end or cycled nearly a mile to nursery. As long as you get up in time, it is great. Mrs_oab really missed it when we moved and she took them to her work nursery (in car).
How far and busy roads or not?