i`m not sure, half of me says its fine, half says they are mobile death traps. i guess if i get enough flags etc…

the wife is dead against but it may be necessary for dropping hte sprogs to the childminder. 30mph road but can be quite busy and i’d rather nt get them killed as i’m growing fond of them.

opinions greatly appreciated!

I used to have one, centre of the road positioning very defensive, people were always courteous apart from a row I had with a bus driver who hit the trailer (empty) as he didn’t see it, despite the flag. I would still be happy doing it but v v aggressive about my road position. Just be a car.

I guess its all about perceived risk.

I wouldnt put Jnr FD in one on the road because it increases the risk of him being killed, as opposed to trundling him around on tracks.

I try avoid on roads myself too for the same reasons. I guess the difference is though that I actively make the decision knowing the risk. The child doesnt.

I wouldn’t personally, especially in rush hour despite 30mph roads. Ride on pavement or get bike-mounted carrier?

I’m sure a certain somebody will be along shorty with stats to illustrate it is safer than taking a child in a car or swimming with them in the Amazon 😉

But stats don’t count for much as a parent sometimes, and when the time comes i’m with Funkydunc

I used one for years as main mode of Kiddie transport (wife used car for work) Agree with above about defensive riding. I found drivers gave it a very wide berth, much more so than when riding without trailer. I never had any near misses and felt very confident using it.

Having said that, I’m very lucky with quiet roads, not sure how I would feel about using it in a busier town.

If using it in dark, light it up like a christmas tree, and get one with a big back pocket, kids transport all sort of junk to and from nursery

On a tow path or off road trails yes, but I’d not put my kids in one and take them out on the road…

Flags and flashing lights might well get most drivers attention, but then there’s the crap ones, like the girl I bawled at for talking on her mobile while pulling out of a junction the other day, these **** seem to be on the increase, hence I’m not really keen to tow my loved ones in front of their metal death boxes…

I know it shouldn’t be the case, but I really don’t trust other road users enough…

We use ours every day, having said that there is only one section that is a busy(ish) (30mph) road, all the other sections are cul-de-sacs, v quiet back roads or off road paths.
It depends on the roads in question for me whether I would be comfortable doing it.

I used to take my kids to nursery in the trailer on a daily basis. Most of it was through the park with a couple of fairly quiet roads en route too. It was fine. Never any problems

But when we got to the one section of busy main road, I’d opt for the pavement. It just made me nervous, thinking of the potential consequences of some idiot (and there are enough of them out there) not concentrating properly

Mrs trb ruled out a trailor as she once had first hand experience of what happened when a car hit one.

That said, I’ve experienced some inconsiderate driving when I’ve been out with the bike seat on the back – and in the event of a small tumble it’s a long way down from a seat, where as they’ll be fine in a trailor.

However if my missus says no, then I don’t do it if I know what’s good for me!

How much cash have you got? Can you afford one of those cargo bikes that converts to take lots of kids? (can’t remember what they are called, but they adverise in the CTC mag)

Probably very much depends on the roads in question and your experience of them, really. I would on some roads, but a lot I wouldn’t. Like others have said, it’s putting a lot of trust in other road users, who aren’t all deserving of it.

i feel like i’ll want to take my kids with me using the bike, as and when, but i really don’t know how i’ll feel when it comes to it. or how my wife will feel, either.

I’ll be getting one in the next year and fully intend to use it on the road, though my risk assessment will differ from solo cycling. There’s an nsl involved if I want to get to Salisbury, not sure how I feel about that yet..

Used one almost every day in the city for a couple of years with two children. My experience was that drivers gave it a wider berth that the bike plus seat as they were more unsure if the distance. No problems using the trailer but I have dropped the bike twice on icy roads – fortunately both were very slow speed so it was a gentle drop.

I used a couple of flashing LEDs on either corner at the back of the trailer

I’ve got 3 year old twins and I sometimes take them the 15 minute route to school in their Burly.

I know its wrong but i ride (slowly/courteously) on the pavement because they say they don’t like being on the road with cars.

Wife uses one daily to take youngest with her on the school run, oldest rides his own bike, middle rides his like-a-bike. But we are fortunate in where we live. I’d be nervous of using one a lot in town to be honest, it’d have flags and strobes and hooters going off every 2 seconds if I had too.

I think it’s purely down to the where – we’ve done quite lot of offroad with it too and never had a problem.

I think it depends on where you live – if its just for a run though parks/wide resedential streets then maybe I would, but there is no way I’d entertain the idea on busier roads or city centres.
You can light it up like a Christmas tree but i’d still be convinced that some t**t who’s driving along on the phone wouldn’t see it, and would just drive right over it.

I pass a family on a triplet most days, Mum and two little’uns. Nice to see.

Not sure I’d go for a trailer at all myself. Bigdummy or a tandem/triplet yeah.

2 sprogs and 1 under 1 so the seat thing is a no go-er. also the idea would be that i leave the trailer at teh minders while i rip the DH into work.

can you get full suss versions? i have an option of a very rutted bridleway but i’m not sure they’d appreciate it without some form of cushioning.

i used one for regular weekend rides when ours where younger including on busy local main road and would echo point made above that vehicles generally give you much more room but having said that it wasn’t at commute times when all consideration for any roaduser disappears and tailgating at speed whilst attending to phone/radio/makeup means that attention is minimal

as said above if can pick a route that avoids obvious danger spots and a bit of pragmatic pavement use go for it – now kids are older thats what we do as well

Nice to see in some respects, but placing your child at the mercy of motorists is fool hardy imo.

You just have to read the never-ending “Got driven into by an idiot motorist” threads to seriously question why any sane parent would consider doing this.

Far from wanting to wrap your child up in cotton wool, this actually puts your child directly in harms way. Far too much of a gamble imo.

Never had any problems. Use ours all over the place. Main roads, quiet lanes, on the Continent. In fact probably get more clearance from cars than I do on my own on the bike.

One of the top 10 bits of kit we own I reckon

You would still put your child in a car tho?

Stoner – beware the wrath of STW – not only do you not have a helmet on but you are wearing some sort of baseball cap

yeah, but I made Jr wear a lid. Im all over this hypocrisy thing….

worse than that – his front brake hose is too long.

In my experience the nursery car park is a far more dangerous place:

Apparently she thought she’d just hit the curb…..

What you want to do there ^ is grab your child, spank it, then stuff it under the back wheel of the car.

Youd make a fortune.

Am thinking of getting one in the spring. If I do, then it’ll mean using the pavement of the main road (40mph) for about 5 miles which IMO is fine. No way would I use the road – not prepared to take the risk.

Thankfully can go cross country at the start then nip through some residential bits at the end.

lol @ Stoner

I think I might just go for running around screaming “You’ve killed my baby! You’ve killed my baby!” before ‘noticing’ the kid stood to one side when the driver was suitably upset.

2 sprogs and 1 under 1 so the seat thing is a no go-er

You can get adaptors to fit child seats on a big dummy / xtracycle.

ADH – i’m pretty sure its not advisable to take kids under 1 on bikes.

besides i’d never get that monstrosity down the trails i commute on! a few laps of a knackered bmx track and then a mini dh descent. then just thinking of climbing that bugger back out of brighton *shudders*

which bit of Brighton for the nursery run Van-Halen – used to take my daughter down Sackville Road on a trailer bike for the school run for about a year – about half a mile down and up there twice a say was all I could stand, tbh, you feel vulnerable.

VH – LMGFY

People all over the world do this without having to agonise on some forum over the best way to ‘portage’ their offspring.

You wanna hitch a trailer to your 222 for some DH? Go right ahead.

For me a sneaky bit of off road on an unsuitable bike is a real hoot.

I used to know a guy in Bath that did all the local trails with his kid on the back in a child-seat, up and down. He was an absolute machine.

For me, when the time comes, it’ll be a car baby seat on the deck of a BD.

VH – I think Burley & Chariot do suss trailers (i.e. the expensive ones, of course) but depending on the children involved they often quite enjoy a good bouncing around 🙂

Kids under 1 – well, it’s variable, but ours have all been in child seats once they were sitting and holding their heads properly, and capable of wearing a helmet. They were also in the trailer from a similar age (no helmets in the trailer, I wasn’t happy with how their necks looked, and I can’t see them being of value there).
We’ve also taken them out younger, in their car seat, secured into a trailer … but only on smooth traffic free paths. This was mainly for the benefit of the older siblings so they could get a ride in.

For nearly 2 years I did the 7 mile return journey to nursery with little P in the trailer – moderately busy Poole roads too. I would hog the road if necessary-never got beeped at once!
In the mid winter it was covered with red flashers on the back, white on the front corners (as it’s a fair but wider than the bike). It even had battery Christmas lights on!
I still take him out on it every now and then-rarely I feel ‘worried’ about it…

DrP

Small twisty country lanes where I live. And sodding great tractors.

I do get a few clenching moments when Famer Palmer in his Range/Land Rover steps on the brakes behind us.

But, on the whole, I shall look forward to suing it more to take Baby Nord to school when she’s a bit older.

Plan route. Think ahead about possible issues. Mitigate those issues.

I may have posted this before, but you can carry three kids on one bike…

Van Halen – Member

ADH – i’m pretty sure its not advisable to take kids under 1 on bikes.

Why not? Commen practice in amany parts of teh world. You walk with them and put them in cars – why not on bikes. this is a social construct not rooted in any actual need