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Main
Date: 17 Jun 2007 18:20:43
From: Stevie
Subject: Two children on one bike?
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Hi
I was wondering if anyone can advise me. I want to take my two kids (3
and 1 year old) across the park to their nursery school in the morning
on a bike. What are the best (safest) options; trailer, front+back
mounted seats or otherwise.
Thanks in advance.
Stevie
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Date: 23 Jun 2007 21:46:46
From:
Subject: Re: Two children on one bike?
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On Jun 23, 7:07 am, mark <markfel...@earthlink.net > wrote:
> Luigi de Guzman wrote:
> > "safest" would be a trailer, especially considering the kids are so young.
>
> > For bigger little kids, I have seen little bicycle seats that clamp onto
> > your bike's top tube. Picture a small saddle clamped ahead of
> > you, and that's what you've got. Naturally, the positioning is
> > tricky--they'd need to be able to hang on to the handlebar, and they'd
> > also need to be short enough so you can see over them. This is very
> > fiddly, but I've seen it done. Unknown if these things are sold anywhere
> > outside the UK, though--I used to see them in England, but haven't seen
> > them anywhere else.
>
> > -Luigi
>
> I remember seeing those in Germany as a kid ('60s, early '70s). IIRC,
> German traffic law said the passenger couldn't be older than 7, and the
> cyclist had to be 14. The seat was usually a metal bucket seat, so the
> kid was less likely to fall out.
>
> Personally, I would put a kid who's too big for a trailer onto a
> tag-along bike that clamps onto the seatpost. Every so often I'll see a
> bicycle, tag-along bike and trailer linked together on the bike paths
> around here. Looks great, but I'm not sure how far these "road trains"
> really get.
Greetings,
I know of a couple of people that use a WeeRide on the front and
either a rear-mounted or tag-a-long on the back - so it's certainly
possible.
Check out this australian site - loads more info than even the US site
- http://www.myweeride.com.au for more details
Cheers
Jamie
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Date: 18 Jun 2007 19:39:29
From: Johnny Sunset aka Tom Sherman
Subject: Re: Two children on one bike?
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On Jun 17, 1:20 pm, Stevie wrote:
> Hi
> I was wondering if anyone can advise me. I want to take my two kids (3
> and 1 year old) across the park to their nursery school in the morning
> on a bike. What are the best (safest) options; trailer, front+back
> mounted seats or otherwise.
Here is what I would use: <http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1080 >.
--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
The weather is here, wish you were beautiful
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Date: 18 Jun 2007 11:43:21
From: Dane Buson
Subject: Re: Two children on one bike?
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Stevie <steviehaston@hotmail.com > wrote:
> Hi
> I was wondering if anyone can advise me. I want to take my two kids (3
> and 1 year old) across the park to their nursery school in the morning
> on a bike. What are the best (safest) options; trailer, front+back
> mounted seats or otherwise.
For children that small the trailer works fine. Once mine got older
there was too much contention and crowding. Now I use a front mounted
seat on an Xtracycle. The big one sits behind me and the little one
sits in front.
--
Dane Buson - sigdane@unixbigots.org
"Gone With the Wind is going to be the biggest flop in Hollywood
history. I'm just glad it'll be Clark Gable who's falling flat on his
face and not Gary Cooper."
-Gary Cooper (after he turned down the role of Rhett Butler)
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Date: 18 Jun 2007 14:33:39
From: Zoot Katz
Subject: Re: Two children on one bike?
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On Mon, 18 Jun 2007 11:43:21 -0700, Dane Buson <dane@unseen.edu >
wrote:
>Stevie <steviehaston@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> Hi
>> I was wondering if anyone can advise me. I want to take my two kids (3
>> and 1 year old) across the park to their nursery school in the morning
>> on a bike. What are the best (safest) options; trailer, front+back
>> mounted seats or otherwise.
>
>For children that small the trailer works fine. Once mine got older
>there was too much contention and crowding. Now I use a front mounted
>seat on an Xtracycle. The big one sits behind me and the little one
>sits in front.
This weekend I got to ride a loaded bakfiets. That's got to be the
sweetest way for carrying kids.
Their weight is kept low in front so you can keep your eye, and a
hand, on them. There's also room for a few bags of groceries and
medium size dog in the sturdy plywood box. The rear carrier rack
would easily take a third child or loaded panniers.
http://www.bakfiets.nl/eng/models_cargo_bike_long.php
With the load it was grunt-and-grind up hills but the bike handled
predictably. None of the Xtracycle whip when you stand up to mash..
It has its own funny steering oscillations if you're going slow and
watching the front wheel. Once over that short learning curve it was
a nice ride. I wonder how it would behave with a front hub motor.
--
zk
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Date: 18 Jun 2007 15:06:46
From: Dane Buson
Subject: Re: Two children on one bike?
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Zoot Katz <zootkatz@operamail.com > wrote:
> On Mon, 18 Jun 2007 11:43:21 -0700, Dane Buson <dane@unseen.edu>
>>
>>For children that small the trailer works fine. Once mine got older
>>there was too much contention and crowding. Now I use a front mounted
>>seat on an Xtracycle. The big one sits behind me and the little one
>>sits in front.
>
> This weekend I got to ride a loaded bakfiets. That's got to be the
> sweetest way for carrying kids.
>
> Their weight is kept low in front so you can keep your eye, and a
> hand, on them. There's also room for a few bags of groceries and
> medium size dog in the sturdy plywood box. The rear carrier rack
> would easily take a third child or loaded panniers.
>
> http://www.bakfiets.nl/eng/models_cargo_bike_long.php
It's not too bad for carrying adult sized loads either. Though I only
trundled one of my friends about for a little bit. If I didn't already
have the Xtra, I might be tempted by the Bakfiets.
> With the load it was grunt-and-grind up hills but the bike handled
> predictably. None of the Xtracycle whip when you stand up to mash..
> It has its own funny steering oscillations if you're going slow and
> watching the front wheel. Once over that short learning curve it was
> a nice ride. I wonder how it would behave with a front hub motor.
Well, I know of at least one that's been stokemonkeyed. Though I don't
believe that's one of the officially supported versions.
--
Dane Buson - sigdane@unixbigots.org
When I was a boy I was told that anybody could become President. Now
I'm beginning to believe it.
-- Clarence Darrow
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Date: 17 Jun 2007 23:54:06
From: joseph.santaniello@gmail.com
Subject: Re: Two children on one bike?
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On Jun 17, 8:20 pm, Stevie <steviehas...@hotmail.com > wrote:
> Hi
> I was wondering if anyone can advise me. I want to take my two kids (3
> and 1 year old) across the park to their nursery school in the morning
> on a bike. What are the best (safest) options; trailer, front+back
> mounted seats or otherwise.
> Thanks in advance.
> Stevie
Trailer is definitely the way to go. Seats on the bike can be hard to
keep from tipping over while standing or loading up. And if one kid
starts fussing, you don't have to worry about the whole mess falling
over while you deal with it with a trailer.
Have fun!
Joseph
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Date: 18 Jun 2007 14:12:53
From:
Subject: Re: Two children on one bike?
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joseph.santaniello@gmail.com <joseph.santaniello@gmail.com > wrote:
> On Jun 17, 8:20 pm, Stevie <steviehas...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> > Hi
> > I was wondering if anyone can advise me. I want to take my two kids (3
> > and 1 year old) across the park to their nursery school in the morning
> > on a bike. What are the best (safest) options; trailer, front+back
> > mounted seats or otherwise.
> > Thanks in advance.
> > Stevie
> Trailer is definitely the way to go. Seats on the bike can be hard to
> keep from tipping over while standing or loading up. And if one kid
> starts fussing, you don't have to worry about the whole mess falling
> over while you deal with it with a trailer.
One more vote for a trailer, from someone who has owned, used, and
loved them for years. I suggest you go to eBay and search for "bicycle
trailer." You'll get scores of hits, and my find what you need. Even if
you don't you'll get a good idea what's out there. Most LBS's I've been
in lately have a trailer or two in stock; REI had three or four.
Bill
__o
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Date: 17 Jun 2007 19:40:04
From: arnieb
Subject: Re: Two children on one bike?
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On Jun 17, 11:20 am, Stevie <steviehas...@hotmail.com > wrote:
> Hi
> I was wondering if anyone can advise me. I want to take my two kids (3
> and 1 year old) across the park to their nursery school in the morning
> on a bike. What are the best (safest) options; trailer, front+back
> mounted seats or otherwise.
> Thanks in advance.
> Stevie
In Holland it was quite common to see an adult with two children on
the bike. One child on a seat over the rear wheel and another on a
seat over the top tube, between the parent and the handle bars. I
remember seeing a family of 4 riding this way. Personally, I thought
it was rather unsafe. I'd recommend a child trailer as the safest
option.
Arnie
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Date: 17 Jun 2007 12:19:58
From: Sir Ridesalot
Subject: Re: Two children on one bike?
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On Jun 17, 2:20 pm, Stevie <steviehas...@hotmail.com > wrote:
> Hi
> I was wondering if anyone can advise me. I want to take my two kids (3
> and 1 year old) across the park to their nursery school in the morning
> on a bike. What are the best (safest) options; trailer, front+back
> mounted seats or otherwise.
> Thanks in advance.
> Stevie
Hi there.
Some thoughts for you.
The trailer has advantages and disadvanteages. It is lower to the
ground and does not affect the bcycle's balance. This is especially
true if the chidren doze or fall asleep. It stays upright protecting
the children if the bicycle should fall over whilst in motion. It is
much easier to put the two children into a trailer than onto a
bicycle. You can have toys in the trailer for the children to play
with. The screen protects them from insects. A trailer is easily
detached unlike most rear seats. It can require a fair effort to tow
up hills.
Rear mounted bicycle seats are high. The child's view is blocked by
the rider. The Wee Ride seat is mounted up front. The advantage of
this is it lets *YOU* see the child as well as allowing the child an
unobstructed forward view. http://www.weeride.com/centreseat.htm
Cheers from Peter
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Date: 17 Jun 2007 21:25:58
From: Pat
Subject: Re: Two children on one bike?
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> Rear mounted bicycle seats are high. The child's view is blocked by
> the rider. The Wee Ride seat is mounted up front. The advantage of
> this is it lets *YOU* see the child as well as allowing the child an
> unobstructed forward view. http://www.weeride.com/centreseat.htm
>
> Cheers from Peter
I used to have a bike with a rear-mounted seat on it. When my kid got to be
around 2 or 3, he started throwing his weight around---literally. The
little bugger would suddenly and without warning fling his upper body to the
left or right, all the while cackling as if it were some great joke. It took
a lot of strength to keep the bike upright when he'd do that, as I was never
expecting it. I can't imagine riding with him on the back and the other one
on the front. It would be a disaster waiting to happen!
Pat in TX
>
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Date: 17 Jun 2007 18:49:06
From: Luigi de Guzman
Subject: Re: Two children on one bike?
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On Sun, 17 Jun 2007 18:20:43 +0000, Stevie wrote:
> Hi
> I was wondering if anyone can advise me. I want to take my two kids (3
> and 1 year old) across the park to their nursery school in the morning
> on a bike. What are the best (safest) options; trailer, front+back
> mounted seats or otherwise.
> Thanks in advance.
> Stevie
"safest" would be a trailer, especially considering the kids are so young.
For bigger little kids, I have seen little bicycle seats that clamp onto
your bike's top tube. Picture a small saddle clamped ahead of
you, and that's what you've got. Naturally, the positioning is
tricky--they'd need to be able to hang on to the handlebar, and they'd
also need to be short enough so you can see over them. This is very
fiddly, but I've seen it done. Unknown if these things are sold anywhere
outside the UK, though--I used to see them in England, but haven't seen
them anywhere else.
-Luigi
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Date: 22 Jun 2007 21:07:06
From: mark
Subject: Re: Two children on one bike?
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Luigi de Guzman wrote:
> "safest" would be a trailer, especially considering the kids are so young.
>
> For bigger little kids, I have seen little bicycle seats that clamp onto
> your bike's top tube. Picture a small saddle clamped ahead of
> you, and that's what you've got. Naturally, the positioning is
> tricky--they'd need to be able to hang on to the handlebar, and they'd
> also need to be short enough so you can see over them. This is very
> fiddly, but I've seen it done. Unknown if these things are sold anywhere
> outside the UK, though--I used to see them in England, but haven't seen
> them anywhere else.
>
> -Luigi
>
I remember seeing those in Germany as a kid ('60s, early '70s). IIRC,
German traffic law said the passenger couldn't be older than 7, and the
cyclist had to be 14. The seat was usually a metal bucket seat, so the
kid was less likely to fall out.
Personally, I would put a kid who's too big for a trailer onto a
tag-along bike that clamps onto the seatpost. Every so often I'll see a
bicycle, tag-along bike and trailer linked together on the bike paths
around here. Looks great, but I'm not sure how far these "road trains"
really get.
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Date: 18 Jun 2007 11:46:51
From: Dane Buson
Subject: Re: Two children on one bike?
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Luigi de Guzman <luigi12081@cox.net > wrote:
> On Sun, 17 Jun 2007 18:20:43 +0000, Stevie wrote:
>
>> Hi
>> I was wondering if anyone can advise me. I want to take my two kids (3
>> and 1 year old) across the park to their nursery school in the morning
>> on a bike. What are the best (safest) options; trailer, front+back
>> mounted seats or otherwise.
>> Thanks in advance.
>> Stevie
>
> "safest" would be a trailer, especially considering the kids are so young.
>
> For bigger little kids, I have seen little bicycle seats that clamp onto
> your bike's top tube. Picture a small saddle clamped ahead of
> you, and that's what you've got. Naturally, the positioning is
> tricky--they'd need to be able to hang on to the handlebar, and they'd
> also need to be short enough so you can see over them. This is very
> fiddly, but I've seen it done. Unknown if these things are sold anywhere
> outside the UK, though--I used to see them in England, but haven't seen
> them anywhere else.
The only one I'm aware of is the Bobike Mini. I think onestepahead.com
sells it for about $100. It has it's warts, but it's fairly good. You
leave the mount on the bike and can pop the seat on or off in about 5
seconds.
When I'm riding it's no problem (other than making sure my daughter
doesn't shift while I'm mounting up). Stopping and starting is a little
more of a pain because of the competition for top tube space. I'm
thinking about dropping my saddle a little and pushing it back some.
--
Dane Buson - sigdane@unixbigots.org
I wasn't born a killer. Daleks like you made me this way!
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