Options for hauling the kid around

**Duffman** · 03-08-2021, 10:05 AM

So my 7 year old son has the bike bug which is awesome and wants to ride everywhere around here. My (large 38 lbs) 3.5 yo daughter has been hanging in my Yepp Mini on the front of my mid 90s era steel Schwinn Paramount series (jap paramount,not waterford for those like me that worked in a shop in the 90s) I converted with flat bars and a high rise stem. She's outgrown the Yepp Mini now as sad as it is to lose my copilot Options on this current bike for a rear mount seem really limited as it has tight crit bike geometry, no rack mounts, and no clearance at the seatstay brake bridge for anything over a 25c tire, in addition to my concern over tacoing a rim with our combined weight (me 200 plus her near 40 + seat )

Given these limitations, what is the best setup for us ? I actually have a seat tube frame mounted Yepp Maxi (older style without the rack ) but don't think it's going to work on this bike or my old cannondale FS mountain bike , so probably need to sell it and look for new bike and/or seat options

**geomorph** · 03-08-2021, 12:15 PM

I started my kid on a tagalong at about that size/age. She doesn't do any pedaling so much, but likes pretend. Seatpost mount so doesn't play well with droppers but sounds like that's not a problem for you.

**gravitylover** · 03-08-2021, 12:44 PM

When my daughters were about 4 I started using a tagalong thing that attached to my seatpost and it worked great except for when the kid would fall asleep. I learned pretty quickly that I had to use a helmet mirror so I could see what was going on. It was good because they really started to understand balance, speed and pedaling with some force rather than just the little bit they did on their own little bikes.

**Duffman** · 03-08-2021, 03:13 PM

Love the idea of the tagalong also, but for urban riding and longer rides I think the seat could be easier

**carlh** · 03-08-2021, 04:10 PM

Mac ride on a MTB is great to keep her in front or for harder terrain. For pure utility it’s hard to beat a cargo bike, this can also carry a small kids bike if she wants to ride in safe sections. I have both these options for different scenarios.
I had a chariot and riding with a trailer sucks.

**dan_pdx** · 03-08-2021, 06:23 PM

I towed my 75 lb dog to/from work in a Burley Tail Wagon for years and it worked great and held up to a lot of abuse. We probably did around 2k miles together and the trailer is still kicking.

Weight is the major drawback; the trailer alone is 25 lbs, and that's for a flat floor - one with seats for kids would probably weigh more. I'd be interested to hear why carlh thought it sucked, other than the weight, the only real problem I had with mine was occasionally struggling to negotiate a tight spot / door etc.

**Shredhead** · 03-08-2021, 07:20 PM

I wore out a Burly and then an Adam’s tandem trail a bike.

I think a e- cargo bike would be clutch.

**carlh** · 03-08-2021, 08:05 PM

Originally Posted by dan_pdx

I towed my 75 lb dog to/from work in a Burley Tail Wagon for years and it worked great and held up to a lot of abuse. We probably did around 2k miles together and the trailer is still kicking.

Weight is the major drawback; the trailer alone is 25 lbs, and that's for a flat floor - one with seats for kids would probably weigh more. I'd be interested to hear why carlh thought it sucked, other than the weight, the only real problem I had with mine was occasionally struggling to negotiate a tight spot / door etc.

I felt the trailer made it hard to maneuver the bike around, made it much wider and slower to accelerate and stop. I think trailers are great for occasional use and on paths but I was never comfortable with it on the road. Seattle is also really hill and going up or down hills with a trailer is not very fun.
I replaced with a Yuba Spicy curry (bosch powered longtail cargo bike) and did 4k miles commuting in the first year before a job change and move dropped that way down. The e-cargo bike feels like a heavy normal bike and with the boost can move around quick enough to handle traffic. It can also carry a kid, work stuff and 50lbs of groceries at the same time. It is a great replacement for lots of car trips, but it rides like the 70lb brute it is and your not going to want to use it for fun rides.
The mac-ride will fit on anything with a standard headtube and flat bars/upright position and is super fun for the kids until they bash your chin with their helmet. I am 6'3" and have mine on an XL sentinel but I think my son is probably too tall now, he was pushing it at 43.5" last summer so we will see how this year goes. Plan on keeping it to bail him out when riding together this year.

**skivan** · 03-09-2021, 11:26 AM

I love my big dummy. Best cl bike purchase ever. It had a Yepp maxi on the deck until jr outgrew. Now just a cushioned seat for rides to school/out of immediate 7yo bike range. I commute in it and get groceries etc. car replacement for most of the year but I live in a semi urban flat zone

**aBradAbroad** · 03-09-2021, 11:43 AM

FWIW, I have had great success with my 3 and 4 y/o on a Shotgun seat. We even ride the mellow (green) trails at the charilift. I think they learn more having their feet on pegs and hands on my handlebars as they learn to lean the bike and stand with level feet. When we ride local (non-lift) trails, I bought one of the tow bungees to help my son get up the hill on his bike, then we unhook for the way down and he gets to rip.

**Duffman** · 03-14-2021, 09:57 PM

Picked up the Shotgun seat for my Cannondale Rush, the rather large 3.5 year old absolutely loves it so far. Only had her out on the city paths so far, but can't wait to try some smooth trails.

**Beaver** · 03-15-2021, 10:54 AM

Saw a guy with a cargo e bike with 2 kids on the back. Behind the kids he had a fork hang style bike rack with 2 kids bikes hanging from it.

**Beaver** · 03-15-2021, 11:08 AM

A friend rides an Urban Arrow around Vancouver with 2 grandkids. It's got a mid mounted bucket with removable top so when youre riding you can see and talk to the kids. It's got a Bosch mid drive motor.

https://www.urbanarrow.com/en/family

**detrusor** · 03-15-2021, 01:38 PM

Don’t under sell the trailer. Cold/wet non problem. I didn’t have any issues maneuvering and it’s makes you strong AF

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**shirk** · 03-15-2021, 07:03 PM

I've done a couple set up. The old bike with trailer, the old bike with front mount seat. Then it was old bike front mount seat and trailer.

Then it was this set up. Front mount seat, rear mount seat, trailer, and two run bikes.

We added a ecargo bike to the fleet and i have an e-kit on my custom frame I built. The old trailer was stripped and turned into the cargo trailer. This was loaded up to ride the 25km from home to the ferry terminal for a weekend on the Sunshine Coast.

Eventually the smaller guy out grew the front seat so a used Kona Ute was put into service with the ebike kit.

With the two ebike cargo bikes we'll each take one kid and do all our errands and stuff by bike. We'd hang their run bikes over the back of the rack and to kids could ride a bit on safe paths and then hop back on. I highly recommend this set up. We went from mid March 2020 to late October 2020 with the kids never once sitting in the car.

**Touring_Sedan** · 03-15-2021, 08:29 PM

Originally Posted by detrusor

Don’t under sell the trailer. Cold/wet non problem. I didn’t have any issues maneuvering and it’s makes you strong AF

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Seconded. I feel like I have a lot more control with the trailer. The bastards love it too.

**Danno** · 03-18-2021, 09:36 AM

We did a Chariot, that thing was great. When she got a little bigger and wanted to be "involved" we tried a tagalong but weren't crazy about it. Much preferred the Wehoo for that.

**Falcon3** · 03-18-2021, 11:45 AM

This thread always makes me think of this. https://youtu.be/jj0CmnxuTaQ

**s1ammy** · 03-18-2021, 11:53 AM

We had great luck with a two kid chariot. So many miles pulling that thing. Super easy to throw the balance bike, 12" or 16" pedal bike in. Kids would ride as far as they could and then hop in the trailer. Great for carrying all the other stuff that helps with having a kid along. Great for hualing groceries. The bike trailer definitely let us ride our bikes a lot more.

**Touring_Sedan** · 03-18-2021, 06:01 PM

Originally Posted by s1ammy

We had great luck with a two kid chariot. So many miles pulling that thing. Super easy to throw the balance bike, 12" or 16" pedal bike in. Kids would ride as far as they could and then hop in the trailer. Great for carrying all the other stuff that helps with having a kid along. Great for hualing groceries. The bike trailer definitely let us ride our bikes a lot more.

We use it all around town in the summer. Trips to the playground, trips to the splash pad, neighborhood movie nights, library runs..... between the pouch in the back, and the space around their feet, you can hall a tremendous amount of shit. With all that weight, I'd recommend disc brakes, but we're in a hilly area.