Advice - i have a bike and want to use it...

[Nixz]

Not sure where this thread fits in really! I have inherited a brand new motor bike and because im getting a bit on the squidgy side and the bikini beach days are looming i want to get out and use it. Problem number 1. Where do i put my 4 year old daughter whilst i go cycling mad?
Problem number 2. Do i get a trailer, a bike seat or whatever else there is out there to securely attach your chiold to you!!!!! I would prefer a bike seat as then i have a bit more freedom what routes i take but what are peoples thoughts?

[rummum]

Is it a motor bike or pedal bike?....

[WigWamBam]

Sorry, but I wouldn't want my 4 year old dd anywhere near a motorbike.

[Nixz]

erm...., a pedal bike!!! Sorry
A Mountain bike!

[WigWamBam]

Ah ... that's different

[rummum]

how about a bike that you can hook on to your bike... that would probably last longer than a trailer or seat. (I think I've seen them in the argos book)

we've just started bike riding with daughter 8 and son 7.. we went for a 10 mile bike ride the other day through footpaths and country lanes, we poodle along and don't go to fast. It's really good fun...

Let us know how you get on.... are you in the country?

Rummum

[honeyflower]

For a 4 year old, I would get a trailer bike or tag-along - like this . Lots of fun for her too (my dd age 4 loves hers), and as she gets the hang of pedalling she will be able to help you zoom along, instead of just adding to the weight you have to lug about with you.

[SoftFroggie]

I've seen 4yr olds on trailer bikes, where they have a saddle and wheel that attaches to your bike. They look very comfortable and involved and can pedal a bit too.

We have a bike seat for our 2yr old, but I don't think that would be big enough for a 4 yr old, and the bike would become rather unstable?
We've also used a trailer with seats, not sure that would really be spacious enough for a 4 yr old, not sure on leg room??

I'd go for a trailer bike personally.
get her a helmet!

[fqueenzebra]

How big is your 4yo? How much do you want to spend?
Bike seat: £20 (ebay) - £70 (reclining, heavy). Won't get much use out of before she's too big (we can still just about get my 5yo in his, but he's small for age). And it makes bike very unwieldy.

Trailer -- don't have much foot room, child will outgrow in next 18-24m, probably.

I would think a trailer bike, if her legs are long enough. You can get ok ones for under £100. We got a trail-gator (will provide a link if you ask) which lets you connect your bike to their bike, you can even get fold-up stabilisers with it. For quality trailer bikes (you can use for years to come) I think Burley Piccolo gets the best rex from the CTC, but must cost > £300 new. August is a terrific time to buy stuff on Ebay, if you want to keep an eye on there.

We have a childback tandem, good solution for a cycling family like ours.

hth.

[SoftFroggie]

this sort of thing

see everyone else has got there first

[Nixz]

Thanks everyone, my dd is 4 1/2 and big for her age. She wants one of them trailers that are like little tents because she is sooo lazy when she wants to be! With all the advice though, im reluctant to get her a seat for the back of my bike if it makes the bike really unbstable - kind of scarey thought. I think the trailer bike is best - just a bit pricey, i will look on ebay. Does anyone use a trailer bike - are you restricted to what paths and routes you use? Ive heard you can get seat backs aswell.

[NotQuiteCockney]

I think the bike seats are only good to 18kg or so. And I wouldn't buy one for a 4.5 year old - she should be pedalling!

One of DS1's classmates goes on a trailer-bike (where she pedals). She seems pretty happy on it.

[fqueenzebra]

you can be restricted re paths & lanes & trailer-bikes, depends on what anti-motorbike obstacles they have on them (very annoying, but what can you do?).

Def. can't get our child trailer down many paths, though, so would aim for trailer bike if you can.

You can get, online, a trail-gator (or a "jiraffe") set up for less than the Halford's price Soft Froggie quoted (

[fqueenzebra]

my bike seat says 22kg.... my 5yo won't weigh that until he's 6.5yo, but he rides his own bike to school mostly, anyway.

[NotQuiteCockney]

Which model do you have, fqueenzebra?

I have a Centric Safe Haven and a Rhode Gear Limo. I think the Rhode Gear goes for heavier kids, but I really doubt any child would go from the Safe Haven (up to 18kg) to the Rhode Gear, coz the view is so much better on the Safe Haven.

My DS1 (nearly 4) is hooked on his LikeABike at the moment, anyway. So much so that we're thinking of taking it on holiday with us this summer.

[Fennel]

I would consider just getting the 4 year old cycling. my dds age 5 and nearly 4 are both good cyclists already. we are restricted by lack of cycle lanes but it's great going out cycling all together with them on their own bikes.

otherwise a trailer-bike, as the others say. definitely not a trailer to go behind she's too old for that

both my dds weigh about 18kg and both fit easily into a bike seat, by the way, I think they'll both be OK in them for a couple more years. you can pick bike seats up easily secondhand, at car boot sales etc, for a few pounds.

[Fennel]

Zebra where did you get the childback tandem and how much did it cost?

[fqueenzebra]

Bike seat, not sure what models we have, one is Argos (Polosport?), other one I got off of Ebay -- just the very basic style one (hump between legs, and straps on sides). Might be Bikey?

Childback tandem -- Dawes do the TwoCan, St. John St (SJS) do them as a modif. of their Thorn tandems, Bike Friday do them and... Orbit or Orbita A do them. SJS or Dawes are cheapest new, around £800. We got our SJS childback tandem 2nd hand, off of Ebay for £350 including delivery (but only because the seller had miscalculated the delivery charge, so brought it to us himself). Lovely bike, very happy with it.

Bike Friday is cool because can be broken down/folded up for transport, but cost in excess of £1500 new, £800 or so 2nd hand.

Place a wanted ad with tandemclub.co.uk and you could get a childback type tandem for under £400 I'm sure.

[Nixz]

my dd loves her bike and zips around the place when playing out with her friends but on a more selfish note (is that bad!!) i was thinking about how i could keep her contained whilst I did a 30 min cycle a day or something to get fit etc. This would be impossible to do as she would complain all the way! We do go out on bike rides as a family, and yes they are great fun but its stop start all the way, which i dont mind when its just for fun but its not what i had in mind for this! Its only a temp solution im lookin for really!

[fqueenzebra]

my 5yo can ride in the cycle trailer, esp. if I take the cover off. Some of them have more footroom than others, look at the ones on Ebay (they usually have a 100 kg limit on weight of child, so shouldn't be an issue). Hard work towing a trailer so you would need less time cycling to get as fit. Good luck

[Nixz]

thanks everyone, i will look into all these ideas and let you know how i get on! I'll be the slim one with the stretch top and matching cycling shorts