wanted to buy Trikidoo, pashley trike or similar or advice on which makes are best

[sarahandruby]

Hello fellow mumsnetters,
I'm looking for a easier and environmentally friendly way to do the school and thought a trike or similar might be the best way. If anyone has any advice on which makes are best or even better still has one for sale they no longer use or know of some one that does please do get in touch via this thread or PM me. Many thanks

hmm, I would say not hugely possible.

what age dc?

and are you anyhwere near Surrey (I think not - aren't you over the water?) becasue you can come and try one out!

although saying that, the bits of steep hill I was used to were eg 3-5 mins on the bike, so maybe I suppose.

we tried one out before we bought - London recumbents have some for hire at a park in London - and pretty much all the cargo bikes/family bikes are heavy and cumbersome, but it's all a pay off, isn't it?

I thnk ou can get electrical assist on just about anything.

I vaguely recall there being an option for it with the kangaroo, but couldn't swear to it.

dd1 is about 21kg now, and is 6 9nearly seven)- I'd say you'd easily get another couple of years. (helps that dd2 is tiny, so balances out dd1 a bit . dd2 is 4, and weighs about 12kg)

I really like the idea of electrical assist......but would be to use it

Thanks for all the info.

Honeydragon - I live in the middle of London and don't feel a trailer would be safe around these parts, such busy roads (especially when most of the mums have petrol guzzling land rovers and can't see over the steering wheel). My daughter has been offered a school place that would take us an hour to walk but if I had a trike it would only take 15 mins (albeit half the ride up a hill). I couldn't do bike seats as I also have a 15 month old and don't feel I could balance a bike with 2 children on it but a trike I could think I could manage.

Silverfrog - How would the balance be with a 4 1/2 year old one side and a 15 month on the other, would the balance be out??? Do you know what age/height it would go up to. I was thinking the Trikidoo as they are cheaper but as you say not weatherproof in any way (as I am writing it hasn't stopped raining for the last 12 hours in London arghhh)

I had dd1 at 4, and dd2 at 2 - and dd1 is huge for ehr age, and dd2 tiny, so as unbalanced as they come, child wise.

I can't say I noticed, tbh. and I didn't bother shifting seats about to only take one of them occasionally. I would (and have) for weeks whre dh takes one in the trailer, and I have one in the kangaroo - nicer for them to have moe space, rather thanon one side etc.

the kangaroo can take up to 100kg in the front compartment, I believe, and is sized for children up to 150cm. I reckon it will last dd1 until she is about 9 or 10 (I woudln't normally recommend this, and am not sue I will keep up with it , but it is not likely that dd1 will be able to ride her own bike within that itme frame). will be chucking dd2 out on he own though

the kangaroo is defintely weatherproof - was a huge plus for us. I used some lovely down ski trousers (form Spotty Otter) in the winter, and the girls were snuggly and warm. and a nice range of windows to open in the summer.

sarahandruby I get your point entirely, I wouldn't use a trailer in the middle of London either, hell I don't want to use one in a Market Town any more

Sarah

I've rang round a few places over the last couple of months, when I have got the money together I will probably be spending it here they are incredibly helpful and lovely and their prices are quite competitive for items that are not cheap to start with. They have even agreed to email me details of a couple I am interested in to help me decide

Great thanks I will look them up. What did you think of the Babboe (if you researched it), I have a lady who lives locally that sells them so would be easy to get hold of one but I have also found one second hand for £550 but they live too far away so would need to get a van or man in a van to go get for me, which would add another £100+ onto price. Any thoughs??

Oh god it wasn't in Oxford was it?

I've just popped back onto this thread to say that after all my research and decision making, DH got told about one advertised 20 minutes down the road from us a Babboe for £500? He was keen but I wasn't sure.

He decided it was ok (he is a engineer) and bought it, I've just come back to the thread to say, we've bought one of the cheaper models but I'll let you know if it's ok.

Please, please don't tell me I picked up the one you were looking at

I called Babboe too, and read a few of the Dutch forums; although they are heavy they don't tend to tip as much as the Christiania on adverse cambers and the like. Although Henry from work cycles slags them off, but tbf he doesn't really say anything particularly helpful about any 3 wheelers. I can let you know what it's like; unless your not speaking to me because through some terrible coincidence I've nicked a potential trike from you!

I was also watching this as its quite light and looks cool but don't know a lot about them

Cargo Cruiser

Oh no it was in Oxford. Drats we were planning to go and see it this weekend although after a few initial emails and photos I hadn't heard back from Charlotte maybe that is why. Oh well first in first served I guess. Good luck with it because they do look amazing. Let me know how you get on.

Sorry

Initially dh only went because he wanted to see the boat and he drives that way for work.... I thought it was too much of a co incidence.

I must admit we ended up calling as we didn't get a response through email. One of the cycle forum auctions has a couple of 2010 babies for £800, but dh wanted to go for something local if possible in case he couldn't get it in the car.

It weighed a Tonne to lift in the car and I need to fix one of the valves in the morning then I can let you know how it rides.

I'm sorry. Although if it's any help I don't think a van would've got down there, dh only got the car as far as the bridge.

Babbled not babies ... Damn you autocorrect.

OK, we've fixed the valve (had to replace the whole inner tube as valve is European) and tightened the brakes etc.

I was actually surprised how well the bike was made, Babboe don't seem to have used any cheap parts at all. The bench seats are basic but comfy and the 3 point harnesses adjust but are quite big on dd (18 months). But the belts go over the shoulders rather than as lap belts. The bike is a lot better than I thought it would be from reading the very few reviews I could find.

It is heavy though with a big turning circle. For the price of them (both new and second hand) I think it's worth you going to Babboe and having a play if it's near by. Then stalking the cycle forum auction, going going bike and gumtree. I found the Babboe, as I regularly searched bikes in Oxford and Cambridge, Oxford as its my nearest town, and because both are cycling towns.

It is heavy so given my current fitness levels I will be struggling on hills however unlike the Kangaroo it is accessible to get to and will be easier to maintain, and I can fit a motor to it myself in time (thank god I married an engineer).

I think truthfully the aluminium ones are a better option for weaving in and out of traffic. But as dh pointed out, I don't need to that here, and he has been insisting all week I get something that's sat practically on our doorstop.

I looked into the Johnny Loco on ebay, it seems sturdy, apparently they use a concrete block as a counterweight.

I am very very pleased with the Babboe at present, it's not a Nihola, but I can't afford one and they are very unlikely to come up for sale here, they only seem to turn up in London.

I've got a trikidoo and love it. A lot! Happy to answer any questions if you want to pm me

Great thanks. How does it handle up hills, I have one big hill to get up (with 2 kids), can you sort of stand up and pedal like you do on a normal bike. Is the frame light (just called the Trikidoo lady and she couldn't even tell me what the frame was made of). I would be riding around London streets, would you say you feel safe on it and does it turn like a normal bike??? Think I just need to bite the bullet and go to Hammersmith and test drive one. Is there a warranty and have you had anything go wrong. Many thanks Sarah

Sarah

Having tested the Babboe today ....it does not like big hills it is heavy. It handles great here as the roads I am mostly on are slow. It is easy to steer but definitely needs electric assistance up steeper hills*

Have you considered a used Taga and then getting the second seat? They are getting good feedback too.

*I am hideously unfit at the moment but am being objective here

Hi Sarah,

Have you considered the Babboe E Power? If you have hills near your house the pedal assisted motor makes cycling much easier. It is not like a motor cycle, but instead the small engine gives the rider extra help while pedalling. It is what I use. Also, there is a mountain gear that you can use to give you an extra push when you have an extra steep hill. Babboes have a good warranty 5 years on frame, 2 years on the components like gears and brakes and 6-24 months on the electric parts. It might be a nice option for you.
Kiind regards,
Coreen at Babboe

I've been reading your messages and wanted to testify about the Babboe:

I'm a Mum of 2 (3 and 5 years old) living in London. I've been riding a Babboe for the last year and it really changed my life!...
I'm getting fitter, goes quicker than with my car (no need to search a parking space, no jams, no tickets!) and school runs and errands are no more a problem.
I can sit my kids+ 2 of their friends, or push up a bench and carry shopping bags, children bikes to the park...
Hills are not a problem (even with 4 kids in the box) as I have the electric version.
Although this version is a bit more expensive than the basic one (still less than 2K) it's worth it (just saving petrol and meters for local use, I offset my Babboe in a bit less than 2 years).
Ask Babboe for a free trial, they have agents in different locations (details must be on the website)
I'm happy to answer any question...

Hello! i am selling my Bellabike,a great way to transport up to two children/babies and keep them dry, warm and protected from the sun. it has two aluminium seats which recline and an integrated raincover. It is highly flexible and on a hot day you can zip down the side windows to let in a cool breeze, the front window can also be rolled up, leaving a lovely canopy to protect them from the midday sun. It is brand new, I have only used it once. If anyone is interested please let me know. It is worth £1800 but would sell it for £1200 and give you access to maintenance service. Thank you

Come late to this thread, but if anyone still thinking, here's my twopennorth! I replaced my car (which never got used) with a Christiania 1 year ago, basically for the school/ afterschool run. I have thighs like tree trunks , but can get both my DC up a fairly significant hill without getting off (trike means even very slow speed is stable) and take 4 children to school 1 day a week. They are all warm and dry and cosy and love it. I went for this design rather than a trailer because here in the city, I have noticed absolutely that cars and especially buses give no leeway to trailers. The children are in front of me in the cargo bike and so it feels much safer. Not for those who want to be inconspicuous in daily life though!

I have our 3 year old Trikidoo for sale - in Cambridge, if anyone is interested? It is in excellent condition.

nt2013...have you sold it already?

I have a Navy Trikadoo for sale, in Hammersmith, if you are interested Emmaroos?

We also have a navy blue trikidoo for sale in Nottingham. It's three years old and in lovely condition. It was great on the school/nursery run although not for the faint hearted on hills! When it rained we just kagooled up (and I also got a waterproof rug for their legs; I was still soaked but they were sitting still so got cold).