bakfiets bicycle or tricycle??

[jollydo]

Hi. I've seen a couple of threads mentioning the bakfiets cargobike and have a question about them - as they are 2-wheeler is it difficult to balance with 2 children in? I have a 4 and 1 year old (both quite big) but wanted something I can use as they get bigger. I'm not very big, so not sure if I'll have a problem balancing with them in?

Also, I found a 'relatively' cheap bakfiets tricycle on the net today (400 euros plus delivery) and wondered if anyone has tried those? I looked up reviews on google and found a couple which were bad - which is a real shame as I thought I'd found a trike we might be able to afford. (The review of the 2-wheeler was fine.) Just wondered if anyone on MN knew about the 3-wheeler. Apparently you buy them direct from holland and put them together yourself - is this the same with the 2-wheeler? I really fancied a trike as I imagine the balance would be easier?

Balance would be easier on a trike, but trikes are lots heavier than bikes, the long back axle really makes a difference.

Do you bike a lot?

I have known a quite little woman who biked with a Bakfiets bike and one kid (tbh the bike is heavier than the kids anyway), quite happily.

How do you transport them now?

There are plenty of options as they get bigger, that are cheaper and lighter than a Bakfiets - I have a normal bike, with a WeeRide seat on the front (has a harness etc etc), and a half-bike on the back for my bigger kid. I started riding this way when my two were 4 and 1, although I didn't do it for long distances, as you have to trust the 4-year-old to hang on.

Now he's nearly 7, and quite reliable, of course.

Thanks for your response. I haven't biked very much since ds1 born, as we lived in a town and walked everywhere. Now we live about 2 miles out of town and easy cycling distance so I hate using the car for the journey, but walking takes an hour each way so not always an option.
Whenever we went out on bikes with ds1, he was in a Hamax back seat but on his Dad's bike, as mine is a boy's bike and the seat didn't fit it (I can't remember exactly why now) I'm just under 5' and actually would have to check that a cargobike seat would go low enough for my short legs!!
I wondered about those half-bike things, I could prob trust the 4 year old for short trips but the route to town goes on a cycle path at the side of a very busy road, so not sure I'd want to risk it there. The wee-rider might be worth looking at for ds2, maybe a front seat would fit on my bike.
Our other option is a trailer, but I like the idea of being able to see them and also once in town I'd have to ride on roads so don't know if I trust car drivers enough!

I don't like the trailers, but we live in London.

How careful is your 4-year-old? Mine really has never fallen off - sometimes he falls onto the crossbar, but is always ok.

The WeeRider is a pig to fit, but it does work.

We were going to hire a trailer for a ride round a nearby reservoir, but I think they might do half-bikes too, so we could try one and see how he gets on. Do you go on the road a lot?

Yes, we cycle through central London most days, DS2 on the front, DS1 on the back.

I get respect from bike couriers, and lip from black-cab drivers.

Well if you can manage central London I should be able to manage a small fen town!! Not so many black-cabs here Thanks for the help.

Do get lots of practice on your bike on your own, before going out with kids, and ride first in parks or something, then bike paths, then on roads.

I am good in central London, but that's largely because I ride a lot and never really stopped.

Oooh just found this thread!

I have a bakfiets cargobike (2 wheeler) and I LOVE it.

It balances great, and in my opinion is much easier to ride than a 3 wheeler. There is never a sense of it tipping over.

They are fantastic and would fit your 2 kids well.

Do you want to try one out. There is a ldy in Richmond who does free demos, we went to her and tried it our first.

We have only had ours a few days and I have ridden miles! Honestly I have hardly got off it, its brill fun.

My boys are 23 months and 10 months old. I know of people who have 5 year old twins plus baby in theirs. We have the long version.

Any questions just ask, i'll try and answer.
We live near Portsmouth, if you wanted to have a go on ours.

Hi Selee, that sounds good - somehow I just can't imagine being able to balance with 2 children on 2 wheels but maybe I need to try one. They obviously have a lot of room in them - do you know what the maximum weight is? Also, is yours one that you bought and put together yourself?
Unfortunately I'm a long way from Portsmouth but thanks! Also not too near to Richmond but it is closer.
Hmmm, I will have to think some more about this...

We got ours from www dutch bike (dot) co (dot) uk and they delivered it and put it together for us. If you look at their web site they have the specs for the bike there I think. Or google henry work cycles ( based in Holland) they have loads of details.

One website I like is a blog by a woman who has one for her 3 kids. I think if you google totally smitten mama and bakfiets, you should find it.

Good luck!

Ps. I've just checked, you can take up to approx 80kgs (about 175 pounds) in front box and 35kgs on the rear rack.

Thanks

Have just found this thread. Has anyone tried two bike seats on the one bike?

I currently put ds and dd in a trailer together, which is ok, but a bit heavy up hills. I'm planning to get ds on a trail-gator, and am thinking of putting dd on a front-mounted seat, not sure if she is too small though. She is ok on the rear Hamax sleepy seat, so I was pondering putting ds on a front seat and toting the two of them on board.

Anyone tried this?

Brettm, I used 2 seats on my bike for nearly three years (Bobike Mini and Maxi) and used it nearly daily. Only taken it off last week as DD is now three and getting too tall/heavy for front seat so am also going to get the Bakfiets

The bakefiets looks brilliant. I'm considering getting something like that but...pg with number 3.
What do you do with a new born? Obviously I wouldn't take baby out immediately but started thinking about this.
ds1 will be 3yrs nearly 2 months, ds2 will be 20 months. Will that be manageable? Do the bakefiets have harnesses?

bakfiets are just fab!!! we love ours. you can get attachments to put a maxi cosi type car seat in the box, whilst having a bench for two children too (with harnesses).

ooooh, really? think I'm going to have to have a word with DH

Oh do! Ithas transformed my life, we cycle everywhere, even do the supermarket shopping in it, we have the long version and there is so much space. Great raincovers too. Have to say it is the bees knees.

Forgot to say, I live near Chichester, you are more than welcome to come and try ours out if you live nearby.

Oh Selee that's a lovely offer but we are in mid kent so not much good for me.
I showed dh the website and he much prefers the idea of the tricycle for balance. He just has visions of ds1 being silly and leaning and stuff and it toppling. I don't know how much heavier they are and with the 2 wheel what are they like for hills? We have a couple of killers round here. I haven't done any cycling since uni in canterbury (fairly flat). That was 4/5 years ago and so out of practice anyway. Would a steep hill be a problem do you think?

What about a trikidoo tricycle with a bench seat for 2 on teh back - trikidoo.co.uk. I'm just in the process of buying one and have test driven. they are really good adn not too expensive. If you inquire, mention my name and I may get a freebie!
Kate

You probably have already come to a solution to your bakfiets dilemma, but I thought I would put in my tuppence worth just in case you hadn't!
We have a bakfiets and love love love it. It is the short one with only one bench seat. I am 5'3" and dh is 5'11", and we both ride it easily. We live in central London, and our older girls are 7.5 and 6.5. I find it extremely stable, with one child, two children, 1 child plus groceries or 2 children plus groceries. It is extremely well engineered and has a very low centre of gravity so balance is never a problem. It also has a very low step through, so whenever you need to stop you put a foot down and that forms the 3rd leg of a tripod, if you see what I mean. It is very manoeuvrable.

Downsides - it is long, and it is heavy. If we lived in a hilly area it would not be workable. But any cycle that you have with that much weight on it (meaning the children, rather than the inherent weight of the bike) will be difficult with hills. The weight, however, makes it feel (and indeed, is,) very sturdy. It also means that it is very hard to knick! (Not to mention lack of street cred ).

It also has an internal lock on the back wheel, which is fab if you are just nipping into a shop, and a really good back rack, and a protected chain, so you don't have to faff around with cycle clips. It also has (optional extra) a special rain cover, which gives the kids / shopping total protection but also total visibility (and you look a little like you are driving a bat mobile!) which is something I would consider almost essential in this country - on an unprotected cycle they would have to wear rain trousers, etc and still have a somewhat unpleasant ride.
They do have strap harnesses on the bench seat.

I would be happy for anyone to come and give it a test ride if they like.