Cyclists: your expertise is needed!

[2Happy]

I've had a long trawl through MN archives, but I'm still not sure what to do!

I have a 2.5 year-old and a 9 month old and I want to get back on my bike. I was thinking about a trailer, but a) they cost a lot b) a friend who used one said they're like running pulling a lorry tyre behind you and c) my boys weight a lot so even the ones which allow a combined weight of 45 kg won't last that long.

So I wondered about bike seats. Now ds1 hasn't learnt to pedal his sit-on tractor yet, let alone use a tagalong bike. But can you use a bike with both a front and a rear bike seat on, or is that ridiculously unbalanced?

Or maybe I should just buy an exercise bike and put up with the fact that I can't go proper biking for a few years yet?!

Hi you can get a good trailer for 100. I have a kangaroo bike but that cost more than my old car . I did look into bike seats on the front and back but decided that it is just too unbalanced

I knew someone who had a back seat for baby and one you put onto the cross bar for the toddler. When they got bigger they got the tag on for the elder child. So it is possible. Hope you dont live in hilly area though.

NQC has ridden with one on the back and one on the front iirc, but you would need to be a really proficient (and very fit!) cyclist to manage it. I certainly wouldn't do it.

I know that there is one person on here that has done two bike seats but she has said that it is very heavy and needs a good deal of practice. I know I certainly couldnt do it. I dont even do one child as I ahve a full suspension bike so dd goes on dp's bike
Tbh I think the weight is the problem and will be regardless of whether it is a trailer on the back or two bike seats. Why not have a chat down the local bike shop and see if you could take a trailer for a test run? You might be surprised.

Unfortunately it's very hilly, but I was kind of hoping it'd make me fit [naive emoticon].

I like that kangaroo bike - just googled it, blimey it's expensive though!! How hard is it to get up hills?

Hmmm, you're all making me think I'm being a bit dim optimistic. We're going to centre parcs in Jan (woohoo, first holiday in 4 years!) but was hoping to get money in lieu of presents for christmas to buy trailer/seats so before I'd be able to try one of theirs out. Trying out at a cycle shop is a good idea, although I'd have to trek a bit to find one, probably edinburgh or newcastle. Just wondered a bit what everyone else's experiences was.

2 seats would be versatile for if dh had a day off we could put one on each bike. A trailer would be more balanced. But maybe I'd be too weak to get either version up a hill!

Saw (and admired) omeone just the other day with a seat on the back and one on the crossbar, child in each, everyone looking very happy ... I think it is eminently possible, although the extra weight may slow you down a bit ...!

I have done this. You need strong legs and preferably un-wriggly children. Keep the journeys short and un-hilly to start with and build up. The bike does feel rather top-heavy, so you need strong arms too to keep it upright when starting/stopping or pushing along.

Forgot to add, the bigger the children get the harder this is.