Has anyone got a tricycle?

[flightattendant19]

I've just been offered a second hand Pashley with child seats on the back, and after any tips or experiences about using them.

It sounds good to me because there's no proper parking at school, I hate driving a mile and a half but ds1 is a little bit too tired to walk twice a day as we live up a hill. Question is can I ride it up said hill.

Also traffic is bad round here, but will a trike be quicker? presuming we use the pavements when there's a jam. (Ok maybe not!)

Thanks

bump!

why don't you link to this in ethical living? I think there are some trike users there.

Wondering why you wouldn't use a bicycle? Oddly, they can be more stable than trikes - if you are going to use a trike to carry children then make sure you get really happy using it on your own first, as I'm told that there is something counter-intuitive about balancing it (to do with road camber, turning etc., I'm not an expert!)

Oh thankyou for replying! I'll stick it in EL in a mo then. Surely someone has knitted their own over there.

I have got a child seat for the bike but it's awful for balancing and doesn't take two children, obv...I never feel safe with it while with a trike you can get on and off without removing the children iyswim.

I have been warned about the steering! Sounds a bit hairy. I've got to ride it tomorrow part of the way home, with toddler on the back...ha ha ha.

Might end up pushing!!
Thanks x

Hi there, you lucky thing! Im trike obsessed, with a pashley and one with big wheels, but havent managed to get hold of the child seats for the back. Theyre quite expensive to buy separately and not easy to find.[unless Im looking in all the wrong places]Anyway, to answer your question..they are seriously hard work up hills, and virtually impossible to push up hills as the back wheel removes the skin from your legs, so you have to kind of pull them. Once youve got the hang of riding them theyre great fun, but beware as mentioned previously of road camber, going round roundabouts too fast, and going down kerbs. If youre used to riding a bicycle, forget everything you know when riding the trike. Forget about balancing and concentrate on steering..just point the wheel where you want to go. If the hill you mention isnt too steep or too long you`ll be fine. I ride mine every day with my ds strapped to me...have to get that seat! Do I sound bonkers? Have fun!

Ah Boatwitch, only pleasantly bonkers

Thanks, that's brilliantly useful. He's agreed to meet me at the station with it, so I shan't have to ride the initial 7 mile stretch I had planned - thank Goodness!

just a mile or so across london, which I'll walk I think or go very slowly.

It'll be a learning experience I guess...

in case you're interested it's a 2000 Picador but the seats were separate I think, added to it.

If I can't ride it or use it effectively for our school run, I'll hand it over to my parents to use for shopping, and then you can have the seats

What's your big wheeled one? Not a Ken Rogers?

Good morning flightattendant!Im not sure what my big wheeled one is..not a Ken Rogers tho.I bought it in Kingsbury,made a wobbbly first ride to Canon St,and took it on the tube!There was a blizzard and I had a flu type cold.I was very determined..or as you put it so beautifully..pleasantly bonkers! How kind to say I could use the seats if you can`tI hope you love it though.Let me know how you get on.Good luck.

Hello! Well wobbly is about it

We got back a bit ago. I didn't test it as the bloke was a big guy and the baby (well ds2)screamed solidly when I put him on the back so we paid and went!

Got it back to London, tried to ride it through the financial district and nearly killed a few city bankers. It's hard isn't it??

I thought I was doing Ok in a very straight line over the bridge, but then got back to Kent and tried again and, well thank goodness it has decent brakes...

Toddler hated it totally, and I gave up in exhaustion, but will TRY AGAIN because it is so lovely and I met a load of keenly interested parties on the way home! Everyone was friendly about it and helped on and off trains, including a few teenage girls I handed ds to and said 'Hold this!' while getting the trike on board

one woman told me I should have got a Bakfiets, well, hmm, probably!

I'm not about to give up - but how long does it take to get used to? It's well scary at the moment.

Hellooo! Well done!
Dont give up,it really doesnt take long to get used to,and it sounds like youve done brilliantly already..Then youll have the fun I have when some joker asks ooer..cant you ride a 2 wheeled bike? I always say I can, before challenging them to ride the trike.The look on their face is hilarious,as they invariably veer off sideways hitting fence,verge,ditch or whatever!Just remove child first..hee hee Now you have the trike in your clutches you can practise without too many people getting under your wheels..just had this vision of you playing skittles with city bankers! Persevere..youll have it in no time.

Oh you are so kind and encouraging

I showed my mother who is a v keen cyclist and she was impressed by the way it looked and got on immediately only to ride straight off the kerb!! It was hilarious.

I like your style, in fact perhaps it was worth the money just for sheer comedy value

Mum and me looked at each other and said 'back on ebay' sadly, but now you've reassured me I shan't let it go until I've had a proper scoot round on an empty car park and got the hang of it.

I really really hope I can master it.

Thanks again

Hiya Boatwitch

Just to say I have tried it again today and it is much better - rode it into town and back. But with both boys on the back it nearly tipped backwards, which scared me, (when I got off I mean) and I think ds1 is just too big for it. He's a huge boy and nearly 6 though.

I've put an ad in for sale as I don't think mum will want it - but if no interest I might hang on to it and just sell the seats, so will let you know x

Helloo..flightattendant!
Was really excited when I started to read your message,thought whoopee,shes cracked it!Then read on.Oh dear!Reminded me of something I saw possibly on utube where a mule was pulling a cart which was overloaded,and the poor mule ended up flailing around midair!On a more serious note,Im really sorry for you,cos you`d done so well,not least getting the beast home!
Thanks for letting me know,keep me posted,x

Not to add to your angst, FA19, but I do recommend the Bakfiets, which is a 2 wheeler. We have one, which I got to do the school run, and it has been absolutely great. The girls still go in it, and they are 6 & 8. On the flat I find it very easy to ride (I am not a big person, or an uber-cyclist), hills are harder work. It is very well engineered and thought out. Check out velorution website for some interesting bikes in that range.

Ah thankyou JS, yes I would love a Bakfiets and read some of your other posts on it but sadly its just not affordable for us

I'd zoom in on anything second hand that showed up though, so please let me know if you see one!!

Boaty I have one more idea of putting a weight round the front headtubes to counterbalance the children, but don';t know if it will work (got some buggyweights here ffor a start!!)

Thanks for your good wishes. If mum took it I'd still get to ride it as a trike for shopping, at least!

Ok I take it back...JenniferSofia, may I ask you about steering?

There's a second hand Bakfiets going and I am going to try and sell the pashley to finance some of it.

It looks superb, the more I think about it the better it looks. I like the stand, as well - was worried about stopping in a hurry and having to remove the children before I got off, iyswim. But can you kick the stand down and leave the kids in it?

Is the steering much like an ordinary two wheeler?

Sorry for all the q's!