Have any of you tried bike attachments to carry (large-ish) dc's in?

[meltedmarsbars]

I mean adaptations/tailers to put on my bike so dd2 can come on bike rides too (she can't sit on a bike seat or pedal, too floppy ).

Or will she be just too heavy for me to move? (I am a 5 foot weakling and she cannot even stand up).

I looked at adapted trikes, but she cannot pedal, so there isn't really a point in those, but thought (as we left her with a sitter on saturday while we went on a bike ride) that there might be a way of bringing her too.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Arrgh! TRAILERS not tailers!

The only ones I've seen for "bigger children or adults" have been full on adapted bikes, like the duet or Hase Pino rather than trailers. There was an interesting trike on an episode of something special (out and about bike ride) which had a front loading area to strap a wheelchair into.

I'll have a mosy round internet and see what I find that might interest you.

www.pedalabikeaway.co.uk/hire.html

bottom row of pictures, is a duet. They crop up at a few cycle hire places so you MIGHT be able to try one out locally.

we have a tag on bike for dds. DD1 tried her best to get on with a bike type one but we ended up in the hedge as her balance is terrible
DH does take both girls in a bike trailer, but i cant physcially do it.
HTH

Has anyone seen this, the seat unit might not be big enough for a large child and it is a bit pricey but it looks great.

I am going to attempt to get dd1 on a bike today, we tried last year but her legs were too week to pedal (low muscle tone).

I have a kangaroo bike (sorry no links - am on iPod) and I can manage dd1 and dd2 in that. Dd1 is 5.7, and big for her age. Dd2 is 3.

We also have a Wike trailer for dh's bike. We had to import from Canada, but it's a great trailer which will take dd1 up to 14 or so (assuming ability on the part of the adult!). The kangaroo will take her up to 10/12 ish but is very heavy to get going and would not recommend on any significant hills! Also would have the issue of no wheelchair for dd at your destination, whereas with the wike you can use that as a large buggy too iyswim.

There's also the Ziko (I think, doing this from
memory!), the Trio, and the Taga. The Taga come up quite small, so wouldn't be great longer term (is really for under 4s I'd say)

I think the nihola bike can be adapted as a wheelchair transporter, as could a Christiana, maybe?

Have a search on my username from about a year ago, as I had a couple of huge longposts about special needs cycling while trying to work out what was best for us.

kangaroo

Riven, so is Leicestershire!

You know, Silverfrog, I had completely forgotten about the lack of wheelchair at the destination! - what's she going to do, suddenly get up and walk at the other end?

Marne, are these Kangaroo and Duet things hard to steer with a large child in? I have to think ahead, and don't want to get something costing several k which I can't use after a year.

Thanks for your replies, now I need to research some more.

Riven did you have the bigger size bike trailer and if not could you manage one? It's just that I've got a photo of the one we had with dd and ds both fast asleep in there and they were 8 and 4 at the time so you might be able to get one that will last you a couple more years? It was the one you could use as a buggy too so was very useful (well it was when we lived on the seafront, not on the top of a massive hill as we do now ).

I think you should look at:

nihola
christiana
ziko
trio
duet

as they are the ones (off the top of my head) that will give you transport at either end. And wike trailers too.

The kangaroo/nihola are trikes for adults, basically, and do take a bit of getting use to. I wouldn't say hard to steer though. I have a kangaroo because it is a trike (I can't ride a normal bike!) so I can't reay compare. Dh seems fine with it though.

The christiana is a two wheeled bike with a box for children (I think) so gives more of a bike feel iyswim.

Whereabouts on the country are you? You're welcome to come and try out my kangaroo and/or wike if possible. We're Surrey/Kent Borders. I do thinkthe kangaroo would leave you with transport issues though, as the pod doesn't detach.

London recumbents are good too, and have afew different bikes to try out (and will order for you too - we got our kangaroo through them)

D'oh! Sorry, you said you were on Leicestershire. If you are ever down my way you're welcome to drop by for a bike ride.

Thanks, , have started googling second hand things, but still need somewhere to try before we buy.

Atm I am veering towards the trailer things - I have a feeling it might be easier to pull rather than trike up a hill?

I had no idea there were so many options!