getting a bit big for the child seat

My daughter is getting a bit big for the child seat on the back of my
mountain bike so I was thinking of moving up to one of those kid's bikes
that bolt on to the back of an adult's bike.

1, What are they called, because I've browsed some of the online sites
without seeign any?

2, What sort of age and riding experience do kids need to use them. My
daughter is 4 but doesn't ride a bike of her own (well nto a 2 wheeled
one anyway)?

3, Is there anything that you need to be warned about them?
Post a follow-up to this message

NancyDaventen wrote:
My daughter is getting a bit big for the child seat on the back of
my mountain bike so I was thinking of moving up to one of those
kid's bikes that bolt on to the back of an adult's bike.

1, What are they called, because I've browsed some of the online
sites without seeign any?

It's usually called a trailer bike or a tandem bike. We bought one for our
daughter at the local REI, but many sporting goods stores and pretty much
all bike stores sell them. I suggest calling around to see who has them in
stock and asking the price. I found there was a fairly broad range of
prices. We paid $129 for our daughter's on sale (regular price is $179), but
regular prices ranged anywhere from $100 (but they had none and didn't
expect to for several months) to $180 at other stores.

2, What sort of age and riding experience do kids need to use them.
My daughter is 4 but doesn't ride a bike of her own (well nto a 2
wheeled one anyway)?

My daughter doesn't ride a two-wheeler without training wheels yet and she
is fine on the trailer.

3, Is there anything that you need to be warned about them?

Just that your bike may feel a bit more unstable than it normally does. My
husband pulls the trailer on his bike (I have the seat for the 2yo on mine),
and he's never had a problem with it, but he said it did take some getting
used to.

I hope you find one you like. We have very much enjoyed ours.
--
Be well, Barbara
Mom to Sin (Vernon, 2), Misery (Aurora, 5), and the Rising Son (Julian, 7)

This week's suggested Bush/Cheney campaign bumper sticker:
"This time, elect us!"

All opinions expressed in this post are well-reasoned and insightful.
Needless to say, they are not those of my Internet Service Provider, its
other subscribers or lackeys. Anyone who says otherwise is itchin' for a
fight. -- with apologies to Michael Feldman

Circe wrote:

NancyDaventen wrote:

My daughter is getting a bit big for the child seat on the back of
my mountain bike so I was thinking of moving up to one of those
kid's bikes that bolt on to the back of an adult's bike.

1, What are they called, because I've browsed some of the online
sites without seeign any?


It's usually called a trailer bike or a tandem bike. We bought one for our
daughter at the local REI, but many sporting goods stores and pretty much
all bike stores sell them. I suggest calling around to see who has them in
stock and asking the price. I found there was a fairly broad range of
prices. We paid $129 for our daughter's on sale (regular price is $179), but
regular prices ranged anywhere from $100 (but they had none and didn't
expect to for several months) to $180 at other stores.


2, What sort of age and riding experience do kids need to use them.
My daughter is 4 but doesn't ride a bike of her own (well nto a 2
wheeled one anyway)?


My daughter doesn't ride a two-wheeler without training wheels yet and she
is fine on the trailer.


3, Is there anything that you need to be warned about them?


Just that your bike may feel a bit more unstable than it normally does. My
husband pulls the trailer on his bike (I have the seat for the 2yo on mine),
and he's never had a problem with it, but he said it did take some getting
used to.

I hope you find one you like. We have very much enjoyed ours.

Speaking of bike attachments like this... Does anyone have any problems
with mud and dust? Every time I see someone go by with either a trailer
(one that kids sit in, that is) or one of those tandem bikes (which I
think look extremely cute, BTW), I always look to see what kind of
mud/dust protection there is, and there is *nothing*. The big bike has
no guard on it, and the kiddie trailer/bike has no visor of any sort
(well the trailers at least have a bug net type of thing, so they'll
stop stones). Now, maybe I just worry about this because I love to go
biking, and I love to go a little fast, and I've always had mud problems
(well, except for on those perfectly sunny, dry days, just after a rain
so that the trails are clean, and when I stick to pavement only). Maybe
I'll just need to learn to go more slowly once I've got my kid with me,
and to stick to paved trails only.

And now, a rant: *WHY* do some parents take those kiddie trailers out
on busy roads that don't at least have bike lanes????? If they ever got
hit, the kid(s) wouldn't stand a chance!

NancyDaventen wrote:
My daughter is getting a bit big for the child seat on the back of my
mountain bike so I was thinking of moving up to one of those kid's
bikes that bolt on to the back of an adult's bike.

1, What are they called, because I've browsed some of the online sites
without seeign any?

http://www.tandembar.com/home.html
The site says that they should be able to ride and balance on their own.
The adult can't keep the child's bike balanced. The child should be in
front and be able to take directions (turn left or right etc.)

I've never heard of this but it looks interesting :-)
http://www.thegrannybike.com/index.html

You might also google 'trailer bikes' as I think those are the one wheel
things that attach to the back frame of an adult bike. No sites for you -
sorry.

--
Nikki

Vicky Bilaniuk wrote:
Speaking of bike attachments like this... Does anyone have any
problems with mud and dust? Every time I see someone go by
with either a trailer (one that kids sit in, that is) or one of those
tandem
bikes (which I think look extremely cute, BTW), I always look to
see what kind of mud/dust protection there is, and there is *nothing*.
The big bike has no guard on it, and the kiddie trailer/bike has no visor
of any sort (well the trailers at least have a bug net type of thing, so
they'll stop stones). Now, maybe I just worry about this because I love
to go biking, and I love to go a little fast, and I've always had mud
problems (well, except for on those perfectly sunny, dry days, just
after a rain so that the trails are clean, and when I stick to pavement
only).
Maybe I'll just need to learn to go more slowly once I've got my kid with
me, and to stick to paved trails only.

We've never had problems with dust/mud with the trailer bike (what I think
you're calling a tandem bike, but which I more usually see called a trailer
bike in the industry), but we live in Southern California, which is
currently in the midst of drought and we have never gone off-road biking
with the kids (or by ourselves, either). My husband and I both have comfort
bikes which aren't really intended for off-road use for anything but short
stretches, though, nor do we have a particular desire to be getting into the
mud/dust ourselves!
--
Be well, Barbara
Mom to Sin (Vernon, 2), Misery (Aurora, 5), and the Rising Son (Julian, 7)

This week's suggested Bush/Cheney campaign bumper sticker:
"This time, elect us!"

All opinions expressed in this post are well-reasoned and insightful.
Needless to say, they are not those of my Internet Service Provider, its
other subscribers or lackeys. Anyone who says otherwise is itchin' for a
fight. -- with apologies to Michael Feldman

I rode Henry around in a sit-inside bike trailer for about a year. Ours
had the netting down the front, as well as a clear vinyl window that
could roll down for rain, etc. That would be good in a dusty or muddy
situation, and I suspect most trailers have something like this,
otherwise you'd never be able to go out if rain threatened. Also, I
wonder if a bike shop could put a fender over a rear wheel, to stop mud?

Regarding safety and getting hit, that is scary. Even inside a bike
trailer, they should be wearing a helmet, which means they need to be
big and strong enough to hold up their head with the big helmet on, I'm
supposing around a year old at the earliest? Which is why we're not
really using ours at the moment, as baby is too little to sit up or wear
a helmet. Henry and I miss it quite a bit.

I primarily rode Henry to school and the playground, along suburbanish
main roads (4-8 lanes) and residential streets. I specifically planned
the route to avoid as much of the major roads as possible and crossing
of said roads, and always on the sidewalk. If I were by myself, I'd ride
properly in the street/bike lanes following traffic laws, etc, but
around here so few people even walk that car drivers are often surprised
to see a pedestrian, let alone a bike with a trailer. Maybe I'm wrong in
this, but it seems right now the safest way with a small child.

-Karen, mom to Henry 4 and William 4 months-

Karen wrote:

I rode Henry around in a sit-inside bike trailer for about a year. Ours
had the netting down the front, as well as a clear vinyl window that

Ah, if they come with a cover that you can use in rain, then that would
be good. Obviously, I haven't really checked these things out, yet. I
figured that there is no point right now - will check into them next
year. I always wonder about these covers, though... I mean, can the
poor kid breathe in there? We picked up a cover for the stroller, and I
keep thinking that it must be hard to breathe with it on. I'm airing
the thing out right now because it actually smells.

I primarily rode Henry to school and the playground, along suburbanish
main roads (4-8 lanes) and residential streets. I specifically planned
the route to avoid as much of the major roads as possible and crossing
of said roads, and always on the sidewalk. If I were by myself, I'd ride

See, this would be me. I would be on the sidewalks, too. I don't care
about getting some stupid ticket if my child will be safer on the
sidewalk. I think the police around here agree because you *never* hear
of anyone getting into trouble for being on a sidewalk with a bike,
unless they're older and being unruly (but the law here is no bikes on
sidewalks at all, unless you're walking it). I just keep thinking of
this one woman I saw who was riding with her trailer on a narrow road
with absolutely no shoulder to speak of. There was plenty of grass that
she could have ridden on (and some parts had sidewalk), but she chose
the road. I would *never* have done that. It really freaked me out
when I saw her. I was not impressed at being a driver around her, in a way.

Circe wrote:

We've never had problems with dust/mud with the trailer bike (what I think
you're calling a tandem bike, but which I more usually see called a trailer

I don't actually know what these things are called. I'm just using the
term from the previous post. ;-) If I'm using it incorrectly, sorry,
heh heh. I'll go back and read it again, just in case. We all know
that my mind is going. It went for a bike ride without me. :-(

1, What are they called, because I've browsed some of the online sites
without seeign any?

Mine's an Instep Pathfinder Trailer Bike
(from Oshman's I believe--a sporting goods store)



3, Is there anything that you need to be warned about them?

If you know anyone who has one, I'd suggest trying it out and having your
daughter try it out with you. My son (5yo) wont get on it! Works great, easy
to get used to, but he wont use it!

As for age etc...I can look at the box tomorrow if you still need that info.

Kathi