Child trailer v child seat

[400bhp]

My daughter is 3 years's old and is starting pre-school in a couple of weeks time.

I have a Hamax child seat that attaches to my bike. The maximum weight is about 22kgs & she's not far off that-perhaps another 6 months (Hamax Siesta available for sale in 6 months time...).

My wife has started getting into cycling but she is not confident enough to carry my daughter on the child seat, mostly because of the change in the centre of gravity can mean that the bike tips up relatively easily (I know-I've done it ).

The pre-school is only a mile or so away, but is off a busy road, however there is a shared use path and a sneaky cut through so my wife could cycle the daughter to school.

Which has got me thinking about a child trailer as an alternative, both for my wife to use and longer term (they can carry a lot more weight?).

Can peeps who have experience of trailers provide a bit of info on how the bike handles with one attached & how easy it would be for a relative novice cyclist to use?

Thanks

 

[ianrauk]

Child trailers are brilliant imho.
I decided to get one rather then go down the seat on the back of the bike route.
I just don't like the look of the seats and I am sure I couldn't trust myself to keep hold of the bike when nipper in seat and seeing it tip over.

I wrote a review HERE of the trailer I use for Jnr.
Of course having the trailer on the bike makes the bike handle completely different, but not in a bad way. For a novice, it's like eeerm learning to ride a bike. A couple of goes and you will be away. You do have to make sure you have good brakes. You will need to learn to brake earlier, especially downhills and to also spin a lower gear.

And the most important thing... the little person. They will love it. I am sure they love the view better then looking at dads/mums back all the time. And there is plenty of space in the trailer for all the kiddies bit's and pieces and more.

 

[400bhp]

Thanks-what bike are you using to pull it along?

Would you think a typical road bike (alu frame, 700c wheels) would do the job too?

 

[ianrauk]

Thanks-what bike are you using to pull it along?

Would you think a typical road bike (alu frame, 700c wheels) would do the job too?

The bike in the pics is an Alu Sectuer Elite road bike with 700c wheels.
I have now traded that in for a Kona Hinky Inc road bike, but with disc brakes.

 

[400bhp]

I guess the disc brakes helps-especially when the child starts to get close to 30kg's.

 

[ianrauk]

Yes, much better at stopping.

 

[400bhp]

Right-search begins I guess. A shame, but they don't appear to sell them [child trailers] in Decathlon. Would like to see one in the flesh first and have a poke around.

 

[okeydokey79]

i have child seat and a trailer and only use the trailer now as little 1 likes it more as do i, i find towing the trailer easier, little girl can carry drinks,toys, dolls etc and she is lot warmer than being out in the open on the colder days, i picked mine up off faceboook sale page for £55(halfords trail buggy) best money ive spent. i tow it on my mountain bike, means i can get extra miles in and she loves riding in it. only problem i have is goin across some paths on the canals that have the double barriers have to disconnect to get through. my daughter is nearly 3 now by the way.

 

[I like Skol]

I always fancied a trailer when the kids were younger but for me there are 2 large snags you might want to consider.

1. You have to have somewhere to store it
2. Maneouverability. Probably not a problem for you N. but, (sexist comment alert!) put one behind a spatially challenged woman and watch what happens the first time they mistakenly ride into an enclosed space that has to be backed out of! Saw lots of this at Centre Parcs where users would rush headlong into the trickiest corner of the bike parks 'coz it's a spot close to the door innit!' without thinking about how they were going to extricate the rig afterwards.

 

[Arsen Gere]

I put kiddy cranks on a tandem for my son. He had to pedal at the same speed as me. At that age with short cranks they can easy do 100rpm. I think my son was about 5 tho. I gave it to a mate in Newtown in Wales and he still uses it.

Mrs Gere was put in a sidecar on a tandem as a child, between the bike and the kerb seems a bit safer to me.

 

[400bhp]

[QUOTE 2000562, member: 45"]Decathlon sell trailers.

Adventure trailers are a fair compromise between price and quality. The likes of Burley and Chariot are great, but pricey.

Have you thought about a Trailgator? I only say that because a tagalong may be too big for your daughter, but with a Trailgator you can attach a much smaller bike.[/quote]

Annoyingly, the trailers aren't on the decathlon website.

I think the little one isn't ready for a tagalong. Not least because some rides will be long days and i'd like something she can have a nap in/on.

 

[subaqua]

Right-search begins I guess. A shame, but they don't appear to sell them [child trailers] in Decathlon. Would like to see one in the flesh first and have a poke around.

sure i saw one in the lakeside store. if not go outdoors do sell them. but apparently they have a crap business model as you need a membership card to get low prices. the membership is a fiver annually and i saved the last 4 years membership off MRP on 1st visit.

 

[User482]

Little Miss R loves her trailer - there's plenty of room for her stuff and I can still put a pannier easily on my bike. I also prefer having the weight lower down, and the trailer is very stable. Converting it to a pram is great for going to the shops.

Having said all that, have you thought about one of those devices for attaching a child's bike to the back of an adult bike? They look a bit like a panier rack...

 

[400bhp]

Little Miss R loves her trailer - there's plenty of room for her stuff and I can still put a pannier easily on my bike. I also prefer having the weight lower down, and the trailer is very stable. Converting it to a pram is great for going to the shops.

Having said all that, have you thought about one of those devices for attaching a child's bike to the back of an adult bike? They look a bit like a panier rack..

Yeah, see above.

 

[User482]

Yeah, see above.

They're not the same thing as a tag-a-long, though would have the same problem of junior not being able to have a kip.