Cycling my 2 Children to School

[markiboy22]

I am a father with 2 step children which enjoy cycling to school. The trouble is there are no bike shelters for them to store their bikes. My daughter who is at University is trying to design a multiple bike carrier bit like the trail-Gator but allows multiple bikes to be attached? This would allow me to cycle home with the bikes and i would know they were safe within my home! >What are your thoughts on this idea, i feel it would be suited for me but are there any others out there with this problem?
Many Thanks Mark


If you have time she has produced a quick questionnaire only ten multiple choice questions i would be very grateful if you could fill one out as it would be great research for her.


http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RBC92G6

 

[Norm]

Topic moved from commuting.

 

[ufkacbln]

Just a pointer about trailer bikes... which may or may not help your daughter if she wants the system to be rideable in as well as home

When the rider of the trailer bike shifts to become comfortable, stands on the pedals etc, the change in load is transferred to the lead machine. This "flick" is not unmanageable, but gets worse as the child grows older.

Two or more children or a "train" of bikes would make this worse and when I tried a two seat single wheel verison I thought it was sufficient to be dangerous.

This is the reason why for older riders the tricycle format as used by "Mission" is preferred.

The best child carrier to date for two children was the Cresswell (Later Pashley) U plus 2

However these are again limited in availability and cannot link more than one.


In the 80's Jim McGurn built his own bike train which may give ideas as it was modular and you simply added segments as required for that trip or excursion, including luggage modules.

I can't find a good picture.

Others have gone down the recumbent route. Greenspeed Hase and Rans all offer linkability on their trikes. Hase have now linked a series of 93 bikes in train, the video shows only 23

[media]

]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WD3S_90CoGk[/media]

 

[markiboy22]

Thanks for the information you have provided, it is very relevant and she can use this within her studies.
Many Thanks again.
Mark

 

[summerdays]

I answered the questions but some assumed we didn't cycle to school which we do - but have good facilities at school.

The time I would like to be able to transport an additional bike is when I take my older daughter to guides and she then gets a lift back ... so currently I cycle and she walks as I don't want to make the other person responsible for bringing home the bike.

 

[corshamjim]

There's a trailer capable of carrying 2 bikes here: http://trailers.xntrick.co.uk