Bikes and babies - guidance needed

I've had my first child and I am keen to stop driving everywhere and start carting the nipper around on the bike.

Looking for some advice on what you have found works best/you feel most comfortable with?

I live up some steps so don't really want anything super heavy e.g. cargobike.

I've got several 80s/90s 531 touring frames and a recent 525 which I could adapt, but don't want to do anything which could damage the bike and by extension the sprog.

First thoughts are to have her sitting on the top tube as opposed to the panier rack.

Subbing to this. Also a relatively new parent & have bought a 2nd hand Thule yepp which will be going on the paniers for nursery runs soon. Keen to see what those with a bit more experience recommend.

Have an additional two arriving imminently so imagine some sort of e-cargobike is in my medium term future

I'd suggest both of you subbing to / posting in the mums and dads thread: https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/157546/

And/or the mums and dads bikes thread: https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/322577/

Both have loads of useful advice.

A cargobike does not have to be heavy (see below, that was my first set-up). For a while I had a Bulldog seat (classic Danish TT mounted one), it does get in the way a little but having your kid so close is very nice otherwise.

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Also Cycle Sprog has a load of info/reviews etc

I started with a top tube mounted seat on my surly steamroller as soon as our kid was old enough. I hated it as it hurt my knees but it felt safe having kid enveloped within my arms/ torso.

As soon as poss I switched to a 26er MTB with a hamax rear seat. Kid loved it. Fat tyres and easy gearing is defo the way to go.

Then a Kona Ute. I initially fixed a kids seat to the rear deck. This allowed space for panniers behind which was great for carrying all the crap. Once they got to around 5 the ute was getting quite squirly with the panniers loaded too.

Now I have a Omnium mini max. Kids 7. I have a duffle bag on the rear of the deck to carry stuff and kid sits cross legged in front of that. This is perfect, omnium do a kids seat conversion.

If I did it all again I'd get the omnium, it would do all the above plus you can get your weekly shop/do tip runs etc. So versatile and barely takes up more space than a normal bike. Plus they can be stored vertically or you can get a mod that allows the load deck to be flipped vertically for storage.

Twins? Congratulations

Yay!
Maybe…
https://www.metaalspecials.nl/

My twins are 2.5 and I can’t help with cycling then a round but if you fancy a twins chat give me a shout it is a ride

Yep, twins. First one will be about 16 months when they arrive so 3 under 2 is going to be an experience

This is more short term but we have our son in front of us on our Brompton:

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If anyone tells you that it gets easier as they get older, it's a lie

My three are 11, 9 & 9.

I used to have a copilot wee ride on the front and another seat on the rack for taking two out at a time. The copilot means you have to ride with your knees right out so that wasn't very comfortable

I tow my 3 and 5 year old in a Burley trailer with a Kona Honky Tonk. Find it much less wobbly than the Thule seatpost mounted seat I used with just one. As long as you can store it I'd go with that