Mom / Dad-mobiles, Kid-transporters

Just sorted this out to tow the tag along, rides much better than expected, well pleased

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this is cool man. what bars are they?

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/handlebars/600-humpert-stuttgarter-handlebars-318mm-clamp-black/
Thanks, also got different variations

Test rode a couple of electric kid carriers yesterday. Tern GSD and Yuba spicy curry, with two kids.
The tern had odd handling, I don't know if it was the 20" front wheel or what, but it felt dodgy both at very slow speeds and at 25k+.
Kind of like a Brompton, but if you had a motor and two screaming (with joy) kids onboard. The Magura brakes were extremely impressive though.
I really wanted to like the gsd, as the more compact length would be handy. The Yuba just handled more like a regular bike, and slightly more room on the back means easier to take an adult home from the pub.
Gonna wait for the V3 spicy curry i think, maguras and thru axles seem like a good idea with that much weight. Now to sell the car to pay for it.

Need to put a different front rack on so it's lower and then put a wald on.

Got carbon 650b wheels with tubeless tyres to go on, mudguards, and also dynamo with lights.

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Do also try a long john style bike like a Bakfiets if you haven’t already ridden one - though it sounds like space is one of your considerations.

That is seriously impressive.

Thanks, it's got a little out of hand. It was supposed to be my do everything commuter to begin with and I did the Dorset Gravel Dash on it last year (without the child seat obviously).

@cake keeps tempting me with fancy parts and @amey bullies me into making it more practical and child friendly. Which reminds me I need to get a kickstand for it.

Actually as a side question, at what age did your boy stop going on your bike, or hasn't he?

As a car owner, which I know some others aren't, I don't really consider the long term requirement. My wife isn't a keen cyclist but likes the short trips out and about, if we need to go a bit further, we jump in the car.

Ezekiel is happy to ride his balance bike but he can't go very far at the moment at 2.5, but I can see his stamina increasing every week.

I kind of assumed, by 4, he'd not need a child seat on my bike and I could have my Surly back as my own, but I'm happy to be told otherwise.

Dad bike checking in. Took some inspiration from this thread, and then losing a few KGs in lockdown for the Yepp Mini to work comfortably but having a blast on this thing so far. I have to lower the saddle when I have the seat on though so I'm more stable when we stop - which is a pain.

It depends on the trip to be honest. He was pretty happy on the back until about 3 and then he got too big and was riding to and from nursery while we walked or rode behind. He was mostly on his own after that but it really was distance dependent. There was a lot of walking while he rode / scootered, but it was a great way to get him to learn to stop at roads and entrances on the pavement, basic traffic sense.

He's now 7.5. This is a still from a video from last weekend at Bedgebury. This weekend's video was screwed up by yours truly. We still had a blast.

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I’m expecting my 2.5yr old to go from needing my bike to get from a to b, and then transforms into I have ridden x miles and now in need a break... so will be looking at tow hitches etc

Can confirm, latest magura 2 and 4 pots are powerful as hell, little too much grab with the sintered pads for those not expecting it.
Find the tern gsd isn't unpredictable handling, it's just a product of a really trying to fit everyone, we have folk fron 4'11 to 6'4" that all manage to fit it without needing any tools to adapt (the stem is magic and rock solid). Handles ok, not exciting or really enjoyable, wouldn't ride it unless I needed to probably sums it up.
The stand though is utter garbage, sort of thing you'd see on a £150 halfords bike. The one here has only done 500 miles in 6 months and is on its third stand (which is also now broken as of Friday), trying to load kids on a bike that either just falls over or walks away down the road unattended is prety shit design imo. Trying to work out if an omnium stand will fit it, as tern aren't in anyway interested in supplying one that works.

Both my wife and I hopped on a GSD with no issues, maybe because we are used to bromptons..?, but no feeling of instability etc, loved it, just couldnt drop the few thousand on it

Maybe, but I'm not so sure. My 5'3 wife found the same handling weirdness, and even though the reach was insanely short (I'm 6'1) I think I can separate the handling from the sizing.
To the person above suggesting bakefiets/box bikes, I've tried them before and think they're less suitable than longtails for places without decent cycling infrastructure, hills, and faster traffic, like here in NZ and USA.

Right,

off road kid carrying..

I have a CX bike with 38mm tyres, the wife will be on a 27plus rigid bike..

whats the best way to carry 2.5 year old without shaking her to head injury?

Rear seat seems too bouncy / close to me - on a rack not possible / definitely no suspension..

Shotgun seat?

I have this; its easily a two kid bike, its great.

I also have a bullitt with a canopy.

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That is very similar to how my Ascent is set up: 1x9, V-brakes, wide swept bars, fat tyres. Doesn't that frame have the sexiest paint job!

hows it going? hope little'un is loving it?

Yep, only got it for the paint job, the rest has been a bonus. Rides much better than expected

oh she loves it, bullitt still has its pros, easier to sleep :) its defo getting a motor come winter

I’ve kind of just done this. Swapped from a stiff road bike with Hamax to a rigid frame mtb with the same seat. Pic with shopping onboard as the load but you get the idea. Same age child here.

It’s night and day difference. The seat doesn’t bounce around nearly as much and the bike doesn’t suffer from the wiggles. Big 2.3” tyres and longer wheelbase really soak up the bumps in comparison. Longer rear stays puts the weight of the loaded seat forward of the rear axle and makes a massive difference to the balance and handling.

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My issue is im on 38mm tyres, shes used to her own bars and sitting a bit further away from my butt...

@amey and I were just discussing what are the Yepp alternatives. I don't understand the fascination, it's clearly well made, robust, and resilient, but it's not exactly luxurious.

Any thoughts?

He has what I'd call an almost xenophobia based hatred for Hamax, make of that what you will.

Bobike ?