When your child is too big for the child-seat... what next??

Mosschops2

Hi all.

My little girl is 3 1/2 and is basically getting too big for the Hamax Sleepy seat that we have. I take her a mile or so to nursery down a bus lane on a busy A road, then cut right across two minor roads, to get to nursery. I then go a couple of miles (less than 2) further on the bike, to work.

Now that the seat is getting too small, what could / should I do next?? Not keen to step up to tagalong status..... but unsure of other options.

What does anyone else do??

THANKS!!!

Mister Paul

A trailer?

GreenLake

http://www.weeride.co.uk/acatalog/WeeRide.html

I find this works well. As the weight is balanced in the middle of the bike it can easily take a heavier kid than the rear seats. However, It's not the perfect solution. I have to ride with my knees out a bit or they will hit the seat. If you want to actually carry her on the bike, I think this is the best solution.

Anonymous

I have a small seat/saddle attached to my crossbar and footpegs on the downtube. My 3 year old sits on the seat and holds onto the handlebars. This is a great solution and served my (now) 5 year old well as still does if she gets the chance. I got it from SJS Cycles after a long Internet search but I'm not sure they still have them. It's a similar solution to the weeride link above but far less intrusive. My kids quickly got into holding the handlebars (they are not fastened on so they need to hold on firmly) and not standing up, they only problem I have is that they occasionally try to steer for me. We've used this for 20+ mile rides without a problem although my youndest did fall asleep once but I spotted his wobbles and grabbed him before he fell deeply asleep. I'd recommend this system if you can find it.

Gav.

PrettyBoyTim

I have just ordered a bike trailer from eBay, like this one:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Bicycle-Bike-Trailer-Jogger-Combo-2-in-1-NEW-Seats-2_W0QQitemZ320137488272QQihZ011QQcategoryZ98932QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

to take my son to nursery. He's almost three but quite big for his age, and the whole bike seat thing didn't seem like it would be practical for long, and not very safe in the case of an accident.

It can convert into a buggy, which should be useful as it's normally my wife who picks him up from nursery, and I'll be able to fold it up and leave it there for her.

It's not arrived yet, but I'll post a review once I've been able to test it out.

It cost around £60, including postage.

Mister Paul

GreenLake wrote:

http://www.weeride.co.uk/acatalog/WeeRide.html

I find this works well. As the weight is balanced in the middle of the bike it can easily take a heavier kid than the rear seats. However, It's not the perfect solution. I have to ride with my knees out a bit or they will hit the seat. If you want to actually carry her on the bike, I think this is the best solution.

We've got one of those. It's great. Though I doubt that you'd get a 3.5 year old in one. We couldn't.

Mosschops2

Cheers for the replies to all!!

I had considered a trailer, and this is clearly the most sensible option in terms of price and ease. The ebay link is also good - thanks prettyboytim!!

She is quite tall - approx 105cm, and I think the weeride seat looks a tad too small, although Gav2000 have yet to find the equivalent on SJS (only just started looking mind!)

As I said before, I wouldn't like to try a tagalong, but actually would consider a tandem... but noone seems to have confirmed that as a sensible option!! It may well be trailer time!!

Ian Sims

I'm just in the process of doing the same as you. My son is now 3 and a half and only just okay in his bike seat. I have already equipped our tandem with kiddy cranks and an arrangement similar to the ones on the link (http://tandem-club.org.uk/nf2002/kids/k ... hild-seats) for handlebars. He is still a bit small for the tandem yet, but we are on a trip to Europe soon, so hope he will be start riding when we get back to NZ and the weather is getting a bit better.

Hope you work something out.

Ian

PrettyBoyTim

I posted my thoughts on the trailer I got from Ebay on this thread.

Cheers

Tim

Mosschops2

Cheers Ian S and PrettyBoyTIm! Nice trailer review - thanks for the link!

I aspire towards a tandem with kiddicranks - but have not got the confidence to do it myself (since I can't even seem to get my gears to work properly!). I'll have to see if the LBS it up to it.

t4tomo

The seat that Gav2000 refers to is possibly the "Leco" which I have. Availbale from various places online including ebay from around £20. My 6 year old (admitedly a smallish 6 year old) still fits it fine and even the 8 year old can manage with legs dangling.

In fact the wife (again at the smaller end of the universal wife scale) managed it for a 5 minute journey one evening with no permanent damage, although she was alcohol sedated!

redbirdo

I don't have a tandem but I came across this acticle about kidback tandems a while back which you may find useful:

http://sheldonbrown.com/tandkids.html

Vicki

songwriter

My daughter Is now four and I'm already pining for the days we spent on the bike. We had a child seat that sat on the crossbar. It was some of the best money I ever spent.

I'll just have to enjoy going on bike rides with her (Her stabilisers come off summer 2008!) and look forward to taking a new baby out on the crossbar. (also coming summer 2008)

Mark_K

My little girl is comming up 20 months now and has been happy in the rear seat but i was looking at trying one off these !!!
http://www.ibertinc.com/

I did look at the wee ride aswell but not sure i fancy the bow legged riding position ????

t4tomo

this is the leco I referred to. simple but effective.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LECO-TOP-TUBE-SEAT-CHILD-SEAT-LADIES-AND-GENTS-BIKES_W0QQitemZ180202442282QQihZ008QQcategoryZ98932QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

baudman

Loco looks good!

Boooger

My two daughters are 20 months apart. I had started with my first born as an infant strapped in a car seat which was strapped into a trailer. She moved into a bike seat when little sister started riding with us. I bought a tandem and big sister became my stoker with little sister still in the trailer. Within months we got a Burley Piccolo which is where big sister rode with little sister, around 3 1/2 years, riding on the back of the tandem.
5 years ago we bought a triplet. My oldest will be 15 in May and youngest was 13 last month.

cgfreedom

I have a saddle that I ride with my 2 and 4 year old on my Full sus Enduro 04 its for 2-6 year olds mounts them inbetween your arms and behind the handle bars so they can actually stand up and ride. It protects the frame by using a bearing on the head set and telescopic bars to a mount on the seat post it has been used on stumpjumper 08 and enduro 04 stumpy 05 and enduro 07 all very expensive bikes. Check out www.loct.co.uk and or youtube/littleonescometoo and they do really come all terrain with you on this brand new product. Love to know your comments as the extreme video was used in the risk assement for the international testing centre SGS I guarantee you have'nt seen this before!!.