Best way to carry a 4 year old.

passout
passout Posts: 4,425
edited June 2009 in Family & kids cycling forum
1 A Tag a Long - fixing to the seatpost probably
2 Trailer - also what are the fixing options for these - seatpost??
3 Other?

Which is best for her? Obviously safety's first but I also want her to develop an appreciation/enjoyment of cycling.

I've also got a one year old by the way, who tends to go on Mums rear mounted seat.

All opinions welcomed. Thanks.
'Happiness serves hardly any other purpose than to make unhappiness possible' Marcel Proust.

Comments

  • pansy_pots
    pansy_pots Posts: 21
    Can't figure out how to vote :oops:
    My 3 and 5 year old are not keen to go in the trailer now as they love the tag along.
    Vicky
    Trying to cycle with 3 under 5's
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    poll reopened.

    :wink:
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • whyamihere
    whyamihere Posts: 7,704
    My sister used a tag along at that age. She loved it.
  • passout
    passout Posts: 4,425
    Thanks for the help chaps. I'll go for a Tag a long I think as it will see more service over the years. I'm looking to buy from SJS or Merlin Cylces (which is near me). Any other suggestions?
    'Happiness serves hardly any other purpose than to make unhappiness possible' Marcel Proust.
  • PhilTheFish
    PhilTheFish Posts: 82
    Sorry for Hijacking the thread, but I have a 4 year old my self who currently rides in the rear mount child seat. I was thinking about getting a tag a long but was concerned with the danger of her falling off.

    What's everyone elses experience with tag alongs? Obviously I wouldn't be going on major roads, but would still be occasionally passing traffic at various points of the ride.
  • rhext
    rhext Posts: 1,639
    I have a three-and-a-significant-bit year old who's perfectly happy on a tag-along. You have to be a bit careful to make sure he's on properly before pulling away.....but apart from that it's fine.

    We actually use a thing called a trail-gator which converts a standard kiddies bike into a trailer bike so you get best of both worlds.
  • FyPunK
    FyPunK Posts: 160
    My 4 year old has been on the tag along for a while now, the only advice is check to see if they can reach the pedal when its at its lowest point, if they wobble tell them not to pedal, just sit there, we both reckon that it has helped both our brats with the balance and they have both jumped on their own bikes without to much help. The tag alongs are really good.
    www.justgiving.com/aidyneal Cycling Manchester to Blackpool. Look out for number 1691
  • secretsam
    secretsam Posts: 5,105
    ...and what does one do with twins if they're too big for a trailer?
    It's just a hill. Get over it.
  • rhext
    rhext Posts: 1,639
    SecretSam wrote:
    ...and what does one do with twins if they're too big for a trailer?

    Rickshaw!
  • Underscore
    Underscore Posts: 730
    SecretSam wrote:
    ...and what does one do with twins if they're too big for a trailer?
    24-83-thickbox.jpg
  • baudman
    baudman Posts: 757
    1325397271_95fe040caf.jpg

    (Altho - not sure if this fella has the helmets the right way around).
    Commute - MASI Souville3 | Road/CX - MASI Speciale CX | Family - 80s ugly | Utility - Cargobike
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    Hey there, the best way to do two children is the chariot trailers or one of the dutch bikes with the barrow in front.

    The best ones tend to attach to the rear axle as this is the most sensible place for the attachment in terms of safety.

    IIRC the tag along bikes attach to the seatpost, however the roland add-a-bike goes onto a special rear rack which allows for a child seat to be fitted on there as well.
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • passout
    passout Posts: 4,425
    Thanks for the replies.

    I bought an Adams folding Tag a Long from Merlin Cycles for £99 with free P&P.

    My 4 year old loves it (for up to 30 mins) and hasn't fallen off despite a few bumps.
    She can't quite reach the pedal at the bottom of the stroke - but close.

    Secret Sam - you can get twin tag a longs. St John Cycles sell them.

    QUESTION:
    You can get back rests for tag along seats - do you think that this is necessary or will it just encourage bad habits (leaning back I mean, not smoking and binge drinking).

    Cheers
    'Happiness serves hardly any other purpose than to make unhappiness possible' Marcel Proust.
  • gooner71
    gooner71 Posts: 19
    We've got a Trek tag-a-long which has a 6 speed rear derailleur which is very useful on longer hilly rides.. My seven year old loves it.

    My 5 year old has been using a single speed tag-a-long for a couple of years but that is much harder as he contributes less...

    I'd recommend the trek although would point out it is very heavy.

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