http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: bike trailers for towing babies/children en Thu, 11 Jun 2026 07:51:54 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5392&page=2#post-59731 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 23:36:43 +0000 Claggy Cog 59731@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=245697005507518&amp;set=a.116726451737908.20668.100002016600046&amp;type=1&amp;theater" rel="nofollow">http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=245697005507518&amp;set=a.116726451737908.20668.100002016600046&amp;type=1&amp;theater</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5392&page=2#post-59696 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 20:22:22 +0000 Smudge 59696@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Glad it was suitable :-)<br /> Thanks again for the lend. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5392&page=2#post-59652 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 15:44:23 +0000 DaveC 59652@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Well Mrs DaveC dropped off our EBC trailer at Smudge's gaff lastnight on a long term lend... as we never use it anymore, and was very plesantly surprised to be handed a lovely bag with nice things for the children and Booze for the adults!</p> <p>Mr &amp; Mrs Smudge you are very kind, we didn't expect anything in return. Thank You.</p> <p>I hope its useful for you.</p> <p>Dave C </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5392&page=2#post-58735 Wed, 29 Feb 2012 12:33:01 +0000 Dave 58735@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Trailers may seem expensive compared with lying in bed, but are quite cheap compared with driving a car. </p> <p>You can work it out by dividing what you paid less resale value by 0.234 (at least, this will give you the mileage you'd need to cover if the alternative was driving *our* car, and it's strongly pessimistic in favour of the car, such as including motorway fuel efficiency).</p> <p>Supposing you did pay £500 for a Burley Cub and sold it well used for £250, it would break even with driving at around 1000 miles. If you used it for a year with a 5 mile round-trip for the kids, that would easily do it... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5392&page=2#post-58709 Wed, 29 Feb 2012 10:07:54 +0000 SRD 58709@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'd go for a second-hand Burley or Chariot. Someone was selling a Halford's single trailer at the last NNS and I could not believe how heavy it was. I could hardly lift it, and did not fancy trying to tow it. Whereas by EBC double is v. easy to manage. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5392#post-58681 Tue, 28 Feb 2012 23:05:16 +0000 Smudge 58681@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Chariots look nice, but even more scarily expensive than the Burley's lol. Especially when you look at the cheaper offerings now and again! (eg Halfords etc).</p> <p>Watching a couple of Burleys on eblag etc, so fingers crossed :-)</p> <p>Annoyed to note the freehub (Hope Pro2) on my proposed tow bike appears to have run a bearing after only about 1.5k miles mind you :-&lt; would hope for a reliable tractor given the quality of componentry fitted :-/ ho hum... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5392#post-58654 Tue, 28 Feb 2012 16:53:20 +0000 SRD 58654@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Email arrives from <a href="http://travellingtwo.com/">'travelling two" who have become "travelling three" </a>and blagged a trailer. </p> <p>"Gear We Love - Chariot Cougar 1</p> <p>We're pleased as punch that bike trailer company Chariot agreed to sponsor our family bike tours with a Cougar 1 trailer.</p> <p>As soon as little Luke is old enough, this is how we'll be taking him along on our bicycle adventures.</p> <p>We decided on the Cougar 1 because we talked to many other bike touring families, and this trailer (along with its higher-end cousin the Chariot CX) came up repeatedly as one of the best on the market.</p> <p>It's too early for us to give a complete review but first impressions are positive. It was easy to assemble, folds down for compact storage and converts quickly from bike trailer to stroller.</p> <p>Watch the blog later for a full review, after we've had a chance to see how Luke likes it." </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5392#post-58561 Tue, 28 Feb 2012 09:27:08 +0000 Dave 58561@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I don't use mine much, so you are welcome to have a go for a couple of days - it will fit any bike that has a rear QR wheel, or a bolt on axle with a few mm of spare thread (i.e. basically any bike)</p> <p>I recommend trying a commute with it, stick an anonymous empty box on if it makes you feel more comfortable, but you'll soon find that the main danger is forgetting you're pulling anything when you get to a narrow traffic jam !! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5392#post-58541 Tue, 28 Feb 2012 00:07:58 +0000 Smudge 58541@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@SRD, yes a mate has a front (crossbar) mounted seat for his little 'un. I'm going to have a shufti at his but my concern is that either my lack of height or the drop bars on the tourer will prevent that working :-/ will have to try and see.<br /> @Dave, interesting observation. Will be interesting to try a trailer and see what effect it has on traffic. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5392#post-58467 Mon, 27 Feb 2012 14:55:09 +0000 Dave 58467@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Bit late to the party on this one, but based on my experiences riding to work without a trailer and with one (even though mine is a flatbed and empty half the time), I'm not sure I'd be brave enough *not* to have a child trailer if I needed to transport through traffic.</p> <p>It can't fall over, you get the lane to yourself, etc. etc. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5392#post-58449 Mon, 27 Feb 2012 13:37:54 +0000 SRD 58449@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>btw, smudge, MR SRD has really liked using the front mounted bobike seat* for the wee'un. He's been in it since before he was 6 months, and still fits (just) at 14 months (but he's about the size of an avg 2 year old). </p> <p>*acquired from recombodna </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5392#post-58341 Sat, 25 Feb 2012 22:40:10 +0000 Min 58341@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>TAKE THAT EEN COMMENTATORS AND YOUR STUPID WASHING MACHINES! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5392#post-58335 Sat, 25 Feb 2012 21:17:22 +0000 Smudge 58335@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Dead mac pro failure looks pretty lame next to this cargocycle!! :-o<br /> <img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ejumhk2lUEQ/Tz95Rnb35MI/AAAAAAAAIIw/UIILseYZiFk/s1600/bibycle%2BAfrica%2B%2BCongo%2Bcouch.jpg"> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5392#post-58331 Sat, 25 Feb 2012 19:56:54 +0000 SRD 58331@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Liz, love that link! thanks </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5392#post-58329 Sat, 25 Feb 2012 19:56:04 +0000 SRD 58329@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Took the trailer to Asda, with daughter on tandem. Had forgotten how nicely it rides and corners. V. handy (maybe this should be on the other thread). Also discovered that my knog rear light (three led one) fits very well on the frame. most convenient! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5392#post-58328 Sat, 25 Feb 2012 19:54:14 +0000 Claggy Cog 58328@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Not just children....</p> <p><a href="http://artpropelled.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/goats-on-bicycles-in-africa.html" rel="nofollow">http://artpropelled.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/goats-on-bicycles-in-africa.html</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5392#post-58290 Sat, 25 Feb 2012 04:53:09 +0000 Smudge 58290@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Indeed :-D </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5392#post-58284 Sat, 25 Feb 2012 00:41:56 +0000 ruggtomcat 58284@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>confusion! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5392#post-58280 Fri, 24 Feb 2012 23:58:01 +0000 crowriver 58280@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>That's not an <a href="http://www.xtracycle.com/">Xtracyle</a>, it's a Burley trailer. Looks a bit like a <a href="http://www.burley.com/home/bur/page_454/nomad.html">Nomad</a>. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5392#post-58279 Fri, 24 Feb 2012 23:55:08 +0000 Smudge 58279@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Ahhh, I see! :-o </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5392#post-58277 Fri, 24 Feb 2012 23:52:24 +0000 chdot 58277@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"Don't see why it's defeated?"</p> <p>Plan B</p> <p>He tried to use <a href="http://www.xtracycle.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.xtracycle.com</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5392#post-58276 Fri, 24 Feb 2012 23:45:24 +0000 Smudge 58276@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Don't see why it's defeated? It's on :-)</p> <p>DaveC, you have a PM! ;-) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5392#post-57926 Thu, 23 Feb 2012 12:55:49 +0000 chdot 57926@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7193/6776892796_7074239f47.jpg"></p> <p>"Dead Mac Pro defeats even the Xtracycle"</p> <p><a href="http://twitpic.com/8nkwz2" rel="nofollow">http://twitpic.com/8nkwz2</a></p> <p>Carlton Reid<br /> @carltonreid </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5392#post-57789 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:29:56 +0000 ARobComp 57789@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Friend of mine cycled Edinburgh - bottom of spain with his sprog when it was barely a year old. He said it was an amazing way to bring the kid up. She's thriving now. The buggy they had had a sort of hammock thing and has now converted to more of a "buggy" style. Will find out what he had. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5392#post-57710 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 09:55:57 +0000 Cyclingmollie 57710@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>+1 for trailers. The girls loved riding in ours and used to play in it in the back garden. You need to have mudguards if you want to avoid screams going through puddles though. And the double barriers on some NCN routes are difficult to get past. We had an EBC model, its wheels were removable and the body folded up. We seemed to get favourable responses where we went which was mostly along the coast to Portobello or out towards Prestonpans. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5392#post-57687 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:09:37 +0000 recombodna 57687@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Yeah trailers great!!! I wore mine out!! My 2 loved it. My experience of drivers was that they gave you much more room. Some great comments from peds too. the only down side was people who felt the need to tell you how they felt about the safety of your choice of child transport. I just said "they're my kids I'll put them in mortal danger them if I want" and rode off............ </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5392#post-57680 Tue, 21 Feb 2012 22:55:41 +0000 crowriver 57680@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Haven't tried a child trailer: didn't fancy it as we live in the city centre with busy roads round about. Instead bought a Hamax rear child seat, which is great actually. Now used for second child, and have bought a second seat clamp to swap between bikes, and also a barely used Halfords/Hamax seat off Gumtree which fits a different sized frame.</p> <p>No car, so have a longtail cargo bike and an assortment of cargo trailers, for hauling heavier/bulkier loads: trailers can be used in conjunction with rear child seat too. Still in the process of rigging up the Ute to carry two kids on the rear deck, just to get around to fabricating a rig to clamp a child seat on for the wee one... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5392#post-57677 Tue, 21 Feb 2012 22:28:27 +0000 DaveC 57677@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Smudge, you're welcome to borow ours on a long lend if you like while you decide what you think about trailers? We have a S/H Halford trailer. Its serviceable and can take two wee ones. I have the trailer hitch for the bike. Ours has a cloth footwell but others I've rented before we bough ths one off my sister, had plastic footwells.</p> <p>They are handy for stowing things in when your on a ride instead of carrying in a rucksack. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5392#post-57671 Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:48:17 +0000 wee folding bike 57671@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>They are useful for other things too. Last June I had to haul 35 kg of SQA exam scripts to the post office. They were in big plastic mail bags and would have been difficult to carry on a bike but just went where the kids would normally go in the trailer.</p> <p>Ours has a space for luggage behind the kid's area. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5392#post-57667 Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:31:11 +0000 Smudge 57667@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Hmmm, interesting, thanks :-)</p> <p>My doubts are:</p> <p>Would I use it? My hours are not *really* suitable for dragging the wee one to playgroup/childminder/etc (and we have a c*r which Mrs Smudge will use).<br /> For luggage I can use front and rear panniers (and the bar bag and rack!) on the Surly so no *real* need for extra gear hauling capacity.</p> <p>Would I be prepared to take the wee mite out in traffic when I know how car/van drivers treat my safety? :-/ (never had to consider a child (passenger's) safety on a bike or motorbike, I either was one, or it was an adult pillion :-s ) </p>