Somewhat relieved that the 'kidical mass' ride around the Meadows will be over and done with before the World Naked Bike Ride kicks off https://wnbredinburgh.wordpress.com/2015/06/11/edinburgh-is-hotting-up-for-the-world-naked-bike-ride/?preview_id=89
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Questions/Support/Help
Calling cycling families - want to show off your bikes? PLUS buy/sell
(159 posts)- Started 10 years ago by sallyhinch
- Latest reply from weezee
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Posted 9 years ago #
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Ah yes, someone said "Isn't there a naked Pedal On Parliament this weekend?".
The mind boggles.Posted 9 years ago # -
I made a clear declaration to my much-beloved last night about precisely which cycling activities I will be attending when I come over tomorrow.
I shall be taking photos every half hour or so to provide evidence.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Tomorrow @ Sciennes @ 10
EXTRA REMINDER
If you have 'child related' stuff to sell (inc small bikes) bring it along too.
Unsold things must be taken away.
http://www.edfoc.org.uk/events/event/bike-curious-family-workshop-2
Posted 9 years ago # -
We may bring our EBC double trailer to sell, if anyone's looking for a good deal.
(If we don't manage to get it to the sale, but anyone's looking for one, happy to get a DM)
Posted 9 years ago # -
Three photos from today...
20150613-PENTAX K-50-IMGP1814.jpg by Rob Williams, on Flickr
20150613-PENTAX K-50-IMGP1812.jpg by Rob Williams, on Flickr
20150613-PENTAX K-50-IMGP1811.jpg by Rob Williams, on FlickrEdit: got there in the end. I think.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Thanks for letting us have a whirl in the Urban Arrow and the Bakfiets, also posing for pictures in the wicker chariot.
Somewhat relieved that the 'kidical mass' ride around the Meadows will be over and done with before the World Naked Bike Ride kicks off
Sandy insisted that we detour that way home to see what the fuss was about. Two plod were at south end of MMW inspecting from afar, so I told them we were off to cause a stir by taking part fully clothed.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I spectacularly mistimed my trip home, and met the horde going in the opposite direction whilst I was heading up past PY.
I refrained from high-fiving a naked man. I didn't know where his hand had been...
Posted 9 years ago # -
Thank you to everyone who came, especially those demo-ing bikes (especial thanks to MicroSRD who seemed very happy to be used as a test child on all sorts of bikes). Despite being freezing (hello, June) people seemed to have a good time and I think we had more serious punters than last year. What was particularly encouraging was the numbers of couples turning up on foot with prams and pushchairs, looking to discuss the options for getting onto bikes, as well as couples with child seats who had no idea what the next step might be as their kids grew out of being on the back.
Suzanne has funding to run a few more of these events around the country. We just need to find pockets of places where there is enough of a concentration of cycling families, and a variety of family bikes for people to try.
Posted 9 years ago # -
We could go on tour ;)
I really enjoyed it - a chance to to talk family cycling and to covert others' set up.
It was also the first time I'd seen someone else cycle my tandem - which looked very graceful (although I might be biased)
My thanks to acsimpson for bringing across my old bike and for drbike for trying to fix it's chain without being asked.
Same time next year?
Posted 9 years ago # -
We were one of the families coming on foot with a pushchair - very impressed with the range of solutions on display. Thanks to all who set it up. I still don't know what I want, but I've got a much better idea of what to look for when I go shopping. At the moment I think a Yepp front seat for commuting and a posh trailer for days out and shopping are what might work! Just sad we had to dash off when mini-me got grumpy. Missed the cake!
Posted 9 years ago # -
I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who brought their bikes to this event and took the time to explain/demonstrate/advise - it was really appreciated!
We were there for the last half hour or so - with a 2 year old and an almost 3 year old in bright yellow jackets - as we're trying to work out the next stage (currently both in rear seats on our bikes).
We need a way to transport both kids to and from playgroup/nursery after the summer hols, some days with 2 adults and some days with just 1. We LOVED the Helios tandem, thanks so much to the lady who let me try hers just before you set off on the meadows ride, just trying to work out if we can justify the cost...
I also wonder if I (small, not super fit, woman) could manage the Helios with my 4 year old on second seat and 2 year old on rack seat - any thoughts?
I also got to try a Bakfiets for the first time and my husband tried the Urban Arrow - both amazing!
Thanks again.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Oh and also great to see the 14" and 16" Isla bikes in 'real life' as we've trying to decide on which size to get now that almost 4 year old is ready to graduate from the Rothan. Thanks to the twins who had brought theirs along!
Posted 9 years ago # -
I would also like to say thank you to the organisers, and also to Hankchief, who volunteered his Helios for mini-Chug and me to try out. (I'm not sure it was us who were the "graceful" users though) However, it was exceptionally easy to ride - much easier than I thought it was going to be.
We are graduating from a child seat to another solution - we will have to work out if the prospective use justifies buying a Helios.
Posted 9 years ago # -
And finally, the Bike Curious Family Workshop (2015 ) photos -
Posted 9 years ago # -
One thing that is 'needed'
Is a list of what was there - and what the dis/advantages of them all are.
Good if people add info on their own BUT non-owners' experiences valuable.
See photos above for a reminder.
Say as much or as little as you want even if people have already mentioned particular items.
I'll extract the info in a week or so and try to make a separate page or perhaps a PDF.
Posted 9 years ago # -
hi waverley, as a not very fit short middle aged woman, I found I was okay with my two kids on the Helios, but as youngest hit three it was definitely getting tougher. But he is quite chunky and heavy in comparison to his sister at that age.
Am sure laidback Dave of this parish would be happy to let you try a Helios kitted out for both. (Or pm me, and we can borrow a copilot seat for you to try on mine). Happy to arrange a holiday loan while we're out of town this summer....
Posted 9 years ago # -
Starting with the Thorn Tandem
Fairly 'conventional' bike with MTB sized wheels, 'childback' suitable for about 5 years on.
Rear Blackburn rack, suitable for child seat.
Rear cranks have 'kiddiecrank' crank shorteners - better for shorter legs.
(Currently) new from £650
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/new-used-tandems-and-triplets-dept405
Posted 9 years ago # -
EBC tagalong. Cheap and cheerful, and you get what you pay for (can't quote a price as it's not on the EBC website anymore)
Pros - Cheap. Solid. Folds up reasonably small and reasonably easily (using QR clamps)
Cons - Heavy (found on Saturday when I rode it without a child on the back for the first time ever, is that much of the drag comes from the tagalong, not the stoker). No gears, so at cruising speed the stoker spins out. Uncomfortable saddle (but can fix that). Can't adjust handlebars very much (can only rotate). Handlebars very wide. Cranks quite long, so not suitable for smaller children. Supplied tyre too knobbly (but can fix that). The biggest problem for me, though, is the connection to the bike. It's fiddly to attach the tagalong to the bike, and the joint can be sloppy (with a bad effect on handling).Notwithstanding all this criticism I'm satisfied with it. It was reasonably good value and has lasted my family well for occasional use. If I was going to use one every day I'd get one like HankChief.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I was thinking that next time it would be nice to have the 'owners' a bit more visible in the crowd so I could find them to let them know they have a punter. Maybe a free t-shirt for any demonstrator who comes along, as a thank you (and an identifier to pick them out), although that would up the cost. And Saturday was not t-shirt weather. We could do hi vis tabards but that might make it all a bit official looking, plus of course hi vis does not really stand out in a crowd of cyclists (why the POP marshals wear blue)
Posted 9 years ago # -
ALSO
If anyone doesn't want their username associated with an item (or want to say something critical about someone else's), just PM me.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Thanks SRD. Sounds like our kids are similar in age gap/sizing as I have a very petite girl and then a substantially bigger boy and my concern is managing it in the longer term as he reaches 3+. Will definitely get in touch with LBB - we've been meaning to pop in there for a while now.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Thanks to the organisers for a good day, even if I now have a list of N+J where J is either the number of different journeys you could consider yourself doing while carrying passengers. I think a front seat is the top item on my list for next summer, although as it's not a bike perhaps we also need an E+1 list.
I'll put the carload of equipment I brought along in a separate post (not including Hankcheif's rather heavy hybrid/tailgator setup).
Posted 9 years ago # -
Here's my list, there's pros and cons to them all and I should mention that I didn't obtain any of my items new so can't comment on price.
Dutch Wicker Seat
Comments
This is my first choice of seat as it is fitted to my primary bike. I frequently use it for the nursery run which other than one busy junction is mainly offroad.Pros
Quick to fit, once it's adapted to the bike.
No extra bits or custom racks required when seat is not in use.
Draws attention to the bike and it's fragile cargo leading to drivers giving a wider berth (YMMV, I plan routes with a lower perceived danger when I have a passenger so this may be confirmation bias).
Easy to fit accessories to due to the flexible nature of the
wicker.
A truly unique item and a great conversation starter.
The passenger has a great view as they sit side sadle, the seat can be mounted to face either way or could even be mounted rear facing, or perhaps on a front rack.
Fully enclosed legs/lower torso.Cons
No safety markings, or sellers maximum weight ratings. It might be safer in the event of a crash due to protecting from road rash but there's no way of knowing how much abrasion it could take before disintegrating.
No head support should your passenger fall asleep.
Fitting it required building a custom bracket between the wooden seat base and the rack. This was probably about 2 hours work (plus time spent thinking about the design). Depending on your woodworking skills this could be more or less time.
sitting side sadle seems to leave the passenger more prone to throwing their weight across the line of travel so you need to leave a margin for error while riding.
Communication with the passenger is limited, as is monitoring their state of their conciousness.
Not an off the shelf item, If you want one you might need to find a basket maker and commision it.Hamax Smiley(?)
Comments
My second choice seat, I have this fitted to my spare bike.Pros:
Easy to fit initially by screwing a chunky bracket to the seat post. The seat then takes seconds to fit and there are little indicators to confirm it is fully clipped in.
Extra brackets are available to allow quick switching between bikes.
If you're not worried about a few hundred grammes then the bracket is fairly unobtrusive when you are riding without the seat attached.Cons:
Doesn't recline.
The passenger has an uninspiring view of the motors rear
The passenger's legs can interfere with pedalling (even if initially using the footstraps).
Communication with the passenger is limited, as is monitoring their state of their conciousness.
Not easy to attach accessories to.Hamax Siesta Plus(?)
Comments
I haven't personally used this due the primary con, so comments are untested. I am currently selling it if anyone is interested in purchasing it.Pros:
Once you have installed the compatible rack he seat takes seconds to fit and there are little indicators to confirm it is fully clipped in.
The rack can still take panniers when the seat is installed.
There is a reclining feature which hopefully stops some head lolling when the passenger has the titled siesta.Cons:
You need to be able to fit the compatible rack to the bike you are using and switching between bikes would require sourcing another compatible rack.The passenger has an uninspiring view of the riders rear.
The passenger's legs can interfere with pedalling (even if initially using the footstraps).
Communication with the passenger is limited, as is monitoring their state of their conciousness.
Not easy to attach accessories to.Revolution Roller Trailer(EBC)
Comments
On loan from my brother, I haven't used this a lot so again comments are largely just thoughts. I have don't reasonable milesage with my cargo trailer though so some comments are based on that experience.Pros:
Initial installation is as simple as removing the rear QR and adding the bracket into the setup. The simplest option there is, provided your QR is long enough. It is then also a matter of seconds to fit the trailer.
Extra brackets are available to allow quick switching between bikes.
The bracket is small so no disadvantage to leaving it in place.
Low centre of gravity means handling is not affected much. Likewise kids moving doesn't change the balance.
The trailer is big enough for 2 kids or 1 plus shopping, it can also be used as a cargo trailer if needed.
There is a full rain cover should you need it.Cons:
Almost zero communication with passengers, and very hard to monitor them.
You need to remember your bike is wide at the rear (no filtering). In my experience with a cargo trailer unless you're going uphill or braking sharply you could almost forget it's there.
Unless you're on dry road's you'll need the rain cover due to spray, similarly the passenger is very low so close to exhaust height.
People perceive the trailer as dangerous as apparently drivers wont notice it, although as I have never (thankfully) been rear ended with (or without) a trailer I would disagree.Hopefully these thoughts will help someone deciding in future, if anyone has questions I'll do my best to answer.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Incidentally while considering moving some concrete slabs last week I found this handy list of trailer prices/capacities
http://www.atob.org.uk/bicycle-trailers/bike-trailer-price-guide-uk-2/
Posted 9 years ago # -
Waverley - our demo Helios is available for try outs or hire for a day. There are cheaper (and more expensive) options but the Helios not only replaces a car but is quite decent to ride solo. A lot smaller than a Thorn childback with lots more adjust for all heights.
Posted 9 years ago # -
My family particularly enjoyed trying this set up. It was good to see the Weezettes' little legs doing some of the work for a change.
https://flic.kr/p/uArtnPPosted 9 years ago # -
I seem to have gone through quite a few different approaches in the last few years as my children have grown up.
1. Bellelli Adventure Childseat - fixing to downtube
Worked well as a first seat - from about 12 months on the 2mile commute to nursery (+ 4miles solo). Didn't recline but then it wasn't a long journey.
I thought the suspension from the arm meant that the worse of the bumps weren't going to the littl'un.
Couldn't fit panniers as well, so had a rucksack which limited the space for the passenger.
2. EBC revolution tagalong (as displayed by Greenroofer) c. £100
A basic TAL, but did the business as my eldest turned 3, he enjoyed sitting on the saddle and whilst he didn't pedal he did feel more part of the experience (and was getting too heavy/big for childseat rucksack issues). One problem was on a wet day he would get a muddy face - nursery used to have a flannel ready for him.
As greenroofer says the challenge is getting the fixings tight enough - mine was 4th hand and so quite a challenge - tended to put it on, tighten with big spanner and leave it on. On a normal tightening it would lurch +/-10degrees.
3. Trailgator £40-50 - solid metal bar to attach to kids bike lifting their front wheel.
Great for when they are starting to become independent as can cycle attached to a safe place for them roam or up any hills.
Best for a leisurely ride rather than a commute as the kids bike can get mucky from your rear wheel and the resistance you get from a small wheel (i.e. 14") is much greater than than of TAL (20"). It is also longer and therefore less maneuverable than a TAL - which can become more of an issue if you are riding it solo / filtering.
The kid also is pulling a bit of wheelie so can't be the most comfortable for the passenger.We did commute with it a few times, but not often. I wouldn't want to do lots of miles towing with it as I prefered to keep the kids bike in better shape for when it is actually being cycled.
3. Circe Helios with Hamax Taxi childseat. c.£1500
Circe Helios by HankChief, on FlickrNot sure what I can say that hasn't been said before...
A great solution to the problem of transporting 2 kids whilst giving the eldest the chance to pedal. Handling with the 20" wheels seemed a bit twitchy at first but took about a week to get used to.
One downside is transporting luggage with the childseat on. You may be able to see in the picture above that I bodged on a additional metal rail lower down to take a couple of panniers. Chicanes are just about manageable but you definitely feel bumping up kerbs as you can't unweight the front wheel.
I like the fact that it is compact so you know your kids are right next to you. Once they are off, you can ride it like an ordinary bike and filter through the narrowest of gap etc.
In this set up we competed in the Red Bull Hill challenge and completed the 47 milePedalforScotland. In total 3,500 miles over 2 years, with kids aboard for nearly half of that.
It's not cheap and unfortunately out of range of the BiketoWork scheme, but the Helios has changed our lives - really can be an alternative to a car.
4. Circe Helios with Burley Piccolo Tagalong (c.£300 new - £120-150 2nd hand)
IMG_0893.JPG by Chris Hill, on Flickr
(as trialled on Saturday)The only TAL I could find that would fix onto the back of a Helios (without a visible rear seatpost) was the Burley Piccolo. It has a special rack which the fixing screws into from above. It is very stable - I guess you get what you pay for with a TAL. Knowing that we would need one I could bide my time and eventually got a good deal on Gumtree for a barely used one.
The weight of the whole rig means we aren't fast but I can still average a respectible 10mph - my eldest, on the TAL, saves his power for the 'boost' we need going up the hill to school. So far we have done 1,500miles in the last 9 months and apart from the studded tyres debacle, hassle free commuting.
5. Double trailer (not sure what brand).
Only pick it up recently and only used for cargo or back up for the Helios. The attachment to the bike is a clamp on the bikes tubing, which I'm not totally convince about. Needs a round tube, which a couple of my bikes don't have so I'm always worried about it detaching - it does have a safety strap, but still...
Hope this helps - any questions just shout.
Posted 9 years ago # -
@sallyhinch - rather than Hi-Viz or a t-shirt what about a stylish hat of some kind to make the demonstrators visible...
Posted 9 years ago # -
I just remembered another con of the EBC tagalong: the mudguard is quite short, so if you go anywhere muddy the stoker gets mud up their back. I've never had the problems HankChief reports with mud on the stoker's front: this might be because my tagalong still has the plastic crud catcher thing on the tube in front of the stoker to collect the stuff thrown up by my wheels.
Posted 9 years ago #
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