# Child trailer v child seat



## 400bhp (23 Aug 2012)

My daughter is 3 years's old and is starting pre-school in a couple of weeks time.

I have a Hamax child seat that attaches to my bike. The maximum weight is about 22kgs & she's not far off that-perhaps another 6 months (Hamax Siesta available for sale in 6 months time...).

My wife has started getting into cycling but she is not confident enough to carry my daughter on the child seat, mostly because of the change in the centre of gravity can mean that the bike tips up relatively easily (I know-I've done it ).

The pre-school is only a mile or so away, but is off a busy road, however there is a shared use path and a sneaky cut through so my wife could cycle the daughter to school.

Which has got me thinking about a child trailer as an alternative, both for my wife to use and longer term (they can carry a lot more weight?). 

Can peeps who have experience of trailers provide a bit of info on how the bike handles with one attached & how easy it would be for a relative novice cyclist to use?

Thanks


----------



## ianrauk (23 Aug 2012)

Child trailers are brilliant imho.
I decided to get one rather then go down the seat on the back of the bike route.
I just don't like the look of the seats and I am sure I couldn't trust myself to keep hold of the bike when nipper in seat and seeing it tip over.

I wrote a review *HERE *of the trailer I use for Jnr.
Of course having the trailer on the bike makes the bike handle completely different, but not in a bad way. For a novice, it's like eeerm learning to ride a bike. A couple of goes and you will be away. You do have to make sure you have good brakes. You will need to learn to brake earlier, especially downhills and to also spin a lower gear.

And the most important thing... the little person. They will love it. I am sure they love the view better then looking at dads/mums back all the time. And there is plenty of space in the trailer for all the kiddies bit's and pieces and more.


----------



## 400bhp (23 Aug 2012)

Thanks-what bike are you using to pull it along?

Would you think a typical road bike (alu frame, 700c wheels) would do the job too?


----------



## ianrauk (23 Aug 2012)

400bhp said:


> Thanks-what bike are you using to pull it along?
> 
> Would you think a typical road bike (alu frame, 700c wheels) would do the job too?


 

The bike in the pics is an Alu Sectuer Elite road bike with 700c wheels.
I have now traded that in for a Kona Hinky Inc road bike, but with disc brakes.


----------



## 400bhp (23 Aug 2012)

I guess the disc brakes helps-especially when the child starts to get close to 30kg's.


----------



## ianrauk (23 Aug 2012)

Yes, much better at stopping.


----------



## 400bhp (23 Aug 2012)

Right-search begins I guess. A shame, but they don't appear to sell them [child trailers] in Decathlon. Would like to see one in the flesh first and have a poke around.


----------



## okeydokey79 (23 Aug 2012)

i have child seat and a trailer and only use the trailer now as little 1 likes it more as do i, i find towing the trailer easier, little girl can carry drinks,toys, dolls etc and she is lot warmer than being out in the open on the colder days, i picked mine up off faceboook sale page for £55(halfords trail buggy) best money ive spent. i tow it on my mountain bike, means i can get extra miles in and she loves riding in it. only problem i have is goin across some paths on the canals that have the double barriers have to disconnect to get through. my daughter is nearly 3 now by the way.


----------



## I like Skol (23 Aug 2012)

I always fancied a trailer when the kids were younger but for me there are 2 large snags you might want to consider.

You have to have somewhere to store it
Maneouverability. Probably not a problem for you N. but, (sexist comment alert!) put one behind a spatially challenged woman and watch what happens the first time they mistakenly ride into an enclosed space that has to be backed out of! Saw lots of this at Centre Parcs where users would rush headlong into the trickiest corner of the bike parks 'coz it's a spot close to the door innit!' without thinking about how they were going to extricate the rig afterwards.


----------



## Arsen Gere (23 Aug 2012)

I put kiddy cranks on a tandem for my son. He had to pedal at the same speed as me. At that age with short cranks they can easy do 100rpm. I think my son was about 5 tho. I gave it to a mate in Newtown in Wales and he still uses it.

Mrs Gere was put in a sidecar on a tandem as a child, between the bike and the kerb seems a bit safer to me.


----------



## 400bhp (24 Aug 2012)

[QUOTE 2000562, member: 45"]Decathlon sell trailers.

Adventure trailers are a fair compromise between price and quality. The likes of Burley and Chariot are great, but pricey.

Have you thought about a Trailgator? I only say that because a tagalong may be too big for your daughter, but with a Trailgator you can attach a much smaller bike.[/quote]

Annoyingly, the trailers aren't on the decathlon website.

I think the little one isn't ready for a tagalong. Not least because some rides will be long days and i'd like something she can have a nap in/on.


----------



## subaqua (24 Aug 2012)

400bhp said:


> Right-search begins I guess. A shame, but they don't appear to sell them [child trailers] in Decathlon. Would like to see one in the flesh first and have a poke around.


 sure i saw one in the lakeside store. if not go outdoors do sell them. but apparently they have a crap business model as you need a membership card to get low prices. the membership is a fiver annually and i saved the last 4 years membership off MRP on 1st visit.


----------



## User482 (24 Aug 2012)

Little Miss R loves her trailer - there's plenty of room for her stuff and I can still put a pannier easily on my bike. I also prefer having the weight lower down, and the trailer is very stable. Converting it to a pram is great for going to the shops.

Having said all that, have you thought about one of those devices for attaching a child's bike to the back of an adult bike? They look a bit like a panier rack...


----------



## 400bhp (24 Aug 2012)

User482 said:


> Little Miss R loves her trailer - there's plenty of room for her stuff and I can still put a pannier easily on my bike. I also prefer having the weight lower down, and the trailer is very stable. Converting it to a pram is great for going to the shops.
> 
> *Having said all that, have you thought about one of those devices for attaching a child's bike to the back of an adult bike? They look a bit like a panier rack.*.


 
Yeah, see above.


----------



## User482 (24 Aug 2012)

400bhp said:


> Yeah, see above.


 
They're not the same thing as a tag-a-long, though would have the same problem of junior not being able to have a kip.


----------



## 400bhp (24 Aug 2012)

I know they aren't the same thing-hence my post.


----------



## alpgirl (24 Aug 2012)

We used seats with our two. They never liked trailers when we hired them. They were quite happy to fall asleep in the seat. We used a Taxi Co Driver with a blackburn rack.


----------



## JuanLobbe (26 Aug 2012)

@400bhp got an adventure duo second hand recently - although bottom of the range it's perfectly good and I managed to get a raincover for £12. Kids love it - sorted!


----------



## 400bhp (4 Sep 2012)

I now have an Adventure AT1 - used it twice so far and am very happy with it - boy is it heavy..reckon my average is 12 with that on. 

One thing I'm not happy on though - the link that fits to the bike. It comes undone pretty easily, meaning my back wheel pops out of the stays (done it on both rides I have done so far). The second time I put it on very tight, so much so I think I slightly bent the stays - still came undone though.


----------



## ianrauk (4 Sep 2012)

400bhp said:


> I now have an Adventure AT1 - used it twice so far and am very happy with it - boy is it heavy..reckon my average is 12 with that on.
> 
> One thing I'm not happy on though - the link that fits to the bike. It comes undone pretty easily, *meaning my back wheel pops out of the stays* (done it on both rides I have done so far). The second time I put it on very tight, so much so I think I slightly bent the stays - still came undone though.


 
Blimey, this has never happened to me in 2 years of useage. What type of dropouts do you have on your bike?
When you say link, are you talking about the steel bracket? I don't understand when you say it comes undone. Do you mean your quick release lever comes undone? And don't understand how you bent the seat stays as the trailer does not attached to any of the seat stays.


----------



## 400bhp (4 Sep 2012)

ianrauk said:


> Blimey, this has never happened to me in 2 years of useage. What type of dropouts do you have on your bike?
> When you say link, are you talking about the steel bracket? I don't understand when you say it comes undone. Do you mean your quick release lever comes undone? And don't understand how you bent the seat stays as the trailer does not attached to any of the seat stays.


 
Yes essentially the quick release lever comes undone - not the seat stays, the stays that hold the wheel (axle) in place.

I wonder if it the quick release bolts? They have a separate sizeable washer with them, rather than being a whole unit.


----------



## ianrauk (4 Sep 2012)

400bhp said:


> Yes essentially the quick release lever comes undone - not the seat stays, the stays that hold the wheel (axle) in place.
> 
> I wonder if it the quick release bolts? They have a separate sizeable washer with them, rather than being a whole unit.


 

It could be.
Try using a better quality QR lever.
Though the lever I have on my bike is the stock one it came with.


----------



## 400bhp (4 Sep 2012)

Thanks - luckily I have a spare set (Shimano) ones in the garage, the "washer" is part of the qr lever rather than being separate.


----------



## 400bhp (4 Sep 2012)

Do you put a washer between the steel bracket and your frame?


----------



## ianrauk (4 Sep 2012)

400bhp said:


> Do you put a washer between the steel bracket and your frame?


 

No, just a norm QR lever.
Here, just took a pic. The bracket is left on the bike all the time.


----------



## 400bhp (5 Sep 2012)

I tried a Shimano skewer I had from a spare wheelset - trouble is it is about 5 mm too short. However, the fact that it doesn't have a separate washer makes a difference. I've just ordered a longer set of skewers from Chainreaction cyles here. Will see how it goes.


----------



## ianrauk (5 Sep 2012)

400bhp said:


> I tried a Shimano skewer I had from a spare wheelset - trouble is it is about 5 mm too short. However, the fact that it doesn't have a separate washer makes a difference. I've just ordered a longer set of skewers from Chainreaction cyles here. Will see how it goes.


 

Yup, that should do it.


----------



## fossyant (7 Sep 2012)

Shimano QR's are very good being one piece (cam built in) - I don't like the two piece ones - I've had them come undone whilst watching it slowly flip over...


----------

