raleighnut
Legendary Member
- Location
- One of the 'Elite'
You may be better off with a kiddie trailer than a seat for the little one.
Help - Idiots guide required.
- Thread starter Trainingwheels2015
- Start date
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Modern touring bikes cover quite a few styles, from trad English tourers with drop bars and cantilever brakes, to cyclo-cross inspired "off road" road bikes, with disk brakes, and Euro style trekking bikes with trekking/butterfly style bars which accept MTB flatbar style controls. All of then have sturdy frames which are not over-weight, and frame fittings for rack and mudguards. It doesn't matter too much if the frame is steel or aluminium, both work well. Tourers usually have longer rear chainstays than road bikes, which places the rear axle further back. If you carry a rear load, this ensures that the load is inside the wheelbase, not hanging of the back, wagging the bike.
Disc brakes are good for all-weather performance. Trekking bars ensure that you can fit MTB components for lower gears. It is getting harder each year to mix drop bars with low gears.
Avoid plain flat bars, you will need some alt handholds.
Correct fit is all important.
Disc brakes are good for all-weather performance. Trekking bars ensure that you can fit MTB components for lower gears. It is getting harder each year to mix drop bars with low gears.
Avoid plain flat bars, you will need some alt handholds.
Correct fit is all important.
Hip Priest
Veteran
I read article an once about a competitive cyclist who trained with his small daughter on a child seat. I think it might've been Matt Bottrill.
A trailer may be a good idea. If not, get a bike with wide tyres to avoid shaking the boy too much (and I mean it). Alternatively, get an old upright ladies frame town bike to ride with your son, and a fast tourer for your epic event. By the way: 90 miles day is a lot, but doable after some lengthy real training, including using the bike for shoping etc. If you don't train enough, you may injure yourself.
jefmcg
Guru
You need to start getting the miles now. I went from having done a century to riding 730 miles in 4 days (unfortunately the goal was 890 in five days). I'd say it was doable, but you need to get training now. You need to build up to a distance of 100km/60 miles soon, and start doing that distance in one ride most weeks, plus other shorter rides. With that base, you can try your first 100mile ride. You'll want to do that distance a few times at least, and one week do a 100 miles 2 days in a row. When you have done that, you'll have a good insight into what you can do.
If you haven't done much long riding, maybe start with 10 miles every second day, then 10 miles every day, then add another 10 mile ride later the same day so you are now doing 20 miles a day.
Find out how the ride will be staged. If the distance between stops will be 40 miles, get to riding that distance non-stop as soon as you can.
You can certainly do that distance on a hybrid, though drop bars are preferred by most long distance cyclists. For the actually ride, you will want a light bike with narrow wheels and lots of choices of hand positions.
You are going to have to push yourself, and spend long hours on the bike. At the end of these rides, dismounting can be a challenge without a baby. I would not put a baby seat on a bike with a cross bar for these sort of rides, because dismounting could be a huge problem. The bike will want to tip over, and you will be trying to lift a tired leg over the cross bar. I'd think there was a huge risk of dropping the bike and baby or kicking the baby in the head - sorry, but you will be tired. I think a trailer would be the best solution, and then you can train on whatever bike you like, and when you uncouple the trailer, you will fly! Also as you will be on the road for hours, your baby/toddler can sleep/wake/look around/amuse himself with colouring books or whatever http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bik...iler?cm_re=mmcycling-_-accessories-_-trailers
I'd repeat your question in the family forum here, for more expert advice on cycling with kids, eg https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/kids-trailer-any-recommendations.189785/
Edit: image added curtesy of @ianrauk
If you haven't done much long riding, maybe start with 10 miles every second day, then 10 miles every day, then add another 10 mile ride later the same day so you are now doing 20 miles a day.
Find out how the ride will be staged. If the distance between stops will be 40 miles, get to riding that distance non-stop as soon as you can.
You can certainly do that distance on a hybrid, though drop bars are preferred by most long distance cyclists. For the actually ride, you will want a light bike with narrow wheels and lots of choices of hand positions.
You are going to have to push yourself, and spend long hours on the bike. At the end of these rides, dismounting can be a challenge without a baby. I would not put a baby seat on a bike with a cross bar for these sort of rides, because dismounting could be a huge problem. The bike will want to tip over, and you will be trying to lift a tired leg over the cross bar. I'd think there was a huge risk of dropping the bike and baby or kicking the baby in the head - sorry, but you will be tired. I think a trailer would be the best solution, and then you can train on whatever bike you like, and when you uncouple the trailer, you will fly! Also as you will be on the road for hours, your baby/toddler can sleep/wake/look around/amuse himself with colouring books or whatever http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bik...iler?cm_re=mmcycling-_-accessories-_-trailers
I'd repeat your question in the family forum here, for more expert advice on cycling with kids, eg https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/kids-trailer-any-recommendations.189785/
Edit: image added curtesy of @ianrauk
I agree with nearly all of that. What I don't agree with is the advice to use narrow tyres. Wider tyres are actually faster on real roads, and they are far more comfortable. Keeping the human engine fit is half the story. But use fast and flexible tyres like Panaracer Pasela's or even better Compass or Grandbois.
steve292
Guru
- Location
- Weston-super-mare, north somerset
^^^
This.
It has the advantage that you can give him something to keep him occupied, and protect him from the elements.
What you want to do is not easy, but by no means impossible, but you need to start to prepare certainly from just after christmas.
good luck.
Jayaly
Senior Member
- Location
- Hertfordshire
I find towing a trailer harder work than a child seat on the back, which I imagine would be a good thing for you as you'd be getting more of a fitness challenge out of your training rides. As a previous poster has said, when you lose the weight of the tot and the seat/trailer, you can really shift. Trailers are nice for toys, naps and snacks too. I'd invest in a few little straps to save toys that just 'fell out' a mile back down the road. I learned that one the hard way.
Good luck.
Good luck.
clarion
Guru
- Location
- Exiled from Hyperborea
Thank you for the heads up.
Yes, we do ride and tour with a kid on the back. We use a Hamax seat, which has a seat tube carrying bracket. As the seat is held on two strong metal bars, there is a fair bit of suspension on there, and it is perfectly comfortable. Our youngest is now 2.5 yo, but we've had him in the seat from fairly young (I'd have to check with Butterfly to be sure), and he's always slept well in his seat. When he's awake, it's easy to interact with him - singing songs, passing him drinks or snacks on the move - much more than in a trailer (or a car!).
Speaking of which, we did use a trailer when the lad was tiny, but it had its own limitations, including not being able to get on trains, which is a big issue for us.
Riding with a small, you need to plan in stops for feeding, as they are not as flexible as you may be about mealtimes. Or toilets/changes, come to that.