Trailer child friendly rides/sportif

[laxmanstretch]

Hello! My firsr post here! I was hoping you could recommend a sportif (if that is the correct term for orgaanised medium distance ride where you get a bit of help from support staff if needed) that would be relatively car free or completeley car free that would be ideal for me to ride with a trailer with a child in toe? I have done the liverpool chester liverpool and am based in the north west. I will be inflicting my hobby on my little child - this would be a pleasant way of doing it perhaps? Many thanks

 

[mjr]

I think you'll find that trailers are banned from most sportives, with odd-looking claims that they are unsafe and junk like that, plus most sportives are on roads, although usually quiet roads, but maybe that's what you mean by "relatively car free".

Evans say that children in child seats are allowed on their family rides at https://www.evanscycles.com/ride-it/family-riding but I don't understand which events are family rides.

If you don't mind a bit less support, you could search around on www.RideSocial.co.uk or try searching the web for place names with "family cycling" or "freewheeling" or "kidical mass" after them. Many groups will have someone on most rides with a big toolkit who knows how to use it and/or will show you how.

 

[guitarpete247]

I just took granddaughters out round the lanes near me. Went out with their dad and SWMBO'd. They're now too big and miss the odd trip to the pub/playpark for child minding sessions.
Next job is to get them riding.

 

[seraphina]

Our local CTC does a "beginner" (can't remember exact title) ride once a month - it's a short ride (20/25 miles) with a cake stop at a relaxed pace. Worth a look to see if your local group offers something similar. You may need to let them know beforehand as some routes aren't particularly trailer friendly (narrow pinch points etc).

Depending on the age of your children, I'd be wary about attempting a sportive or something, simply because my kids would go bezerk if stuck in the trailer for that long. The advantage of riding by yourself is if your kids kick off, or you see a nice playground, you can stop without holding anyone up.

 

[mjr]

it's a short ride (20/25 miles) with a cake stop at a relaxed pace

Not all groups regard 20-25 miles as a short ride: I think our local starts from 3 miles.

my kids would go bezerk if stuck in the trailer for that long

Sportives near me start at 10 miles, so that CTC beginner ride would be longer!

Bottom line: if you're bothered about time and distance, check and don't assume anything from words like "short"

 

[laxmanstretch]

thank you alll, you have provided some great starter terminology for me to get google-ing. half the problem is not knowing what to look for. I would be fine with a 25 mile ride -but yes, my little one may get restless so perhaps i will look for a good route rather than joining a large ride, and have a few park stops.