Pulling a child trailer

[roberto]

Hello all

Has anyone experience of towing a child trailer with an electric bicycle? If so: which bike? which trailer? does it work?

I transport a 3 year old boy every morning to nursery. It is a journey of 3 miles. We have to climb a moderately steep hill for about 500 metres. He's now too big to fit in the child seat, so a trailer is my only option (other than getting a car, which I really really want to avoid).

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Robert O'Toole
Transversality - Robert O'Toole, University of Warwick

 

[fcurran]

Burley

I see loads around Bath, and generally they get some very good reviews and work well with Powabykes so I assume they will work with any electric bike!

Regards

Frank

 

[fcurran]

This is the UK importer Fisher Outdoor Leisure Limited: Cycle Trailers: Trailers , not sure if they deal with the public, but they supply most of the cycle trade with parts and accessories.

 

[Django]

Hi Robert,



See http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/electric-bicycles/709-three-up-torq-trailer.html#post9643 and do read the whole thread - particularly Flecc's advice at the end. A Torq is probably not the best choice of bike for most people for this task.

The trailer is a ST3 - Alloy 2 Seater Bicycle Trailer from CycleXpress and it works an absolute treat. Light, strong, stable and very easy to attach/detach.

Cheers,

Django

 

[flecc]

Here's the A to B magazine trailer page, scroll down for a list of those on the market. Top makes are Chariot and Burley. The editors of A to B have plenty of experience with child trailers, being car free and transporting their son (now about 9) in them, reviewing them on the way.

Trailers

If you have a bike discounter like Cycle King in your area, they often have trailers very similar to the top makes at about half the cost.

Almost any e-bike will be a step up from unassisted, so the exact choice of power and type depends on your cycling fitness.
.

 

[giguana]

I was thinking of this one for my girlfriend
Gf Bike Trailer (end time 17-Jan-08 10:53:07 GMT)

 

[flecc]

I was thinking of this one for my girlfriend
Gf Bike Trailer (end time 17-Jan-08 10:53:07 GMT)

Well it is in Warrickshire where Robert is, but I'd doubt his youngster is feral.
.

 

[giguana]

makes me wonder what is the safest option- a trailer with two wheels is quite broad on the road, whereas Trailer Bike on eBay, also Children's Seats Trailers, Cycling Accessories, Cycling, Sporting Goods (end time 12-Jan-08 13:35:02 GMT) a one wheel version is narrow, although if I was a kid I know I'd prefer a tent version which is out of the rain.
my dad was a teacher in Oxford and he used to take two of us about 5 miles to school and back with one extra saddle behind the handlebars and one extra seat over the back wheel.

 

[giguana]

Well it is in Warrickshire where Robert is, but I'd doubt his youngster is feral.
.

I know what you mean...it looks very heavy and like the wheels of the trailer don't actually carry the weight so it would tip forwards. surely it weighs more than the bike.

 

[flecc]

Velovision magazine have both trailer reviews and a family cycling feature available as back issues. If you use the site link below and enter Child trailers in the Search box bottom left, you'll be presented with issues 20 and 21 with those.

Velovision
.

 

[carpetbagger]

the good thing about the inline type trailer is that the kids can pedal..therefore saving your legs and battery as well...Just blindfold them!!
I used the seat on crossbar type for my daughter,,still in the garage somewhere...

 

[Tiberius]

my daughter,,still in the garage somewhere...

I haven't seen mine for while either.

 

[carpetbagger]

i think she is on the top shelf nest to my wife.....best place for them really

 

[Django]

Here's the A to B magazine trailer page, scroll down for a list of those on the market. Top makes are Chariot and Burley. The editors of A to B have plenty of experience with child trailers, being car free and transporting their son (now about 9) in them, reviewing them on the way.

Trailers

If you have a bike discounter like Cycle King in your area, they often have trailers very similar to the top makes at about half the cost.

Almost any e-bike will be a step up from unassisted, so the exact choice of power and type depends on your cycling fitness.
.

Although the recommended trailer on this page that was actually tested was tested in 1999 and costs £300. Nine years on, I would expect the one I have is better (though I have no empirical evidence of that) and half the price. Having tried one or two others that are more expensive, I certainly wouldn't personally spend more than the £140 my own cost me.

Cheers,

Django

 

[flecc]

I agree Django. That's why I mentioned the discounters, where £140 is more like the mark for the same quality.
.