Commuting w/ two kids--setup recs?

[racerx321]

So it used to be easy with one child--bike trailer and go, right? But now our oldest (5 y/o) has outgrown sitting in the Chariot, and we have a 18-month old. It's a 4-mile commute each way. So, I was thinking the options are:

1) Oldest on a trail-a-bike // Youngest in Chariot behind the Trail-a-bike.
So is this "convoy" setup safe?
Kids might like the "choo choo train" concept :jumpy:

2) Oldest on trail-a-bike // Youngest in infant carrier seat
I just hate the idea of that carrier seat.
Crashing is obviously never good, but seems particularly bad in those seats.

3) Youngest in Chariot // Oldest on his own bike
Nice in theory, and while 4 miles each way is within his capability, I can imagine the struggles of him giving up while running late for work, etc. At least on the Trail-a-bike, he can sit and do nothing without causing group stoppage. I'm sure in another 1-2 years, this will become the preferred option.

4) Double Chariot/Burley with both kids in there
Again, sounds ideal, but my 5-year old just won't tolerate passively sitting in there anymore. Does anyone else's kids over the age of 5 sit in these things still?

Any experiences or recs on the above (or other) setups are appreciated!

Ken

[Nickel]

I have no experience, but I have seen #1 as a popular setup.

And of course, mad props for introducing your children to the joys of cycling at a young age.

[nigel]

I would NOT recommend #1, having 2 hinge points can be very dangerous. I have friends that have tried this and it did not work well on downhills and sudden stops. I'd go 4 or 5.

[jeffgude]

#1 will work fine on a bike path, but might be a little dicey on the road.

[iceslicer39]

I've done #1 a few times, as long as you are aware of your size, it seems to work well. We've done it with me, my daughter and cooler,gear, etc. in the trailer. With that much weight in the trailer it dies get more interesting. Watch out for hooking curbs when cornering. The other place it was a challenge was on a trail that had barricades to limit vehicle traffic. They used massive concrete planters set in a "W" pattern. The idea was that a nimble bike would simply turn through the opening, not so with the triple unit. :(

Another option, try to find a tandem with a kid stoker kit, then the trailer behind, that would give you one less pivot point. Eventually, you could add a trail-a-bike for the youngest.

Kenny

[Shorty]

Option #5: (if it's in the budget)

Big Dummy (or Xtracycle on existing bike) with trailer.

Older kid sits on the Xtracycle seat and little kid is in the trailer in back. It'll cost more, but you'd only have one hinge/trailer. IMO it would be a really sweet set-up!

Whatever option is chosen, I'd want disc brakes.

[batjerk]

My kids, girls, 8 and 5 both sat in the trailer just fine last summer. And for much further than 4 miles. They prefer to ride their own bikes, but I did not want them riding on the street that far. Not that I was commuting, but for errands and runs to the park, they were cool with it. Really depends on the kids. Also, my eight-year-old is roughly the size of the average five-year-old.

I don't like the carrier seat either. Wife had a crash with my younger daughter in the seat, not a terrible thing, and the kid fared better than her mom, but scary for us, nonetheless. Our daughter just sat there, arms folded, glaring at mom for dumping the bike.

A kid-stoker tandem and trailer is probably best.

[fasterfoster]

I used to do #1. My wife is out of town a lot. If I wanted to do any training, that's how I did it. We called it, "the train." You won't believe the looks you'll get! I agree with some of the points already mentioned;

*Safety first, you have a lot of extra weight there.
*Stay off the streets I see you're from Eagan. You have a lot of wide path throughout the city.
*Give yourself plenty of room on turns. It must be like driving a semi. Clipping a traffic cone can flip the trailer. Don't ask me how I know!;)

[isaac]

My parents did something like number 1 for a while, only it was with a home-built tandem recumbent, trail-a-bike, and a trailer. Boy, did they get looks.

[Pandl]

I don't have any experience with this, but have seen #1 on the MS150.

[racerx321]

Thanks for all the helpful replies. The two-pivot and the disc brake concerns make sense, especially since the commute entails a fair amount of stopping for cross traffic and we have a big hill to float down (Johnny Cake southbound after the Lebanon parking lot)--not to mention climbing up on the other side!:)

I'll definitely explore the tandem and Xtracycle options... Just another reason to add another bike to the stable, right?

[funky-funky-chicken]

Mad props to you Mr. Ken for thinking about it or even attempting it. The years when my kids were little were my least productive cycling years. 4 miles sounds like an eternity with an unhappy kid. Getting kids clothed, stuff packed, getting bike and whatever contraption you decide upon sounds like quite the adventure, not something for the faint of heart.
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I used to drop my kids off in the Burley and then leave it at the home where the kids spent the day. It wasn’t so bad when I had to do things for them. Once they got a little more “independent” then it seemed like more trouble than it was worth.
<o:p> </o:p>
I have a tandem with kiddy cranks, a Trail-a-bike, had a Burley, and now my kids are old enough to ride their own bikes. Tried various combinations of tandem-trail-a-bike, tandem-Burley, bike with trail-a-bike and Burley… Nothing worked WELL. Getting going is not the hard part, the trouble comes navigating traffic, any obstacles, and STOPPING. I installed a BMX brake on the Trail-a-bike to help stop. (That helped a bit.)
<o:p> </o:p>
Depending upon which option you choose this year, keep in mind that it may not work for you next year. I would look more long-term in terms of any acquisition. Personally, I would seriously consider getting a Surly Big Dummy or an Xtracycle conversion.

[lostboy]

Here is what you need.

Note the engine for those steep up hills when hauling two kids isn't fun

http://www.surlybikes.com/blogimages/sidehack_noah_lg.jpg

[Shorty]

Personally, I would seriously consider getting a Surly Big Dummy or an Xtracycle conversion.

I'll definitely explore the... Xtracycle

I've always thought the Xtracycles/Big Dummys were pretty cool... but I've never had a need for one.

Kids would definitely be a good reason to get one IMO.

That Xtracycle with the sidecar and the Stokemonkey is pretty cool.

[funky-funky-chicken]

I've always thought the Xtracycles/Big Dummys were pretty cool... but I've never had a need for one.

Kids would definitely be a good reason to get one IMO.

That Xtracycle with the sidecar and the Stokemonkey is pretty cool.

I admit that I've always thought that they were overkill too. Since selling off a car and pretty much committing our family to be a one-car household, my opinion has changed. There are a few occasions when each of my children need to be in a different place at the same time. I wouldn’t mind being able to throw a kid on the back and just go.
<O:p
The other big weighting factor is that I cannot easily justify putting a bike in the car to go somewhere to ride. Due to my choice in off road bicycles and my location, I am unable to easily ride my off-roader to any trails. Ironically, my commitment to not driving has meant that I only rode off-road once last year.
<O:p
So, I have the desire to get an Xtracycle or Big Dummy with a http://www.xtracycle.com/accessories.php?subnav=sub#traybien With a bike on one side and the other side loaded with equipment to support a ride, I could get to a trail to ride for a while.

[batjerk]

I wanted to put something like that on my trailer to ride to the trails and save my bike the indignity of being hauled around by a car...

[Thewavebb]

You could do side carrier for the younger one and a towbehind for the older one.

http://www.chariotcarriers.com/english/html/sidecarrier.php

probably really spendy when you get the stuff, but would be a simply way of going at it.

You'll be a pretty wide load though.

~Ben