Cargo bike as a way of commuting with my kids.

Tigerandahalf

One of the more important things is not the type of transport you use but the route you travel on.

You can't beat designated bike paths segregated from road traffic.

Granted this isn't possible for everyone commuting.

Trailers are handy as you can use them for leisure at the weekend. Kids are protected from the cold and showers of rain and if they are tired they can fall asleep and have a nap.

'68 Fastback

Hiya, just throwing my hat in!

I use a Yepp Maxi on a rear carrier and a Hamax rain poncho for when it gets wet out there. I live in Inchicore and do the creche run into Harcourt St. My daughter is 3 and a half and loves being on the bike. We have two in the creche at the moment so I haven't been doing the run recently but all through last winter there wasn't one complaint. I carried a little hot water bottle for the really cold days!

I have no experience of any other type of seat but have had no problems with the Yepp. The Hamax cover fits it really well.

If you think that a rear seat is an option I would recommend a double kick stand. It made my life alot easier.

Tigerandahalf

'68 Fastback wrote: »

Hiya, just throwing my hat in!

I use a Yepp Maxi on a rear carrier and a Hamax rain poncho for when it gets wet out there. I live in Inchicore and do the creche run into Harcourt St. My daughter is 3 and a half and loves being on the bike. We have two in the creche at the moment so I haven't been doing the run recently but all through last winter there wasn't one complaint. I carried a little hot water bottle for the really cold days!

I have no experience of any other type of seat but have had no problems with the Yepp. The Hamax cover fits it really well.

If you think that a rear seat is an option I would recommend a double kick stand. It made my life alot easier.

The rain is always a problem no matter what you use. I don't think any bike trailers are fully waterproof so if the trailer gets very wet you have the problem of drying it out afterwards.

The bike seat with the poncho is probably a good way to keep them dry without having to dry out lots of stuff afterwards. The kid may get very warm in it though especially in summer showers.

If getting a trailer make sure you get a full mudguard over the whole back wheel otherwise the trailer will get destroyed. One of the problems is that very few mountain/hybrid bikes come with a full mudguard.

The kickstand is definitely needed.

El Vino

I had a similar distance with my kids, the girl scooted and the boy used a balance bike on the footpath, no one ever objected.

tomasrojo

CramCycle wrote: »

Trailer
[...]
Other people think you are wreckless with your kids

That was the biggest negative for me in the early days. I came under huge pressure not to use it to transport the first-born.

One positive was that the Chariot Cougar I got makes a really great stroller too (except can't bring it on busy buses, because it doesn't fold down small, or fast).

(The Chariot Cougar pretty much was fully waterproof once you buy the extra rain hood for it. The kids never got wet, and they were transported through the rain so many times -- mostly in it as a stroller. They both squeezed in when it started to rain.)

tomasrojo

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

The rain is always a problem no matter what you use. I don't think any bike trailers are fully waterproof so if the trailer gets very wet you have the problem of drying it out afterwards.

As I said, the Chariot Cougar was as close as bedamned, once you got the extra rain skin for it.

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

If getting a trailer make sure you get a full mudguard over the whole back wheel otherwise the trailer will get destroyed. One of the problems is that very few mountain/hybrid bikes come with a full mudguard.

The kickstand is definitely needed.

Yeah, good point. I extended the rear mudguard with homemade mudflaps, and I added a kickstand.

Tigerandahalf

Just to add, I also got a bike mirror that fits into the side of the handlebar. It is really useful no matter what you use, even if just cycling by yourself.

I have a rear bike seat too and until I got the mirror I was straining my back having to peak over my shoulder to see if the kid was ok.

I got the mirror on Amazon and it is adjustable.
It is called Mirrycle.

I use the trailer mostly now and the mirror is really handy for giving a quick look back. Very handy for seeing other cyclists or traffic coming up behind.

Mr. Grieves

A double kickstand is extremely useful. I also find the Hamax rain poncho excellent, it covers feet and hands and the hood fits over a helmet...at least for a smaller child.

CramCycle

I have a hamax poncho lying around if anyone wants it. young lad never took to it and prefers just full waterproofs.