Tandem for family with special needs child
My wife and I rode together for 10 years. Over the last 15 years job situations and an autistic child have kept us from riding together and I had not ridden in five years. I was finally able to get out riding again this summer on a regular basis but my wife has not. I am considering our options.
We both have gained weight. My wife more than I and she is considerably out of shape. I have ridden about 1700 miles since mid-June and have lost some weight. Our son is 11.5 and weights about 70 pounds. He recejtpy learned to pedal and relies solely on training wheels for balance. I think he could hold on okay, would not do anything over 15 mph with him along, but that is a concern.
Option 1 - She rides her bike and I connect a half-wheel to my road bike and pull my son. This would take care of any concerns she has about not being able to keep up. I am not sure what kind of half wheel but I would want my son to be able to pedal but he would not know how to shift so that would not be an option.
Options 2 - Buy a tandem and connect a half-wheel to it.
Options 3 - A fellow rider suggested, as she was leaving a ride, that someone she knew had a recumbent bike built for 3. I only recently saw a recumbent tandem this summer, did not know they existed, and have never seen one built for three. I vaguely recall seeing a bicycle built for three that was a tandem with a third seat added over the front and the pedals were connected to the drivetrain and that person pedaled. This was a long time ago so I may not have the configuration correct.
Option 4 - wife rides her bike around the neighborhood during the week and we ride a tandem together on the weekend and get someone to watch our son.
Anyone have any thoughts. If it is at all possible to take our son along I would like to.
My other concern is how to transport a tandem. I currently have bars and two bike carriers. The carriers are Thule and the bars were purchased to fit a different car because I could not find Thule adapters for a new car that I purchased. I have not had the rack on a car in 10 years and am not even sure if it will work with modern cars. I have been folding down the seats and putting my road bike in the trunk for transport.