Recreational & Family - Advice needed for new bicycle and tag a long

Hi! Finally replacing my 30 year old bike. I have been looking at the giant sedona dx and cypress dx, trek 7100 and fisher tiburon. My uses in order of priority are neighboorhood cycling, rails to trails and under 30 mile trips, light off road on dirt trails and carriage roads. I am also looking to purchase a tag a long for my sons 5th birthday. I have gone to two bike shops and tested the giant cycles with the lower end giant halfwheeler (pedals scraped on turns) and the shifter halfwheeler (didn't have a pedal problem but it seemed too wobbly). I don't know if this was because of its design or the way my son was riding with me. He is not riding a two wheeler withount training wheels yet. I also tested the trek mountain train with the tiburon and 7100 and did not have pedal or wobble problems. Not matter what tag a long I end up with I will more than likely have to replace the seatpost with a nonsuspended one so that I have enough room to attach the tag a long.

My thoughts are as follows
I really liked the feel of the tiburon. The seat was comfortable, the fit was good, and I liked the feel of the suspension. It has the 29inch tires so it felt easier to pedal. It also had rapid fire shifters which were nice but not a big issue. It did a good job pulling the mountain train. I think this would be the better choice for longer trips but not as good off road. Am I right? I favored this one slightly over the trek 7100 and cypress dx.

The giant sedona also had a nice ride. It has the 26 inch tires so I think it might require more energy to get me where I am going? Is that true? I am not as interested in speed as effort. This one I think would be better off road. I don't know if the trek mountain train would hook up with this ok or if I should give the shifter halfwheeler another try.

I would appreciate any suggestions and advice on either choosing a bicycle for myself or the trailer bike for my son. All of the bicycles were in the 300 to 350 price range. I wouldn't mind spending a little more if it was worth it for quality and durability. These were just the bikes that the local shop had in stock in my frame size.

I am sorry I was so wordy. I have alot of factors to consider. You can imagine having me as a customer.
I also have a husband who can help with the tag along on longer hauls. Thanks! Holly

Welcome to the forum. I'm VéloSíDad, a newbie also. You will find friendly, helpful people here. I have not encountered any snobs.

Here is a recent thread which might present some useful ideas:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=46100

I have also posted a different thread asking advice on how to attach a trailercycle and a baby carrier at the same time. Michel Gagnon, DieselDan, et al have been very knowledgeable. There are also other threads in the Recreation & Family group and in the Tandem group. Even the Recumbent group has had some discussion of trailercycles. Check the threads; I guess these are the equivalent of a table of contents for each discussion group.

You wrote QUOTE
Not matter what tag a long I end up with I will more than likely have to replace the seatpost with a nonsuspended one so that I have enough room to attach the tag a long. END QUOTE

I used Google® to look at the Fisher Tiburon and it might work with a trailercycle as is. Check with DieselDan-- he has fleet experience.

Happy trails! Neal in the Heart of Carolina.

Your choice of bikes are all about equal in quality and compontentry and should do well as a tow bike for what you want to do. I find suspension seatposts to be a pain, as they change your leg extension. If you want to keep your post, and can't move it high enough for a trailercycle hitch, check out the Burly Piccolo. Probably the most expensive trailercycle on the market, but it hitches to a trunk rack, not to the seatpost. I don't lean as much towing my son with a trailercycle. I don't know why, I just don't feel safe leaning the bike as much with a trailer. If you were test riding without your child, the trailercycle will wobble and rattle like mad, the weight of the child is needed for one to work properly.

You'll find you can't ride as fast, nor as aglile, while towing your child. The extra weight will make up for it. Ride shorter rides at first, gradually increasing the distance of the rides. I bought my son a small hydration pack, as one that young isn't coordinated enough to master drinking from a water bottle while riding. I learned the hard way. I added a seat bag to the trailercycle with a spare tube for it, but don't forget a 15mm wrench. If you and you child put lots of miles in, remember to periodically check the chain tension on the trailercycle and adjust when needed. You may come to a point where a link may need to be removed. Make sure the trailercycle's freewheel is tightened, constant backpedaling can unscrew one. Lock the trailercycle as well as the bike when needed, as one can be stolen by unlocking the seatpost quick release or removing the hitch pin.

Nothing irrates a parent more then a hitch with too much play. Keep it tight, but not too tight that it becomes a solid piece. I've had to resort to using soda can shims to keep mine from wobbling too much.

You learn a few things maintaining 400 bikes, including 30 trailercycles.

Thank you both for your replies. It's nice to get some advice from someone with experience with the trailer bike. I do not know anyone here in Lexington, Ky that has one so you have given me a lot to think about. I am going to ask my dealer if he could get the Nirvana and Zebrano to check out also. Sounds like most of the people on this sight suggest its worth paying more to get better components. After all, I hope to have this one another 30 years and then if I am stil around I will be ready for a three wheeler!




Your choice of bikes are all about equal in quality and compontentry and should do well as a tow bike for what you want to do. I find suspension seatposts to be a pain, as they change your leg extension. If you want to keep your post, and can't move it high enough for a trailercycle hitch, check out the Burly Piccolo. Probably the most expensive trailercycle on the market, but it hitches to a trunk rack, not to the seatpost. I don't lean as much towing my son with a trailercycle. I don't know why, I just don't feel safe leaning the bike as much with a trailer. If you were test riding without your child, the trailercycle will wobble and rattle like mad, the weight of the child is needed for one to work properly.

You'll find you can't ride as fast, nor as aglile, while towing your child. The extra weight will make up for it. Ride shorter rides at first, gradually increasing the distance of the rides. I bought my son a small hydration pack, as one that young isn't coordinated enough to master drinking from a water bottle while riding. I learned the hard way. I added a seat bag to the trailercycle with a spare tube for it, but don't forget a 15mm wrench. If you and you child put lots of miles in, remember to periodically check the chain tension on the trailercycle and adjust when needed. You may come to a point where a link may need to be removed. Make sure the trailercycle's freewheel is tightened, constant backpedaling can unscrew one. Lock the trailercycle as well as the bike when needed, as one can be stolen by unlocking the seatpost quick release or removing the hitch pin.

Nothing irrates a parent more then a hitch with too much play. Keep it tight, but not too tight that it becomes a solid piece. I've had to resort to using soda can shims to keep mine from wobbling too much.

You learn a few things maintaining 400 bikes, including 30 trailercycles.