Tandem Cycling - How to make foot pegs or foot rest for child stoker

Looking for suggestions on making my own foot pegs or foot rest for a child stoker. I see Bike Buddy sells some for $40, but I would like to make them myself for less and I would like them to be easy to install and remove. I am thinking a u-bolt with a pvc tube might work. Thanks in advance.

Why not a child stoker kit and let them pedal?

I have 2 kids that can reach and 1 that can't, so I didn't want to add the child kit to interfere with the older 2, and it will take too much time to put it on and take it off each time the kids switch.

How about something like this
238758

http://www.jcwhitney.com/clamp-on-folding-motorcycle-foot-pegs/p2002581.jcwx

I have 2 kids that can reach and 1 that can't ...

Oh. you don't need foot pegs, you need this! :rolleyes:
(http://www.pedouins.org/quint.html)

Most tandems have a lateral tube with a bottle mounts.
Drill hole (countersink) in piece of lathing/wood and insert bottle bolt.
Or, disconnect/remove the kiddie crank chain.

How about something like this
238758

http://www.jcwhitney.com/clamp-on-folding-motorcycle-foot-pegs/p2002581.jcwx


Those look nice but the specs say fit 1" tube. The tubes on my bike where those could go are 1.25" and 1.375".


Oh. you don't need foot pegs, you need this! :rolleyes:
(http://www.pedouins.org/quint.html)


No, I need one of these! (http://www.conferencebike.com/)

http://www.conferencebike.com/image/generated/792.png

No, I need one of these! (http://www.conferencebike.com/)

Oh, wow! That many, huh? Perhaps someone needs some of these: :D

http://www.psychologytoday.com/files/u26/the-pill.jpg

Most tandems have a lateral tube with a bottle mounts.
Drill hole (countersink) in piece of lathing/wood and insert bottle bolt.
Or, disconnect/remove the kiddie crank chain.

This is a great thought. I created a temporary solution by drilling two holes in a 1 foot piece of PVC pipe and used a plastic tie to attach it to the bottle cage. Thanks!

http://i1263.photobucket.com/albums/ii638/BikeImages1/DSC03707.jpg

http://i1263.photobucket.com/albums/ii638/BikeImages1/DSC03706.jpg

Just so it gets said, that is a DEATH TRAP. The first time you have to stop quickly and catch him unaware, he's going down. Stokers are continuously gazing at neat stuff on their left or right because they can't see ahead. When they look, their shoulders invariably turn, and when that happens, the opposite leg is favored. So when you hit the brakes, both his entire weight and your forward momentum will instantly be applied to ONE SIDE of the pipe.

So if he happens to be looking left, he hits the ground to the right when the zip ties/pvc pipe/aluminum water bottle cage fails. And that's the good side. If he happens to be looking to the right, he falls left and his foot and leg get caught up in the sync chain with whatever damage THAT causes, THEN he hits the ground and gets drug along until you can get the bike completely stopped, and/or his drag causes you to fall left and the back half of the bike falls on him.

He would honestly be safer riding with his feet both resting on the top tube instead of those pegs. Sorry if I'm being blunt, but a child's safety is worth more than 60 cents worth of pvc and zip ties.

Thanks for the warning. I will convert the design to a metal bar held on with a metal u-bolt.

Thanks for the warning. I will convert the design to a metal bar held on with a metal u-bolt.

If the boy in question can stand on ONE side and bounce a little, then it's tight enough to ride. See if you can find some old-style cloth electricians tape, (not the slick pvc), or go to your LBS (local bike shop), and ask for some old-style cloth handlebar tape. A couple wraps of either one will help prevent slipping and help protect your paint.

As previously suggested, I decided to go with the “stoker should pedal” approach. My child’s feet are 4 inches from the pedal on the down stroke, and as suggested in the Bicycle Mechanics forum when I inquired about installing shorter cranks, I am looking at a combination of Crank Arm Shorteners and a lower profile seat to bridge the 4 inches. Any thoughts on where to get these for less than $100 plus s/h? Thanks.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31CNTxgE0lL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

Here was my solution. A piece of 1x3 wood and 2 2" U bolts with plastic tubing to prevent scratching and slippage, and washers and wing nuts. Easy on, easy off.

I installed it on the upper bar so I could keep the seat set high for my wife. It took about 3 min to put on or take off. Also installed a bottle holder that provided clearance for the cables. I have a post somewhere in this forum from '09 with more details.

http://www.bikeforums.net/images/attach/jpg.gif

http://www.bikeforums.net/images/attach/jpg.gif

http://www.bikeforums.net/images/attach/jpg.gif

http://www.bikeforums.net/images/attach/jpg.gif

Used it for 2 years and hundreds of miles, but now my grandson is tall enough to reach the pedals. Saving the set up for the new 1 y/o grandson.