Cargo vs Trailer for kids
08-26-18, 09:03 AM
#1
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Cargo vs Trailer for kids
Hi guys, we are expecting our firstborn any day now and we are trying to figure out how we are going to transport him. We are considering two alternatives. Money is not an issue because any setup will be a lot cheaper than a car 
option 1) buying a good cargo trailer that fits two kids or groceries and attach it to our non-electric bikes.
option 2) buying an electric front cargo bike like a bamboe or a nihola (those are the brands sold in our LBS)
We live in a very flat mid sized Ontario city with decent but not great cycling infrastructure. The Bike paths are not maintained in winter. So, we need either fat tires or sharing the roads with cars December-March.
Our commute to work is about 4-8 miles depending on the route, and the daycare is very close to our workplace.
We also like to do long long bike rides
what are some pros and cons of each option? Is there a good third option we haven’t considered?
Thanks!
option 1) buying a good cargo trailer that fits two kids or groceries and attach it to our non-electric bikes.
option 2) buying an electric front cargo bike like a bamboe or a nihola (those are the brands sold in our LBS)
We live in a very flat mid sized Ontario city with decent but not great cycling infrastructure. The Bike paths are not maintained in winter. So, we need either fat tires or sharing the roads with cars December-March.
Our commute to work is about 4-8 miles depending on the route, and the daycare is very close to our workplace.
We also like to do long long bike rides
what are some pros and cons of each option? Is there a good third option we haven’t considered?
Thanks!
08-26-18, 11:14 AM
#2
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I live in a city called Ontario in Oregon and it's next to Interstate 84 and has the traffic of a city of 30,000 but nobody claims to live here and the prison outside of town has more people than the two nearby towns.
Nope, I wouldn't, and they'd eat you alive and holler about the car seat. Wait a couple more years on that.
Nope, I wouldn't, and they'd eat you alive and holler about the car seat. Wait a couple more years on that.
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08-26-18, 11:33 AM
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A new born baby can't support his head with his neck muscles. I don't remember when that goes away. Someone here will probably know. Some trailers will list a minimum age.
I think that the kid trailers are safer. Loading a kid into a seat on the bike requires balancing the bike at the same time, even on a kickstand. Also if you fall sideways the kids slams into the ground. Even if protected by the baby seat and a helmet it's a big hit.
I think that the kid trailers are safer. Loading a kid into a seat on the bike requires balancing the bike at the same time, even on a kickstand. Also if you fall sideways the kids slams into the ground. Even if protected by the baby seat and a helmet it's a big hit.
08-26-18, 11:41 AM
#4
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People get rid of kid trailers when the kids are bigger..
my friends built a Car child seat for infants into their Bike kid trailer..
for the later part of that early year..
their daughter might be 30 by now...
...
my friends built a Car child seat for infants into their Bike kid trailer..
for the later part of that early year..
their daughter might be 30 by now...
...
Last edited by fietsbob; 08-26-18 at 11:45 AM.
08-26-18, 12:05 PM
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You can give her a Colson now 
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08-27-18, 07:46 PM
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The benefit of a cargo trailer is that they're generally pretty easy to swap between multiple bikes. If you pick up a couple additional hitches, you can choose your bike for the day, hitch up, and you're good to go!
With the money you save by not buying an electric cargo bike, you can invest in a fat bike (if you don't already have one). If you already have a fat bike, feel free to send me the money you saved so I can buy one
With the money you save by not buying an electric cargo bike, you can invest in a fat bike (if you don't already have one). If you already have a fat bike, feel free to send me the money you saved so I can buy one
08-28-18, 02:19 PM
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An ebike and a trailer is also a fine way to go (could be one of the shorter length cargo bikes, like a Tern GSD or just a regular ebike). I've been very happy with my Stromer. Admittedly, I didn't get it until we just had one child who needed assistance ... we used a weehoo (but that doesn't become a viable option for you for a few years).
In retrospect, our original burley "twin" would have been worth keeping for it's use as a cargo trailer. I've would up buying both a cargo trailer AND a travoy ...the former for Costco trips, and hauling my folding bike ... the latter for smaller store runs ;>
In retrospect, our original burley "twin" would have been worth keeping for it's use as a cargo trailer. I've would up buying both a cargo trailer AND a travoy ...the former for Costco trips, and hauling my folding bike ... the latter for smaller store runs ;>
08-29-18, 12:11 PM
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An advantage of a cargo bike is that you can keep an eye on your kid(s). Another advantage is that the kid can keep an eye on whatever it wants to look at. I believe it's much more fun because the kid feels more like taking part in the journey than beeing transported. Where I live everybody rides with young children, but hardly any trailer. About 15 years ago the 2-wheeled cargo bike came on the market and since then it took off, also the 3-wheeled ones got a lot more popular, and the trailers still left are usually old ones, trailers were never that popular anyway. 'Bakfietsmoeder' (cargobikemum) has been an official word for several years now.
If money really isn't that much of an issue, consider a bakfiets.nl. They are usually 30-50% more expensive than a Babboe, but they are particularly well made and durable, and come out on top in any test, usually on every point. They are really well thought through.
If money really isn't that much of an issue, consider a bakfiets.nl. They are usually 30-50% more expensive than a Babboe, but they are particularly well made and durable, and come out on top in any test, usually on every point. They are really well thought through.
08-30-18, 03:43 AM
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An advantage of a cargo bike is that you can keep an eye on your kid(s). Another advantage is that the kid can keep an eye on whatever it wants to look at. I believe it's much more fun because the kid feels more like taking part in the journey than beeing transported. Where I live everybody rides with young children, but hardly any trailer. About 15 years ago the 2-wheeled cargo bike came on the market and since then it took off, also the 3-wheeled ones got a lot more popular, and the trailers still left are usually old ones, trailers were never that popular anyway. 'Bakfietsmoeder' (cargobikemum) has been an official word for several years now.
If money really isn't that much of an issue, consider a bakfiets.nl. They are usually 30-50% more expensive than a Babboe, but they are particularly well made and durable, and come out on top in any test, usually on every point. They are really well thought through.
If money really isn't that much of an issue, consider a bakfiets.nl. They are usually 30-50% more expensive than a Babboe, but they are particularly well made and durable, and come out on top in any test, usually on every point. They are really well thought through.
08-30-18, 08:43 PM
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This is along the same lines I was thinking. Is there any reason one can't/shouldn't do this, perhaps building it so that you can swap out child car-seats as the child grows and as car-seats expire? I am imagining that you might want a roll bar/roll cage on the trailer just in case, though if the bike tips over I don't think a two-wheeled trailer will typically tip over.
09-02-18, 03:10 AM
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They are produced efficiently and in great numbers, they are already remarkably cheap. A build quality like that takes time, attention and skill, overworked, underpaid and untrained workers don't produce that. Most of them will last decades and end up somewhere around the world so it's the durability that makes the spread.
09-02-18, 06:54 AM
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They are produced efficiently and in great numbers, they are already remarkably cheap. A build quality like that takes time, attention and skill, overworked, underpaid and untrained workers don't produce that. Most of them will last decades and end up somewhere around the world so it's the durability that makes the spread.
If you want to design a heavier-duty (cargo) bike that can be mass produced and is still durable, you just design stronger parts and let people assemble the parts at home or in local stores/dealerships. Big box stores ship the bikes they sell in parts and assemble them on-site, but the parts are just not as good quality as they could be, probably because of planned obsolescence to encourage more sales in the long term.
09-07-18, 06:24 PM
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For a very young child aka baby I would go with a automotive style car seat in a cargo bike. Better protection and you can keep an eye on them. My two favorite cargo bikes are the Bakesfiet and the Urban Arrow. I have an Urban Arrow on my bucket list. I no longer have small children but my dog loves to ride....
I have used trailers in the past when my two were older, pre-school aged. We had a wreck where the trailer flipped over with them in it. They were fine, but I did not like the fact that I couldn't see what was going on. However sometimes that was a good thing, we were on a longer ride one time and they were throwing peanuts and raisins at anyone that tried to draft.
Aaron
I have used trailers in the past when my two were older, pre-school aged. We had a wreck where the trailer flipped over with them in it. They were fine, but I did not like the fact that I couldn't see what was going on. However sometimes that was a good thing, we were on a longer ride one time and they were throwing peanuts and raisins at anyone that tried to draft.
Aaron
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Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
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10-26-18, 07:12 PM
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You mention cycling in winter. From your description, we might be living in the same or a similar city.
I know the winter cycling part but nothing about kids on bikes and very little about trailers. But for Canadian winters, road safety with kids seems a bigger concern to me, don't you think so, too? Something with another wheel for stability against falling might be nice (2 wheel trailer?). I have quite a good balance and so serious crashes so far, but in winter I have wiped out a few times. I would want that to have happening to another person on my bike.
I know the winter cycling part but nothing about kids on bikes and very little about trailers. But for Canadian winters, road safety with kids seems a bigger concern to me, don't you think so, too? Something with another wheel for stability against falling might be nice (2 wheel trailer?). I have quite a good balance and so serious crashes so far, but in winter I have wiped out a few times. I would want that to have happening to another person on my bike.
10-27-18, 12:23 PM
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Another thought might be around keeping your kid warm. In winter, you're going to stay warm by pedaling. You're little one won't. Winds can be pretty nasty, so I could imagine it would make a lot of sense to have a transportation option that is enclosed so that wind stays out, if needed. ...which sounds like a kids trailer option to me.
And on another note: I recently saw a kids trailer insert at MEC that is supposed to support the neck, allowing kids to start in a trailer a little bit earlier. I think it was this one: https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5041-8...Baby-Supporter
I'm not sure if this one would work: https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5054-0...6-2--2016-2017
Please keep me/us posted.
And on another note: I recently saw a kids trailer insert at MEC that is supposed to support the neck, allowing kids to start in a trailer a little bit earlier. I think it was this one: https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5041-8...Baby-Supporter
I'm not sure if this one would work: https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5054-0...6-2--2016-2017
Please keep me/us posted.
