There are many ways to carry kids by bike. Some are more popular in certain parts of the world than others. This article explores over a dozen such ways, plus includes links to more information on these different set-ups. Trailers, bike seats, cargo bikes, e-cargo bikes, trailing bikes, mamachari…
Written by parents, for parents: people who live and breathe biking with their kids. Perhaps you are a looking to go biking with a toddler or need a car-free way to get to school with 2 kids, here’s how:
I remember the feeling of being daunted and overwhelmed when I first started to explore all of the ways that you can carry kids on a bike. I was aware of the venerable bike trailer, had seen the odd Xtracycle attachment, remember riding in a rear child seat myself, and knew of long-john style bakfietsen, but that was about it.
This page will help you to learn about the best bikes for carrying kids, including bikes with two child seats and carrying two kids on a bike.
Over the past decade of cargo biking as a family in some form or other I feel as though I have learned enough now to help other families get started on their kid carrying journey, at least from the perspective of a North American. Read more about my background and experiences on my About page and here. Read on to learn about how to carry a child on a bike, be it the best bike for mom and toddler, you want to bike with your 4 year old to preschool, or perhaps find the best bike for mom and baby! All options are listed below with links to more information to help you learn more about this social, inexpensive, and environmentally-friendly way to get around your city.
Contents
What are my choices?
Here are your options! Some of the methods listed below are more popular in North America, like trailers and longtail cargo bikes; others are more prevalent in Europe, such as bakfietsen and trikes; still others are more commonplace in Japan, like the mamachari.
Where to buy?
Hopefully you have an awesome local bike shop who specializes in family cycling. But, if you aren’t so fortunate, never fear — many of us family cyclists have ordered contraptions from near and far in order to keep on riding and it has all worked out! Leaps of faith are part of the adventure.
You can find a comprehensive A-Z Directory of local bike shops in North America on Bikabout’s Family Biking Resources page.
Contributors
I am well versed in the art of bike trailers, longtails (and kid seats), and bakfietsen, but I asked some wonderful folk to share their perspectives using other kid-carrying methods listed. Below you will find more than a dozen ways that you can carry children by bike, including:
- what it is called,
- why it is so wonderful, and
- what sorts of adventures this style of bicycle enables these families to have.
Small passengers
The first part of this overview covers bikes that are more appropriate for carrying little ones, perfect for the age when your children are either immobile babies in car seats, snacking toddlers, preschoolers, or even elementary-aged kids who just need a ride to get somewhere. They are also ideal for chores, like grocery shopping, with or without kids.
Read this section if you are looking for the best bike for mom and baby (and beyond)! The bikes in this section can easily carry two kids on a bike.
Bike trailers
New mama, Lindsey Bartley is already a veteran kid hauler with a quiver of bikes for every occasion! She writes,
“The lowly bike trailer is much maligned by many people (including me) who ride with their children on a regular basis. They’re heavy and cumbersome, plus they add a lot of drag on uphills and push on downhills. You can’t hear or see kids as well.
“But don’t throw them out as a fantastic kid carrier for babies! Short a front loading bakfiets, trailers are pretty much the only way to carry a baby who still needs to be in a car seat. They provide weather protection. They keep toys (and snacks) safely ensconced. They haul groceries and camping gear.
“Our trailer exploits are pretty benign, I mostly use it when I’m going somewhere hilly and I want the baby to nap along the way. I’ve planned a few summer camping trips though, and for this the trailer will be key for carrying baby and leaving my rack free for gear.
“So, don’t feel bad for me when you see me huffing up a hill with a trailer in tow. My baby is probably napping, and we may very well be on a fabulous camping adventure!”
A trailer was our gateway into cargo biking and if you can find one used, it is arguably the cheapest way to “cargo bike” out there. Trailer models can accommodate one or two children, depending.
Here is a review of a really unique trailer with suspension and just one wheel — perfect for off-roading: Tout Terrain’s Singletrailer.
Bakfietsen
Lisa Corriveau of Spokesmama, a car-free mom, cycling blogger, and active transportation advocate, has discovered through trial and error that her “favourite family bike is my Bakfiets.nl: a two-wheeled Dutch cargo bike with a metre-long wooden box in front. *Edit: Lisa has now owned a Tern GSD e-cargo bike for the past year and is a huge fan of it, too!
“Though very heavy, it’s easy to ride when full of children or groceries because the weight is low to the ground and easy to balance. When I return to the supermarket bike rack with a cartload of groceries, I can just drop them all in the box and off I go. When I’m carrying my four and seven-year-old, they can climb in themselves — they treat it like a little living room, sometimes reading books or eating bowls of oatmeal on the way to school.
“Most of our trips on the bakfiets are commuting to school or running errands, but we occasionally go for long family bike rides with it. The kids can ride their own little bikes as long as they want to (which is often farther than I expect!), then when they’re tired, I can carry them and their bikes.”
As a fan of both box bikes and linguistics, I’m sure that Lisa would love me to point out that while the Dutch word bakfiets does indeed end in an -s, it is in fact singular! The plural form is bakfietsen.
Bakfiets generally hold 1-2 kids plus gear with ease. Many models can accommodate 2-4 children, plus you could add a child on the rear rack (or front seat for small passengers, if you needed to), and/or a child on a trailing bike or FollowMe Tandem.
Trikes
The three-wheeled version of a bakfiets is also known as a trike! It is not like the tricycles of your childhood, with one wheel in the front and two in the rear; it’s the opposite and there is a large box sandwiched between the two front wheels. These bikes are very stable when stopped, but don’t expect them to “ride just like a bike” because they are not bicycles (with two wheels), they are tricycles and they handle differently.
My friend has been riding a Trio Mono in Calgary for the past few years with her now three kids, two in the front bucket and one on the back in a Yepp Maxi. I have a feeling that the year she spent living in Denmark greatly influenced her decision to opt for a trike!
Trikes are well-known for being able to accommodate larger loads and can be great for adaptive cycling needs, including this wheelchair transporter trike or a gomier trike (below).
Trikes have capacity for at least 1-2 kids, plus gear. Many trikes are even suitable for 2-4 or even 6 kids, depending on the style and size of children!
Gomier trikes
The adult version of the trike of your childhood, with a basket in the rear! Some people choose to put a small infant or child in the rear basket and appreciate the close proximity that this setup provides.
Mid- or longtail bikes
One of my favourite ways to zip around with kids on a longtail cargo bike! In fact, we have owned three different ones; check out my review of our Xtracycle Edgerunner over at Rascal Rides.
Longtail bikes are literally just that: the rear end or tail of the bike is longer than a regular bike. This gives you room for 1-3 children, depending on your configuration; they also provide lots of room for groceries, gear, and even towing bikes — an especially nice perk for if your child tires while out on a longer adventure. They’re also fantastic bikes for bike camping or even bikepacking.
Xtracycle sells both complete bikes and a conversion kit, the Xtracycle FreeRadical Leap, so that you can transform a regular bike into a longtail. Like trailers, this is another excellent less expensive entry point into the world of cargo biking.
Midtail bikes are slightly shorter version of the longtail, offering room for 1, sometimes 2, children, depending on the model. Or, John Lucas of Cycletrucks.com makes an extra sturdy rear rack — “Caddyrack” — for the back of your bike that more-or-less transforms it into a mini-midtail!
These bikes aren’t the best choice for biking with small babies, but once your infant is strong enough for a front-mounted child seat, like the Yepp Mini — if it fits on your bike (and works with your body), then you’re good to go. Kids progress to the back deck in a child seat at first:
And then ultimately hoop-style bars with a cushion to sit on. Put the heaviest child closest to the rider for better stability.
A unique style of longtail bike is the bucket version made by Madsen:
Electric-assisted bikes
Some times you need to level up with your bakfiets, or any cargo bike (or bike!) for that matter, and opt for an electric-assisted version. I know I did.
Car-free mom Genevieve Metzger of Genepedia has tried out many and owned several cargo bikes, before landing on their Riese & Müller ‘Packster 80’. She writes,
“For nearly a year now my family has been getting around using an electric-assisted bakfiets (box bike) style bike called the Packster 80. We love this bike because it allows us so many of the conveniences of using a car but with the benefits of riding a bike. The kids stay warm and dry underneath the rain canopy during the wet fall, winter, and spring here in Seattle and I don’t need to worry much about bundling them up, which means it’s much faster for us to get out the door. The assist means that navigating Seattle’s hills is no problem and we don’t have to worry as much about which routes to take.
“We use our bike for everything but our favorite adventure is to go bike camping. Last year we did two overnight trips and we’re eagerly anticipating this summer so we can fit in even more! One of the coolest things about this bike is that it can carry two kids and all our camping gear and still make it up the hills!”
Electric assist options are available on more and more models of bicycles right out of the box, for bakfiets models like Genevieve’s or longtail style bikes (like the Xtracycle Edgerunner or Benno Boost). They add a significant cost at the on-set but I believe it is worth it if you live in a hilly area and are committed to reducing your car dependency. There are aftermarket add-on options available, too, but they don’t seem to be one-size fits all so you will have to do your research; we ended up adding a Stokemonkey to our CETMA in the Fall of 2017. Other after-market add-ons that might work include Bafang.
Front-mounted child seats
There are many options out there for front-mounted child seats. They attach in different ways, accommodate various weights, and offer various accessories, like a windshield. People seem to either LOVE or HATE front-mounted child seats!
For older babies and toddlers
Some bicycle styles can comfortably handle a front-mounted child seat for older babies and toddlers. The Yepp Mini and iBert are popular models. Some riders cannot manage this style, so try before you buy! I am shorter and had difficulty finding enough room in the cockpit for me and babe; my husband suffered from knee-knocking issues that he didn’t want to have to deal with (understandably so). These seats have a limited window of use, too, but are an amazing way to interact with your children — I wish we could have made it work.
Front seat for toddlers and preschoolers
Our friends use their MacRide with their toddler now preschooler and have loved it for years. They use it in town for family bike rides, to get to preschool, on bikepacking adventures, and on easy family mountain bike rides.
Kristen Bonkoski of Rascal Rides writes, “The Mac Ride is an open-style front-mounted bike seat that fits kids ages 2-5. When my son was a baby and toddler, we used and LOVED the iBert. It traveled all over the country with us, and rode miles and miles of mountain bike trails. We mourned quite a bit when he outgrew it, and struggled to come up with a good replacement. We’ve finally found it with the Mac Ride. Unlike some other open-style (no harness) front-mounted seats we’ve tried, the Mac Ride feels safe, installs easily, and is comfortable for both myself and my son. Like all front mounted seats, we love the interaction that it provides and the fact that it is suitable for use on singletrack. We spend lots of time singing and chatting and laughing while we ride.
“Our family is currently spending a year traveling the country, and the Mac Ride has been along for the fun. We’ve ridden it on the 24 Hour race course in Tuscon, under the London Bridge at Lake Havasu, and on the shore at Laguna Beach. Although my son is 5.5 and perfectly capable of riding his bike most of the time, I love it for exploring new towns where we aren’t sure about bike routes and traffic and I feel safe having him on my bike with me. It is also nice for mountain bike rides when he is tired, the trail is challenging, or he just doesn’t feel like biking.”
Other unique front seats to check out are the Do Little Bike Seat from New Zealand, the aptly named Shotgun Seat, or if you need one that will work on your Brompton, there’s the Milian Pere Chair!
Rear-mounted child seats
Perhaps you don’t want to buy a whole new bike to be able to carry around one child. Many bikes accept a rear-mounted child seats that can fit on a rear rack or has a special seat post clamp, such as the Yepp/Thule versions.
It depends on the child (their strength and size), but the recommended age for a rear-mounted seat begins around 9-12 months. There are also some models of rear-mounted child seats that are suitable for older children, like the Bobike Junior.
The extra weight on the rear of an “ordinary” bike (i.e. not one designed for cargo) will adversely affect the handling of the bike (something you may or may not like — I’m not a fan). Other considerations are the weight limit of your rear rack if you choose a rack-mount child seat and also the strength of your rear wheel. In parts of the world where rear-mounted seats are popular, often the bikes are designed to handle the extra weight, with sturdy frames, built-in racks, and nice stepthroughs. Gazelle is one brand that I can think of off the top of my head that tends to do this very well.
Rear-mounted child seats are an inexpensive way to turn a regular bike into a kid-carrying bike. Utility bikes are best at this and some can even carry older kids (without a harness).
Mamachari
I was so excited to have Clémentine Climent of Kaeru Bikes volunteer to write about this fantastic and underrepresented (in North America!) 20″ wheeled cargo bike. You might think, ‘woah, those small wheels are goofy!’ but don’t underestimate their strength and ability to give you a nice low centre of gravity for your wiggly load!
One of the very unique features of the mamachari are its u-shaped handlebars with room for a child seat right in between your hands. Clémentine writes,
“I love the front child seat because you can observe the world from your kid’s perspective, when little humans start finger pointing objects and developing language. With my son, we observed trucks, talked to the pigeons, and waved to school friends along the way.”
There are a few potential downsides when carrying kids with regular front- or rear-mounted child seats on a regular bike, she notes, like “[w]ith the back seat, some kids have their face crushed in the backpack of the rider” or in the front “the child’s head [can be] in the field of vision or the rider’s knees hit the seat”. But these problems have been solved by the unique geometry of the mamachari Japanese bikes. In front, U-shaped handlebars are specifically designed for the front child seat, considering the child seat not as an accessory but the reason for being a family bike.”
Tandem & Trailing Bike Options
Once your children are old enough and attentive enough, they can be given a job: to help you power the bike! There are several ways that this can be accomplished:
Tandem
A tandem is another option that we have explored, especially for bike touring.
Bike Friday seem to be a popular choice as they have a child stoker specific model, plus it was originally designed with kids in mind! There are also both traditional and unique options by companies like:
- Circe, with their Helios and Morpheus models
- the Hase Pino, or
- Onderwater.
Trail-a-bikes
Doug Dunlop of Coldbike has seen two kids grow from infants on bikes to riding under their own steam: commuting to school, winter fat biking, and (winter) bikepacking. He writes,
“Kids eventually reach the magical age where they can pedal. They may not be able to ride, they may not be able to ride far, or they may just be in danger of tiring out. This is where the “third wheel” or trailer bike style of transport comes in to its own. They allow the child to pedal or not as the parent takes up the slack. They are great for kids who aren’t quite ready for traffic on their own bike, but want the independence of their own pedals.
Burley Piccolo
“I have tried several models and, of these, I have owned three. One (the leading brand) was so wobbly that I found it dangerous and I was reluctant to even give it to my friend (who used it for five years).
“After trying a half-dozen different brands of trailer bike, I liked the Burley Piccolo and the Tout-Terrain Streamliner. Since the Piccolo attaches firmly to its own rack, it did not have clearance issues with large or fat tires like most of the seat post attachment style types do. I could also use a seatbag and I could attach panniers to the Piccolo’s rack.
“The legendary Metal Cowboy, Joe Kurmaskie towed a Piccolo (towing a trailer!) across America. The Piccolo attaches firmly to its own rack and has a “headset” that screws and clamps to the rack. This design means that this model of trailer bike has little effect on handling.
“The Piccolo is a steady and reliable unit and I do not hesitate to violate all of the suggestions on the safety label. I rode it on several multi-day wilderness bikepacking trips and I found the ride to be comfortable and secure for all that I used it for. I just sold mine last year after using it for both my kids, I used it well beyond its design intent, and it never let me down.”
Please note that Doug modified his rear rack in order to better accommodate his fat biking setup (modifications included making it wider to accommodate a wider rear hub and to have better side tire clearance), otherwise it only fits up to 27.5+ tires stock.
Followme Tandem
“The second is the FollowMe Tandem coupler. This allows one to attach a 20” or smaller wheeled bike to the rear hub of tow bike. Since the attachment is low and the hinge is long, the FollowMe Tandem has a great ride quality. It does not have enough ground clearance to be ridden mountain biking, but on roads, paths, and gravel, it works very well. Its best quality is that it allows the child’s bike to be removed in seconds to the child can ride independently, the FollowMe then folds and hooks flat to the tow bike. I most often used it to keep my children from wandering into traffic on busy sections of trips. For most trips, this meant that the FollowMe was folded on my bike more than 90% of the time — but was a great source of comfort when the time came that I wanted it.”
Doug’s FollowMe has found a new family within the neighbourhood!
Weehoo
Another option especially suitable for younger children who would like to pedal but are still prone to napping is the recumbent trailer bike by Weehoo. Various models are designed for one or two children and some have extra capacity for adventure!
I have heard mixed reviews on the stability of this seat-post mounted trailer bike, but also know one family who has put thousands of kilometres on theirs over the years so it can’t be that bad!
Cargo Bike Dictionary: links
The following links will take you to even further details on how to carry kids by bike, including the pros and cons of each as well as a comprehensive list of brands available – I have tried to cover all brands, and have focused on ones that are set-up for carrying kids and hopefully found in North America. Good luck making the right decision for your family!
- Front-loading bakfietsen, aka Long John cargo bikes
- Three-wheeled front-loading bakfietsen, aka cargo trikes
Other posts that might be useful
- How to bike with a baby
- How to bike with an older baby: a few more options than when they’re really little
- How to keep kids warm on a cargo bike (in cold, snowy winter)
- Longtail vs bakfiets: includes a comparison table
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What kind of bike is be ridden with the FollowMe tandem in that last photo?
It is a generic hybrid-style bike. I think possibly a Specialized. The FollowMe works with 26″, 700, & 27.5″ wheels. I have it on my Surly Troll that has 26″ rims but 3″ plus tires (so it is effectively 27.5″) and it fits just great.
Do you think the followme would work with 27.5″ wheels with 3″ tires? I’ve read that on a 29″ wheel 2″ is the max tire size that will work–I assume you can size up with a smaller wheel, but would love to confirm.
I can’t promise as I haven’t tried it, but yes, I do think it would work. I run the FMT on my Surly Troll that has 26+ 3″ tires on it and there is still room, especially if you sacrificed the fender in the FMT. Let me know how it turns out!
Check out this link for pictures of my setup and some advice from Trucavelo, themselves: https://www.instagram.com/p/BjY00-YnFga/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
I’ve got an almost 6 year old who it really struggling with confidence on a bike, so I’d like to set her up with a tag along trailer. I have a 35 pound 2.5 year old who needs to be attached to my bike somewhere as well. I’m struggling to find anything other than rack mounted seats for kids his size and can’t seem to come up with any trailers that will work with a rack mounted seat. Can you recommend a bike/child seat/trailer combo that will work for me and both kids?
I think that a FollowMe Tandem coupler would work well for you since it is mounted at the rear axle on your bike and not the seat post or a rear rack. Then, whatever rear seat you like; we’ve used the Yepp Maxi and liked it. Good luck! It’s tricky finding the right setup some times as the kids go through various ages and stages but we’ve always found it to be worth the effort!
Wow! I must say this is a definitive guide on Family biking. It is always a fun biking with the kids. I appreciate your effort Lindsay. 🙂
Such a good read! My fiancee and I really like your articles. We are both cyclists and we hope to do it soon with our kids. Thank you for these good blogs.
Thanks so much for your kind words, Francis. Take care!
Thank you Lindsay for posting this awesome resource. Our mission at Practical Cycle is to help more people get out of their cars and we agree that cargo bikes/trikes are perfect to accomplish this goal, especially when they have electric assist. Over the years since we opened in 2010 we have sold several brands and at this point narrowed our focus to Pedego electric bikes and we import Nihola trikes by the container from Copenhagen. The electric Pedego Stretch is the best overall value in the two wheeled “mid-tail” category and the amazing steering system distinguishes the Nihola from most trikes. We can add electric assist to any of the several models by Nihola: Family 2, Family 4, Rehab for special needs, Flex for wheelchairs or cargo, Dog with a door for animals and Low for a smaller more compact version for cargo. We can add a dog door to the Family 2, offer a variety of cabin and rain hood colors. The Family models include a rain hood, seat belts, cushions, frame lock, top grade Schwalbe tires, 8 speed internal hub for easy shifting even when stopped, super strong cabin frame and more. We ship both brands all over the continental 48 United States. Full details on both brands are on our website along with contact information. Again, many thanks for this great effort, together we are improving our small planet for the better.
I am looking for something like the tout tarrain single wheel trailer with suspension, but it very expensive, any other options that you know about ?
Hi, sorry, I’m only familiar with Tout Terrain’s Singletrailer (https://thismombikes.net/tout-terrain-singletrailer-review/) and it’s wonderful. I’d argue it is totally worth the cash if you can swing it and I would expect to resell it when you’re done with it for at least 2/3 the initial price. I have seen one other single wheeled trailer pop up in my Instagram feed (“kolofogo”) but I have never seen it in person nor can I attest to how it rides or its quality. I also just don’t know how anyone can beat Tout Terrain’s seat post attachment because it is just so stable. Good luck with your decision!
Hello! Good day. I’m Mark from Philippines. May I ask where I can buy a number of mamachari?
Hi Mark! I’m sorry but I don’t know the answer to that question, I am not a dealer. All the best, Lindsay.
Hi Lindsay! My husband and I run a bike shop in Galveston Texas and I ride a RAD cargo bike to commute to my office. I carry my 5 and 2 year old to school and daycare and then ride to my office where I am a fisheries biologist. After work I pick up the 5 year old, head to the shop and my gym then back to the daycare for the 2 year old and home. My full ride is 25 miles and I’d never have started doing it without the electric assist bike! I LOVE that thing so much that I’ve made it my mission to get as many families on bikes as I can!! I am planning to go car free for March and it looks like the weather will require some pre-planning (rainy and windy). This post popped up in a search for “rainy commute with kids logistics.” Thanks for all the info you’ve put out there! (oh, we are Zipp E-Bikes, check us out on Facebook and Instagram, and I am @galvestonbikemom!)
Hi Jennifer! Thanks for reaching out and making the connection. So glad you found the post (albeit so randomly with that search query!!!). E-bikes are the best and I am so glad that there is one more person out there making it their mission to get all the bums on bikes 🙂 Cheers and take care, Lindsay.
Hi there, I am looking for something that would accommodate for two. One being myself (aka mama adult) and the other my daughter who is 5. I’d like to commute to work and drop her off on way 2 mile commute for next 2-3 years
Hi Michelle,
I would recommend a front-loading bakfiets or a mid-or-longtail bike, preferably one with a smaller rear wheel, like an Edgerunner or similar. How you would spec this bike would depend on the terrain that you are riding in. If things are hilly, I would recommend an e-assist. I prefer fenders and disc brakes, myself. The cheapest option for you would be to get a trailer to tow; most trailers go up to approximately 100 pounds, so you will likely get a few years’ use out of this. Your daughter is also old enough to use a Follow-Me Tandem, something that you could use with your existing bike (and hers!).
Hope that helps! Lindsay
Hi, great article thank you. We live in a VERY hilly area, and I wouldn’t be able to make the climb myself without my electric bike. My 7 yo son loves to cycle, but we can’t go far as it’s too steep for him to climb the hills (even though he usually has endless energy) I have a vintage style electric bike with 24 inch wheels and a basket. Trading it in for a cargo bike sadly isn’t a financially viable option. Is there anything you can recommend? Thank you.
Hi! Thanks, Zoë!
Hmm… 24″ wheels, eh? I’m pretty sure a FollowMe Tandem won’t work for you (as you need the adult bike to be 26″ and the child’s bike to be max 20″ — which your son may currently have but not for much longer…). But, I wonder if you could make a trailing bike work, like a Burley Piccolo or a Tout Terrain Streamliner, or even a WeeHoo — although the first two of these solutions won’t last for much longer for him unless he’s small, but the WeeHoo is intended for up to age 9.
There are also towing ropes, like the TowWhee — I feel like that might be your best bet since he sounds like such a keen rider 🙂 I’m sure his stamina will grow in no time, especially if he’s already on a decent lightweight bike.
Hope that helps! If you go the TowWhee route, let me know how it works 🙂
-Lindsay
Ooh this sounds great, I will look into this. Thank you so much Lindsay, I shall let you know how we get on with this. Many thanks
I am looking for suggestions for a tandem style bike for me and my 6 year old. He is on the small size (39 inches tall) and worry about finding one that he can reach the pedals. He has a 14 inch strider with pedals, do you think that would fit on the Followme? Amazon results were not clear. Thanks!
Hi Ann!
I think you should be able to make the FollowMe Tandem work. It works for kids’ bikes with wheel sizes of 12-20″, so the 14″ Strider fits that criteria – I honestly don’t see why it wouldn’t work, having first hand experience setting it up for a 20″ bike, I can’t see any barriers to making it work for you. So, yeah, that’s your least expensive (and possibly most flexible) option.
Otherwise, I would check out tandem bikes that work for smaller kids like the Bike Friday tandem, Circe Helios, Circe Morpheus, or Hase Pino. The last three are harder to track down in North America, but it is possible. I am particularly smitten with the Morpheus and Pino’s, myself 🙂
You could also consider a high quality trailing bike like the Burley Piccolo or ToutTerrain Streamliner (they don’t have “leaning” issues like badly designed ones) — they’re usually designed for the 3-9 year old range so should fit your son just fine, even if he is smaller.
Good luck and please let me know if you have any more ideas you’d like to bounce off of me.
Cheers,
Lindsay
We love our new (to us) Weehoo. Though I agree on the stability concerns. It adds a fair amount of weight attached to your seat post, so if your little one is prone to throwing their weight around you’re really going to feel it!
We upgraded from a chariot this year as our daughter is about to turn 4, she loves the more interactive ride, but after she nearly pulled me over while doing 30km/hr by aggressively rocking side to side I had to lay down the law with her that it was simply not acceptable to do that. Since then she’s been great, and we’ve been enjoying it.
I do however wish that more of these units were designed to be light weight. I have a carbon fibre road bike, but all the trailers seem to be made out of steel! I’m never going to leave the asphalt with them, and the extra weight is really noticeable when you live in hilly terrain (and probably spend more time than you should on the couch instead of on the bike…)
Thank you for your comment, it’s really helpful!
I agree about the weight bit. The few products that I have found that are amazing quality and not so darn heavy are that Tout Terrain Singletrailer and their trailing bike called the Streamliner, and also the Burley Piccolo. It would be great if they made a product like the WeeHoo for those kids who are a bit on the big side (or even too big) for a Singletrailer and want to pedal, but still prone to bike-naps so not quite ready for a trailing bike.
Cheers!
Any suggestions when there are three littles? Easy peasy when daddy is coming along but what about when he isn’t? Mine are almost 5, almost 3 and 6 months. Thanks!!
Hi! No personal experience to share but what seems to work for most families of three+ is a two-wheeled bakfiets. Babe can go in either an infant car seat or a shell (like this https://hollandbikeshop.com/en-gb/bicycle-trailers/melia-baby-safety-seat/melia-baby-safety-seat-7-18-months/melia-bicycle-trailer-toddler-seat-aron-7-18-months/) at the front of the box, facing you, the rider, and two kids can sit on the bench. Or, if you prefer two kids in the box, one of the older kids can ride on the rear rack in a seat or pulled behind on a trailing bike (like Burley Piccolo) or their own bike with a FollowMe Tandem. My friend opted for a rear seat and a trike box bike. Another family in town has a a two-wheel bakfiets and their three kids still all fit in the box. Your best bets for two-wheeled bakfietsen that fit 3+ kids are the Urban Arrow Family, the Riese & Mueller Packster, or a Babboe (the model names vary by country so I’ll let you look it up since I’m not sure where you’re writing from; a Babe is what @bikesandbabies on Twitter/Instagram uses). I definitely recommend e-assist with that many kids 🙂
If a bakfiets is out of your budget, another solution might be a front-mounted seat for your 6 month old if they’re strong enough, a rear mounted seat for your 3 yo, and a trail-a-bike or FollowMe for your 5 year old. It would be a train, but doable! OR, I’ve also seen people do bike pulling a good quality trailing bike, which pulls a double trailer… not sure if all of the attachment points are rated for a train like that though!
Good luck and let me know what you end up choosing!!! 🙂
hello ! i am eager to ride with my currently 6 month old! This article has made me even more eager !! I feel the most safe with a tricycle, however I didnt see any recommendations for child trailers or racks for a tricycle . Are there any you can recommend me ??
please and thank you !
Hi,
Do you know where I can buy Tri Mono bike in Calgary? Is there a store that sells them?
I am debating either Mac Ride or Tri mono bike to stroll(go to work/back home) through downtown on a daily basis with my almost 4 year old. Any suggestion?
Thank you,
Hi Hilary,
As far as I know the only Trio dealer in Canada is in Montreal. I have a friend in Calgary who ordered one from them and had it shipped to Bike Bike for assembly (for warranty reasons it had to be put together by a bike shop). Any particular reason why you’d like a Trio brand trike? Bike Bike (our local family cargo bike shop in Inglewood) sells Babboe trikes (like this one https://thismombikes.net/babboe-carve-mountain-tilting-e-trike-review/) and they may be able to bring in another brand, such as Trio — I would highly recommend stopping by their shop and chatting with Sean & Nadia, I think they even offer appointments now for consultations to figure out exactly what would best work for you, your needs, and your budget 🙂
As for the Mac Ride, it’s a totally different beast but I saw one in the flesh a few weeks ago and the kids who get to ride it LOVE it, the parents like it, too! It’s a great option for putting on a bike you already have. Deciding between a cargo bike and a kid seat would really come down to personal preference and possibly storage space at your home. I also think that the Mac Ride won’t give you much in the way of cargo space for groceries, etc. And box bikes — either two-wheeled or three-wheeled — are fantastic for winter.
Whatever you decide, I’m sure you and your 4 year old will love the cross town commute 🙂 Let me know if I can help out in any other way, happy to chat more options.
Cheers, Lindsay
Hi, I have a six-year old who can’t keep his balance. We tried a thing that attaches his bike to ours (a kind of tow-along tandem) and he just wobbles and nearly falls over, taking daddy on the big bike with him, unless mommy is behind holding — hence, he’s terrified. He still fits in our trailer (barely) but have you got any suggestions for the next few years? Everyone assumes kids will learn to cycle themselves at about 5 or 6 but my daughter was 10 before she learned and my son is about the same… Appreciate if you have any insights.
Hi Elizabeth,
I know a couple of late bloomers for balance and agree with you about the assumptions people make. I’m glad that you are persisting, hopefully the ideas below will help your family get rolling happily again!
1. Trailing Bike: They are not all made equal, some have a terrible lean and if kiddo is having trouble balancing then that would amplify the lean and take out the adult rider, for sure, in my humble opinion. I’m not sure what attachment tool you are using but we use the FollowMe Tandem and I find it quite stable. Heavy, but stable. If you want to try a more traditional trailing bike, I would recommend the Burley Piccolo or the Tout Terrain Streamliner. If you want to keep trying the trailing bike idea there is a seat post attachment made by Adam’s (https://amzn.to/30O83o5) that can clip in your child so that they can’t fall off and is a fairly inexpensive option to try.
2. Trailers: WIKE brand (from Canada) makes great trailers that are suitable for older kids. We have a WIKE Softie (a double trailer) and it fits my 7.5 year old, so you could get a few years use from it if you went down that road.
3. Tandem bikes: A low to the ground style of tandem could be another option although definitely the more expensive one since it requires buying a whole new bike. I would recommend Bike Friday’s family tandem (and the Adam’s seat could be useful here, too) or one from Circe or Helios. Both Circe and Helios make amazing tandems including a style that has the stoker as a recumbent in the front which would be an awesome option for your kiddo and these bikes also fit adults in the recumbent position, so it could be a lifelong bike for you. (Personally, I covet one of these recumbent tandems!)
The other thing that I would consider doing is getting a balance bike designed for older children (or make your own balance bike out of a bike that fits, or is slightly too small, by removing the crank & bottom bracket assembly). Make sure your son can be flat-footed or close to it when stopped for maximum confidence. And at this age, might as well include a hand brake (or two).
I hope this helps! Best of luck, let me know if you have any more questions, and I look forward to hearing about your decision 🙂
Kindly, Lindsay
Wow, what a post! We have 4 kids, 6 and under. 2 of them are pretty confident (1 w/ training wheels, 1 w/o). We currently do two on their own bikes, and two in our trailer. That said, if I want to do longer, faster, or more dangerous (traffic) rides, we don’t. Do you know what options could haul all 4 on my bike?
Ha, thanks, Zack! That’s quite a little bike crew you’re raising there – rad 🙂
As for ideas, I wonder if your best bet is to get a front-loading bakfiets with a good-sized box, like the Urban Arrow or one of the larger Riese & Mueller models that can hold 2-3 of your kids. Then you could put your most confident kid on a trailing bike or FollowMe Tandem. And if the box is too squishy with 3 kids, you could always put one in a rear seat! I would highly recommend e-assist and disc brakes (likely hydraulic) if you go this route. The great thing about the FollowMe Tandem is that it works for bikes up to and including 20″, it uses your kid’s own bike, and you can connect or disconnect your child’s bike as needed, pending traffic, fatigue, etc.
Another idea might be to get a triple tandem plus a FollowMe. It would be quite the train, but… ! Or, a recumbent tandem made by Circe or Helios with a rear seat on the back and two kids in a trailer?
Hope that helps! I’d love to hear what you decide to do 🙂
Cheers, Lindsay
Thanks for your good work, Lindsay. My husband and I have two family friendly bike stores in Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor, Michigan. Our mission is to empower people to leave their cars at home as much as possible, and to enjoy cycling at all stages of life. We do that by providing electric assist and lots of carrying capacity. Our Ypsilanti store, H.E.H. Human Electric Hybrids, LLC, has about 15 or so brands of electric bikes and trikes, and we also do electric conversions on virtually any bike or trike. Our Ann Arbor store, Urban Rider Cargo Bikes, has several brands of cargo bikes and trikes from the US and Europe, including Babboe, Benno, Larry Vs Harry, Raleigh, Riese & Müller, Triobike, Urban Arrow, Xtracycle, and Yuba. We also carry trailers and child seats. http://www.human-electric-hybrids.com, and http://www.urbanrider.bike
Fantastic and thank you for leaving your shop details — one day I’d love to have a directory for all family and cargo biking focused shops in North America! Cheers, Lindsay
Thanks for the extensive review! I decided to order the Mac Ride seat after reading this; I can’t wait to get my little guy a proper experience after having had him ride in a bike trailer.
Mamachari in NY! Hi, I brought my mamachari to NYC from Tokyo. It is our family’s main mode of transportation! I am looking for a bike store that may have any familiarity with these types of bike for a service and safety check up as it was just in a small accident. Anyone else own a mamachari in NYC or surrounds and had their bike services? I am desperate to keep my bike on the road!
If you update, add trail gator (https://www.trail-gator.com/). It allows the kid’s independent bike to be connected to a parent’s bike like a trail-a-bike. It’s handy when the child gets tired or when riding in places where the child can’t be trusted alone.
The maker claims it works with 12″, 16″, and 20″ kids bikes. I found it really works best with 16″ bikes and 4-6 year olds. The kind who can pedal well, but maybe not as far or as confidently as you’d like.