Hi,
after some ideas please.
The wife and myself would like to start doing some local touring with some camping chucked in and would like to take our daughter who is 8 years old and really struggles with the hills.She wants to take her own bike and we have used a trailgator before but hated it so what we are after is something to tow our daughter with when she struggles.We are not planning on going to far to start with maybe 20ish miles or so.
Cheers Zig
help with towing a 8 year old
Re: help with towing a 8 year old
If you need something that gives solo riding normally, but adult assistance when needed, the Trailgator (or similar) is about the only option as far as I know. An eight year old can be quite near the maximum weight for reasonable stability with a Trailgator. I can remember unpleasant "tail wagging the dog" incidents when towing mine as they got heavier, a bit like a caravan snaking.
Re: help with towing a 8 year old
Slightly different thought.....
Making the route short as you have done is OK, but breaking this down into child friendly bites with interesting stops is even better.
With stops at play areas, taking bits to feed horses, ducks etc and an eight year old should be able to cope.
Making the route short as you have done is OK, but breaking this down into child friendly bites with interesting stops is even better.
With stops at play areas, taking bits to feed horses, ducks etc and an eight year old should be able to cope.
Re: help with towing a 8 year old
And, also try to pick flatter routes. I know that sounds daft, but careful route choice makes or breaks a tour. I also suggest trying a combined trip with train travel (I don't know where you live though) to take out the worst bits.
We opted for a tandem - it's companionable and my seven year old son doesn't have to worry about the hills.
We opted for a tandem - it's companionable and my seven year old son doesn't have to worry about the hills.
Re: help with towing a 8 year old
I find my 7 year old is now too big for the trailgator and the bikes becomes very unstable especially when she fidgets on the back. We also opted for a tandem so we can go further as a family: daughter doesn't have to worry about hills, and we don't have to worry about her lack of road sense.
If daughter wants to ride her own bike we go short distances up to 8 miles on cycle paths.
If we want to go on longer rides then me and daughter go on the tandem, wife goes on her bike.
It is our plan to go on short family cycle touring trips this year as well but I think these will be done with the tandem.
If daughter wants to ride her own bike we go short distances up to 8 miles on cycle paths.
If we want to go on longer rides then me and daughter go on the tandem, wife goes on her bike.
It is our plan to go on short family cycle touring trips this year as well but I think these will be done with the tandem.
Re: help with towing a 8 year old
hamster wrote:
We opted for a tandem - it's companionable and my seven year old son doesn't have to worry about the hills.
I'll second the above, although i have not used mine for camping, i have a 7 year old (stoker)and a 15 month old son who resides in the trailer behind.
If your thinking of a tandem , try one out .. http://www.discovertandeming.co.uk/ then at least it will save the abuse on the wallet if it's something you don't like, but be careful its quite addictive, i'm looking for a second tandem now !
Regards
Martin
Re: help with towing a 8 year old
I'd second that...we are now a two-tandem family! There are plenty of solid machines around secondhand.
Re: help with towing a 8 year old
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Last edited by gaz on 12 Mar 2025, 1:21pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: help with towing a 8 year old
I can understand why you're not keen on trailgators. We went out on our tandem last year with another family - at one point one of their children got hitched up with a trailgator, and rode along at a rather alarming angle. I was quite concerned as they came down a big hill, having to keep the speed down (and risking hot rims, etc.), while the tandem had felt super-solid at over 50mph. If it was me, I'd invest in a tandem, or be very careful about route choice, so you are confident she can manage on her own.
Something you might not expect with a tandem is that it really does give the child a feeling of contributing (at least in our case). While it's not the same as being on their own bike, it can be very satisfying. My lad was really pleased with his pedalling on our Easter tours, and super-chuffed when we got to the top of a rather steep hill (Boltby Bank on the edge of the N. Yorks Moors) without stopping - when you're both out of the saddle and giving him/her encouragement to push harder ("or we might not make it") it gives a real sense of satisfaction. And, to be honest, he really was pedalling well.
I'd second suggestions to try a tandem if you are tempted - it only took us a couple of test runs to realise that it was a winner!
Something you might not expect with a tandem is that it really does give the child a feeling of contributing (at least in our case). While it's not the same as being on their own bike, it can be very satisfying. My lad was really pleased with his pedalling on our Easter tours, and super-chuffed when we got to the top of a rather steep hill (Boltby Bank on the edge of the N. Yorks Moors) without stopping - when you're both out of the saddle and giving him/her encouragement to push harder ("or we might not make it") it gives a real sense of satisfaction. And, to be honest, he really was pedalling well.
I'd second suggestions to try a tandem if you are tempted - it only took us a couple of test runs to realise that it was a winner!
Re: help with towing a 8 year old
AndyB wrote: My lad was really pleased with his pedalling on our Easter tours, and super-chuffed when we got to the top of a rather steep hill (Boltby Bank on the edge of the N. Yorks Moors) without stopping - when you're both out of the saddle and giving him/her encouragement to push harder ("or we might not make it") it gives a real sense of satisfaction. And, to be honest, he really was pedalling well.
My sons really love the tandem and we have had some great moments, looking at the follow me at £209 it seems a bit expensive , you could get a Dawes Duet for £560 (new)and that would last forever ! or at least till your stoker gets fed up .
http://www.peakbikeshop.co.uk/dawes-bik ... 6f61739151
Regards
Martin