ADVENTURE CYCLISTOCTOBERNOVEMBERADVENTURECYCLINGORG - PDF document

1 ADVENTURE CYCLISTOCTOBER/NOVEMBERADVENTU
ADVENTURE CYCLISTOCTOBER/NOVEMBERADVENTURECYCLING.ORG ADVENTURE CYCLISTOCTOBER/NOVEMBERADVENTURECYCLING.ORG or two decades, I pursued some of the silliest bike tours I could dream up. These included circling Mount Kenya on singletrack, crossing 18,000-foot Himalayan passes, riding the headhunters’ jungle trails of Borneo, and an unsuccessful attempt to ride to and down a 23,000-foot high volcano in South America.After all that, I decided it was time to up the ante and take a serious trip. My wife Suddenly, we were no longer knee deep in a Central American swamp, but deep in the mind-boggling tsunami of parenthood. We found ourselves planning nap schedules rather than bus schedules. Bike touring seemed like a remote fantasy.Luckily, after a year, the haze cleared, and we knew we needed to get on the road again. Inspired by stories about touring families in Adventure Cyclist and wild online tales of couples with children riding around the world, we started learning how to tour with a child. Once a cyclist has tasted the sweetness of the open road, it’s a hard thing to give up.Even though we’ve ridden the streets of Asia, where families of four can be seen riding a single bicycle, my wife and I chose trailers as the best option. I also wanted to look into the other child-seat options — the bike seats that bolt on to the handlebars or the rear rack. I reasoned, if I were a child, I might like the view better from a high seat.We quickly discovered that there are only a few trailers we’d actually trust to carry our precious little boy. We also learned that although the other options, like baby seats, might be fun for a child, they are best saved for a weekend spin down to the local farmer’s market.The following trailers represent the best I found available in the U.S. Standard features on all these trailers include: five-point harness systems, safety flags, screen and rain fly covers, and reflectors. All fold up quickly and compactly for ease of transport.size their high safety standards. Focusing on but they’re still sold on Chariot’s unique trailers and conversion kits, which are collectively known as the Child Transport System (CTS). Chariot sells its popular X-Country trailers as a chassis, and then you purchase conversion kits for different activities. The bicycle-trailer kit is one of these conversions.We tested the Cougar1 model that fits one child and weighs 22.5 pounds, with a total capacity of 75 pounds. One of the Cougar’s best features is that it’s small and sleek enough to minimize the trailer’s effect in a headwind or crosswind. The trailer includes side air vents to provide more airflow through the trailer on hot or rainy days.Most important, Cougar models feature a suspension system that can be adjusted for your child’s weight as she grows. If you ride a mix of paved and dirt roads, the suspension system effectively softens the ride for Chariot CougerBurley D’LiteCroozer KidF ADVENTURE CYCLISTOCTOBER/NOVEMBERADVENTURECYCLING.ORG ADVENTURE CYCLISTOCTOBER/NOVEMBERADVENTURECYCLING.ORG weighs in at 21.5 pounds with an overall capacity of 100 pounds. Unlike streamlined trailers, Wike shouts out that it is a big trailer with big windows.If I were the child riding in the trailer, the size would be ideal. Because I’m the parent pulling the trailer, I have to admit that the larger profile of the Wike Premium Double makes it a bit harder to tow in headwinds and crosswinds. Whether you like the Wike may come down to what is more important to you — your child’s experience or your workload.Regardless, Wike’s Premium Double packs down in seconds into a compact unit. I would not hesitate to take this trailer on tour. It’s a simple and durable design that maximizes the experience for the child Wike Premium Double: Pros Durable and well designed Roomy: Tall, wide, and visible on the road The trailer includes a large external compartment and a storage shelf Made in North America order directly from the people who make the trailers despite the large size, this trailer packs very small Price: Similar in quality but costs less than its competitors Available as a $20 accessory for kids ages one to three Safety: Wike trailers exceed ASTM standardsWike Premium Double: Cons Rain fly: It’s a funky design and not permanently attached. Might be easy to lose Available only on the more expensive modelOther Great Wike TrailersSoftie Suspension Trailer ($599) — A model above the Premium Double, with suspension and cool windows that roll upPremium Single Bike Trailer ($449) — same as Premium Double, but for one childMoonlite ($369) — Is more economicalTrailing Bikes for Older Children(ages five to eight)Despite the myriad advantages of child trailers, a time comes when your child simply outgrows them. They’ll want to be on the bike and pedaling, just like mom and dad. This is a good thing because at this point, they are big and heavy enough that you don’t want to be pulling them around like little emperors anymore. It’s time to put their muscles to work on the hills.A trailing bike is the only simple option for children aged five to eight, besides buying

2 an expensive tandem. There are few optio
an expensive tandem. There are few options, but the Adams Trail-a-Bike series and the Burley Trailercycles are the best.Trailing bikes come in single speed or multi-speed (4 or 7) models. They fold or break down for easy transportation.When children are younger and just starting to ride a trailing bike, a single speed will teach them the concept of pedaling with you. However, as they grow older and stronger, a multiple-speed bike will allow them to pedal more efficiently, learn about gears and shifting, and allow them to help much more when riding up hills.Trailing bikes should be used in conjunction with a solid main touring bike in front. The front bike also needs to have a rear fender or you will shower your child with road grime when riding in the rain.Adams Trail-a-Bike Alloy Folder Onewww.trail-a-bike.com, (800) 663-8916I tested the Adams Alloy Folder One, which is an aluminum single speed. It pulls well and attaches to the bike quickly. To fit your child, the only adjustments are raising or lowering the seat and stem.The Trail-a-Bike attaches to the seat post of the front bike with a heavy-duty clamp that is fit to different stem sizes with plastic shims. This is a simple system that has also been the source of most complaints about this style of trailing bike. In past designs, as the attachment and shims wear, the fit becomes sloppy and the trailing bike flops from side to side when corning. This is disconcerting and unsafe for both the rider Adams Trail-a-Bike Alloy Folder One: ProsAdams Trail-a-Bike Alloy Folder One: Cons Hitch design: not a good design for long-Other Adams Trail-a-Bike OptionsOne-speed original, 7-speed, 24-inch wheel www.burley.com, (800) 311-5294After a hiatus, Burley has started producing their popular Trailercycles again. For the last few years, the only way to buy one of these was secondhand. Back by popular demand, Burley offers the 7-speed Piccolo Trailercycles operate on the same basic principle as the Adams Trail-a-Bike, but with two important differences. The most important is that the Burley attaches to a heavy-duty rear rack, perpendicular to the lead bike, and directly over the rear axle. The rear rack can also carry full-size panniers.This shimmy-free attachment system keeps the Trailercycle and lead bicycle directly in line with each other and eliminates the flop associated with other designs. When the lead bike and Trailercycle are in line, the Trailercycle leans through corners in concert with the lead bike and creates a safer and better riding experience for both parent and child. It is the best system available.The other difference is not as significant but worth mentioning. On Burley Trailercycles, the handlebar can be adjusted up and down on the downtube. As the child grows, you can adjust the handlebar position to fit him correctly.As with their child trailers, Burley emphasizes their safety standards in a very transparent way, and that is really the number one concern for parents.$435, including bike, stroller, and jog kitwww.croozerdesigns.comFor a more economical trailer, look at the Croozer Kid for 1 or Kid for 2. We tested the Kid for 1 that carries one child, weighs a chunky 31 pounds and carries up to 77 pounds. For the heaviest trailer in the roundup, it still pulls fairly well, although you will feel the weight.Compared to the other trailers already mentioned, this should be your fourth choice. However, for occasional use, or shorter tours, the Croozer will work. The best thing about this trailer is that it comes standard with a three conversion kits — bike, stroller, and jogger.Croozer Kid for 1: Pros Low profile: more aerodynamic Good rain flyCroozer Kid for 1: Cons Awkward seat: Difficult to get the child sitting comfortable and upright Safety: No safety information provided but meets ASTM standards. Bike attachment falls apart easily Must carry plastic bags inside or dry bagsNot Recommended for TouringI also tested several other child-carrying systems, including less expensive trailers, rear seat carriers that fit on trailing bikes, front seats, and more. I don’t recommend any of these for touring, simply from a safety standpoint. Cheap trailers might be good for a run to the park, but not for the open road.At the same time, bike seats like the Kangaroo Carrier made by WeeRide (weeride.com) are super fun for casual trips around town, but don’t work for serious touring.To sum up, get the best possible trailer or trailing bike you can afford by Chariot, Burley, or Wike. If you can’t buy one of these premium models new, search for a used one in great shape online. You can use it for a few years, pass it on, and recover much of your initial investment.What you can’t put a price on is the incredible opportunity to expose your children to the joy of bike travel when they are young, impressionable, and ready to take on the world. Hook up a trailer, start pushing those pedals, and let your child teach you something new about life. Nathan Ward is a freelance writer and photographer based in Salida, Colorado. By the time you read this, his son Kian will have already been on bike tour in the U.S. and Europe. For more visit www.NathanWard.com. Adams Trail-a-BikeWike Premium Double