Fun at last

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
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[XAP]Bob
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Fun at last

Post by [XAP]Bob »

Had a day out with my brother, sister-in-law, wife and kids yesterday.

Hired a tagalong for MiniBob (who finally figured out riding her bike on Saturday) and a KMX K3 for MicroBob (who is fine at pedalling, but make standing up look like it's hard work at times).

I reckon we did about 7-10 miles around a local park, stopped for lunch at a play park, stopped for an ice cream - but most of all pedalled, and pedalled, and pedalled.

MiniBob also tried an Islabike at the end of the hire (since they were there) and liked that as well - I know that she wouldn't ride very far on her own, but she is a speed freak!
Even MrsBob enjoyed it \o/

MicroBob worked out serious speed down hills, and skidding. I'd probably need to gear it down a bit though - pop an SA 3spd in there to make the gears easier to handle as well. Adding a stunt peg to the rear axle would also make pushing from my trike easier :)

It's nearly season's end, so the KMX might well get bought as an end of season sell off, but I need to work out what to do for MiniBob. I'm pondering a tandem for MrsBob and MiniBob to share (and I can pilot if MiniBob needs more speed) and then I can run on my trike, pushing the boy as needed.

OR... a quick adjust kit for the trike would help MrsBob, and size the tandem more for me...
Or both ;)

Decisions...
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
pwa
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Re: Fun at last

Post by pwa »

I spent a lot on a Thorn tandem for my wife `to pilot with one of the kids (from about 6 to 11) on the back, and it led to some great family rides. But the kids reach an age where being led around by Mum is no longer cool, so the tandem only got a few summers of use. It now languishes, still almost as new, at the back of the garage under a dust sheet. So I would advise keeping tandem costs low. But it is worth getting an inexpensive one.
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[XAP]Bob
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Re: Fun at last

Post by [XAP]Bob »

MrsBob isn't keen on the tandem idea - I think a followme might give enough flexibility - and work out how to tow a tadpole trike behind a tadpole trike (There are a few options on BROL)
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
pwa
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Re: Fun at last

Post by pwa »

[XAP]Bob wrote:MrsBob isn't keen on the tandem idea - I think a followme might give enough flexibility - and work out how to tow a tadpole trike behind a tadpole trike (There are a few options on BROL)


I found towing a tag-along behind my tourer a pretty unstable and (on the hills around here, at least) unsafe. But you are talking about trikes. That might make a difference.
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[XAP]Bob
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Re: Fun at last

Post by [XAP]Bob »

Mrs and Mini will be on two wheels much of the time - hence the follow-me.

The Tagalong we hired made handling a bit odd, but I was pleasantly surprised by how little it affected things.
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
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syklist
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Re: Fun at last

Post by syklist »

[XAP]Bob wrote:MrsBob isn't keen on the tandem idea - I think a followme might give enough flexibility - and work out how to tow a tadpole trike behind a tadpole trike (There are a few options on BROL)

Hase Trets?
So long and thanks for all the fish...
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[XAP]Bob
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Re: Fun at last

Post by [XAP]Bob »

The K3 is likely to be circa £200
I reckon a bracket on the bottom bracket can hook up to a normal tow arm and do the job.

The Trets is massively more expensive, and harder to find (I've been watching eBay et al. for years).
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
Vorpal
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Re: Fun at last

Post by Vorpal »

[XAP]Bob wrote:Mrs and Mini will be on two wheels much of the time - hence the follow-me.

The Tagalong we hired made handling a bit odd, but I was pleasantly surprised by how little it affected things.

I think that this can be very dependent upon the bike and tagalong combination. I didn't like the way the ones I hired handled with my bike, but on a clubmate's bike the same model (with the same type of tyres) was fine. It's possible that I could have found one that suited my bike, but I decided that since MiniV liked pedalling along behind me, we would get a tandem.

We bought a used Thorn, and I've been really happy with it.

p.s. sounds like you had a fun day :)
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
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[XAP]Bob
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Re: Fun at last

Post by [XAP]Bob »

Vorpal wrote:p.s. sounds like you had a fun day :)

we did - It was fabulous.
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
hettuphetty
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Joined: 23 Jun 2011, 12:01pm

Re: Fun at last

Post by hettuphetty »

I have an old model trets to sell ie no front wheel or handlebars: It is a trailer only. Still wonderful tho. I can email a picture to anyone interested. Sorry I didn't seem to be able to attach the photo to this post.

Got to be one of the best ways to travel with a young child.. You pass the corner shops before they've had time to notice and there's nothing they can do about it..
Elizabethsdad
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Joined: 15 Jan 2011, 7:09pm

Re: Fun at last

Post by Elizabethsdad »

I keep meaning to get over to KMX Karts with my daughter to see how she likes them - she tried a bike once but didn't get on with it, after a bit of perseverance it became clear she just didn't like being perched on saddle.
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