A Californian Santa Monica Baby Bike (or dragger)

[TomW]

I've just got back from a two week trip to the mother in law who live just beside the Santa Monica mountains outside of Los Angeles. By god I love those mountains. For the past couple of years I have had my own bike in her garage which I take out most days whilst the baby is sleeping.

We now have another baby on the way and I want to ensure that I can still carve out time during future visits (normally 3 to 4 weeks a year) to ride whilst not leaving my wife in the lurch. The sensible things to be to haul my kids around with me. After much research on this forum it seems the Thule Chariot is the only way to go (bar expense concerns).

The one issue being is that the bike I ride (picture below) is one I made myself on the Yamaguchi Frame Building School so I trust it. . . somewhat but not with the lives of my two youngest and not with tolerances it definitely it wasn't build with in mind. I.e. the Thule is another 37.5lb (17kg) and my little girl is already 12kg and the new one will soon be at that right. I am just not that competent...

More California and steel by Thomas Walsh, on Flickr

California hills on steel frames for the win. by Thomas Walsh, on Flickr

So... this gives an excuse for a bike project. A bike which can be ridden up and down the Santa Monica mountains solo and to get the best out of them and their glorious ups and downs but then with a Thule child carrier attached and one infant and one toddler dragged up and down with me.

Anyone done anything similar and got any tips? I will probably get in touch with Rob English as I have a spot with him waiting but if anyone has any other builders who have kids or understand the process of supporting a bike addiction with kids in tow (literally). I have always wanted a titanium bike which would be absolute overkill but I will ride this bike for the next 30 years there (eventually sans kids). I have long looked at Strong and Crisp frames with lust dripping from my eyeballs.

The only timing issue is that this needs to be there for next December for when we do the visit with the new rat to LA (who is being born in June this year)

At the least I can see one needs:

• a hella wide gear range to deal with that extra weight up and down hills
• good brakes - hydraulic discs seem sensible
• provision for whatever the attachment mechanism is
• slightly wider tires for stability
• relaxed fit

[scrubadub]

I don't have any useful thoughts about building a bike for bike towing.

That said my kids grew up quickly and while they still use the Chariot (we have both a single and a double), what they really want to do now (at 5 and 3 years old) is actually ride with me. I have a single Burley Kazoo attached to my bike but they fight over who gets to ride. So my current plan is to get a Co-Motion Periscope then hang the Kazoo off the back so the three of us can ride.

[TomW]

what they really want to do now (at 5 and 3 years old) is actually ride with me. I have a single Burley Kazoo attached to my bike but they fight over who gets to ride. So my current plan is to get a Co-Motion Periscope then hang the Kazoo off the back so the three of us can ride.

Thanks - this is super helpful. I think I need to make sure that it works with a Kazoo as well. A Co-Motion Periscope is probably too short limited of a type of bike for what I want to do (as I can't see me hauling myself on that up and down Santa Monica Mts) and may just have to deal with one angry or disappointed kid!

Any thoughts on advantages / disadvantages to single/ double Chariot (apart from the obvious; one fits one, the other fits two). Is the double more unwieldly etc?

Tom

[false_aesthetic]

Where in the SM mountains are you riding? I've spent the past 5 years riding in that area (alone, with a loaded rack, and with a trailer).

Depending on where you're riding maybe pulling über precious cargo around like that isn't the best idea -- just thinking about the narrow shoulders, longer descents and wanna-be racers tearing around Mulholland, Topanga, Stunt, etc.

[TomW]

Where in the SM mountains are you riding? I've spent the past 5 years riding in that area (alone, with a loaded rack, and with a trailer).

My m-in-law lives in Thousand Oaks so the easiest route "up" is Decker / the 23. Quite honestly I'm not sure I could get up that with a trailer (or would want to due to the boy racer types in cars). So would probably end up doing loops near Lake Sherwood or Lake Malibu rather than really getting up into the hills.

Though I would guess I may be able to find a slightly slower and gentler incline up.

Any suggestions for better and less busy routes well appreciated.

And I can also emphasise that I am more than jealous of where you live. Everytime I visit I have to ask myself "why don't I live here". Outdoor swimming all year round in the sea, lots of nice pools, great roads, amazing scenery. I love the area.

Tom

[scrubadub]

Thanks - this is super helpful. I think I need to make sure that it works with a Kazoo as well. A Co-Motion Periscope is probably too short limited of a type of bike for what I want to do (as I can't see me hauling myself on that up and down Santa Monica Mts) and may just have to deal with one angry or disappointed kid!

Any thoughts on advantages / disadvantages to single/ double Chariot (apart from the obvious; one fits one, the other fits two). Is the double more unwieldly etc?

Tom

Not much downside to the double. It's a bit unwieldy especially since my area has a bunch of over/underpasses that have bike barriers that are a pain to navigate. But the single is also bulky to navigate around those too. Handling wise they feel the same, both riding and running.

Take a look at the Burley trailers, I've seen lots of people with them and they seem more compact then the Chariots.

For me, my work schedule makes it difficult to ride much. Having kids made it even harder, as the days I did have off my wife is working so I couldn't just take off for a ride. So I don't think of the Periscope as an option to do my normal rides, but to just get out at all.