Ok biking Mamas I need advice on tandem bikes for my girls 4 and 5 yrs old. I heard there are some that permanently attach to the adult's frame, some that easily detach and some that transform from a kids bike into a tandem. I would love the latter but can't seem to find one yet. Any experience with a tandem you love or hate? Heard of this mystery transformimg bike, which would miraculously save me from buying two tandems and two bikes? Thanks for the advice in advance!
im a little confused.. are you wanting this for your bike to ride tandem with your 4 year old or for your 4 and 5 year old to right together? i will assume that you want it for your bike. they sell them online at walmart, target (i think)
We had a detachable "Trail-a-Bike" that worked well.
http://www.trail-a-bike.com/products/trail-a-bikes/
This worked well when my daughter was 5. By age 6 it was more difficult for me, since I'm a smaller person, to balance the bike with her behind. She needed to learn to help me. At 7, she rode her own bike! We had a lot of fun with the tandem, though. She could keep up and we could go farther that way. We really enjoyed it.
Here's a bar that attached a kids' bike to an adult bike.
http://www.amazon.com/Trail-Gator-Trailgator-Bicycle-Tow-...
We have a tandem and used a trail-a-bike on it. This could also be attached to a single bike. When he outgrew the trail-a-bike, my husband bought a tandem that would fit him on the back. Then a triplet so we can all three ride together. My advice is to go to a bike dealer who will take the time to teach you how to captain a tandem. Maybe rent one or borrow one to test first. The pluses with the triplet - we all stay together and it is a ton of fun! Like a second car that uses no gas. The minuses are that it is hard to steer on tight corners due to its length.
We had a WeeRide Co-pilot (we got ours at Sports Authority, but they price-matched Walmart http://www.walmart.com/ip/WeeRide-Co-Pilot-Child-Trainer/... ) when my son was 4 and 5 and really liked it. He could ride his own bike by then, but for riding in the city I wanted him attached!
The only "transforming" bike I've seen is http://www.trail-gator.com/ . It's really just a bar that attaches ANY kids bike to the back of an adult bike (lifts the front wheel and makes it like a trail-a-bike). On the face of it, they seem like a good idea, but my concerns with that were: 1) the kids bike is heavier than a trail-a-bike and I didn't want the extra weight behind me. 2) the rear bike would have the ability to break, and turn, so I would have to be clear with my son about NOT doing that while I'm riding.
The cost of the attachment bar and the co-pilot were actually about the SAME, so I didn't spend any extra money having the two separate things, and I got to have something that REALLY served the purpose I needed it to.
Hope this helps.
