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Looking for kid friendly ebike

Old 03-09-19, 03:24 PM
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ShelbyC
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Looking for kid friendly ebike

I have two little kids and am wanting to get out more on my bike with them. I have a fantastic Chariot trailer, but I get so wiped out after a longer commute towing the trailer that I find myself biking less then I would want. I started looking into ebikes as a possible solution to help take the edge off of longer rides pulling 90 lbs of kids and trailer. I am considering a Rad Wagon so I could put my kids on the back eventually, but I’m open to just an electric single passenger bike that could handle the trailer. I would also use this bike by myself to commute to work, so the second option actually appeals to me quite a bit. Any advice?
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Old 03-09-19, 06:17 PM
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2old
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Disclaimer: My kids are too old to fit in a wagon so this is not from experience. Rad Power bikes seem to be favorites among the individuals who report on them, so this would be a good choice if the weight considerations are maintained and you don't have long, steep routes. A mid-drive OEM bike might be another consideration. It would be worthwhile for you to test one with your load in order to determine whether this is a viable option.
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Old 03-09-19, 07:45 PM
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Darth Lefty 
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Can you stow the trailer at the daycare? People do that with car seats sometimes. At one daycare I saw that going on so I asked about my kid seat and they said no problem. At another, they were flummoxed but said yes.

This was a few times a week with kid 1, and hard work. Now with my twins I’d find a different solution that would likely involve an electric long tail, but they haven’t gone to day care.
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Old 03-09-19, 08:14 PM
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ShelbyC
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Originally Posted by Darth Lefty
Can you stow the trailer at the daycare? People do that with car seats sometimes. At one daycare I saw that going on so I asked about my kid seat and they said no problem. At another, they were flummoxed but said yes.

This was a few times a week with kid 1, and hard work. Now with my twins I’d find a different solution that would likely involve an electric long tail, but they haven’t gone to day care.
That would be a great solution for one way trips like when I drop my daughter off at daycare, but I’m thinking about days when I have both kids with me all day.
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Old 03-13-19, 04:12 PM
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MikeyMK
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I previously ran a trailer, I had to uprate a few components though; such as the wheels/tyres, hitch (both on the bike and the arm), and give it long-travel suspension.
She was getting too tall for it though, legs cramped.



Now I have her on the bike with me, and we're both far happier. This meant lengthening the bike with a custom mainframe.
It's far better for me to ride, and she much prefers it too...



Yes I custom built mine, and she's only one child, but in my experience your best bet by a mile is to get them on your bike with you.
There are various ways of going about this, with all manner of cargo bikes available for two or more kids.
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Old 03-13-19, 08:23 PM
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Nightdiver
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Impressive! Would love to learn more about that build.
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Old 03-16-19, 08:07 AM
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MikeyMK
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Not much to it really, just took a rigid tandem and chopped it up to take GT STS rear suspension, built the wheels, chopped and shaped a crank into an armless final drive, fitted it up with my brew of largelyl MTB parts and a 48v system.








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Old 03-16-19, 03:21 PM
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Still wheel motors for flattish Mid Drivers for hill climbing torque You could have fit a mid Drive setup in the front BB..

few years back 'Stoke Monkey' used a Tandem crossover crank , the motor drove the left side chainring..
the right side kept the triple crank.....
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Old 03-17-19, 11:56 AM
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Are you considering an electric cargo bike? Bike Friday makes a very lightweight one, will carry both kids, lots of options to change the set up as they grow
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Old 03-18-19, 03:30 AM
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For an off-roader or something more sporty/involving, I can understand a mid drive. But a hub is easier. Never in the wrong gear, it's always got your back. I'm permanently in top gear, I don't have to shift for anything. Hubs are better for beginners and are excellent for work horses - especially when you have passengers.
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