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Looking for a different non-car way of getting an 11 year old to clubs and school in a hilly city, when cycling with her is feeling too scary.
Looked at a Trek box bike today and couldn't believe they want £7,200. The rep was in the shop and agreed it's a hard sell, especially when electric mopeds are looking funkier and can be had for 2 grand.
Anyone taken a kid as pillion on a moped?
Or any experience of kids on a motorbike, or experience of electric mopeds?
Anyone?
Do you have a full bike licence? You can't carry a passenger on a bike with a CBT.
Don't you need a full motorbike licence to carry a pillion. Have you got one? If so get a proper motorbike!
would she entertain a tandem?
an electric one for extra boost?
mate of mine rides his girls around on a triplet.
and then rides it home alone. i suspect he gets daily "your passengers have fallen off"
Not sure if they will make it to 11 before they are far too cool and far too embarrassed though
I think box bikes are great up to a certain age, but once they can sit and hold on securely enough you are much better looking at a long tail.
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/electric-cargo-bike-rear-loading-longtail-r500/_/R-p-329177
much cheaper too
Don't forget in motorbike costs protective kit can easily be several hundred each
Yeah, an electric cargo bike with a rack they can sit on would be best I reckon.
I used to have a yuba mundo, which worked a treat for this. They do an electric one too now I think.
I'm guessing you've never ridden a scooter or motorbike, otherwise you wouldn't be asking the question...
First of all try it for yourself, and once you're happy (and legal) then you can try taking the kid(s).
FWIW mine went on the back of my bikes (+1000cc) and then had 2 of them had scooters. But I'd had bikes for years, and rode every day.
Pre 2001 licence gives full rights on a 50cc (or elec equivalent) moped including pillion where theres a seat and pegs.
Tandem or long bike would be a mare to store.
Anyone taken a kid pillion?
50cc moped - two-up - in a hilly city!! 🤣🤣
Be faster to walk!
Citroen Ami?
Or a trike? If you have a full car licence.
Random google find!...
https://www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/reviews/bikes/yamaha/tricity-300-2020-review-price-spec
Citroen Ami?
Saw one of those yesterday for the first time in years. Brilliant little car. Awesome body roll.
Thanks. Have ridden scooters with pillion before but that was in shorts whizzing round Asia, Corfu... 😆
The appeal here is the ease of parking at home (secure yard) and work (basement) and ability to charge batteries at my desk.
20mph limit in city centre that is chock full of 15mph limited Voi scooters so no concerns about speed.
Looked at a Trek box bike today and couldn’t believe they want £7,200.
Have a look at Tern.
https://www.ternbicycles.com/uk
They do a number of cargo bikes aimed at carrying children and as rear-loaders they're easier to ride than front box cargo bikes. One size fits all, they're cheaper than front loaders and there's a huge range of accessories for carrying kids, shopping, etc.
Little bit easier to store as well, they have something called Flat Fold which collapses the bars and they can be stood upright on the rear rack.
Quad bike ..... good excuse to get one if nothing else 🙂
Random google find!…
https://www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/reviews/bikes/yamaha/tricity-300-2020-review-price-spec/a >
Thats actually really cool. I dont doubt bike riders and car drivers alike would look down their nose at you, but having the advantages of a bike, on car license and being able to cruise at 70 all appeals, and i imagine should you get into a situation where you do need to stand on the brakes, with the two wheels at the front and ABS, it would be a lot safer than on a bike. (I imagine)
https://singletrackmag.com/charged/2021/09/benno-boost-e-cargo-bike/
hannahs take on moving kids by e-cargo bike. Kids are a similar age to OP.
we have the tern gsd, but no kids. We did demo it with the captains seat on the back and it’s very capable.
I guess the other issue would be if 11yr olds think it’s ok (cool?) to be ferried around on one
A few mates have Terns for dragging kids to nursery and school. Kids already growing too big at 10.
Don't want another car to have to park 3 streets away....
That trike is incredible. Do you reckon it is ulev (or whatever derivation Bristol is) compliant?
You could buy a Renault Twizy for less than £7000 I bet.
Waaaay cooler, and you cant fall off. Keeps most of the rain off too.
Mate just got one of these: www.tribebikes.com.au
He’s doing a school run with two primary school kids… but he can also fit his wife in it!
That Benno review is excellent, really draws out the benefits and compromises of the cargo bike idea. Storage is our problem and for some reason a moped looks better suited to being left outdoors and feels like it should give a better road presence.
Came to motorbikes late in life, passed my test at 40.
Rode regularly for about 5 years mainly commuting in all weathers on a nice solid Honda CBF 1000 which is not a bad 2up bike.
At no point during that time did I feel remotely competent enough to have someone on the back, especially one of my children! I came off once on ice (luckily very slowly) and had several scares with cars pulling out on me. It’s like cycling but with a fraction of the time to react and 10 times the consequences….in the end I changed jobs and now commute by car and cycle. Sold the bike as riding for fun in the uk didn’t really appeal.
feels like it should give a better road presence.
Not really - still too slow to not have cars behind trying to overtake all the time
Always wanted a Radrunner but Mrs Zip refuses to go on the back.
Thanks all for interesting inputs. Many of these issues around vulnerability and speed (although in a congested city of 20mph limits I think no-one is going anywhere fast) appear common to both a powered cargo bicycle and a moped.
Pre 2001 licence gives full rights on a 50cc (or elec equivalent) moped including pillion where theres a seat and pegs.
Are you sure? A pre Feb 2001 car license lets you ride a moped without taking a CBT but you would still need L-Plates and it is illegal to carry a passenger with L-Plates
You don't need L plates for 50cc on a pre-2001 licence. Unless someone can point me to the regs otherwise?
You don’t need L plates for 50cc on a pre-2001 licence
Sorry, my mistake 🙂
Not really – still too slow to not have cars behind trying to overtake all the time
I dunno, the larger size and more unusual aspect of a cargo bike seems to give you (as a rider) a bit more leeway. It's sort of like how drivers are more careful around horses but less careful around cyclists. You tend more to the "horse" end of the spectrum!
Also, if you ride along on a cargo bike, that's cool. If you ride along on a moped, everyone thinks you're a yob or a Deliveroo worker...
Yeah that deliveroo effect is a worry
Tern gsd for 3 1/2 years/6400 miles here. Payload is excellent at 400lb. Can carry two adults: one the rider the other on the back.
Ref the moped- https://www.gov.uk/ride-motorcycle-moped/licences-issued-before-19-january-2013
<h3 id="car-driving-test-passed-before-1-february-2001">Car driving test passed before 1 February 2001</h3>
You do not need to take compulsory basic training (<abbr title="compulsory basic training">CBT</abbr>) to ride a moped if you passed your car driving test before 1 February 2001. You’ll still need to complete <abbr title="compulsory basic training">CBT</abbr> to ride a motorbike, however.
And on L plates- https://www.gov.uk/motorcycle-cbt/car-driving-licence
<h1 class="part-title">If you have a car driving licence</h1>
<div class="gem-c-govspeak govuk-govspeak direction-ltr disable-youtube" data-module="govspeak" data-govspeak-module-started="true">
You can ride a moped (up to 50cc) without L plates and without taking the moped test in some situations.
<h2 id="you-passed-your-driving-test-on-or-after-1-february-2001">You passed your driving test on or after 1 February 2001</h2>
You’ll get a full moped licence if you either:
- pass your car driving test and then complete a compulsory basic training (<abbr title="compulsory basic training">CBT</abbr>) course
- complete a <abbr title="compulsory basic training">CBT</abbr> course and then pass your car driving test within two years
You can then ride a moped (up to 50cc) without L plates. You do not need to take the full moped test.
You can ride mopeds for as long as your car driving licence lasts.
<h2 id="you-passed-your-driving-test-before-1-february-2001">You passed your driving test before 1 February 2001</h2>
You can ride a moped (up to 50cc) without L plates. You do not need to take a <abbr title="compulsory basic training">CBT</abbr> course or take the full moped test.
You must take <abbr title="compulsory basic training">CBT</abbr> if you want to ride anything larger than a 50cc moped.
</div>
Given the extra theft potential, helmets, etc. of a moped I would honestly stick with a gsd. And I say that as an Ex-instructor and year round motorcycle and bicycle rider.
Interesting on the tern. I'd say round here the theft potential of a 5k cargo bike is at least equal, if not higher, than a 2k moped. Moped easier to squirrel away off road at home/work.
I’d say round here the theft potential of a 5k cargo bike is at least equal, if not higher, than a 2k moped
They have an inbuilt front wheel lock, the battery can be removed in seconds using the same key and the motor power means it's not an issue to carry a bloody huge chain lock everywhere you go.
The kickstand that they "sit" on is also lockable.
E-mopeds share all those benefits (massive lock being yhe key one) and being shorter aren't as antisocial on urban bike racks.
Renault twizzy?
Don't want something that needs parking like a car. Something bike-based that will go through a gate and can hide in my garden or work basement.
Bristol Tern rider, and ex motorcyclist. Big advantage of a cargobike is being able to use cycleparhs, etc. I wouldnt put my kids on a moped and mix with Bristol traffic personally.
Sadly no cyclepaths, not even Bristols new plasti- bollarded lanes, on the route across town I need to take. So relying on a cargobike being less of a car magnet than other options. Tricky.
Appreciate you’re feeling that cycling on the road with your kids feels too risky (my kids are the same age) but consider it another way - if they learn to ride safely with you now, they’re picking up a skill for life and at a time when (as they’re clearly children) drivers will mostly allow them to live.
if they don’t learn to ride on the road now, then when will they? They’re not going to pick it up at 19 when they’re at uni when every other nutter wants to punish them for getting in the way
A nice thing about the longtail cargo bike is that you can talk to each other as you ride along! Hard to do all wrapped up in scooter helmets with engine noise (I used to go to primary school on the back of a moped!). I'm struggling to recall a close pass incident when I've had my kid on the back, but it's almost every ride on my own - maybe we look a bit freakish, or interesting, and just different enough to get through the visual processing without being filtered out? I'm not sure. The Benno doesn't have quite the same longevity in passenger carrying terms - the Tern, and others, will take an adult. I'd seek out somewhere that will let you try it out, I'm sure there are quite a few shops around that offer that and trial days, and then you can see if it's for you. Head to the Family Cycling facebook page and ask if there's anyone in your area - people are often happy to let you have a go on theirs!
Thanks all, this has been a great help to my deliberations. Bristol seems to be at a real crux point of deciding on the full legitimacy of e-scooters (new stat yesterday on most journeys on them in Europe!) and increased restriction on cars (which perversely means traffic flows quicker and is perhaps less suited to us cyclists!).
I have a full motorbike licence (and a motorbike) but would ferry the kids around on my cargo bike instead if I were in your situation. it's a great way to get around and is often more convenient that something motorised, partly because there are no parking or infrastructure issues. I can nip down a bike lane or down the road.
Plus cargo bikes with kids is absolutely excellent, they love it. Getting my cargo bike electrified was a game changer to being able to use it with kids more easily