Author Topic: Transporting Hockey Equipment by Bike -- also kids and groceries and.....  (Read 2883 times)

falcondisruptor

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I have no idea why I've been Googling this instead of asking here first...

Our family has made it without using our car for all of 2017 so far.  Yay for us!  We had thought our family members wanted the car, but now it looks like we'll need to sell it.  Different story.

My husband has been carpooling to hockey games so far but has had the goal of biking to hockey for the summer league.  We have a child bike trailer now that he was planning to use some how.

But, our daughter will be turning 5 and the seat has ripped quite a bit, so I'm thinking there might be a better setup for her (where she can still chill out) and we could convert the child carrier for cargo?  Or maybe there's a perfect cargo setup already that's awesome as is and reasonably priced?

So, I'm looking for options for larger kids that you guys have used and think are worth the money.  Also looking for cargo options that would work with a hockey bag and sticks as well as anything else that would normally go in a trunk...

My husband and I ride entry level LBS type bikes now.  We've been managing most trips on foot with a sweet shopping cart, but now that it's summer we want to be more adventurous and really get out there exploring on the bikes.

Thanks for your help guys, I know you'll have some opinions here!

letired

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Disclaimer that I have not used them myself, but the Xtracycle system is supposed to be really good, and is currently top of the list for my friends who are looking for something to haul toddler + stuff for commuting to daycare/work every day. You can get in at a variety different price points, starting around $200 for the attachment that goes on your existing bike, and it can be configured in a variety of ways for different uses.

falcondisruptor

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The Xtracycle is definitely on my radar.  I see a family biking to school on one almost every day and it looks like the kids and the dad is having a lot of fun!

Not sure it would be the best option for a hockey bag though... Also, it's pricey enough that I'd have to really be in love with them to buy one and I'm not sure I'm there quite yet...  Converting my bike seems like a great way to save money, but when I add up all the kid addons it really adds up. 

I'm hoping there is a less expensive, better, quicker option.  You know, the impossible option.

jac941

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I'll add another vote for Xtracycle. I've seen the free radical conversion kit on Craigslist for really reasonable prices, so look there. For a 5 year old you could get away with not adding most of the kid accessories. I'd say the bags, double kick stand, and some handlebars attached to the seatpost for her to hang onto would be enough.

I'm not sure what a hockey bag looks like, but the Burley Travoy trailer might be worth looking at. I've seen those towing some odd shaped items that regular trailers don't do well.

letired

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The Xtracycle is definitely on my radar.  I see a family biking to school on one almost every day and it looks like the kids and the dad is having a lot of fun!

Not sure it would be the best option for a hockey bag though... Also, it's pricey enough that I'd have to really be in love with them to buy one and I'm not sure I'm there quite yet...  Converting my bike seems like a great way to save money, but when I add up all the kid addons it really adds up. 

I'm hoping there is a less expensive, better, quicker option.  You know, the impossible option.

I certainly have NO experience wanting the thing that absolutely Does Not Exist!

It might be worth asking if you could borrow their bike for a test ride? Or at least chatting with them about it! In my experience, people with unusual bicycles LOVE talking about them!

I don't know how big a hockey bag is, but people manage to get some pretty big loads on the bikes.

EX:
https://goo.gl/images/6CIIgo
https://goo.gl/images/2ZfNHH
https://goo.gl/images/uXw5RX

meghan88

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Have you looked at what Wike has to offer?  They are from Guelph, Ontario.  http://www.wicycle.com/index.php/products/cargo-trailers/wike-heavy-duty-flatbed-bike-trailer/ though you might try kijiji to see if you can get something for less.

falcondisruptor

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Have you looked at what Wike has to offer?  They are from Guelph, Ontario.  http://www.wicycle.com/index.php/products/cargo-trailers/wike-heavy-duty-flatbed-bike-trailer/ though you might try kijiji to see if you can get something for less.

I hadn't seen that flat bed!  Seems so versatile!

meghan88

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acroy

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Badass on you for going car-free!!
The 5yr old can pedal herself, no??
Honestly I'd hold out for a cheap or free used basic Instep trailer and convert it to cargo. I just picked up a lightly used one for (drum roll) $6. And gave away my old tired used one...
I have 2 of them daisy-chained together; quite useful :)

falcondisruptor

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Badass on you for going car-free!!
The 5yr old can pedal herself, no??
Honestly I'd hold out for a cheap or free used basic Instep trailer and convert it to cargo. I just picked up a lightly used one for (drum roll) $6. And gave away my old tired used one...
I have 2 of them daisy-chained together; quite useful :)

The almost 5 year old sadly couldn't pedal herself.  She's just starting to ride and wouldn't be able to get 10Km to a park meetup to play with friends for a few hours then pedal home.  She might even want to nap on the way home...  Which is why the trailer was great!  I think she'll graduate to a tag along type system soon, but not quite yet.

Which is why I am loving your suggestion!  No big cash spending!  I am amazed you found a trailer for $6!  Wow!  A quick search in my area had them from $60-$675!  But I was inspired and did some searching. 

Found this guy who just collapsed his trailer down and added a removable board on top so it could go from cargo to kid trailer quick.  He even showed it with duffel bags and the like!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFD0qRy-1VQ

So I went out to the garage, collapsed the trailer as best I could and now we can just bungee the hockey bag on top!  Sticks we're still working out, we're both pretty confident at this point! 

When our daughter is out of the trailer for good, we'll probably fully convert it then.  I'm so happy we can use what we've got!

Thanks for everyone's suggestions!