Advice for a simple dad bike

[kgreene10]

I'm in the middle of a bike-related experiment and could use some advice.

I want something that I can hop on and ride around the neighborhood with my five year old. So it has to be cheap and take abuse from lots of stops and resting on the ground, etc.

I also want to attach it to the Weehoo and ride him to kindergarten daily, starting this fall, up some reasonably inclines.

My existing fleet of carbon bikes won't work and although I thought about using my ti coupler, I don't want to lock it up outside the school or thrash it in around the neighborhood use.

So, without a better idea, I did something ghastly this weekend. I'm actually ashamed to say it. I went to Performance during triple points weekend and bought a ****ty SE Tripel with a three speed Nexus hub for $280 after taking the points into account. After re-assembling it, it runs smoothly, but it weighs 30+ pounds and it's tough to go from riding some of the best bikes in the world, to this.

It will work, but is there a better option that's in the same-ish cost arena (i.e. Crazy cheap?) that may work better?

[nate2351]

Electra makes some decent beach cruisers.

[DRZRM]

I used a steel framed cross bike for my trailer puller for as long as I had kids in trailers. It was awesome, and I never felt like I was riding a clunker. Climbed well with a compact crank and a 12-30 cassette, even for the brief time I had both boys in the trailer.

[texbike]

Option 1 - Cheap, 26" wheeled steel MTB off of CL - You can find them all day long for <$200.

Option 2 - Redline MonoCog 29r- still heavy, but fun. Can find them on CL as well. We have one and it serves the exact purpose that you mention.

Austin CL is crazy with options like these. They're the bicycle equivalents of classic Land Cruisers.

Texbike

[carpediemracing]

I'd go with an aluminum framed mtb. Usually you can find an older one with XT or Deore LX for $250-300. I actually contemplated buying a bike in FL (where the Missus's grandparents live) instead of shipping my bike down there. I'd have bought a full suspension mtb with the idea that I could break it down and fit it in a large suitcase (full suspension = linkages that can be disassembled). I even narrowed it down to a Jamis Dakar type from the late 90s early 2000s because I had such a bike. I even found a frame and a complete bike, the frame was $200?, bike I think was $400. But the bike got sold, I didn't think it'd be worth it to take apart my current mtb to build the frame, so I didn't do it.

My beater mtb (got it by trading a promising Junior my TT bike complete with disk wheel) is this:
https://scontent-yyz1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13466055_10154286046148824_6482601506929146018_n.j pg?oh=8c6b59bc786065bd5f01fb035ef76ead&oe=57CA9D2F

After I cleaned it up a bit:
https://scontent-yyz1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/10600386_10152663143918824_5527522625752713538_n.j pg?oh=0c856fa0363068fe06b34df8cc92ab8d&oe=57E057B8

[JAGI410]

Electra Townie 7d. Fantastic bikes. I'm planning on getting the EQ version for myself this year.

[Slow Eddie]

Buy a mid-90's fully rigid MTB from Craigslist, eBay, or your local bike co-op/recycler place (http://www.oldspokeshome.com/). Find a model that was originally sold in IBDs so you can be somewhat assured of decent parts and build quality. The models that were a notch or two below the top-of-the-line race models of the era often had the same frame but a rigid fork to hit the price point, as well as more durable second-tier components, and sensible, rebuildable wheels vs hi-zoot proprietary CrossMax ridiculousness. Excellent townies that ride well and fly very much under the radar when locked up alongside shinier, but crappier bikes.

Good Hunting.

[vqdriver]

Same spot here. I made do with a 26" hardtail which works well for this. Recently i consolidated all my spare parts and justjust bought a privateer frame to hang it all on. Now i use that as a 1x10 flatbar and it rips (around the neighborhood)

[pdmtong]

Electra Townie 7d. Fantastic bikes. I'm planning on getting the EQ version for myself this year.

this...upright, cruaising, gears

craigslist

I'd sell you my dad's but shipping to TX would be $$

[weaponsgrade]

I like the 26" mtn bike idea. Kids and trailers get heavy. I pull my kid around on an old 80s Trek 510. My lowest gearing is a 42/28 and I have a tough time getting up any kind of hill. Though for the most part I just ride around the park with them which is relatively flat. Get fenders so the kids won't get too covered in grim when they're sitting in the trailer with the cover pulled back. The standard Burley hitch adapter for attaching to the rear dropouts doesn't work with Breezer-style dropouts.

[45K10]

I was in the same situation but I just decided to use my carbon cross bike instead of buying something else. I threw some flat pedals on it, hooked up the kid trailer and off we went. I climb some decent hills around here 7-8% no problems and the cantilevers work just fine for me.

[don'TreadOnMe]

If you go new, these things are pretty cool:
http://www.sebikes.com/bikes/cat/retro-series/om-flyer-26
http://bicycletimesmag.com/first-impression-electra-moto/
https://www.transitionbikes.com/Bikes_Klunker.cfm

[tv_vt]

Sounds like your solution will work fine.

Otherwise, any halfway decent used steel bike off Craigslist or your town listserve or LBS could work.

[Ralph]

I don't see any problem at all with what you have ALREADY bought. The best bike is the one that does the job for you.

[josephr]

I don't see any problem at all with what you have ALREADY bought. The best bike is the one that does the job for you.

+1 on keep what ya got...extra weight+trailer=strength building!

[Hilltopperny]

I have some old Cannondale rigid mountain bikes that would probably do the trick. They are listed with pics in the classifieds!

[icepick_trotsky]

My dedicated dad bike and everyday commuter. Steel frame, cantilevers, bar end shifting, and a triple crankset for the hills. Served me well for many miles. I have it set up so I can either use a rear seat or pull a trailer.

http://i.imgur.com/AfKR5mlh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/pAydmSNh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/sGU3QX9h.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/I95tmvth.jpg

[ColonelJLloyd]

This sounds like perfect justification for building up a titanium hardtail 29er with a rigid carbon fork. Hauling kids is hard work. You need a sub 20lb bike for sure.

[bigman]

Surly Karate Monkey

[45K10]

My dedicated dad bike and everyday commuter. Steel frame, cantilevers, bar end shifting, and a triple crankset for the hills. Served me well for many miles. I have it set up so I can either use a rear seat or pull a trailer.

http://i.imgur.com/AfKR5mlh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/pAydmSNh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/sGU3QX9h.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/I95tmvth.jpg

That is a sweet Dad Bike!

[rohan]

My dedicated dad bike and everyday commuter. Steel frame, cantilevers, bar end shifting, and a triple crankset for the hills.

I think this is the way to go. You could get an All-City Space Horse, a Black Mountain Cycles Cross, or something from Surly, Salsa, or Soma.

That is a sweet Dad Bike!

I agree! I'd like something like that when I'm older.

[Cicli]

My trailer pullin trail ridin dad bike.
Its heavy as hell but rides very nicely.

[Fatty]

http://www.sebikes.com/images/products/2016/tripel/high/2016_SE_TRIPEL_RED_SIDE.jpgI'm in the middle of a bike-related experiment and could use some advice.

I want something that I can hop on and ride around the neighborhood with my five year old. So it has to be cheap and take abuse from lots of stops and resting on the ground, etc.

I also want to attach it to the Weehoo and ride him to kindergarten daily, starting this fall, up some reasonably inclines.

My existing fleet of carbon bikes won't work and although I thought about using my ti coupler, I don't want to lock it up outside the school or thrash it in around the neighborhood use.

So, without a better idea, I did something ghastly this weekend. I'm actually ashamed to say it. I went to Performance during triple points weekend and bought a ****ty SE Tripel with a three speed Nexus hub for $280 after taking the points into account. After re-assembling it, it runs smoothly, but it weighs 30+ pounds and it's tough to go from riding some of the best bikes in the world, to this.

It will work, but is there a better option that's in the same-ish cost arena (i.e. Crazy cheap?) that may work better?

Is this what you bought? If so, nothing wrong with that for toting young uns around. If the hills are a bit of a task you can change out the hub sprocket for a bigger one.