| > What about helmets? Does anybody have any experience with the Lil
> Bell Shell? That's the only one I've heard of. Are there any
> others?
>Anybody know where I can get a good deal on a Bugger??
1. I bought a couple helmets for my grandkids. I looked at the lil bell,
and rejected it because it was made of that soft stuff that can easily be
dented scratched and broken. Hardly a device to put into the curious hands
of a youngster. I bought a hard shell instead. The downside of that one
was the weight. It is about 8 ounces more than the Bell (I guess), and the
kids could not wear them until they were about 9 months old. (George Gamache
has the hardshells in his shop).
2. The bugger: Have you taken a look at the Eclipse trailer? It has a
protective covering that is sort of like a convertable top. You can zip
the baby right into the thing. It attaches to the axel, so the"pull" is
more natural. It's turn radius starts at your rear axel, not at your seat.
There's a big storage compartment behind the baby's seat, for the necessaries.
The seat is slung between the wheels and below the hub's giving a softer
ride. The wheels are standard 26" bike wheels too.
I think the Bike Exchange carries the Eclipse.
|
| I bought a Cannondale Bugger this summer. The best price I could find was
$200 unassembled. It took less than an hour to assemble. -<I was
babysitting>-
Our daughter (4 months) loves it. We found that
by strapping her in the car seat (Coleco) and then using two bungy
cords to hold the seat in the bugger, we had a safe and solid package.
Riding is very stable. The hitch is designed to flex enough so
that the bike can lay on its side and the bugger will remain upright.
The child faces rear in the bugger so you can't see her/him from
the bike. I usually ride with my wife, or a another friend, so
this isn't a problem. The hard shell of the bugger seems to do
a good job of protecting her from stones etc.
Re; the Eclipse, I would think that the ride is somewhat harsher
in the bugger, because of the ridged shell. -<no I havn't ridden
back there yet>- Nothing a good/well placed foam pad couldn't fix.
The best price I could find was $275.
Re; hardware, My lowest gear is 42-28, and that is going to change.
The biggest problem is wind drag. A head wind over about 15 mph
requires drafting, and much sweat... Its pretty flat around here
so hills aren't a problem. If the wind is calm the thing
is a dream. You might look into better brakes if you are going
to be going down hill often. A mirror is a must. We use a cotton
mesh blanket to keep the sun off her yet let in some air.
Enjoy!
Karl
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