Radwagon with two child seats and bags?

[Lou]

Hello there!

I'm seriously considering investing in a Radwagon 4. We live in Brussels, Belgium. Those of you who know the place will likely agree that it is a nice but hilly city. We want to move away from our car for daily use and are looking for a good way to transport our two children (2 and 4 y.o.) on our regular trips (home, nursery, school, work, market,... etc. most of it in a 5 km radius around where we live).

I looked around and the Radwagon does seem to be a good deal that would correspond to our needs... We would intend to install two child seats on the back rack.

But, there is still one question mark: what about bags in that configuration? I have looked around (that is how I found this forum, which seems great btw! ) but I haven't seen any case where someone would have fitted both two child seats and rack bags/panniers on the rack? Under the seats, if that is even possible?

Any idea how to combine transporting safely two kids and some bags on the Radwagon? Kids have stuff to carry around (school/nursery bags, spare clothes,...), the person riding the bike would also have a small work bag and we would also like to be able to carry some groceries when shopping with the kids. It seems like a reasonable use case for such a bike, from my not-yet-biking dad perspective, but maybe you'll contradict me!?

If anyone here has any experience or ideas on how to make that work, it would be great! Thanks in advance.

[RadJohn]

How about Rads optional Front Rack? It can carry 14 kg/30 lb and is rigidly frame mounted so your load doesn't flop around while you steer. It has screw bosses for securing Rads optional small or large "Basket" (or their Platform), and Rad also sells different sized zippered bags which are custom fit to their Baskets. An alternative to a Rad Basket is the good old  plastic "Milk Crate", in single or double sizes (and accenting colors), which can easily be zip tied  to your rack if you use enough good quality strong ones.

There's also the Rad Front Mounted Basket at: https://radpowerbikes.pxf.io/21E5rM which combines a front rack AND basket into one unit and seems to match the styling of the Wagon with its wood bottom BUT it isn't rated to carry as much, only 10kg/22 lb. Just be aware that the added width up front can make the bike harder to maneuver around some obstacles or fit into bike racks. I had my Rad Large Basket mounted similarly (long dimension sideways) up front for a while and it definitely was a liability on trails, but that probably isn't the kind of thing you're likely to be doing with a couple of kids on the back. Although it doesn't offer the myriad of combinatiions possible with the separate rack/basket/other container approach, sometimes simple is better IF your intended loads are always on the smaller and lighter side.   

It probably wouldn't be safe to try to use pannier type bags with a Rad Front Rack as there's no side bracing to secure them to so they would tend to flop from side to side and could hit the front wheel, not good. However, even the small Rad Basket can probably carry more stuff (by volume) than a lot of the more reasonably priced so-called panniers I've seen, and you could always strap one or more small to medium sized bike handlebar or frame type bags directly to the sides of a Rad Basket if you need more places to stash small stuff.

Carrying loads up front has other benefits as it allows you to keep an eye on things in case a bungee breaks or starts slipping, or if you need to quickly stop and grab something important for the kids (like cookies/biscuits!), and you my not even have to get off the bike.

Although I have a Rad Large Basket and Platform, lately I've just been using the Rad Front Rack bare on my RadMini. I can carry one or two reusable shopping bags (the kind with the separate plastic piece on the inside at the bottom for reinforcement) secured to the rack (wrapped) by one 4 foot adjustable bungee each, sometimes hitting 10 to 12 pounds of groceries per bag (I measured some of the heavier feeling ones when I got home). I'm way over 50 loads and haven't had anything come loose, yet.

I have been trying to work something into this reply subtlety, but without success, so I'll just have to come right out and say I fondly remember Manneken Pis (like may others who have visited Bruxelles). 

[Lou]

Hi RadJohn! Thanks for your reply!

I like your front rack suggestion. On the EU site, the weight limit is indicated as 10 kg max, though. That might be a bit tight for groceries for instance (the usual milk, bread, vegetables, and other pots and bags... for a few days for a family of 4).

That's why I was rather thinking initially of some kind of bags or paniers that I could add on the long "back rack" in addition to the two child seats (hence my interest for a "long tail" bike) - I think the weight limit is probably much higher than for the front rack, don't you think? Particularly if the kids are still in a relatively light-weight category...

But the more I look at that and gather others users' experience, the more it seems to be difficult to do what I had in mind with the Radwagon. I find it's a shame, because I see that other brands/models of "long tail" bikes can accommodate two child seats and bags quite easily, while it doesn't seem to be the case for the Radwagon. I like the bike (and its low price tag, to be honest ), so I'll keep looking if someone did anything like what I am thinking of.

Also, glad to know you got to visit Manneken Pis and that you keep fond memories of our local icon!

[RadJohn]

You mentioned something that brought back terrible memories/nightmares for me (no offense taken though)!

PANNIERS and MILK are not necessarily a good combination!

Back in the good old days I used to occasionally grab groceries on my pannier equipped (front and rear) analog touring bikes. I found out the hard way that panniers that "hang" can tend to squish contents sideways and pop tops off some types of bottles, particularly those without screw-tops. Happened more than once, with milk and orange juice.

It has never happened on any of my basket equipped Ebikes using firm bottom reusable shopping bags carefully bungeed to baskets/racks, at least not yet, and Ive carried WAY more groceries in the later configuration.  If you're going to use panniers with groceries, I'd recommend lining then with robust plastic bags of some sort.

[ericwn]

In this setup you really need to look at options for front storage as described above so well already.

I have the Rad basket (the one that doesn't need the rack) on our wagon and it's a bit small for what you want. I'd definitely look at the large basket maybe also the matching bag for that.

In addition should you plan on getting the caboose you could potentially tie something between the rear child seat and the end of the caboose.


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[sgspks]

Hello,

I have the same question as you as I need to get 2 kids (one seat) and groceries at the same time.
I saw that Yuba 2-GO bags are compatible with seats and kids. Has anyone tried to put thes bags on the radwagon 4 ?
Or else the tern Cargo Hold 52 ?

I have not found any other solution at the moment as Radpowerbikes does not make any compatible equipment (which is a big drawback for that kind of bike)

[tulrich]

Same exact question here. I found a Reddit thread where someone recommended aftermarket Rad Slingset bags from Carsick Designs. Link: https://www.carsickdesigns.com/products/rad-slingset

My Rad Wagon order is still pending so I can't offer a review, but I have the Slingset on order as well, so I can tell you how it works in about a month!

-Thatcher

[ericwn]

Same exact question here. I found a Reddit thread where someone recommended aftermarket Rad Slingset bags from Carsick Designs. Link: https://www.carsickdesigns.com/products/rad-slingset

My Rad Wagon order is still pending so I can't offer a review, but I have the Slingset on order as well, so I can tell you how it works in about a month!

-Thatcher

Thanks much for the information, I'm looking forward to seeing your review in a few weeks!


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[Dendromad]

Ikea bags with grommets and bobble ties works well!

[Ingmar]

Hello,
my RadWagon 4 is set up like this. I have 2 kids on it (3 and 7) as well as 2 ortlieb panniers. To be able to attach the panniers I used paracord loops with small pieces of pipe on them (see attached pictures). This works very well.

[ericwn]

Hello,
my RadWagon 4 is set up like this. I have 2 kids on it (3 and 7) as well as 2 ortlieb panniers. To be able to attach the panniers I used paracord loops with small pieces of pipe on them (see attached pictures). This works very well.

Nice idea! I also like the wooden box you have in the front and that rear child seat. What brand is the seat and what is that leather looking brown bag you have mounted in the frame?

[Ingmar]

The seat is the Thule YEPP Junior Easy Fix, which is for some reason hard to come by here in Europe. The bag is the Maurice G. frame bag from Gusti Leather (https://www.gusti-leather.com/frame-bag-bike-bags-bike-frame-bag-leather-bag-vintage-brown-leather-2f6-20-5wp). It fits perfectly into that space.

[ChickenLegs]

We do similar to Ingmar; Steca samba rack on the front (cheaper, and more functional as you can drop in a basket and it wont wriggle about, plus it has a light bracket); two panniers at the back attached with cord. Depends on the brand of child seat you have as to whether the panniers will fit between the leg supports.  I like the Ikea system!

[tulrich]

Follow up to my earlier post about the Carsick Designs Slingset. I'm happy so far with the Slingset, it's very well made and fits well on the bike. There's an internal pocket that's good for tools etc. The top doesn't fold over, so it's not waterproof or anything, and it's not designed to detach and come with you. It's more to put other bags and items inside. It works well for loading with grocery bags and such. With the kids on the back, their legs overlap the bag area, so it's not great for lots of grocery bags AND kids at the same time. I can get their school items in there and drop them off, then go shopping, but there would be limited room for groceries after picking them up.

I'm having trouble posting attachments, so here is a link to some photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/6QcaAwp3DGPS7tkf8

[Jack Ducan]

The panniers are primarily ideal for bikes with rear mounts. You can attach them with security clips and attach the clip on the back of the bag to the holder by rotating it. Thread the strap through the bottom of the rear rack and up to the top and handle of the bag. Then fold and secure all handles. So you have panniers, which are ideal for carrying groceries on your bike. They have a large storage capacity, which is convenient for bigger and heavier items.