Remember what it was like before kids came along? You had lots of time to
ride...pretty much the entire weekend, and could do pretty much what you pleased. But now
it's possible you don't even remember what life was like before kids...this tends to
happen maybe five or so years into the process (probably a good thing,
too...I have vague
memories of going to movies, out to dinner, sometimes driving up to Lake Tahoe, lots of
century rides...).
But having kids doesn't have to end your cycling. Change, yes, but you can still get
out there!
But first, a word of caution. Don't expect that, weeks after the first kid comes along,
you're going to be out there doing the "family" thing with the infant.
Pediatricians advice to wait at least until they're six months old, and preferably even a
bit longer than that, before subjecting them to any kind of conveyance on a bicycle.
They're just not strong enough to hold their head up or maintain their position for long
periods of time until then. That's just the way it is.
Also, don't forget helmets...not just for the kids, but for yourself as
well. Doesn't say much about setting an example if you make your kid
wear one and not yourself! And please note that an astute reader of
our website noticed that the young guy in these photos isn't wearing his
helmet quite right...it shouldn't be pushed back on the head like it
appears. A properly-fit helmet should be roughly level on the head and
not slide around too much.
OK, what are the options?
IF THEY'RE OLD ENOUGH,
TRY AN EASY ORGANIZED RIDE
LIKE THE ONE BELOW!
May 1, 2005- The Delta
Century (er, 50k)
I've ridden the 100k Delta Century
previously with my daughter (on a tandem), but this was going to be
both a less and more-adventurous outing- my son's first ride over 10
miles, on his own bike.
At the youngest end of the scale, say, nine months (ok, maybe six)
to three years, there are bicycle seats that fit behind the rider, over the rear wheel.
The better ones include the ability to recline to seat, a recessed area for the helmet (so
that it doesn't push his/her head forward) and are easily removed from a rack that's
attached to the bicycle. Our favorite remains the Rhode Gear Limo...it's extremely
well-built, fits almost anything, and runs $134.99. These are extremely sturdy, and have no
horror stories associated with them that we know of (which is a good thing!).
BICYCLE
TRAILERS
Next come
trailers...two-wheeled (side-by-side) carts that carry either one or two kids, depending
upon the model. These attach to the rear of the bike, typically in the area the rear
wheel bolts on (on the side opposite of the derailleur) and probably represent the very
safest way to bring along kids in the 6-month to 5-year-old bracket. Safety is
probably the very best with trailers, since the kid(s) are protected by virtual roll-bar
construction of the trailer itself, plus the method of attachment for most is such that,
even if you crash the bike, the trailer generally stays upright! The downside is
that trailers are a somewhat "passive" type of transport system compared to
child seats (where the kid is right behind you) or the alleycat/insta-tandem. Cost
of trailers run from about $250-$400.
INSTA-TANDEMS
If your child is from 4-6 years old, probably the very best
way to get around is with one of the alleycats or insta-tandems. These devices are
like a half-bike that travels behind your bike and allows the kid to sit on a normal bike
seat and pedal along...sometimes, even with gears that can be shifted! Now, it's not
like you're going to get any horsepower out of your new rear engine, but they're a BIG hit
with the kids...my 4 1/2 (now 12, and outgrew it quite some time ago) year old thinks it's the coolest thing in the world!
TANDEMS
If you're dealing with, say, a 7-to-10 year old, you might
consider a tandem (bicycle built for two) with the addition of a child stoker attachment
for the rear. This is a secondary rear crankset that installs above the normal one,
so your child can easily reach the pedals. If you've already got a tandem and don't
use it much, this might be a great way to go!
Here
you see our then-9-year-old on the back of the tandem, and the alleycat with
our-then-4 year-old behind us. It's quite a sight, but both kids have a great time, and Dad gets
pretty strong taking it over hills. We rode the Sequoia 50k "family" ride
in this fashion and the kids loved it, even though the total time out on the bike was
upwards of three hours!
You're
looking at two of the
necessities when you have your kid on the back of a tandem. The scary-looking thing
is a horn, whose role is self-explanatory...to entertain the kid and terrorize you!
Less obvious is the need for a second computer...but trust me, it's worth the hassle of
figuring out how to do it. It really helps make the miles go by faster when your kid
can see the speed you're going and the distance you've traveled. --Mike--
Are you familiar with Bicycle Sundays? A
great time to ride with young children, as they close down Canada Road (on
the San Francisco peninsula) to all car traffic.
Read all about it!
Chain Reaction sells bicycles & accessories
from Trek, Gary Fisher, BikeFriday,Shimano, Pearl Izumi, Continental, Descente,
Sidi, Giro, Blackburn, Speedplay, Oakley, Saris, NiteRider, Bontrager,
Torelli, Look, DeFeet, Rock N Roll, Hammer, Cytomax,
Powerbar, Fox, Clif
Bar, CamelBak, Chris King, Profile Design, Craft, X-Lab and many more!
At the youngest end of the scale, say, nine months (ok, maybe six)
to three years, there are bicycle seats that fit behind the rider, over the rear wheel.
The better ones include the ability to recline to seat, a recessed area for the helmet (so
that it doesn't push his/her head forward) and are easily removed from a rack that's
attached to the bicycle. Our favorite remains the Rhode Gear Limo...it's extremely
well-built, fits almost anything, and runs $134.99. These are extremely sturdy, and have no
horror stories associated with them that we know of (which is a good thing!).
Next come
trailers...two-wheeled (side-by-side) carts that carry either one or two kids, depending
upon the model. These attach to the rear of the bike, typically in the area the rear
wheel bolts on (on the side opposite of the derailleur) and probably represent the very
safest way to bring along kids in the 6-month to 5-year-old bracket. Safety is
probably the very best with trailers, since the kid(s) are protected by virtual roll-bar
construction of the trailer itself, plus the method of attachment for most is such that,
even if you crash the bike, the trailer generally stays upright! The downside is
that trailers are a somewhat "passive" type of transport system compared to
child seats (where the kid is right behind you) or the alleycat/insta-tandem. Cost
of trailers run from about $250-$400.
Here
you see our then-9-year-old on the back of the tandem, and the alleycat with
our-then-4 year-old behind us. It's quite a sight, but both kids have a great time, and Dad gets
pretty strong taking it over hills. We rode the Sequoia 50k "family" ride
in this fashion and the kids loved it, even though the total time out on the bike was
upwards of three hours!
You're
looking at two of the
necessities when you have your kid on the back of a tandem. The scary-looking thing
is a horn, whose role is self-explanatory...to entertain the kid and terrorize you!
Less obvious is the need for a second computer...but trust me, it's worth the hassle of
figuring out how to do it. It really helps make the miles go by faster when your kid
can see the speed you're going and the distance you've traveled. --Mike--
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