[Meganomics]

@Mikey 71239 wrote:

#Kidical could help identify which rides have kids in tow for some parenting special prize. Your BAFS miles would still count as BAFS. If you plan to take your kid everywhere with you, you could register them as a participant to count those miles too, but odds are they wouldn’t be on your team. Then you would deliberately leave your kid at home to go ride, lest you pull miles for a parasitic team. Then the kid’s all home alone, child services is called, it gets pretty ugly.

Ok, I’m in, along with my three-year-old commute buddy, KidA. Bike is by far the best option for us to do the home-to-school-to-work-and-back-again run, so we’ll be reliable teammates.

I hereby nominate myself for a totally-made-up “greatest size differential between bike and rider” award, as I am 5’2″ and my bike is 7′.

Also, @dasgeh made me do it.

[Meganomics]

If there’s any chance that you’d consider upgrading to a new helmet, I love the Bern “Nino/Nina” kids’ helmets with the fuzzy winter lining. The winter liner keeps my son’s ears and head warm, and when summer comes, I switch it out for a summer liner that has a visor.

[Meganomics]

TrailGator is a reputable maker of tow bars for kids’ bike. The best one that I’ve heard of is the FollowMe Tandem Coupling, used by Emily Finch (@1lessgmsuburban) and Elle Bustamante of Tiny Helmets Big Bikes. From what I’ve heard, it seems to offer the best combination of stability and convenience.

Good luck in your search!

[Meganomics]

@jinomas 63440 wrote:

Unfortunately this local DC CETMA-owner has not updated his blog in some time. I wonder what his impressions of his bike are now that he has ridden it for two years.

I see him occasionally. I haven’t talked to him about his long-term impressions in detail, but he still uses it and still likes it. He’s exhibited at the ABC’s of Family Biking in the past and agreed to serve as a resource for local parents, so I’m happy to DM you his e-mail address if you’d like to do some follow-up.

[Meganomics]

@hozn 63325 wrote:

As for necessary neck strength that should probably be a prerequisite for being in the trailer/bike seat at all?

Definitely yes to a bike seat; as far as trailers go, I think people put younger kids in them and so there might be an age where they’re ok to be in trailer sitting by themselves, but the helmet might be a bit much (especially with how slumpy some trailer seats are).

I also never used a helmet when I put my kids in carseats in the trailer. In that case, I thought the helmet would definitely cause a breathing issue.

[Meganomics]

@dasgeh 63136 wrote:

Very, very cool. But incomplete.

It’s missing a Madsen, a strider bike, this tandem and this folding bike.

What else?

The chronology is really jacked up. The poster implies that longtails were invented in 1920 (when it was really more like 1990) and has Yuba’s Boda Boda evolving in 1960 instead of, oh, 2012.

All that doesn’t stop me from admiring it and wanting one for every room in my house.

[Meganomics]

@Rando Guy 63158 wrote:

@dasgeh – wondering your opinion – the wife just started pulling a trailer down the WOD only between Vienna and Hunter Mill Rd, to work (she’s a nanny). does our 14 mo old need a helmet? I see toddlers that have them and some that don’t. I err on the side they don’t but that’s my opinion and maybe misguided one at that. He’s just so happy in it w/o one…

It’s true as @dasgeh points out downthread that helmets are legally required for cyclists and passengers 16 and under; however, I always caution parents to consider (1) their kids’ neck strength, (2) the shape of the helmet, and (3) the shape of the trailer seat. Sometimes in trailers, especially with young or weak kids, the seat can press the helmet forward, tipping the head down and making it harder for kids to breathe. (This can also happen in rear bike seats, BTW).

I like Bern and Nutcase helmets for kids because their round shape in the back makes it less likely that this will happen. You can also look out for what’s sometimes called a “helmet pocket” in your trailer–a recessed area in the seat back that will allow a little more room for kids’ helmets to poke back.

People are divided on whether helmets actually add much safety to kids riding in trailers–most of the name brands of trailers are constructed really well, and there are tales of car-trailer collisions where the kid ended up with some scratches and bruises, and it was actually the parent pulling the trailer who was more seriously injured. At least one well-respected cycling parent has told me that he considers the trailer to be one big helmet.

All that being said, it’s a good idea to get your little one in a helmet if she’s comfortable with it (1) for the reasons that @jrenaut outlines below (getting your kids in the habit of wear helmets), and (2) for the public relations aspect.

Good luck to you and your wife and happy riding!

[Meganomics]

There’s a dad in DC who bikes around with his son on a CETMA. He loves the bike; however, he’s found the company– and in particular the owner/designer– hard to work with.

His review of the CETMA cargo bike is here: http://arideaday.blogspot.com/2011/12/cetma-cargo-bike-review.html

[Meganomics]

I can only comment on the company in general–I know several people who have bought the “Moonlight”, their economy trailer, and been very happy with it. Apply that information to their other products as you choose.

[Meganomics]

DIY rain canopies for bike seats!

http://everydayadventurers.com/2011/04/dit-shade-and-rain-covers-for-the-peapod-lt/ (for rear-mounted seat. This post is specific to the PeaPod, but the technique is easily adaptable to other types of seat, especially the Yepp.)

http://www.tinyhelmetsbigbikes.com/1/post/2012/10/rain-day.html (shows the same concept on a PeaPod rear-mounted seat AND a Yepp front-mounted seat)

[Meganomics]

@dasgeh 49445 wrote:

I did, Meganomics. While listening, the family bike thread was born…

Oh my. Well, let me just say now I HAD NO IDEA I WAS TALKING FOR SO LONG. I just wanted to share All The Information.

[Meganomics]

@dasgeh 49440 wrote:

In my dream world, big wheel bikes in Lyon Village Shopping Center would be replaced by a LBS like Rolling Orange focused on commuters and family bikes.

Did you listen to the webinar last week, dasgeh? I specifically mentioned DC’s lack of a Clever Cycles-type store. BicycleSPACE and The Daily Rider are great, but their store footprints are just too small to accommodate the sheer size and variety of a good family bike selection. While I’d love to see such a shop open in DC for purely selfish reasons, maybe NoVA or MD is a better choice for the kind of space that Clever Cycles II would need.

If you haven’t listened to it, I highly recommend the webinar, especially the first part where the co-owner of Clever Cycles shares her thoughts on family bike shopping: http://blog.bikeleague.org/blog/2013/04/webinar-recording-getting-moms-and-families-on-bikes/

[Meganomics]

@kyleg 49426 wrote:

I’ve recently completed a box bike shopping adventure, so I thought I’d share a few things I’ve learned so far.

Sadly, the bike won’t arrive in time for the ABC’s, but I’d be glad to share advice with anyone who might be considering a Dutch bakfiets.

Kyleg, I would LOVE for you to come to the ABC’s of Family Biking and hang with the Show & Tell to discuss your experience trying out various bakfiets-style bikes. We can make you a special sign and hang it around your neck or something.

[Meganomics]

@83(b) 49323 wrote:

I’m not sure what the Daily Rider is selling it’s models for, but based on their prices for other stuff I suspect they’re comparable.

Rolling Orange looks like a great dealer and their Bakfiets.nl offering seems like a nice turn-key solution. Though when the battery conks in a couple of years it would probably be much more cost effective to replace it with an off brand battery from a vendor like Ping. A 24 Volt 10 Amp replacement would only set you back about $200, compared to the $500-700 I’ve seen for stock replacements.

Hey all, thought I’d pitch in with some answers where I could.

BicycleSPACE stocks the Boxcycles Christiania, a cargo trike, which retails for around $2,700
The Daily Rider stocks the Gazelle Cabby–a lighter-weight bike in the Boxbike style–and I believe the price point is $2,700 – $2,800

Daily Rider also stocks the Larry vs. Harry Bullitt. The Bullitt is becoming a very popular boxbike in the U.S. because it is built on an aluminum frame and is therefore both lighter and faster than a traditional, wood-and-steel Dutch boxbike. They are also compatible with the BionX electric pedal-assist system. The Hum of the City family in San Francisco (Humofthecity.com) went on a cargo bike-seeking odyssey last year after selling their minivan, and after weeks of exhaustive testing, they settles on an electric-assist Bullitt to carry their two kids plus groceries up and down the hills of San Francisco. There are two downsides: (1), Larry vs. Harry is expensive (buying just the platform, no box or cover or anything, will get you close to the cost of a complete Bakfiets), and (2) they are built modularly, which means you’d have to order a box and raincover for your kids separately or have them custom built. Finally, they are built for taller people–starting at 5’6″ or so. I tried riding one last year at the ABC’s of Family Biking and just could. not. do. it. because the top tube standover height is several inches higher than my inseam (owie). All that being said, if you’re not too short and are in the market for a true car replacement–and are budgeting accordingly–Lvs.H is a GREAT way to go and is really picking up steam among American cargo biking families.

The Daily Rider, along with the local Larry vs. Harry distributor (who is a total sweetheart!) will be exhibiting at The ABC’s of Family Biking on 4/28.

FINALLY, Rolling Orange stocks one more bike that I really think you should take a look at, dasgeh and others: http://rollingorangebikes.com/urban-arrow-cargo-bike/ The Urban Arrow is the latest entry in the “modern electric boxbike” category and has been generating a lot of excitement among the American family biking community. Dena, who leads the growing Philadelphia Kidical Mass ride, just recently acquired an Urban Arrow and LOVES it (http://bikemamadelphia.blogspot.com/, Twitter @lachute). As does her toddler son, who apparently has been known to climb into the box an hour early just because he wants to ride it so much. I haven’t tried one in person, but looking at pictures, it appears to be more friendly to the vertically-challenged of us (ahem) than some of the other boxbike options.

I hope this helps! I’m looking forward to hearing how your choice goes. Are you planning to come to the ABC’s of Family Biking next week? There will be Larry vs. Harry, Gazelle Cabby (hopefully), and I believe also a CETMA boxbike.

Good luck!

Megan

[Meganomics]

@dasgeh 48260 wrote:

So. Kidical Mass Arlington. If I organize it, will they [y’all ] come?

Here was my thought:

May 18th (MegaBeth…) or 19th – KidicalMassARL soft opening (first ride, but not as widely publicized, to work out kinks)
June 15th or 16th (Father’s Day!) – KidicalMassARL INAUGURAL AWESOMENESS RIDE
July 20th or 21st – KidicalMassARL hitting our stride ride
September 21st or 22nd – KidicalMassARL harvest ride (aka last official ride until next year)

October whatever-it-is-this-year – KidicalMassARL joins the family ride at the Arlington Fun Ride

So basically the 3rd weekend of every month, but not August, because no one is around in August. And either Saturday or Sunday.

Thoughts? Reactions? Route suggestions? Would anyone come?

DOOO EEEET!

(- Megan, Kidical Mass DC)

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