Daily Commuting Tip - Commuting and Kids
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"I can't ride a bike to work today, I've got to take my son/daughter to school first"
Wrong. If you've got the will, your friendly local bike shop was the equipment you need for the task. When my son Harry was 2½ and attended day nursery, we used a rear mounted child seat to get him there. Most child seats quickly detach from the bike, meaning that I could leave the seat in the nursery ‘pram park' and ride a light bike to and from work.
Top tip: If you've got to carry your commuting kit and haul a child-seat, I found that using a pair of small front mounted panniers was ideal. Not only did it mean that my load didn't get in the way of the child seat (which occupies your rear rack), the extra weight low down at the front of the bike helped to counter-balance the weight of my ever growing son at the rear of the bike.
When he outgrew the child seat we upgraded to a trailer bike and the process was the same - the trailer bike stayed locked up outside nursery school and I rode on, unfettered, to work.
Pretty soon Harry became more independent and wanted to travel under his own steam. So we would bike to school together, lock his bike up at school and off I would go. The great thing was we would get a bike ride together every day - difficult to fit into a busy lifestyle any other way.
Of course when riding with your children, their safety and comfort is paramount. Always choose your route carefully to avoid busy roads and dangerous junctions. Make sure your child is warm enough, especially for younger children riding in child-seats, on trailers or trailer bikes. You'll be working hard and warm-as-toast while their teeth with be a-chattering. Lots of layers, hats and gloves are de-rigeur on chilly autumn and winter mornings.
‘Compound' journeys - e.g. home-school-work are the ones which usual have most people reaching for the car keys, but with a bit of determination and the right kit you can get that buzz from travelling under your own steam. Importantly, your children will be learning by example at the same time.
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