by Nancy Sathre-Vogel
If you are wanting to get out on your bike with your children, you have quite a few options available to help you do that. Choose what works for your family!
Small children will need to be connected to your bike in some way. There are a number of options available: trailer, trailer bike, tandem, or coupler to attach your child's bike behind yours.
A trailer is the perfect option for many families. Your child can ride comfortably and sleep when he wants. He can play with toys in the safety of his little home. It is also easy to protect children from the elements in a trailer and you can stash extra gear in there with him.
Trailers aren't perfect though; there are some disadvantages. Many parents find their children sleep all day in the trailer and then want to play all night when the parents need to sleep. Also, some children can get frustrated that they are not part of the team helping to propel the bike.
A trailer bike is another option to consider. A one-wheeled contraption that hooks to the back of your bike, a trailer bike allows a child to pedal and help out with the workload, yet he can rest when he wants. Higher end trailer bikes come with gears, which is recommended if you plan to cycle up any hills. Your child will be very proud of what he's done when you get to the top of the hill!
A disadvantage of a trailer bike is that there is no easy way too protect your child from the elements. Even with proper rain gear, hands and feet are vulnerable if weather turns bad. Also, kids tend to be lulled to sleep with the gentle rocking of the bike, which can lead to a dangerous situation.
Tandems are great for family cycling. Many of the advantages of tandems are the same as for the trailer bike - the child is actively helping and is part of the team. But the tandem has the additional benefit of pedaling in sync so your child learns proper cadence and is more tied to the captain. Due to the close proximity, you can talk with your child on a tandem.
Tandems, however, are expensive. They are dedicated tandems and you will not be able to simply jump on to run errands alone. They are also very oversized so are difficult to fly with. If you plan to travel a lot with your tandem, it will be worth the extra money for S & S couplers so you can break the bike down into small pieces.
One more option that works for touring with children is a small connector that connects an adult's bike to a small kid's bike. The child can ride his bike on his own when desired, but when tired can be towed behind Mom or Dad. The two connectors currently available are the Trail Gator Tow Bar and Follow Me coupler.
When your child is a bit older, a single bike becomes an option. Not all children mature at the same rate, so it is difficult to give an age - one child might be ready to ride his own bike at age 8 while another child would need to wait until a teenager. Pay attention to your child and make the decision based on his skills and personality. Consider his physical strength, coordination, ability to be aware of surroundings, and maturity.
Many families have kids of varying ages, so find a combination of some sort works best for them. A tandem with a trailer works well, and the trailer bike companies are now making them so a trailer can be attached behind. It makes a long train, but allows a family to get out on tour - which is a good thing!
Want to find out more about bicycling with children, then visit Nancy Sathre-Vogel's site for tips and inspiration from afamily on bikes.
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