Ok I want us to become a Cycling Family. Where do I start?

[FillyjonkIsMilitantAboutFruit]

Right bit of a brain dump here but very interested in other peoples thoughts

am about to sort out and sell vast swathes of baby crap (oooh whole other thread about Issues here) so I should have some cash . Enough to spend about £300 on my bike, plus fixings for car, helmet for dd, etc.

I have ds 3.5 who will have a decent xmas money bike, and dd 21 months who has around £50 to spend on something like a decent trike or similar (PIL into such things. can sub a bit more here)

I have the world's crappest bike, it is too big for me and very heavy and putting me off cycling. I need a new one, preferably one for women. I do have one of those kids seats that go on the front but I hate it oooh so much, its impossible to cycle properly with it.

dp has no bike but can sort himself out given cash. he is a low priority really, he can have my old bike for a bit.

The ideal is for us to use the bikes to get round and about and also to head off with them in the car on occasion.

So I need

1. A bike that I can have on the road, with some method of conveying dd. I don't do bike trailers for numerous safety neurotic reasons so she needs to be on a seat.

1. Thoughts on adult trike

1. Thoughts on whether it is acceptable/safe for a 3 yo to be on the pavement while I am trundling along the road (we are talking quiet back streets in the early afternoon-the back from nursery run, which is about 2 miles-not the M4 in rush hour, btw). He has a bell and is trained to use it.

will come back and witter more as I google for stuff.

Any more thoughts

oh and can I take ds running with me on his bike, do you reckon? Through the park and so on?

[foxinsocks]

lol Filly

yes, DG's suggestion is a good one.

It's a difficult age (re cycling) from when they become big toddlers till they can go off confidently on their own - my 6 yr old can cycle confidently but my 5 yr old can't but I still wouldn't let the 6 yr old go on the road so we're stuck driving somewhere and parking and then cycling off (in a park or whatever).

[FillyjonkIsMilitantAboutFruit]

well dd is too young for bikes

ds i think will have an isla bike although am thinking of puky

aaargh its tricky cos there aren't really any local stockists where i can try them out (the websites say there are but really, they just order them in)

ditto womens bikes. local shops just have mens bikes, ditto localish bike hire firm.

a proper bike makes all the difference IMO and I am feckin SICK of heavy, 400 geared mens bikes.

[FillyjonkIsMilitantAboutFruit]

dh is same weight as me

he is VERY skinny

and I am not

[ScummyMummy]

That does sound good, fennel. I went on a fab ride along the Thames from Putney to Hampton Court yesterday and I thought ooo it would be nice to do this with partner and kids. Maybe tandems are the way to go. Are they expensive?

[frogs]

I have a slightly elderly Marin Larkspur, and I love it. The kids have cheap knackered old bikes, but will need to upgrade for ds if he's going to manage the ride to school.

[FillyjonkIsMilitantAboutFruit]

god there is SO many brands

can anyone reccomend a london bike shop? For WOMEN's bikes?

pref either in the central north, or easily tube accesible?

[foxinsocks]

ooh scummy, you must have cycled past me

my kids have second hand bikes - old raleighs that seem to have lasted the test of time!

I just went to our local bike shop and asked them to recommend me a bike - I have no idea even what the make is

[ScummyMummy]

That's hard, filly. Would it be worth a trip to nearest bigger bike shop in city/town?

[foxinsocks]

evans cycles are good but I don't know if there's a branch near you (they are all over London but I only know the ones in the S SW)

[FillyjonkIsMilitantAboutFruit]

can get to london and i have on tap babysitting when i get there

there MUST be a superlative bike shop in london, come on now...

[fennel]

Scummy, yes I think so, but you could maybe buy second hand and they keep their value quite well, and then sell it on.

My dds have bikes from car boot sales (£10) or else given by friends who've grown out of them, but we do ditch the less good ones we're given and only use the good ones.

[foxinsocks]

evans . I would call and check they have a good range in store before you go.

[FillyjonkIsMilitantAboutFruit]

ohhh thats what i was after fis

they don't have much in the north so will be travelling. do you know where theres a decent sized store?

[ScummyMummy]

I have a marin sausilito hybrid, frogs. Frame slightly too big because ebay cheapy but really nice ride. I keep being really tempted to trade it in for a fixie though. Keep reading that they are the most fundamental and pure of bikes... But I may be addicted to freewheeling

Filly- Evans usually seem to have a pretty good selection in store. They're all over London. One off Oxford St, one round the corner from Covent Garden, one in Victoria just to name a few. My local ones are Action bikes- branches near New Scotland yard and Embankment. Fewer bikes but good knowledge. I find bike shop people are lovely people (generally) and real enthusiasts. Tell them what you want and they will do their utmost.

[FillyjonkIsMilitantAboutFruit]

I like these btw, any thoughts?

[FillyjonkIsMilitantAboutFruit]

and thoughts here?

[FillyjonkIsMilitantAboutFruit]

my local bike shop scares me

i do know the basics at least re bikes but they are very dismissive

[fennel]

following that link, Dutch bikes are very good for fixing LOTS of child seats too - my front child seat is Dutch, and it really needs one of those big heavy dutch bikes to be attached to.

I would love, from a cycling point of view, to live in the Netherlands.

[ScummyMummy]

Thanks, fennel. Will definitely give it some thought.
fis- do you live round there? Am super if so! SO beautiful, that part of the world.

[flack]

Why do you think trailers are so unsafe? They are so lite, will fly up in the air if hit and detached, not go under wheels. They bounce fairly well. Child should be "okay" if strapped in securely. Much safer than a bike seat, imo and ime, from where they can easily end up thumping helmets on tarmac or getting road rash.

Trailers keep them dry, keep them from whinging if it hails or they're grumpy, gives you extra luggage space.

Under 5s not reliable for every day commuting, ime, unless passively seated and strapped in. I guess you can just try your DS on his own bike every day, and see how it goes. If you're really against trailers I would go for the trike, then. Not stable on fast turns, but good in all other respects, several mums locally have them. BUT the good ones are much too expensive for your £300 budget.

Join the CTC to get more advice about family cycling. There is an email list for cycling families, too, not sure how to join: [email protected]

Think that you would really want a good Hybrid for your new bike. Again, CTC pages can advise.

[FillyjonkIsMilitantAboutFruit]

no sadly

wales

which is lovely in its own way

[FillyjonkIsMilitantAboutFruit]

aaargh are they heavy fennel?

hmm

right i need to give this matter some thought

[FillyjonkIsMilitantAboutFruit]

this is what i want, but with brown hair

[fennel]

Fillyjonk, I don't know about that particular bike, but many of the bikes you see in the NL are big and heavy - what they call, I think, a "mummy bike" which is specially good for having 2 child seats on, front and back. They look old fashioned, often black with wicker baskets, so maybe the one in that link is something quite different.

[ScummyMummy]

Must be lovely to be a cycling Netherlander, yes. Social housing good there too. I think those bikes look lovely- quite heavy, built for durability and ease of use not speed maybe. Could be perfect. You need to try a few and see if you like the ride though.