But wait! Don't we already have July planned? Well ... er ... as much as I wanted to take KM to the Milk Carton Derby, the recent realization that the 60th Anniversary of the Wallingford Kiddie Parade & Street Festival is also that morning (not to mention STP that weekend) just makes this seem like a bad time to route a big group of cyclists through Wallingford. Plus, the Wallyhood parents will be loathe to miss the parade, so ...
How would you feel about a Friday evening Kidical Mass, on Friday July 17th? Meet at 5:30p, leave at 6p, from Wallingford Playfield to the north end of Greenlake for a dip in the lake and picnic dinner? We'll still bring Mighty-O's, as promised. If you're stuck at work, meet us at the lake! Look for the bikes and the mayhem. You can keep the bike fun going with Cascade's Cyclefest on Tuesday July 21, which will feature a Family Treasure Hunt and Kids' Bike Parade.
The reason for going with Friday is that I've got my sights on Saturday August 8th for the next month's Kidical Mass (thanks for the tip, Jim). Yes folks, it's the New Belgium Tour de Fat at Gasworks! Because what goes better with family cycling than beer?
Actually, I'm told this is quite a family-friendly bike festival. Or alterna-family-friendly, at least. There's gonna be a bike ride/parade, circus-vaudeville act, the Sprockettes (a righteous synchronized mini-bike dance troupe from Portland), and others ... I'm checking with the organizers about their ride and if it'd be appropriate to join. We may just want to converge on Gasworks from points West, North, and East. I can lead Ballard to Gasworks, and if any other families would prefer to come from other destinations, just let me know. Details to follow. Apologies to any for whom the sponsorship is a turnoff, beer consumption obviously optional. New Belgium is one of the bike-friendliest businesses (platinum!) in the country, however, and this just looks like some real bike fun.
So - sorry for the July confusion! We'll still be going to the Milk Carton Derby (and Kiddie Parade!), just not en masse. But do go, and go by bike. You do not want to be parking in Wallingford that day.
Speaking of bad times to drive to Wallingford, on July 4th, Spokespeople will be leading a ride around Lake Union leaving at 2pm; make a day of it and stay for the fireworks. Also on the 4th is the Family Haulin' Fourth cargo bike ride, meeting at noon in Pioneer Square. Sounds like a great day to be on a bike, whichever ride you choose.
Now that I'm a self-styled family biking <airquotes> expert </airquotes>, I do get asked a bit about what bike or seat is best for such and such family configuration. And I'm always happy to answer at greater length than is perhaps hoped for.
So here it is, my opinionated take on what bike setup you need for you and yours. I should note my biases: for cycling a la familia I like big sturdy practical bikes with cargo capacity. Because you'll soon want to do a lot more than drive your bikes to Sunday toodles along the bike trail, and having some ever-ready cargo ability makes bikes so much more practical for errands, school dropoffs, and everyday cycling ...
I also don't love bike trailers, which seem to be the default way to bike with young kids in this country. Yes, they're easy to find, let you ride your existing road or mountain bike without much modification, work well with narcoleptic toddlers, and have good weather protection. BUT - the awkward maneuvering, lack of interaction with your kids, and the intense dislike or, at best, tolerance that they inspire in passengers (my daughter won't ride in a trailer unless another kid is along, which works until the squabbles start) make me unenthusiastic about trailers. In some respects, they might be safer than some of the other options below, but they can and do tip over.
If you like to ride bikes for the wind on your face, swoopy turns, the sensation of self-powered speed, and getting to experience the world around you with all of your senses ... then so will your kids! if you're a reasonably confident & careful rider, don't miss the delightful conversations and shared delight that comes with riding together on a family bike. Get giddy.
So find your current and future family configuration below, and see what might work for you. I'm sure other family cyclists will have their own opinions (here's another family biking overview, and another). Please comment below about what's worked for you, and I'll keep this page updated with evolving options and opinions. This is a work in progress ...
Photo Credits: All photos are linked to original flickr post. Apologies for not including credit captions - I lack the web-fu to do them on side-by-side images here.
Infant - "Baby Got Bike"
Car seat in bakfiets > adapted bike trailer > MADSEN with custom insert
This baby on bicycle section got so convoluted that it became its own blog post (you know you want to do it ... click the link). A bakfiets "box bike" takes the cake for this age, and grows nicely with your family.
Toddler (1y-3y) - "A 10MPH Hug"
Front seat > MADSEN or bakfiets or xtracycle with seat > trailer
If you have a toddler, and want to go by bike, don't miss out on your chance to ride with a front child seat (see link for big front seat rundown and safety tips). As another biking dad put it, it's a 10MPH hug. Having your young child in between your arms as you ride along, pointing out trucks and geese and planes, waving to folks as you pass, and frequently squealing with glee is amazing - truly one of my favorite parenting experiences so far. Your toddler will feel that they're driving "their bike", and will be considerably more enthused about riding with you than when they're slumped in a trailer with their helmet tipped over their eyes.
MADSEN "precious cargo bikes" and bakfietsen (or similar, like the Metrofiets above) work well too, and add room for friends and groceries. And an Xtracycle "sport utility bike" with a Bobike Maxi/Peapod rear seat or custom seat is also a great way to go. But I prefer a front seat position for as long as the child will fit up there. The advantage that a bakfiets, MADSEN, or trailer have over a front seat is naps, which can be awkward or less safe in a front seat without a "napping pad" in front of the child.
Preschooler (3y-5y) - "Backseat Driver"
Xtracycle or MADSEN or bakfiets > city bike with rear seat > trailerbike
A child this age will be too big for most front seats, so unless you've got a bakfiets, the kid moves to the back, where they get to enjoy the view of your hiney. With rear-loading seats (I like Bobike Maxi's) and bigger children, having a sturdy bike with centerstand or double-kickstand is important for loading safety and convenience. The first three up there have more stable stands and more cargo capacity than most city bikes, excepting the Dutch-style bikes with burly double kickstands. Older kids in this range might be ready for a trail-a-bike or other towing option, or could ride on an xtracycle with "stoker bars" (handlebars for them). They do need to stay awake for that kind of riding, however, and have some modicum of impulse control.
Infant & Toddler - "Party in the Front"
Bakfiets or modified MADSEN > front seat plus modified trailer
Bakfiets wins this one too, but we'll see how my MADSEN baby seat works out. I'd still prefer to have them where I can see them ... for now toddler Drew rides in a front seat and baby Luc's in the trailer.
Toddler & Preschooler - "Party in the Back"
MADSEN or xtracycle or bakfiets or "mamafiets" > trailer
This is a fun family biking situation, so look for a "party on a bike" option like the first ones up there. The MADSEN allows up to 4 kids to face each other, and in a bakfiets they can ride abreast, but an xtracycle one behind another solution is still plenty fun and is perhaps an overall more versatile bike.
A "moederfiets", or "mamachari" is a city bike with both front and rear seats. They come ready to roll like this in the Netherlands and Japan, but you can make your own with an "omafiets" (Dutch bike with step-through frame) or low-stepover xtracycle and 2 seats. A bike like this has an advantage if you want your kids separated for a more peaceful ride, or want a "normal bike" (if you're Dutch, that is) that happens to carry 2 kids.
Bike trailers work for 2 kids as well, but it's a little harder to intervene in the inevitable squabbles, which you may not hear until they get apocalyptic. Heck, in a MADSEN, you can even reach back and flail your arm around the backseat like your Dad used to do on road trips ... "He keeps thumping my helmet!" ... "I will pull the bike over this instant!"
Preschool & Older - "Too Cool for School"
FollowMe Tandem / Trail-Gator or xtracycle with bike hauler or Family Tandem or trailerbike
If you have a child that's riding their own bike but isn't yet ready to negotiate traffic, a FollowMe Tandem or Trail-Gator is really handy for school drop-offs and the like, as it allows a parent to tow their child on busier streets, but also easily detach the child's bike for independent riding. And there are several ways to carry or tow another bike with an xtracycle, either using a rack on the side-loaders, or attaching an axle clamp at the rear and towing, which is another nice way to carry child and bike. But the first options allow the child to pedal with you, which is sometimes preferable.
If you're able to trade up to yet another family bike, there are a number of family tandems out there like the KidzTandem, where the child rides in front, or modified traditional tandems where the child is the stoker in the rear. I hear lovely things from families that ride with setups like these. A trailercycle add-on (trail-a-bike, etc) is a easy, modular way to make a family "tandem" as well. It introduces some handling squirreliness relative to a real tandem, but cheap is good these days, and being able to remove it when not needed is handy.
More Older Kid Options
Xtracycle or Family Tandems/Triples
An xtracycle seems ideal for occasional kid passengers, since it performs well as a solo bike for commuting and other practical purposes as your kids graduate to their own bikes, but is always ready to give someone else and their gear (or bike, even) a ride. For regular riding together, a family tandem or triple (or quad!) is expensive but a hoot. And instead of towing kids, you get extra kid pedal power!*
* Kid power variable and intermittent, with bursts of herky-jerky, your mileage may vary.
3, 4 & More - "The Family Circus Bike"
Family Tandems/Triples Plus Trailers or Longbikes
Wherein I finally endorse a bike trailer ... for maximum clown car effect on the back of an absurdly long bike. And if you've got nice quads (multiples, not muscles), MADSEN has you covered.
Kids' Bikes
Runbikes or pedals-off bikes -> Practical & stylish kids' bikes
The current state of kids' bikes in this country leaves a lot to be desired, but we're optimistic that more sensible options will be available by the time our toddler hits this stage. Until then, here's a nice series on making the bike above right, and a discussion on BikePortland.org.
Family Biking Awards
Still confused about what to get? There are a lot of specialized options up there, so let's just keep it simple.
Best All-Rounder Family/Cargo Bike: Xtracycle. Versatile, nimble, and homegrown on our West Coast, with a great community of family riders and official/unoffical add-ons.
Up-and-coming: MADSEN's are close behind, though, as they're ready for young kid transport without expensive or custom seats. They're actively working on a lot of the 1st gen issues, and have a cabriolet-style raincover and electric assist in the works.
Just One Kid: Go Dutch. A burly city bike will get you and your kid and your cargo around with aplomb. Carry your sweetie on the back rack while you're at it.
Best Bike for Young Families: A tie between MADSEN and bakfiets. Depends on your budget and your hill situation.
Cheapest Way to Go: Have you noticed that I like shiny pricey Euro-bikes? You could also just go with an Ebay child seat or Craigslist bike trailer on a used steel-frame bike with potential, or your old MTB in the garage. But start saving ... you'll want to city bike it or xtracycle it before long.
Best Kid Seats: Bobike (Mini in the front and Maxi or Jr. in the back).
Best Family Bike Shop (and blog): Clever Cycles, in Portland, OR. I do love my local Dutch Bike Seattle and Aaron's Bike Repair (both of whom have excellent websites too), but the Clever crew have more family bike options, oodles of family & carfree expertise, dynomite customer service, a gorgeous store that's like Willy Wonka's for bikey people, and a blog worth reading from start to finish.
Most Inspiring: Xtracycle. The folks that started the longtail trend have a lovely company personality, what with their website & tweets, their bike activism, their generous attitude to newer competition, their slogans ("Every day adventure", "Where practical meets magical", etc ...), and their slideshows. I'll leave you with this one:
What follows is a bike confession, and a whole lot of rumination about bringing a baby by bike.
Oh, how I've agonized over this one. We're not a car-free family, so we have the option of driving, but I really prefer to bike at this point, and since so many of our outings are by bike, I've been chomping at the bit to let our infant Luc in on the "bike fun".
Just to be clear - most of the injury prevention crowd and cycling mainstream would say "no go" to babies on bikes. But people do it anyway, so here is my opinion how how a motivated and risk-aware parent might go about this. If done carefully it would seem to be not so different from a jogging stroller. For both bike and jogging stroller, however, it's probably wise to wait until at least 3-6 months. That said - how long did I last? 7 weeks. Your risk assessment may vary ... I do count myself as certifiably family-bike-crazy.
The primary concern with an infant is the bobble-head issue. Infants do not have appropriate musculature to support their relatively large heads, and thus cannot mitigate jostling and impact forces the way we can. There is also some concern about unrecognized repeated minor head injury from shaking and subtle impacts, as well as stresses on their necks. They of course, cannot communicate specific discomforts the ways toddlers can, so it’s hard to know if those are being missed.
So how can we minimize these risks, besides waiting until they're one year old and can sit steadily upright before taking them by bike? Amidships position in between the wheels (to reduce travel from impacts from front and back wheels), placement as low as possible to reduce rotational momentum with tipovers, a bike with a flexy steel frame and big tires run at low pressure, use of a well-secured rear-facing standard car seat, and a position where neither driver nor bike can land on baby all seem important.
Baby in Bakfiets, by wittcoThe best way I've seen to accomplish this is with a car seat mounted rear-facing in the wooden box of a Dutch bakfiets or similar bike. This placement is low and centered between the wheels of this long bike, which minimizes up and down movement from bumps, and makes tipovers less scary. The wooden box affords extra protection, and the bike itself is not known for its speed. Plus, the baby is facing the rider, so it's easy to monitor jostling and comfort, as well as interact.
Sure, a bakfiets is expensive, but if you don't live in a very hilly area it'll be an ideal young kid carrier from baby number one up through multiple toddlers and preschoolers. Failing that, eager parents in the US often use infant adapters in bike trailers, which do worry me in terms of a lot of jostling (placement right over the axle), debris coming off the rear tire, and tipover potential. The bike trailer companies do market various infant slings and infant seat adapters, but are careful to specify that these are for strolling, not biking. From feedback I've heard, the slings may do a better job than the infant seat adapters with head pads and body wraps, as slumping forward in the seat seems to occur with the latter.
Luc on his first ride, already asleepWith our youngest I did end up going the trailer route, but instead of an infant adapter, I mounted a car seat base in the trailer for click in click out convenience, which was handy because Luc falls asleep instantly when we bike. It's soporrrific! In fact, when I'm desperate to help him nap, I go for a quick ride. A padded body/head support (the Snuzzler, see also the Cradler) helps prevent jostling in the seat. I keep the trailer tire pressures very low for extra suspension (better trailers have built-in suspension), use fenders and the front vinyl window to keep debris out of his eyes, stay on quiet smooth streets and trails, and am paranoid about my speed and around bumps.
So what's next? I'm working on a custom seat where he sits rear-facing (car-seat style) low-down in our MADSEN bucket, strapped in using the Chariot baby supporter for head/neck padding and secure harness. He'll be protected on three sides by the bucket and padding, and will be rear-facing (safer) but also facing Drew on the back bench (fun, not always safe depending on her mood).
Other options that could work but are hard to come by would include a car seat in cargo trike, like this Christiania (click for cute photo). The upcoming Taga convertible trike/stroller also seems to have an infant option.
An option to avoid which you'll see if you read enough about Dutch biking is the front or rear-rack car seat adaptor. Read this test report to see why that's not a good idea. Other options to avoid are detailed in our April 1st post on "Baby on Bike Breakthroughs" ...
But what about the helmet? After all, in the US, bike safety often seems to begin and end with "wear a helmet". In these infant-on-bike options, my humble opinion is that a helmet would likely do more harm than good, since it adds weight to the head, pushes the head forward, introduces strap/airway concerns, and is designed for linear impacts and falls that just shouldn't happen in these setups. That said, if you're trying to comply with local laws, you might look at this.
So there you have it - my baby on bike confession, and a year's worth of ruminating on this topic. What do you think? Is biking with babies a selfish thing for crazed parents with self-reinforcing bike obsessions to do? Or is it our culture of fear and high-anxiety parenting that has had me in such a lather about such pursuits? I'm not sure myself, sometimes. Where would you draw the line? What has worked for you? Go ahead, out yourself in the comments ...
Today's Kidical Mass to the beach was lovely, ride report to follow when I get pictures, but just a quick heads up that tomorrow is a Family Bike Expo down near Seward Park:
The 3rd Annual Family Bike Expo is coming up on Sun., June 14, from 11am to 4pm at the Ferdinand Street End Park just north of Seward Park on Lake Washington Blvd. and organizer Morgan Scherer could use some help.
Join local families who use their bikes as their sole means of transportation and try out different family biking setups, including a Madsen bike, an Xtracycle, a Big Dummy, a trail-a-bike, a front-loading child seat, a bike trailer, a tandem, a electric-assist recumbent pedicab, a recumbent trailer bike and more. There will also be maps and route information, free blinkies and snap bracelets, first-aid kits and coloring books for the kids.
I'm so sad I just heard about this, as it would have been most excellent to route Kidical Mass down Lake Washington Blvd to this event. Last year's expo was great - all sorts of high occupancy velos, nice people answering questions about their family bikes, cheap helmets, test rides, Gypsie's high-zoot red-all-over stokemonkeyed xtracycle with the foam dice, and more. Go!
We rode down to a surreal event tonight - the Second Ascent Twilight Criterium, which shut down Old Ballard Ave and Shilshole from 3-9pm today for a series of races. Drew and her friends Francesca and Enzo LOVED it, reaching for the racers and hollering each time they passed around the short circuit, delighting in the gust of wind that the pack produced. Baby Luc represented as well ... Go Ballard Go!
If you like to wear your coffee to work, have I got the bicycle accessory for you. My darling wife, knowing that I was chugging my morning cup of coffee before heading out on my morning commute, special ordered a Soma Fabrications Morning Rush Coffee Mug and Holder for my recent birthday. Since I have heretofore had no reservations about bolting one novelty item after another to my Dutch bike, it sounded like a capital idea. A "Sit Up and Ride" bike would seem to lend itself to morning coffee.
The product itself is basically a round metal sheath riveted to a Cateye mount, with a 16 oz travel mug with the Soma logo and "My other legal stimulant is my bicycle" on it. You see, Soma has cred, being located in some hip part of SF making steel-is-real frames for discerning cyclists. It seemed that if anyone could make a bike mug that worked in the real world, it'd be them.
Wear your coffee with this bike mug!Too bad they don't seem to have actually ridden with this product on actual, you know, roads. The ones with bumps and cracks and tracks and such. They do warn the consumer to "only operate your mug when stopped", but sadly, this craptacular mug operates itself.
First tipoff on this morning's inaugural coffee ride was the Vesuvius of java bubbling out of the closed top as I wheeled my bike out of the garage. Being that it looked headed for my work shoes (I'm a plain-clothes cyclist), I tearfully poured out half of my mug before riding off. But the coffee kept erupting, through the cheap plastic slider and vent on the lid. I hadn't got 2 blocks before it started raining coffee on my lower extremities.
Heeding their advice, I tried drinking at the first red light, to be rewarded with a wet coffee ring on my face from the flooded lid, and several big coffee rivulets on my pants from the sides of the mug. Oh, and an already tepid sip of coffee.
Arriving at my one worksite without a spare change of clothes, I got to spend the day doing the coffee stanky leg at work. I wouldn't be so peeved if the product hadn't cost $40 for a metal ring, some spare Cateye parts, and a $2 travel mug. Leakproof mugs do exist. This will never be one of them. And I don't think mine is defective; it's just cheap. Makes me want to trade it all in for a flask holder.
So what to do? Not sure I can return it to my LBS, and I wouldn't want them to eat the cost. And I'm still quite taken with the idea of coffee on my commute. Any suggestions, gentle readers?
It's on, family bike people! Kidical Mass Seattle Rides #2 and #3 are coming soon to a north Seattle location near you ...
Why the north-of-the-ship-canal bias? Well, our sign-ups and first ride participants have been overwhelmingly Uptown, and so we're going to grow this thing up here for the short-term, hoping to venture to Lake Washington Blvd, Elliott Bay trail, or even West Seattle as the summer moves on. We figure we'll get more families to participate if they don't have to commute too far to the ride itself.
So, what's happening in June? It's going to be a Kidical Mass to the Beach! On Saturday, June 13th (a scant 10 days away!), we'll meet at the playground behind Salmon Bay School at 10:30am, and depart at 11am on a fun residential street adventure through Ballard, via the spiffy new Ballard Corners Park, and on a whirlwind tour past as many Ballard parks as possible, picking up the new Burke Gilman trail extension to our destination: Golden Gardens! Whereupon we will enjoy a bring-your-own-picnic lunch, some popsicles furnished by us (less melted this time), and summer at the beach. Forgot your lunch? Stop by Paseo or Lil' Coney for takeout.
UPDATE!
June rocked, by the way. 50-60 folks, a lovely ride and day at the beach. Thanks to all that rolled out!
And what about July? It's the Milk Carton Derby! On Saturday, July 11, we'll meet at Wallingford Playfield at the crack of 9:30am (painful for some, midday for others), fuel up on Mighty-O Donuts, and head out by 10am for a quick ride down to Greenlake for a promenade along Greenlake Way back towards the south end of the lake, where a Cascade bike corral will be set up. Milk Carton races start at 10am, we'll be a bit late, but that's how we roll. Races go all morning, with a Children's Show at noon. See the Seafair site for more info about this big fun day.
So ... a mellow local jaunt to the beach and a big overstimulating day at Greenlake ... hopefully we've got your recreational preferences covered. We're experimenting a bit with creating our own "event" and traveling to cool Seattle summer happenings. We promise more Friday evening rides later this summer. And if you want more rides south of the Ship Canal, sign up and let your vote be counted! And please comment below if you have thoughts or suggestions. And wouldn't it be nice if Mighty-O sponsored those morning donuts? Anyone with a connection?
This post is a bit belated, but the recent long weekend was an epic family biking time for us. So epic that I've developed the dread "anterior knee pain", either from too much pedal mashing, or the seat not being quite where it should be on my city bike conversion.
The brompton seat post adapter was lost on Kidical Mass #1 and it is SORELY missed - having the seat laid back 1-2 inches makes a huge difference, taking a godawful "hybrid bike" riding position (body upright, but a cramped cockpit with body right over the pedals) to a comfortably upright, laidback Dutch position.
Bike style in car seatSo in this week of glorious weather, I've been getting around on my wife's electric scooter, surprised by how much I miss pedaling, as I hum along on the roads next to the Burke Gilman, pining for the bike (but coveting an electric assist for long cargo missions).
Luckily, I have the following memories to sustain me. Saturday, we rode bikes (baby Luc in tow!) down to the "secret beach" behind the Shilshole Beach Club, where we drooled over some takeout Paseo Cuban sandwiches, dug sand chairs, and splashed in the water.
Madsen-by-the-Sea
Sunday, we took friends on a bike picnic to the Fremont canal, where we again dined on tasty sandwiches, this time upscale Vietnamese ones from Baguette Box. Plus Mighty-O donuts. Mmm ... must get sponsorship from them. We had so many folks along that we ran out of bikes, finally proving the utility of having a garage full of bikes. "Too many bikes" my arse. But my twin-in-law Melly resurrected the aforementioned electric scooter and enjoyed it thoroughly.
Move over Stokemonkey ... it's STOKEMADDIE!And Monday was the Aaron's Bike Repair 3rd Annual Cargo Bike Jamboree! My brother-in-law Kevin and the cousins Maddie and Lola came with me and Drew, riding the Madsen and the city bike conversion, with 6yo Maddie fiendishly stoking the bike via a Trail-Gator hookup to her own pink bike. Ballard to Pike Place Market for the meetup, a leisurely ride past Alki to Lincoln Park in far West Seattle for picnic, bike drooling, and throwing pebbles into the sea. Great ride, lovely folks, lots of cool bikes. Maddie rode for 20+ miles!!! What a star.
And then back again, the Madsen serving as a handy "sleeper car" for its passengers, with 3yo Lola slumped forward onto pillows, and Drew down in the bucket sitting on pillows. "Cozy cozy cozy" as Drew likes to say. We stopped for ice cream on the waterfront, natch, followed by the girls chanting "Baby Got Back" over and over as we rode up the Elliott Bay trail. Where they learned this song, we know not (perhaps from Sir Mix-A-lot himself, a local?). Luckily, they don't know much beyond that, so we made it up for them:
I like big bikes and I cannot lie
You other brothers can't deny
When a bike rolls in with a xtra longtail
Or a big ol' juicy bucket
That cargo we like to truck it
Oh baby you got three kids in the back
And ample cargo in the front rack
36-24-36 is our gear ratio
So load up the saddlebags, big daddy-o
My bike is long, and strong, and likes to get the passengers on
Baby got back!
I'm not at all convinced our version was more appropriate. And Fossil Fool's bike rapping job seems pretty secure at this point. But hey, happy summer, everybody ...
Kidical Mass Seattle's first ride was a HOOT! Sunny and 70 degrees after a week of cold rain, bikes everywhere you looked for Bike to Work/School day, and a lovely turnout of 73 people on 59 bikes for the KM ride!
The Kidical Mass FlagshipWe swarmed Ballard Commons park by the skate park, endured some blather by me about the route and how to keep things safe, legal, and fun, and then we were off, at the speed of, well, a slow walking pace.
The thing about keeping things legal and not corking intersections is that a large group can take 3-4 light cycles to get across an intersection. So our procession on foot through the Cascade Bike to Work afterparty was not the swiftest, although it was enthusiatically narrated by our new best friend, the Cascade guy with the mike. Who was that man? M.J., kiss him for us.
We then rolled down Old Ballard Ave in style, blissfully traffic-free, ringing and dringing and dinging it up. We came up two by two at the dread 17th and Shilshole intersection (we had a stop sign, Shilshole motorists didn't), where we deployed our "crossing ambassadors", wielding some signs I whipped up with the image at the end of this post. They dismounted and walked across the road when a gap showed up, while we let small packets of riders stop and then cross. It worked well - we didn't let any traffic build up, but the presence of our 2 "pedestrians" was a safe, legal, and smiley way to make sure our ducklings made it across safely. How do I spell relief? R-O-L-ling 73 people through an intersection that's sketchy enough for one without any confrontation.
A De-Lovely Day for a Family Bike RideThe railroad tracks under the bridge were chaperoned by Matt, who reminded folks to cross at a right angle, lest they have an unscheduled playdate with the tooth fairy. We massed up at Dutch Bike Seattle, and then took off down the Burke Gilman trail, past trains, the canal, a gaggle of geese, and the Fremont bridge, which rose right on cue. Whenever I looked back, a line of families on bikes as far as I could see glinted in the sun ... trailers of all sorts, front seats, rear seats, some family tandems, two MADSEN's, two bakfietsen, 3 infants, a whole mess of toddlers, and a posse of 4-7 year old kids on their own bikes, many of whom had never ridden 3 miles under their own power before. They arrived Gasworks glowing with pride and excitement.
Happy Bikey FamilyPart of that glow may have been due to the ice chests of popsicles and drinks that awaited (thanks Kim!!!). It was a backwards meal, with pizzas arriving 15 minutes later, which were rapidly consumed on a grassy knoll facing the lake and Seattle skyline. Bubbles, frisbees, and bikes were played with, kid cargo setups were scoped out, and a lovely bunch of people seemed really enthused about doing this again next month. I, for one, can't wait!!!
A group of Ballard families rode home at the sunset afterglow, past throngs of other bikey folks, one of which did "the wave" for us as we rode by them on the canal. As for the Critical Mass/Kidical Mass confusion, there was no corking, no honking, just a nice happy bell-ringing vibe.
A huge thanks from all of us to my wife Kim, who greeted us with babe in arms, balloons, and dinner! She put up with much obsessing and consternation from me this week. In fact, I was in quite a state on the day of the ride. A week's worth of trying to respond with positive energy to online crankypantses and bike-fear-mongers left me questioning a lot of what we were doing that day, both the details of where and when but also the general concept. But since the ride, it is clear to me that Kidical Mass is a GOOD THING. Several of the families who joined us were inspired to "go by bike" together this weekend, and the older kids are still talking proudly about how well they rode. If we have a dastardly plan, it is just this: help kids (and parents) feel not just safe, but fired up about riding places on their bikes!
Thanks as well to George, who helped me plan the ride and brought his formidable Ballard biking clan with him. We discovered that we're basically bike twins - two family biking obsessed dads with MADSEN's, 3 month olds that we somewhat guiltily trailer on occasion, and wives who tolerantly ride mountain bike conversions with ridiculously similar spec (Schwalbe's, dimension city bars, cork grips, waxed canvas, and much shellac - your basic practical bike chic geekery). Anne and Tim of carfreedays were tied up in a splendidly successful bike to school day but also helped get the word out, as did MJ from Cascade.
Much thanks to Rob, an experienced Cascade ride leader who's been fired up about Kidical Mass since last year, and who joined our ride as outrider and safety ambassador. Big big thanks as well to our lovely crossing ambassadors, outriders, Melissa with the popsicles, and our sweeper and mechanic, Kevin, who piloted the Madsen SAG wagon. I'll be whipping up some Kidical Mass/Totcycle swag shirts for you!
I was too out of my gourd to take any photos, so the lovely ones here are courtesy of Petra. If anyone else out there has photos, please please email them or upload them to our Kidical Mass Seattle flickr group (and the original KM flickr group too - thanks Shane & co.!). And don't forget to sign up, follow our tweets, or stay tuned to our blog so that we can tell you about our next ride in JUNE!
Make Way for Ducklings (adapted from this lovely photo for our crossing signs)
Our New Logo? Via wallyhood.org ...Hey all - Kidical Mass Seattle kicks off tomorrow, on Friday May 15th, meeting in Ballard Commons Park (by the skate bowl) at 5:30, leaving at 6pm for Gasworks! Details here.
The weather forecast is making me happy, although I'm having a hard time believing it after the week we've had. Also, the Burke Gilman trail closure in Fremont will not affect us, as it will only be closed between 9:30am and 3pm tomorrow. Most excellent.
Hard to know yet how big it'll be, but there's been a good bit of excitement!
A few potential issues remain - the Ballard Summer Streets / Cascade Bike-to-Work afterparty might get a little crowded. Come early to check it out (lots of cool booths planned), and we'll try to get through without disrupting things. Or go around.
Otherwise, we'll cautiously cross Shilshole, and make sure to take the train tracks at a right angle before the Ballard Bridge, with riders stationed to help with that. By the time we hit the Burke Gilman trail, we expect that Bike to Work commute traffic will be reasonable, but we may need to single-file it on the trail if busy.
And hey - if we get a great turnout, the weather is de-lovely, and Bike to Work folks turn out en masse, that'll be a happy "problem" to solve tomorrow.
Generally speaking, this may be a more advanced ride than many future Kidical Masses will be, at least in terms of other potential traffic to contend with. The Saturday morning rides, in particular, will be geared towards accommodating more novice riding styles on quiet streets and trails. If at any point a parent or child feels uncomfortable or too wobbly for the situation, remember that it's perfectly fine to dismount and walk on the sidewalk or trail. We remain committed to "no child left behind", and will have sweepers to help any stragglers, as well as family cargo bikes that are happy to carry kids or gear if so desired.
The Fremont Comment Troll, from carfreedaysPromoting this has been an interesting experience. Like-minded bikey folks have been really excited about it. But I will say this - the Critical Mass brand is not doing so hot in Seattle. As a result, the affiliated-in-playful-name-only Kidical Mass brand is not testing well among certain online focus groups. To whit: Cascade forums, MyBallard, and Wallyhood posts have had some lively comment threads that at times felt crankier and more troll-tastic than a Seattle PI Soundoff cars vs bikes fest.
Thing is, I thought folks would see the absurd humor of naming a ride with young kids after big bad Critical Mass. And that reasonable people would probably not assume that we were a "bike terrorist" training cell, just itching to take our toddlers downtown to disrupt their commute.
So we'll make sure to keep things positive, legal, and courteous tomorrow, and see if that takes care of our little "branding issue". This update from Wallyhood made my day yesterday, and helps keep things in perspective. See you tomorrow!!!
Update:
Yonder, in the East! It's a group of families planning on biking from Met Market in NE Seattle on the trail to Gas Works to meet us coming from the other side of town! Join them at 5:30 pm on Friday, May 15 - they leave by 5:45 pm!
Totcycle | Family Biking. This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons License. Logo courtesy Tall Cow. Have fun, stay safe, and watch out for those cars.
July 1, 2009 
The reason for going with Friday is that I've got my sights on Saturday August 8th for the next month's Kidical Mass (thanks for the tip, Jim). Yes folks, it's the New Belgium Tour de Fat at Gasworks! Because what goes better with family cycling than beer?
