Just back in town after a Brompton-NYC-work-trip (another in a long list of posts I should write), and barely in time for Pedalers' Fair this weekend, in our very own Ballard! Bike crafts! Slide show by Russ and Laura of Path Less Pedaled! Food! Beer garden! Fellow family bike peeple! What more do you need?

And so we ride, this Saturday! And in May, of course, we wouldn't miss Bike to Work & School Day on May 18th. Which leaves June and July wide open for suggestions, but I guarandamnteeit that one Kidical Mass ride this summer will be bike camping! Ride to Bainbridge Ferry, then to Fay Bainbridge for an overnight, possibly in conjunction with Bike for Pie on August 19th. 

As what few readers remain may have noticed, I do need help planning and organizing these rides, especially south of the ship canal, so contact me if you have a ride idea you'd like to own and lead. I'd like to get a regular third-weekend-of-the-month rotation going, but have conclusively demonstrated that I can't do it by my lonesome.

We'll keep this one simple, and classic. Gas Works Park by the play barn/play area. 11am this Saturday 4/21/12. Leave at 11:15ish, ride the Burke Gilman to 1415 NW 49th St for the bike crafts fair. Russ and Laura start at 2pm, if you're able to stick around. Food is promised, but I don't know how kid-friendly. BYO backup food, or know that there's lots nearby, including el camion truck 3 blocks away. Yes.

Why this Saturday, November 19th? Because the Ship Canal Trail is done, and there's an opening ceremony, and we plan to be among the first to ride this spiffy gem on the other side of the canal from the Burke Gilman Trail. 

This is another "missing link" trail, that now connects Burke-Gilman, Dexter, and Westlake with Magnolia and the Elliott Bay Trail to downtown. The Ship Canal Trail has previously been a scenic and secret trail to nowhere, but now has real utility. 

We checked it out this summer when the yellow segment finished, and were delighted by a real live maritime firefighter training session on a mock ship, complete with MASSIVE PYRO! 

No promises on Saturday. But it sure would be a toasty way to welcome folks to the trail. Hint hint pyro people.

Let's meet at the Ballard Library at 10am, ride through the Locks, and through Fisherman's Terminal to the 11am opening ceremony. There will be a short stretch of on-road action between the Locks and Terminal. We can do it.

Then we'll ride this scenic (in an industrial then canal sort of way) trail, and pop over the Fremont Bridge for a lunch at Fremont Brewing. We'll bring hot cider to warm folks up. Fremont Brewing is BYO food, and quite kid friendly. You can pack a picnic, but there is adjacent teriyaki, and nearby sweet and savory PIE. 

Then anyone who likes can ride back to Ballard with us on the Burke Gilman Trail. This ride will be a great chance to show off your "how I keep the kids warm/dry" tricks for winter! We've got a MEC Newt Suit a la FamilyRide clan that we're liking for the wet. And contemplating hot-water bottle with waterproof-on-one-side picnic blanket for the cold.

If you don't have kids with you that day, or live in a Capitol Hill/South Seattle direction, may I suggest an alternate event? Because Cranksgiving 2011 bike ride/food drive happens to be on the same day (sorry Tom!). We really enjoyed it last year, but my kids were more totsicle than totcycle by the end of it, so I don't think we'll make it such a big loop with snow in the forecast. But you should.

How did we ever get from this:

and this:

and this:

... to a brave little 2 and a half year old who likes pirates, swords, superheroes, swimming underwater, bikes and buses?

Thus the extra-special multimodal commute for his first day to his new preschool near my work. Normally I'll ride Drew and Luc on the eMADSEN, and drop Drew off first, but today Luc and his daddy took the Brompton, ITchair, and the bus.

If I were slightly less neglectful of blogging this year, you would have heard a lot more about the eMADSEN and the Brompton with front seat. Suffice it to say (for now!) that the Brompton with ITchair front seat is the coolest way on the planet for a parent and a 3-5yo to "jetpack for two" around town. 

So here's to Luc, loving his new commute:

Folding bike for two, ORCA card in hand!

Missing momma, just a bit ...

Cascade red snap anklet = sword and handcuffs in a pinch

He blew me a kiss and ran back to the blocks ...

Wishing you and your little big ones a lovely (and wistful) first day of school ...

Work on Ballard Neighborhood Greenways routing and promotion has been fun (wikistix!), and we're excited to show folks what routes look good to us, and get your opinion. Join us tomorrow July 31, 2011, as Ballard Greenways and friends ride the routes, and wind up at a good, old-fashioned Field Day event.

I'm out of town, but Jen will be leading the ride, and was happy to include the Kidical Mass crew. On this 4 mile on-street ride, if your kids don't yet ride in a reasonably straight line or stop reliably, then they’re probably safer on a trailer, trail-a-bike, cargo bike, etc ...

Come join Ballard Greenways as we ride our favorite routes in Ballard! This is a family-friendly easy-going ride that will start and finish at the Ballard  Library, just in time for the Summer Field Day at Ballard Commons Park. We like quiet streets, with easy crossings as great routes for people of all ages to get around the neighborhood.

We’ll meet at the Ballard Library at 2:30 and leave at 3:00. We’ll ride some of our proposed Greenway routes and be back at the library by 4:00, just in time for the Summer Field Day.

And don't miss our new, homegrown promotional, "Will You Ride with Sophie?", from Cascade:

And if you haven't seen it yet, don't miss "Me and My Bike" from earlier this year:

These videos are how promoting bikes should work. All joy, easy on the enviroguilt, save the safety lecture for another day. Speaking of which, "The Joy of Cycling" poster is not to be missed, for those of us who grew up with a certain book on their parents' bookshelves. 

Update: Read on for background and proposed routes, but the latest Ballard Greenways information is to be found on the Ballard Greenways Facebook Page

Calling all Ballard bike people! Neighborhood Greenways (the streets formerly known as Bicycle Boulevards) are coming to Seattle. Soon. And in a big way.

Thus far, Seattle bike improvements have tended to favor commuters, and "fast and fearless" cyclists, with narrow bike lanes on busy arterials. While the associated road diets have lowered rates of speeding and accidents, being wedged between fast motor vehicles and the door zone is not exactly where you want to be with your kids. It's time to address the "willing but worried" who would ride if they felt safer, using designs that cater to cyclists of all ages and abilities, helping them get to neighborhood schools, parks, libraries, and shops, on pleasant, traffic-calmed "bike arterials."

Enter the Neighborhood Greenway. Take a quiet street, often parallel to a busy arterial, with already lowish motor-traffic volumes. Add calming devices that discourage cut-through speeding motorist traffic (speed bumps, speed tables, curb extensions, chicanes, etc), and favor through-traffic for bikes by turning some stop signs to favor the greenway, and at arterials, provide safe crossings for bike/peds but divert motorists onto the arterial. Bonus points for adding "green" features such as stormwater diversion "rain gardens" in conjunction with curb extensions, trees, and other greenery. Make the routes distinctive and let motorists know to expect bike/peds with large street markings, and wayfinding signs that help cyclists navigate our bike-friendly network.

Unlike some more controversial (yet still vital) infrastructure where traffic or parking lanes are removed, the Greenway approach is potentially less divisive. Residents can still drive home, but experience calmer streets and higher property values. Pedestrians are spared from speeding motorists, and have safer crossings. People on bikes both feel and are safer, due to the "safety in numbers" phenomenon, and are able to keep their momentum up with fewer stops on the route. And by attracting cyclists to these "bike arterials", there are fewer cyclists on the other arterials, which benefits motorists. The only people who lose are the drivers that like to speed down your quiet neighborhood street. Oh well.

There's a lot of momentum towards this new school of bike facility in town. Sally Bagshaw, of the City Council, has caught the fever, and reports that others on the Council see neighborhood greenways as a win-win. Seattle Parks Foundation is on board, as are Cascade and the Mayor's Office. SDOT is relatively late to this concept (especially compared to Portland, Vancouver, Berkeley, and other bike-friendly cities with extensive greenways networks) but is coming around. What's nice about Seattle is that the push for these is coming from neighborhood groups like Beacon BIKES, Spokespeople (Wallingford), Seattle Children's, not to mention a host of interested Ballard bike/walk organizations. After all, we know best what streets are bike-friendly, and where everyday cyclists need to ride. A number of us have been meeting together to help our Greenways get off to a successful start.

For more info on Seattle Greenways, see these resources:

• Our post on "Ballard Bicycle Boulevards" from 2 summers back, before the "ixnay on the ikebay" / more inclusive name change
• Sally Bagshaw's posts on Greenways
• An excellent recent series on Seattle's Neighborhood-Powered Streets movement from SeattleBikeBlog
• Download an excellent design manual 

The first Seattle Greenways are likely to be in Wallingford on N 43/44th St, Laurelhurst on 39th Ave NE, and Beacon Hill on 17th/18th Ave S, due the efforts of neighborhood grassroots organizations. Let's get Ballard on the map for round two of Seattle Greenways, and push for a connected network of greenways rather than a single street. Ballard's flat-for-Seattle neighborhood grid is ideal for such a system, one that can get families to places they need to go in Ballard, and connect to established routes like the Burke Gilman trail, and the downtown route through the Locks and Elliott Bay Trail. 

Here is a very rough draft of what Ballard's network might look like (original Seattle map by Dylan Ahearne of Beacon BIKES). Detailed thoughts on routes follow. But we need your input! Please post suggestions in the comments, and I'll update the map as consensus evolves. SDOT truly wants to know what we think, and so does the City Council. 

Proposed Neighborhood Greenways in Ballard

View Ballard Greenways in a larger map, with other cycle routes

28th Ave NW

I really like 28th Ave NW, as it's already a popular N-S bikeway, with relatively gentle grade, that would route from the top of Sunset Hill, down past the Nordic Museum and park, in front of Adams Elementary plus the Ballard Community Center & Playfield, across Market (already has a traffic light), to the future Missing Link section of the Burke Gilman and downtown through the Locks. Some motorists like to speed down it, as it's relatively wide, so there could be some pushback, but calming this street would have real safety benefits for residents and Adams Elementary students.

NW 57th/58th Street

This vital E-W route links up Seaview Avenue at Ray's (and the Burke Gilman trail extension), past QFC, Ballard Commons Park, the Ballard Library, downtown Ballard, the Port Office, supermarkets on 15th, and so on. The arterial crossings are already signalized. It's 1-2 blocks away from many local Ballard businesses. Love it. Only issue I have is 57th is pretty narrow west of 24th Ave, which can be said of some of the other routes. That'll be something to carefully mull over, as the visibility and shareability of such streets is limited, and I don't think such streets would easily lose one parking lane. Some streets already have a "no parking" side in sections, which could help.

17th Ave NW

This N-S route would link up North Ballard, Salmon Bay School (and parks), the new Ballard Corners Park, Market Street businesses, Swedish Medical Center, lower Ballard Ave, and the Burke Gilman. It would need a crossing treatment at 17th and Shilshole, but that's been needed for years, and is in the interim plan for the Missing Link. The Leary crossing would also need a median refuge or signal. Market has a light. 65th crossing would need help as well. Interestingly, this is the only proposed Greenway on the Seattle Bike Master Plan, which is due for it's midway update next year. 

NW 67th Street

This E-W route would connect to the routes above, is wide in the West, and would provide a calmer alternative to busy/narrow 65th for Salmon Bay and Ballard High Schools. Crossing 24th and 15th would need some help. NW 70th St is a similar route to consider, as it seems roomier in East Ballard, has a light on 15th, includes the Honore/Delancey business strip and intersects with Salmon Bay Park. Maybe make it 67st-70th St route, jogging up 17th Ave?

11th-12th Ave NW

This route hooks the Burke Gilman Trail at Fred Meyer up to North Ballard, past Gilman Playground, and including Ballard High School.

NW 77th St

This is a nice E-W bikeway that routes from Sunset Hill Park, past Loyal Heights Elementary & Community Center, and provides one of the gentler routes up and over Phinney, connecting nicely to North Greenlake at the wading pool, on streets that already include some calming features like the chicanes near the lake. Intersects the Interurban bike trail as well. 

6th Ave NW

This N-S Greenway could link the BG Trail at Hale's, up past Pacific Crest School, West Woodland Elementary, to NE Ballard.

What do you think? Please share your thoughts and suggestions, as this is just a rough start. As you design, remember that the most expensive part of Greenways are arterial crossings, so bonus for routes that already have safe ways across. What routes would you like to see created first?

As our proposed Greenways get tightened up, I propose we borrow the 7-person Conference Bike from Dutch Bike and ride the routes with interested parties and stakeholders. Who's in for a round-bike discussion on the streets of Ballard?

Sunny Seattle Summer is so close I can taste it. Sandy Paseo sandwiches at the "secret beach," D'Ambrosio Gelato, Solstice Pale Ale at Fremont Urban Beer Garden, pit stops for blackberries most places we ride. Delicious sunny summery times await!

To whet your appetite, may I present a menu of family biking options this summer:

Thursday April 28th - Family Biking Slideshow

I'll be kicking off Miro Tea's Soapbox Series this Thursday at 7pm with a slideshow and talk on family cycling (see their flyer & Facebook event page). Naturally, I'll be covering the finer points of blocking traffic, not paying for roads, and how to ruin Ballard's industrial core in 3 easy steps. After the talk, we'll play "Red Light? Green Light!", practice smug expressions, help young fingers make the finger, and scoff at a few laws. 

Actually, I'm nervous that no one will show, and it'll be just me harshing people's mellow oolong vibe. Please come, drink a Hemingway, and join in on the discussion. Bonus points for bringing your family biking rig to show off afterwards.

Saturday April 30th - April Kidical Mass

And you thought there wasn't going to be an April Kidical Mass Seattle. Think again! I'm sneaking one under the wire. Ballard Commons Park at 10am to the new South Lake Union Park at 11am for a romp in the sun, ending at Fremont Brewing Urban Beer Garden at 12:30 or so. Yes, you read that last part right. They're quite welcoming of the kids. In fact, last time we were there a 3-year old birthday party was happening. Wow. We were just happy that the Yelp reviews weren't going to be complaining about our kids ruining the place, for once. And since it's My Birthday Eve, this Kidical Mass ends with take-out pizza and beer in the middle of the day. After the Spring we've had, you deserve it. 

All of May - Bike to Work/School Month

I know, I know, every month is bike to blank month, uphill and upwind both ways in biblical rains and hail. But only in May can you be a part of team One Less Minivan, led by Madi Carlson, who is slaying #30daysofbiking with two littles on her mamafiets. Check her Family Ride blog, join the team, and show those fair weather Cascade Cat 6 Commuters how we do it.

Saturday May 7th - Bike Works Kids' Bike Swap!

Love Bike Works, love the Swap. Don't miss it! I'm pretty sure Morgan will be bringing the Family Bike Expo as well.

Bike Works, Columbia City’s nonprofit bike shop and youth bicycle education organization, will hold its 15th annual Kids’ Bike Swap on Saturday, May 7th, 2011, from 10 am – 4 pm at Genesee Playfield (43rd Ave S and S Genesee St). This annual event is an opportunity for families to trade in a bike their child has outgrown for a larger bike – just in time for the summer riding season! The Kid’s Bike Swap helps to facilitate the flow of affordable bicycles within the community and keeps fully functional bikes out of our local landfills. This year, Bike Works has overhauled over 145 kids’ bikes to kick-off the swap.

Friday May 20th - Bike to School/Work Day Afterparty

Where KM Seattle got its start. This time the weather will cooperate, and after whooping it up at the street party, we'll ride to the "secret beach" across from Paseo for Cuban sandwiches.

Let's keep it simple. The Afterparty in Ballard starts at 4pm. Let's get to it on our own, but ideally by 5, as we'll meet up at the belltower at 5:30 PM for a gentle, easy, flat ride to Paseo for takeout (bring CASH, and parents of young kids might want to BYO some back-up blander food) and beach party across the street.

Saturday May 21st - People Powered Park Parade

Kidical Mass takes it to the streets in Beacon Hill with Beacon BIKES. Check their flyer, and don't miss this opportunity to show support for what will likely be one of Seattle's first neighborhood greenways (the facilities formerly known as bike boulevards):

Beacon BIKES is celebrating the completion of our Family Friendly Bike and Pedestrian Circulation Plan (authored by Alta Planning and Design). Once implemented, these Neighborhood Greenways will allow people of all ages and comfort levels to safely bike and walk between destinations on N. Beacon Hill. We will highlight one of the proposed neighborhood greenways via a fun People Powered Park Parade which will begin at Jefferson Park and end at the Lewis Park. Bicycle decoration prizes will be awarded during the Lewis Park Celebration.

Friends of Lewis Park are celebrating four years of a Green Seattle Partnership restoration that has transformed this ugly, crime-ridden park to a beautiful Natural Area for our community to enjoy.  We have also been selected as an Opportunity Fund project.  Our Celebration includes tours of Lewis Park Natural Area, free BBQ, entertainment and just plain fun.

I'm planning to ride downtown to the Westlake Light Rail station, via the new Dexter, and take the light rail to Beacon Hill. Anyone who'd like to ride down from Ballard at 9ish, or meet at Fremont Bridge, get in touch or leave a comment. Families from point South or West can just meet us at the Parade! For those that (legitimately, of course) are sad to miss our north-of-the-canal biased rides, "stop freakin', meet us at Beacon!"

And that's just a taste of what's in store for summer. The Summer 2011 Fiets of Parenthood Games will be happening sometime in July/August, and goldangit we're finally going to make it to Vashon by bike for some family bike camping at the AYH Ranch Hostel with the teepees and covered wagons. If you'd like to join us, let me know. Finally, the Gelato Bike will ride again! Please suggest other event ideas and Kidical Mass ride concepts in the comments below.

The Seattle Bicycle Expo is back, and so is Kidical Mass Seattle!

We ride this Saturday March 12, from Ballard Commons Park, through the Locks, to the Smith Cove Cruise Terminal. Meet at 10:15am, leave by 10:30, arrive by 11:15ish. Not only is it the largest consumer bike show in the country, but the performances that day look great. Elementary school juggling unicyclists, world champion artistic bike team (these guys were great last year), trials riding demo, Bike Snob, and a bicycle fashion show (including the totcycle crew; the organizers must not have seen this post).

For a ride of a different nature, you can ride to the Expo again on Sunday with Mister Bike Snob NYC, leaving at 10:30am from Uptown Espresso at Queen Anne & Mercer. Wear your spiffiest Tyvek.

Also at the Expo will be a first-ever family biking booth (WOOT!), courtesy of Morgan Scherer (morganverbena at the gmail to the dot com). She still needs volunteers to help staff the booth, and would appreciate a weekend loan of your favorite family bike rig:

Family bikes are going to be in the Bike Expo this year!  We have a 40'x10' booth for displaying different setups, as well as ok to leave some bikes in the test ride area (though we won't be able to bring bikes from the booth to the test ride area, alas).  I'm very excited, as this will be the *first* year there has been any family biking focus at the Bike Expo! 

Wanna be involved?  I need both equipment and volunteers to staff the booth, talking to folks about the wonderful world of biking as a family.  So far, we have access to a Madsen sans motor, an electrified Big Dummy, an electrified tandem and pedal trailer, an Xtracycle (tho it's not in great shape), an electrified pedicab, a bike with trail-a-bike, and a bike with trailer.  The bikes will need to be at the booth on Sat at 8 or 8:30, and Sun at 9 or 9:30 (and can be left overnight).  Anytime you are willing to commit to staffing the booth and talking to folks would be a blessing--you get a free tshirt and admission both days, courtesy of Cascade Bike Club.  And my undying gratitude :)

I've been working on some nerdier helmet designs ... although I remain partial to the Combover.

Planetary Gears

Images courtesy of NASA

Brain Buckets

And some "Brainbow" helmets using images of multiply flourescent protein labeling in neurons, by Livet et al.

Fungus Amungus

The conceptual credit/blame for the following must go to Todd Fahrner, who is not eligible to win his own gift certificate.

Conceptional Art

And the circle is complete: nerdy plus wrong =

So from a clueless lawman's mouth, the outlaw family cyclists were born.

An Oregon State representative has proposed amending current statute as follows (part b is new):

SECTION 1. ORS 814.460 is amended to read:
  814.460. (1) A person commits the offense of unlawful
passengers on a bicycle if the person operates a bicycle and
carries { + :
  (a) + } More persons on the bicycle than the number for which
it is designed or safely equipped { + ; or
  (b) A child under six years of age on the bicycle or in a
bicycle trailer + }.
  (2) The offense described in this section, unlawful passengers
on a bicycle, is a Class D traffic violation.

Catch that? Illegal to carry a child under 6 years old (not months), on a bicycle or bike trailer. $90 infraction.

Yes, this entire website would be illegal in the state of Oregon. 

You would be forgiven for assuming this was the work of a bike-baiting, rural, truck-and-gun-rack conservative. 

But you would be wrong. This is the work in progress of one Mitch Greenlick, D-Portland. D as is democratic, Portland as in Bikeytown USA. Oregon as in where Burley trailers were invented. 

His rationale, if you can call it such, is that a recent OHSU study of adult bicycle commuters found that in 1 year, 20% sustained a minor injury (including bruises or scrapes), and 5% had an injury requiring medical attention ... so ... THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!!

In his words (this and other quotes from BikePortland):

When that's going on out there, what happens when you have a four year old on the back of a bike? From a precautionary principle, I felt it was important to discuss the issue and start a debate.

Um, there were no children in this study. Let alone passengers on adult bicycle. My solo commute route and riding style is very different from how I ride with children on board. Perhaps he is aware of more pertinent public health research on riding with children on board?

No.

But he's looking for some. Hasn't found it yet. Hasn't stopped him from proposing legislation to make it illegal.

But hey, "Everybody should just stay calm, this is part of a deliberative process." I may not be a state representative, but it would seem that the review of the evidence might want to come before the proposing to make it illegal part. Or even proposing to have a discussion about it. 

In fact, he won't find solid evidence to support such legislation. What's available is hardly the sort of data to base legislation upon - almost entirely without "denominator" information (it's not enough to know how many injuries - you need to know over how many trips). Much of it from ERs: descriptions of "what came through the door," looking at patterns of injuries in child seats, trailers, etc. Not sturdy stuff, as far as public health research goes. 

But go ahead, have a look. Better yet, conduct better research. A prospective study of cycling families, for starters? No shortage of those in Portlandia.

But based on his comments, I have genuine concern for his ability to interpret the research, and his judgment in deciding whether to inform parents or legislate their choices for them. Quoth Greenlick:

"If it's true that it's unsafe, we have an obligation to protect people. If I thought a law would save one child's life, I would step in and do it. Wouldn't you?"

NO! And I'm a freaking pediatrician. It's my job to care about such things.

From a public health perspective, an intervention that attempts to make one aspect of life safer, if it even works, may just shift risk elsewhere, either in the near or long-term. As in, fewer young families biking -> more families driving -> more dangerous streets for the over 6yo's still walking and biking to school. 

Assuming that's still legal in Greenlick's nannytopia. 

Or fewer young children weaned on the bike + more fearful parents -> less interest in active transportation -> obesity epidemic unchecked -> the first generation to have shorter lifespans than their parents. 

And yes, of course, the number one cause of death from age 1 to 34? Motor vehicle crashes. But to be rigorous about it, that statistic doesn't take in account how often we drive (exposure to said risk). It may well be that driving is safer than riding a bike, on a per mile or per trip basis. In the short-term. There is a valid argument for a long-term overall health benefit.

Even if we had convincing data that kids under 6 were at some higher risk on or behind a bike, at what point does it stop being our decision? After all, taking a car is 10 times more hazardous than taking the bus, for adults at least. But I don't see driving being made illegal anytime soon.

Life is dangerous. Life has risk. "Injury-free childhood" does not exist. I wouldn't want one for my kids if it did. Most things worth doing have some risk of injury. Not doing such things has risk too. 

Which isn't to say that investigating the safety of transporting kids by bike isn't very worthwhile. It would inform parents' choices, and lead to guidance on ways to lower risk. Here is my attempt to do so.

You'd think a professor emeritus and past chair of the Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine in the Medical School of OHSU would understand this stuff. But he doesn't seem to, based on his absurd "if it could save one child's life" standard. And even if he's ducking behind a "this is how the process works" disclaimer, it's outrageous to introduce a bill with only a barely relevant commuter study and a hunch to back it up. 

But if it's a debate he wants, a debate he has started. Too bad he seems to be ending his public health and political careers on such a false note. If he truly cared about the safety of kids on bikes, he could have proposed lowering speed limits, stiffer penalties for distracted driving, or even funded a study to explore the question he's so clumsily, offensively asking.

And in the meantime, I'm taking the kids to Portland tomorrow, on bikes and Amtrak. While it's still legal.

Christiania Trike, Clown Car Style

Who doesn't have a fond memory of some long-lost tricycle? Me, it was laying down monster skidz on my Big Wheel and Green Machine. But most of us haven't rocked 3 wheels since we were wee.

Enter the cargo trike. Due to some historical quirks of bike evolution, the use of trikes for cargo has been more limited to the Danes and some other Northern European cities for some time now, with cargo bikes being preferred by the Dutch, and more recently, the US. Indeed, until recently, shops weren't able to import Danish trikes for sale, due to concerns about US liability lawyers run amok.

Skates by Mikael Colville-Andersen, on FlickrFellow sufferers of Obsessive Cyclist Disorder may be familiar with "Copenhagen Supermums" and the other 3-wheeling Godivas on Copenhagen Cycle Chic, or perhaps have acquired a bit of snootiness about nouveau cargeau trikes from the Bakfiets en Meer blog. But that's not the same as trying one. And if you have access to the Clever Cycles, you can try 2 fabled Danish cargo trikes: the Christiania and Nihola.

So when Drew announced that her wish for her 4-year-old birthday was to "go to Portland with my cousins and stay in a hotel and ride bikes and swim in the pool," who was I to say no? This proud biking papa hooked up a hotwire deal on the Crowne Plaza, loaded up the cousins' minivan (remember "why we drive"?), and off we went. Of course, the drive down involved Biblical rains, fisticuffs atop the McD's Playland structure, a detour for dagnasty sheet cake at the Kelso WinCo, a total trip time of 6 hours ... and a bit of nostalgic for Amtrak.

We'd planned to borrow a Christiania trike overnight from Clever Cycles, but got in too late to pick it up. The hotel was everything the girls hoped it would be, and My Little Nomads joined us for party and pool. It was only later in our PDX adventure, when Drew kept asking "when are we going back to Portland?", that I realized that Portland = Hotel to our 4 year old. Which could have saved us the 6 hour van ride.

On Sunday, we woke to a dry day, but by the time Clever opened and we were set up on trikes, rain was upon us again. As were sleep-deprived parents, 5 sets of small bladders and cranky hungry bellies. Thus was our "epic" Portland bike day cut short. Unless "detour to the nearest restaurant and back again" counts as epic.

So take this totcycle family demo report for what it is: a brief, tantalizing trike trial, under duress. For more thorough & knowledgable reports, I recommend this family's committed relationship with a Christiania trike, One Year of Sorte Jernhest, or Life With a Trike.

Nihola Trike

The Nihola is undoubtedly the sexier, more immediately appealing of the two. It's ... designier. And the handling is preferable at first blush, as the wheels turn independently of the box, and the center-of-gravity is very low, which makes the trike less tippy in corners. The cargo area is certainly smaller than the Christiania's, but is well-appointed with padded seat and seatbelts, and a chic/practical see-through nose cone. With some doing, it fits through a doorway, which other trikes won't.

As Henry takes some delight in pointing out, they can tip forward when loading, and require a hand on the saddle when loaded up, which can be tricky when squirrelly rascals are involved. The trike fit both Kim (5'1") and I (5'9") well. And we loved the rain cover, which has side zips and generous windows.

Christiania Trike

The Christiania trike has a storied history, developed in a car-free arty-alternative-squatter community in Copenhagen in the 70s. It has since been refined (internal gear hubs, aluminum frame, etc), popularized, exported, and awarded the Danish Design Prize. They're finally available in the US through Boxcycles and their dealer network. As this photo shows, this trike was intended for family use from its inception.

The "shopping cart" handle turns the entire front of the bike, which takes some getting used to. With a lighter load or higher speeds, this trike can go "Dukes of Hazzard" up on two wheels (or over) quite easily if you're not careful. Like this taxi-trike driver (Todd is well on his way to pulling this off, I reckon).

But the box itself is spacious, with a locking storage space under the bench seat, which is easily removable. Clown trike spacious. If you need more capacity, daycare sized trikes exist. And I was envious again of its well-thought out raincover (must build one for MADSEN soon).

It would take some creativity to get the seat post low enough for my wife, so if you're 5'1" or below, make sure you demo. The front disc brakes have been an area of complaint, but upgrades seem to work well. You can even weld on more traditionally swept back handlebars if you are so inclined. For the brief casual ride we did, brakes and bars worked well enough. The overall look and feel is more utilitarian than the Nihola, but in a pleasingly sturdy workmans-chic way.

Overall

My wife loved the trikes. At the risk of sounding sexist, I suspect there will be a moms over dads bias towards the trike. My wife, at least, has been at a height and upper-body strength disadvantage when it comes to muscling a loaded 2-wheeler around the sidewalk. And from a less-confident-cyclist perspective, the low-speed stability of the loaded trike is a real advantage (she's also less likely to go bombing around corners, but would still be at risk for tipping a trike).

Not that dads don't love some trikes too. Patrick Barber loves his, and Dr. Mekon seems to have traded in a 2-wheel bakfiets.nl for a 3-wheeled version. If I lived in a flatter city, I'd be tempted as well, for these reasons:

• Kim loved it. Seriously. That's the only way I can justify new bikes anymore.
• Trikes can handle heavier loads than a 2-wheeler.
• I loved the jaunty, casual feel of stops and low-speed riding with no need to put a foot down or dismount.
• Spacious cargo boxes with well-designed raincovers, and the usual Euro-practical trimmings (internal gearhubs, chaincovers, fenders, quite upright seating).

On the other hand ...

• While it's nice not to worry about tipping going uphill, the trikes do feel somewhat heavier/sloggier/slower.
• Handling is different (in a good/bad way), with a learning curve, and some risk of tipping at speed in turns (versus 2-wheel cargo bikes, where you tend to dump the bike during low-speed manoevers).
• Lights. None spec'd, and dynohub would be hard, but battery lights would be an add-on.
• Bulk. These are wider than most bikes. Storage could be an issue. Then again, these are designed to be outdoor bikes, with stainless steel hardware, marine plywood, etc.
• Cost. The Christiania is $2,690, and the Nihola is $3,399. Of course, that's what imported euro-utility rides tend to cost, and as a car replacement they're still a good value.

If I had to choose ... well, I wouldn't, on such a short trial. Anyone in the market for a family cargo ride at this price range would ideally get an extended demo ride on these and on a bakfiets, MADSEN, xtracycle, and Bullitt. Take a trip to Portlandia!

Other Family Trikes (updated)

Other trikes I've noticed include:

• Winther Kangaroo - $4000. See Joel's comments below about tilting badonkadonk and hydraulic brakes. Dottie loved it on her test ride. I haven't ridden one yet but was impressed by the kid cargo features, like reclinable and reversable seats. 
• Zigo Leader - $1599. Designed in the USofA, this is the threeway lovechild of a bike trailer, tadpole trike, and a Transformer. Converts from trike to bike to stroller, which is a clever solution to problems that might not afflict that many of you, adding versatility at the expense of cargo room and simplicity. I briefly tried one at the Bike Expo, would try again.
• Onya Cycles - $3000+. Currently in beta, this "Front-End Loader" trike adds lust-worthy tilting front wheels, with optional electric assist. Hot dang. The cargo area looks smaller than others here, however, and not yet as refined as European family bikes.
• Sorte Jernherst - $4299. Hard to find this rear-wheel-steering cargo trike in the US, but MamaVee has one. Like many of us, she notes that 80lbs of trike plus 80lbs of kids is a lot to push up hills unassisted.
• Bakfiets.nl Trike - €1919. Maybe importable through a Workcycles dealer? Stay tuned to the Mekons for more on this trike.

But what do I know? I'm a bike guy. All you trike aficionados out there, please post or link to your three-wheelin' experiences below.

And that's all the wrong we've got so far. Might do a "Pity the Fool" mohawk or "Chia Helmet" next. Quoth the bard: "If we offend, it is with our good will. That you should think, we come not to offend, but with good will. To show our simple skill, that is the true beginning of our end."

And as the last one shows, the cute designs are fun too. Put yer kids to work! Or post your ideas below ...

Updated:

Naps. They are a blessing and a curse. If you ride with kids under age 5 on bikes, you know this. Two-wheeled kid transport is soporific, better than a benadryl blowdart, so biking parents need to be able to make naps happen while out and about. 

Some family bike setups excel at unexpected naps, some do not. Having done toddler-on-a-bike twice now, on a variety of kid conveyances, here is what we have found.

We've included images and inspirado from others in "our tribe." Hover for links and credits, big thanks to Mark, Sarah, Henry, Paul, Allan, Katie, and other bikey family flickr friends (BFFFs).

Trailers

Infant seat in trailer worked every time for my reluctant baby napper. Who needs the Baby Whisperer? I'll show you the Happiest Baby on the BlockTM 

But for older kids in the unhacked trailer seat, the weight of the helmet and the lack of adequate clearance for the back of the helmet leads to head nodding, bobble-head, and other uncomfortable, painful-looking nap scenarios. Unless you've got company:

Front Seats

I love front-monted seats for the littles, but they're not great for napping. The WeeRide has a big napping pad, which is nice, but the straps were a joke, and you still end up needing to use an arm to support the head to some degree. Dutch front seats like the Bobike Mini and Yepp Mini have "sleeproll" accessories, but they're narrow enough that you'll still need to dedicate an arm to maintain the nap, which makes steering awkward, leads to cramps, and makes stop and go riding more frustrating. Doable, but not exactly comfortable.

Some biking mamas have learned to just slow down or stop when that nap happens.

On our last outing, I hacked a wacky noodle to be my substitute arm. It worked OK.

I like this solution, from mamafiets, where you stuff your extra kid clothes into a sling or bag.

Rear Seats

Dutch-style rear seats don't have much head support, and even the US "drastic plastic" wraparound jobbies don't keep a child's big 'ol head from nodding forward, lolling from side to side. Doesn't look comfortable to me, and rear seats are right over the axle, so it's a bumpier ride. This situation tends to limit the length, route, or speed of travel, and doesn't feel as restful as some of the other options. But maybe I'm picky.

Bakfietsen and Other Long-John Cargo-Forward Bikes

These are so versatile when it comes to naps. Infant seat strapped rear-facing, child seated on Sleep Dog, kid laid out in the box with cushions and blankies, cozy under a rain canopy ... naptastic. Plus you can keep an eye on them, in case you get a bad case of the "ohmigod are they still breathing" parent jitters. Easy, secure parking too. 

MADSEN "Bucket Bike"

The MADSEN cargo bike also makes it to the napping podium, as it's so versatile in terms of napping positions, and accomodating 2 kids at different napping ages & stages, with some separation from the central divider.

For kids on the bench seats, variations on "Sleep Dog" work well.

As does leaning forward on the groceries.

Our infant seat was nap Xanadu ...

For older kids it's so easy to pull up a bench seat, put down a cushion or some jackets, use the belts if you wish (they're bolted below the benches), and cover with cozy blankets. Protection from the elements is key. That's an Uppababy shade, but a waterproof canopy for the MADSEN is in the works.

Or you can put the two benches together for an actual elevated bed solution.

In the year where our older one refused to nap at home, I had many a craftily-timed "Mystery Ride" where I'd arrive at our destination with both kids asleep, leaving 45 minutes of me-time, followed by excited wakeups at the beach or Aquarium or wherever my Urban Family Flâneur fancy took us.

Xtracycles and Other Longtails

You can fit front or rear seats to xtracycles, but a longtail does open up some additional, er, creative solutions.

On our first long ride, as we rode home on the Elliott Bay Trail, I felt our  almost 4yo's nodding head bonk my behind a few times as Drew started to fall asleep, holding onto the stoker bars. What to do? My wife suggested we play "Marco Polo" which worked well for awhile. Car Free Days keeps some candy handy, and I indeed had a lollipop hit to offer Drew. 

Other parents swear that their napping stokers don't fall off, and in fact need to be pried from the handlebars when they get home.

I'm told that a parent's backside makes a lovely forward-leaning cushion. But I'm still nervous; ours is a kid that falls out of bed every other night. Maybe on a bike trail, but not in traffic. So we've moved some Bobike Maxi mounts over to the xtracycle, for all-day action.

And if you thought that was iffy ...

And on our first xtracycle ride, too! In my defense, Luc fell asleep in the front seat just before we got to the cyclocross race at the zoo, and I'd been longtail-obsessed long enough to have seen the Adkins clan pull this off. So I walked the bike around the race for a bit, and then rode a few blocks on sidewalk to a cafe. Where I parked it outside (in view, natch) until he woke up. Great setup if you like double-takes and don't mind CPS involvement. Wideloader extensions would make a tipover slightly less sketchy, but overall I don't think I'll be doing this on any regular basis.

The safest napping options seem to involve an enclosure of some sort, in case of a crash. We've only ever had flukey low-speed slo-motion harmless tipovers in our family, but I don't think we're giving into our "culture of fear" to plan for the possibility of going down on the bike.

Here's how Katie and Dave tricked out their Yuba Mundo as a baby-napping Green Machine. Solid. Baby on Board indeed.

Asleep on the Wheel

What works for your younguns? How do they loll while you roll?

We want to know how you've pulled this off. Please add your images and comments below ... to include an image, put the image url surrounded by exclamation points, as in !imageurl!

Bakfiets For the Win Addendum

Todd Fahrner nominates this video in the comments, in which a Dutch dad pedals 3 sleeping kids down a cyclepath while shooting a one-handed "Panda" video. No helmets, 'cause they're Dutch, and protected by the magical powers of separate bicycle infrastructure, decades of motorist-taming, and riding bikes since the womb (not to mention elves in blackface). Top this, people:

We ♥ our bucket bike. 

We've been bugging Jared Madsen from time to time about the promised kid canopy/raincover (ETA now early 2011), and with ideas for improvements, and were delighted to hear this summer that the new model was almost ready for release. Jared offered to send us a review bicycle (we paid full price for our original), and we happily accepted. We were going to send the original back, but they liked the Gelato hack and told us to keep it around for events. Any Seattle folks that would like to borrow it are most welcome.

We've had a few months now with the MADSEN 2.0, and we LOVE it. It's got all the improvements we hoped for and more, with only a few downsides or quibbles. And we've spent the past two years collecting, demoing, and otherwise obsessing about family bicycles, so I can say that we've pretty much tried them all. For young families on a budget, with infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, especially more than one, a MADSEN is the bike.

Yes, we love a bakfiets and have lust in our hearts for a Bullitt. They both have the very real advantage of kids/cargo in front, which makes riding a more social experience, and allows for easy supervision of kid cargo. But a bakfiets is honestly better suited to flatter towns than ours, and the lighter/sportier Bullitt does hills well but lacks in kid + cargo capacity, and costs well over $3,000 when you factor in kid-carrying accessories. Don't get me wrong - you really should demo a bakfiets-style bike if you can, and if you are not regularly climbing steeper hills or going long distances, and can front the cost, it might be your perfect family ride.

And the sharp-eyed reader may have noticed that we also have a new xtracycle in the stable. I'm gaga over our new longtail, and a review will follow. But the MADSEN comes ready to roll with seats and belts for 4 kids, whereas it can be expensive to add young-child carrying options to an xtracycle. And the MADSEN does naps well, which is crucial with the littles. On the xtracycle, I've resorted to sticking Luc in the freeloader bag hammock-style (don't tell my wife), adding a wacky noodle to the front seat for head support, and other hacks, but on the MADSEN it's trivial to convert to "nap mode" and ride. Trust me, they will fall asleep when you ride, at the most inopportune times.

So what's new with the 2011 MADSEN? Pretty much everything. Here's the rundown: 

• Frame is now made in Taiwan rather than China. The welds are much improved. No "boogers."
• Bucket now from Idaho, and seems lighter. It also rides lower, as they revised the rear-end frame to be sturdier and allow the bucket to attach more securely. Lower center-of-gravity is a good thing. And we still love how easy it is to just throw kids & stuff in the bucket and go. The bucket is still easy to "hack," once you come to terms with drilling it. Viz our new rear light.
• Front end geometry much revised, with help from Aaron of Aaron's Bike Repair. HUGE improvement. I didn't mind the "flop" (floppy handling) of the previous MADSEN so much, but many did, as it made handling at slower speeds dicey. In fact, we did have 2 slow-motion tipovers on the original MADSEN. No one was hurt (the bucket is good that way), but it got a bit embarrassing when Drew started coaching us from the backseat and requesting that we not tip the bike. The 2011 bike handles like a dream at low speeds now, very stable, even more like "a normal bike." And I haven't ridden hands-free yet, but apparently it tracks well enough for that now.
• Dutch-style front wheel lock. Yes!!! You will use this all the time for running into stores. So convenient.
• New custom color-matched stem that bolts on tight. This is both better-looking and reduces flexiness in the handling. Between the new geometry, lower/sturdier rear end, and this stem, the bike is noticably less flexy with a big load. Stand and deliver.
• Spiffy handlebar, and brake levers that incorporate a simple button lock. This lets you lock the brakes to prevent the bike from rolling off the stand. Great idea, one that other bikes with centerstands would benefit from. 
• Speaking of the stand, there are now two bolts that solve the loosening/twisting issues from our last bike. Solid. My favorite centerstand (the bakfiets' is rock-steady but futsy to stow, the xtracycle kickback flips up when moving the end of the bike around, etc ...).
• The chainguard is beefed-up (the old one tended to bend/break if kids climbed on it), and the chain management is improved with rolling idlers mid-chain. Ours is still a bit noisy, but I haven't bothered to tweak the rollers yet.
• The 38t front chainring is now easily user-swappable, and an extra 44t chainring is supplied, so you can choose lower gearing for hills and big cargo, or higher for speed. It is now easier to add a front derailleur for extra gearing, if you don't mind losing the chainguard. These options really expand the versatility of this bike, as the stock gearing on the previous model didn't meet everyone's needs, and upgrading was hard & expensive.
• The bucket now comes stock with 2 benches and 4 seatbelts. 4 kids, people! My car can't do that.
• You little hipster, youThe long-awaited front rack is now available, as well. This bolts securely to the frame (via braze-on's with classier hex bolts), which lets you carry a lot up front without affecting the handling. Believe it or not, families that use the MADSEN for transportation, kids, and groceries will want this rack. Multiple kids plus groceries fills up that bucket pretty quick. The rack has mounts for lights, and a coffee-cup holder! We recommend an OXO travel mug.
• Crane-style brass bell up front - loud, and with an impressive sustain.
• Cushy double-sprung seat has a lot of demo appeal, and will remain popular with more casual riders. The previous saddle was a disposable hiney-hater.
• New tires and goo-filled tubes. So far I haven't bothered to move our Schwalbe Big Apples over, which is saying something. But I will eventually for Kevlar-belted flat protection, extra cush, and reflection strips.
• Nicer stock pedals. The previous ones were junk. These are keepers - good-looking, with rubber for grip.
• Overall, MADSEN have gone from generic and cheap spec on most parts (to keep prices down, but with durability concerns), to still genericky but improved in function and/or quality, with some custom-designed for the MADSEN. The moves in manufacturing and the improved spec have resulted in an entirely justified price increase, to $1485. 

What's not to love? Well, I do have a few quibbles or things I'm not yet sure about:

• The ride position is now more decidedly and less-adjustably upright, but in more of a US "hybrid"-style position than true Dutch/English Roadster (with their relaxed seat-tube angles; I measured 74 degrees for the new MADSEN). This may be a benefit for casual riding, but for aggressive hill-climbing or speedsters, the previous riding position and adjustable stem was better. Despite being a bit of a snob about such things, I don't mind the riding position that much yet, but those that do will need to do some stem/bar swapping. And I may eventually want to either take this bike more sporty, or with more "Dutchness" via a layback seatpost and rear-swept bars. Either of those options would yield a better torso angle and more efficient pedaling.
• The seat is cushy indeed, and good-looking to boot. But on longer rides cushy just means that the seat pushes up into your nooks and crannies, and starts to cause heat/sweat/friction issues. A stiffer sprung seat that supports your ischial tuberosities (sit bones) but lets the rest of "your situation" breathe is better. We moved our Brooks B67 over. But this is a quibble. Many will like this seat, and it's way better than the previous stock seat.
• The color-matched full-coverage fenders are still a big plus, but I miss the rear-fender reflector, and the rear fender extends too far in the rear, which makes it bang on curbs. 
• Chain management is better, but still somewhat noisy. I've gotten used to it, and adjusting the idlers may help.
• MADSEN ships the bikes fully assembled and ready to roll out of the box, by drop-freight to your house. This worked well overall, but our stand was bent in transit. They sent out a new one promptly.
• Our front fork has a bit of an issue, which we only discovered when trying to upgrade to a front electric hub. The fork we got seems to have dropouts that are narrower than they should be, and the left dropout is a few mm behind the right. MADSEN is also replacing this under warranty. 
• The seat belts are the same as the previously upgraded ones. They're still too "slippery." We have to loop them back through the buckle or tie them off to keep our wriggly toddler belted in. 
• A rear disc brake would be still be nice to have. After 2 years, we did wear through our previous rear rim from braking. Granted, we do ride a lot, and could perhaps have done a better job keeping the brake pads free of grit. But it seems that 20" rims on load-carrying bikes would wear down faster in general.
• Our black bike looks great, with lots of color-matched parts, and more stainless bits, but the paint job is not as durable as our Dutch bike's galvanized and powdercoated frame was. 
• Still no raincover. Others have made them, but we hope to see one soon from the MADSEN gang, as it is not optional in the winter months for serious transportational riding.
• It's still hard to find a MADSEN in bike shops, where post-sale support would be easier. This is not for lack of trying, I suspect, but more of a sad fact that most local bike shops are lacking in family and transportational bike vision.

And there you have it, folks. You'll be seeing a lot more of the black MADSEN 2.0 in future posts ... it is an incredibly capable bike for the price. Compared to your family car, it can handle almost as much (multiple kids and a week's worth of groceries), and it's so easy to just load and go, with free parking out front, every time.

Yes, this is a furnished-for-review bike, but one that I would certainly have schemed a way to buy. Especially with today's Black Friday deal! MADSEN has had some epic deals on scratch-and-dents in the past, and today does not disappoint. New 2010 MADSEN's are only $999 (plus $150 shipping), which is almost $500 off. That is one smoking deal. Put one under your Festivus pole this year.

Can your car do this?

And so it goes when it snows in Seattle.

In our defense, it's not so much the 2-3 inches of snow, but rather the sheets of black ice on steep hills that freaks us all out.

But me, I love my snowy bike commute. Most of it is not shared with cars, thanks be. And this years chosen ride for snow and ice is a 2-wheel-drive sport-utility-bicycle. The new xtracycle has the front electric hub until some MADSEN fork/disc brake/e-hub compatibility issues are worked out.

I'm running Fat Franks (balloon tires) at lowish pressures, which lets them float over snow and have a larger contact patch on ice. Studded tires would be nice but not really justifiable where I live. Saddle is really low for Fred Flintstone stops with both feet as outriggers on the ice.

And the front e-hub assist (from Clean Republic) is SO nice to have. Having both wheels powered, and a nice steady torque up front helps in sketchy situations, powering through crud, and lets me keep my speed up on hills and with vicious headwinds that would otherwise break my spirit. I have a balaclava but my glasses weren't enough coverage for my eyes, so borrowed some procedure glasses from the clinic for the ride home yesterday.

Wiped out once on the ride home, on icy brick taking a corner too fast on Ballard Ave. No harm to me or bike. Just a mildly hurty wrist today.

Went out for SNOW BEERS! with friends last night, were amused that we could pass cars going up 24th, en route to SNOW AQUAVIT! And made it to work with proper ski gloves and goggles today, in about the time it would have taken to drive. Did have to space heater the rear wheel, to thaw the packed snow under the fender and drivetrain. Still ended up with about half a cassette due to icing, but the e-hub made that a non-issue.

Given the choice between my '89 Honda Civic, bald tires and all, and a 2010 2WD SUB, it's going to be the xtracycle every time.