Tag Archives: kids

Summer by Bike: The Video

Posted on September 21, 2010 by Anne | 8 comments

As we’re wrapping up Summer 2010 (aside from 1980, the worst summer in 5 decades) and looking ahead to Fall, we still can’t stop talking about our terrible weather. Where did our glorious Northwest September go? (usually our favorite month of the year).

Despite the rain and clouds, we still enjoyed many fun times on the bike with family and friends. Check out the video we put together of Car Free Days summer riding.

When we watch the video we realize, it wasn’t all bad.

How about you? Tell us about your summer riding.

– Anne and Tim

8 Comments

Posted in bikes, family cycling, kids, seattle, transitions

Tagged 2010, bikes, family, Family Cycling, friends, kids, summer, summer riding, transitions

It’s not you, it’s me

Posted on August 4, 2010 by Anne | 13 comments

This is our fourth post in our summer transitions series, How to transition kids from being cargo to riding their own bikes.
Sometimes parents use their kids as excuses when they (the parents) don’t want to do something. Come on, admit it, you do it too.

“We can’t make it to (insert destination or event) because Johnny is real real tired and cranky”.

Biking with kids is no different.

Parents use their kids as excuses all the time.

Billy can’t make it up all those hills so we can’t bike to school (translation: there is no way in hell I’m getting my a** on a bike and riding up all those hills with Billy)
Billy is scared to ride a bike (translation: I’m scared to let Billy ride a bike)
Billy is too out of shape to ride (translation: I’m too out of shape) this one is stretching it a bit…who says their kid is out of shape? ; -)

For us cargo hauling parents (or parents who want to be cargo haulers but haven’t made the leap yet) kids are a great excuse to continue hauling (or driving) them around. Continue reading →

13 Comments

Posted in bikes, family cycling, kids, transitions

Tagged "bike parenting", Family Cycling, kids, riding with kids, transitions

Transitions: Am I ready for my kid to ride?

Posted on July 12, 2010 by Anne | 20 comments

Car Free Days Kids (Summer 2008)

Our summer series about transitioning kids from being cargo hauled by parents to pedaling on their own power was born a couple of weeks ago when I wrote about luring parents back to bikes to get more kids riding. I loved all of the comments; they sparked such a rich discussion among parents and non-parents alike about riding with (or as) kids. Continue reading →

20 Comments

Posted in bikes, family cycling, kids, kids' bikes, transitions

Tagged Family Cycling, kids, kids' bikes, riding with kids, transitions

Transitions: from kids as cargo to kids as riders (a new series)

Posted on July 5, 2010 by Anne | 11 comments

Like many parents around the world, we have embraced using bikes instead of cars to haul our kids around the city. It’s been 3 years since we built the Xtracycles and started using them for everyday transportation.

First Ride, August 2007

Wow, 3 years already? How did that happen?

It’s been a great run: we’ve learned so much, met some fantastic people, laughed and smiled a lot….and developed some beefy quads. We wouldn’t go back to our short-distance car driving ways for anything. We’re hooked on bikes.

If you read Car Free Days with any regularity, you already know that. I don’t want to talk about the benefits of cargo bikes.

I want to talk about growing kids and what to do about them. Because while we were out enjoying cargo biking, our kids have grown.

A lot. Continue reading →

11 Comments

Posted in bikes, cargo bikes, kids, kids' bikes, transitions

Tagged cargo bikes, Family Cycling, kids, riding with kids, transitions

If we lure parents to bikes, will kids follow?

Posted on June 30, 2010 by Anne | 16 comments

School has been out for a week and we’re just starting to get into our summer groove. Swimming, beach time, garden time, cleaning the deck, you know, all that fun summer stuff.

And of course, getting around on bikes.

I didn’t blog much about Bike to School Month this year (our 3rd year organizing and promoting it at our local elementary). Despite the record-setting rainy and cold month in Seattle, quite a few parents and kids got to school on two wheels in May. Of the 550 or so kids at school, 105 kids participated in Bike to School Month. Not a terrible statistic, but definitely has room for improvement.

Last summer Tim read Pedaling Revolution, by Jeff Mapes. I didn’t get a chance to read the whole thing but I did read Chapter 9: Bringing Kids Back to Bikes. Continue reading →

16 Comments

Posted in bigger than here, bikes, kids

Tagged kids, kids and bikes, parents, riding with kids

Fiets of Parenthood…the Report

Posted on June 14, 2010 by Anne | 9 comments

Thank goodness Todd shot this great video of Tim and the 7-year-old on their 3-lap parent/child run at fiets of parenthood. Otherwise we would have no record of the boy tripping over the tape, and Tim would probably still think it was his fault and feel guilty for causing his kid to fall down and get a scrape. Despite the fall, the Carfreedays boys still managed to eek out a top 5 finish. Continue reading →

9 Comments

Posted in bikes, Events, extravehicular activities, kids, PDX

Tagged bikes, Families, Family Cycling, fiets of parenthood, kids, PDX, portland, sun

The Bike Fairy says “Bike to School, Kids”

Posted on May 21, 2010 by Tim K | 6 comments

The Bike Fairy gives prizes to kids who ride to school

May is officially Bike month. For most riders, that means Bike to Work month. But as you’d expect from a blog that focuses on family cycling, we like to remind folks that it’s also Bike to School Month!

Despite unseasonably cold and wet weather the majority of the month, 86 kids at our school have already completed their online logs for an impressive 517 bike trips to school. We’ve counted more than 100 bikes at morning dropoff twice already, and that’s with the sucky weather. These kids are kicking ass.

Today the focus around town will be on the grownups riding to work for the F5 Bike to Work Day — Cascade is promoting a ride with the mayor and photo-op at City Hall, F5 is sponsoring feed and swag stations all over town, and there’s a big after party in Ballard – but that’s OK, because we’ve got the Bike Fairy! Continue reading →

6 Comments

Posted in bikes, Events, kids, kids' bikes, seattle

Tagged bike fairy, bike-to-school, bike-to-work, bikefairy, bikes, kids

Bikeworks Kids Bike Swap Sat, May 8th

Posted on May 3, 2010 by Anne | 4 comments

Need a new bike for your kid? Then head on down to Genesee Playfield this Saturday, May 8th from 10:00 to 4:00.

Bike Works’ annual Kids Bike Swap event helps to facilitate the flow of affordable bicycles within the community while simultaneously preventing fully functional bikes from ending up in local landfills. This event provides families with a cost-effective opportunity that allows them to trade a child’s bike that has been outgrown for a larger bike that provides both a better fit and ride for their child’s next summer season of riding! Families looking to buy a bike, but do not have a bike to trade in, are welcome to come after 12 pm.

Get all of the details here

– Anne

4 Comments

Posted in bikes, Events, kids, kids' bikes, news

Tagged Bike swap, kids, kids' bikes, seattle

Sometimes they run

Posted on April 26, 2010 by Anne | 21 comments

Now that our kids are getting older, they don’t always ride on the back of the Xtracycles. They are both confident road riders and are quite capable of riding their own bikes. But, sometimes they take a ride on the Snapdeck. Usually because it’s night or we’re traveling farther than they think they can ride or our destination requires pedaling on busy roads or they just feel like chilling on the back of the bike with a book.

When they choose to be a Snapdeck passenger, I usually tell them to wear running shoes. Cause even the most seasoned Snapdeck rider needs to get off, stretch his/her legs and take a little run from time to time:

– Anne

21 Comments

Posted in alternative transportation, bikes, kids, xtracycle

Tagged exercise, kids, running, xtracycle

$1000 Available from Safe Routes to School

Posted on February 27, 2010 by Anne | 2 comments

Thought I’d pass along some information about 35 $1000 grants that are available from the National Center for Safe Routes to School. The application deadline is April 7, 2010.

Safe Routes to School $1,000 Mini-grant Call for Applications

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (February 26, 2010) — The National Center for Safe Routes to School is now accepting applications for up to 35 $1,000 mini-grants for creative, youth-focused ideas that support safe walking and/or bicycling to school. Eligible activities must occur at an elementary or middle school in Fall 2010 and support the overall goal of Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programs — to enable and encourage children nationwide to safely walk and bicycle to school…. Continue reading →