We have been biking a lot this summer; well at least a lot more than last summer. Having a kid that is one year old allows for that though, since it is recommended for your child to be the age of one, sit up by their self and have neck strength for a helmet before biking. Biking is great because it is good exercise, we are outside enjoying nature, Leland loves it and more importantly it teaches Leland bikes are a mode of transportation.
I still feel like I don’t bike enough but sometimes convenience wins the battle. I take care of other children during the day, so while I can easily transport Leland and one more with my bike trailer, any more than two takes a bit more planning. But it is possible to transport multiple children with bikes as shown here. I hope as Leland gets older and the weather cools down we make biking more of a priority and our main mode of transportation.
While biking with kids requires extra resources (helmet, seat or trailer, etc.) it is still much more sustainable and uses less resources than a car. Also, bikes can last forever. While wheels and tires have to be replaced often and they do need maintenance to keep them in good shape, it is still minimal compared to car upkeep. Your biking footprint could be reduce even more if you purchased used goods. We purchased our bike trailer from Craigslist and I got my bike from a bike shop in Denver that sells used bikes and builds ‘new’ bikes from old bike parts.
The biggest advantage of biking is teaching/showing your kid that biking is a feasible option of transportation, not just a mode of recreation. It shows children sustainable solutions are out there, we just have to make the jump from a convenience lifestyle to a sustainable lifestyle.
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