Before the babes were even a thought in our mind, Ryan and I took up mountain biking. We lived in North County San Diego where there are trails a plenty. We used to hike in an area we just loved and would always see mountain bikers cruising by. One day Ryan said “let’s get those” and I was like “sure, okay!” (even though I was secretly petrified haha) Then boom, we were at the bike store buying bikes. Ryan did a lot of research and chose the bikes that were best for us but also fit in our budget. Of course, I was a princess and requested dual suspension, which costs more but I could just picture a bruised butt among other things and I was NOT okay with that!
We biked almost every weekend and enjoyed it so much and continued to do so when we moved to our current neighborhood in central San Diego. Once I found out I was pregnant with twins I gave up my biking days until further notice and my poor bike just sat there collecting dust. One day after the twins were born, I was out on a walk and I saw a mom cruise by with two young kiddos in a bike trailer. I instantly had the urge to get on my bike. I went home and immediately began researching my best options for biking with twins.
*Disclaimer* Always wear a helmet when biking, for both you and the kids! We were just outside our home here to shoot these images quickly which is why we don’t have helmets on… Mom Fail!
CHOOSING THE RIGHT BIKE SET UP
The are so many options when deciding on how to bike with kids but all seem to be a little bit of an investment ($100 plus)….
Some of the options I considered were
- Purchasing a new bike like a long-tail/tandem bike with rear bike seats for the kids
- two mounting bike seats for the kids, one in front and one in rear
- A double seat bike trailer
Once I really researched my options for biking with the babes, I took a few other factors into consideration to choose my set up.
- Do you already have a bike?
- Where do you live?
- What type of biking will you be doing? (commuting to and from places?, leisurly riding? Etc)
- How many kids will you be toting around… both now and in the future.
Ultimately, I decided on a trailer/bike combination because of many things but the main thing was that I already had a really awesome bike. It has dual suspension and 30 gears so the option to pull a trailer is a little easier than if I was pulling the trailer with a beach cruiser. My second reasoning for the trailer was considering where we lived. We live in a very hilly area and near some main streets in urban San Diego. I was worried that the other options I considered wouldn’t provide enough stability and safety on the busier streets. I wanted something that was as safe as it could possibly be and I felt like a trailer with a metal roll bar was the best bet. At least if I fall or get knocked off by a car, I know the trailer will do a decent job of protecting the babes! And lastly, I wanted something that could help us commute places so storage was a definite considering factor. The trailer we chose has a storage compartment in back and even little side pockets for the passengers.
Some other perks of the trailer are UV sun protection, a sun shade, plenty of leg room, reclining seats so if the babes are smaller or if I know I’m riding close to nap time it’s not too big of a deal. But one BIG thing to take into consideration when choosing a trailer is making sure it can switch out to a stroller too! Especially if you’re using the bike and trailer as a mode of transportation. I can ride to the grocery store, unhitch the trailer, lock up my bike (front row spot) and then stroll right into the store… never unstrapping the babes or having to disturb them if they did happen to fall asleep! Winning!
So, do you bike with your kids? I would love to know what type of set up worked best for you!! I have some exciting stuff coming in the world of biking with babes so stay tuned!
-Brandi
Bike Trailer C/O Hamax USA . All opinions and thoughts expressed in this post are my own! We truly love this trailer!
