Bicycle Touring With Small Children

Children as young as year or so can enjoy bicycle touring - not in the same way as parents, but they'll have a blast out seeing the country and traveling with Mom and Dad. Of course, young children can't ride their own bikes, but there are number of options to consider:

Trailers: For kids under about age 3, a trailer is the only way to go although children up about age five may be comfortable in the trailer as well. Pay attention to the needs of your child and decide if a trailer will work for him.

Trailers are wonderful in that children can sleep while you are pedaling. While awake, they have the choice of watching the scenery or playing with toys. Plus - you can use extra space in the trailer for additional gear.

Trailer bikes: Starting at age 3 or 4, you may be able to transition your child onto a trailer bike. A trailer bike is a one-wheeled contraption that hooks on to your bike, and has the advantage of allowing your child to help you pedal.

The downside to a trailer bike is the lost efficiency - the connection system simply isn't as rigid as a tandem so you will be wasting a fair amount of energy hauling the trailer bike. Also, if you get a cheaper, one-gear trailer bike, your child will not be able to help pedal up hills.

Tandem: The tandem is the best option for kids old enough to help with the pedaling, but they don't come cheaply. They are much more rigid and efficient than trailer bikes, and have the added advantage in that you are teaching your child proper cadence and traffic safety as he pedals in sync with you.

You can buy a tandem that is quite large for your child and put a "kiddie crank" (child stoker kit) on it to raise the pedals up. That way, as he grows you'll simply lower the pedals until you can remove the kiddie crank altogether. In this way, you can get many years of service from your tandem.

Coupler with child's bike: Another great option is to have your child's single bike with you and connect it to the back of your bike when needed. Using either the Trail Gator or Follow Me coupler, you can hook your child's bike to the back of yours and tow him through tricky situations. When you get to safe areas, you simply unhook it and he can ride on his own.

Bicycle touring with children is a great experience for all involved! Get out there and build some memories now!

Want to find out more about bicycling with children, then visit Nancy Sathre-Vogel's site for tips and advice on taking children on a bike tour.

Tags: bicycling, Biking, children, Cycling, family, recreation, Sports, travel