Good family bike rec?

[briansmama]

Hi,

I'm trying to simplify our lives and after creating a family budget, I am shocked at how much it costs to live, even without debt. I'd love to reduce our gas bill especially.

I'd love to get rid of our 2nd car. We're moving to an area where it snows in winter and is beautiful and dry in summer. DH can ride a bike to work, so I can have the car whenever I need, but I'd also like to get the kids involved by having a bike that will allow me to travel with them around town.

Any recommendations for a bike that will handle snow and hills with a 3 1/2 yr old? My soon-to-be 7 yr old can ride his own bike alongside me.

Thanks!

[ParisApril]

We have a Surly, Big Dummy with a padded seat and use it as our town vehicle. Even in the cold Ontario winter, just dress warm (think balaclava with windstop).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-jRz...eature=related

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balaclava_(clothing)

Not me in the video. I wear a helmet and don't surf on it! It's great for grocery trips. I call it my pickup truck. I really can't say enough nice things about it.

[briansmama]

Thank you April! That's the type of thing I'm looking for.

Would you feel comfortable putting a 3.5 yr old on the back of it? It would just be for library/park/small grocery/gym trips within 5 miles or so.

Does yours handle hills pretty easily? The neighborhood we're looking in is pretty hilly though the rest of town is mostly flat.

Thank you very much!

[mumm]

We have a Madsen and a burley trailer. The madsen gets far more use for family stuff. I'm not in great shape (haven't been in 3+ years now) but am mostly comfortable hauling my two three year old (each about 30lb) and dfs, 5 years and about 57lbs. On ocassion I've had over 150lb of kids and I have felt it! I bought mine on black friday when they cut the price by about $500. I haven't had it for a winter yet, so we'll see. But I doubt it can handle real snow- low clearance plus the stability factor.

[ParisApril]

Originally Posted by briansmama

Thank you April! That's the type of thing I'm looking for.

Would you feel comfortable putting a 3.5 yr old on the back of it? It would just be for library/park/small grocery/gym trips within 5 miles or so.

Does yours handle hills pretty easily? The neighborhood we're looking in is pretty hilly though the rest of town is mostly flat.

Thank you very much!

Your welcome!

I have had my DS ride on the back of ours since he was 3.5 years old. When we first got it on longer trips we just had to keep reminding him not to fall asleep! You can attach a child seat if you are really worried about that though. Also my DH attached handlebars for the kids to hold onto as well.

The bike is good on hills. It's pretty heavy though being a steel frame. It is possible to buy aluminum or maybe even carbon fiber but they are much more expensive and our budget prevented that. We live in the "bowl", at the bottom of a valley and anywhere you go from our house is uphill for the first 1 km. The first month with the bike was hard on the hills but after that I just got stronger and it isn't bad anymore.

My DH (200lbs) has pedaled it with ME (127lbs), DD (50lbs) and DS(40lbs) all on it totaling 417lbs!

This picture is from a bike camping trip we took last year. http://www.mothering.com/discussions...pictureid=1781

[ParisApril]

Originally Posted by mumm

We have a Madsen and a burley trailer. The madsen gets far more use for family stuff. I'm not in great shape (haven't been in 3+ years now) but am mostly comfortable hauling my two three year old (each about 30lb) and dfs, 5 years and about 57lbs. On ocassion I've had over 150lb of kids and I have felt it! I bought mine on black friday when they cut the price by about $500. I haven't had it for a winter yet, so we'll see. But I doubt it can handle real snow- low clearance plus the stability factor.

I would love to see it, do you have a picture?

Last winter we bought studded tires for the winter but they were really overkill. They were heavy with the steel studs. Half way through the winter we took them off and didn't wipe out once!

We don't bike on days when it is really snowing though. I just wait for a nicer day to pop to the grocery store etc.

[mumm]

Madsen Bucket

I am 6'2" and it feels good. My partner is 5'6" and also thinks it is comfy. My almost 10 year old son (57lb) has also ridden it, but I have yet to let him carry the twins in the back. I just worry about him dumping it since combined they weigh more than he does.

It does have some faults- The chain guard fell off very quickly because everyone used it as a step stool to get in/out of the bucket. It isn't comfy for sleeping. It doesn't come with an auto-clean so it quickly became as messy as my mini-van. Sunscreen, water bottles, banana peels etc do grow on the bottom. I also can't see what they are doing, so they tend to misbehave given the chance. Nothing more hysterical for two two year olds than dropping items one by one out the back and watching them disappear. Especially when a 5 or 6 year old is following on their own bike and dodging the items in cahoots with them. (Not that *MY* kids would ever do that! )