Momentum USA Nov/Dec 2011
familystyle winter riding with kids STAY WARM BE SAFE AND HAVE FUN WRITER KATHLEEN WILKER PHOTOGRAPHER DEREK HEFFERNAN TRAILERS ARE TOASTY If your kids are small enough for a bike trailer and the roads arent narrowed too much by large snowdrifts this is a fantastic way to bike around town Its easy to keep kids warm in a bike trailer Sheepskins down sleeping bags and fl eece blankets work well as insulators under their bums and over their legs W hen the streets are clear the kids and I love to ride in the winter We dress up warmly we ride slowly and we always have a backup plan or two in case the weather changes Winter riding with kids is fine when the roads are cleared enough that balance is certain and your bike wont get overly damaged by salt and slush If we wake up to piles of snow we leave our bike in the garage and strap on our skis We love getting around in the winter and biking is one of the ways that takes us wherever we need to go Here are a few things to keep in mind when youre riding in the winter with kids we love getting around in the winter and biking is one of the ways that takes us wherever we need to go Kathleen Wilker waits for the roads to clear before heading out with Jasper Heffernan Wilker and Anna Sierra Heffernan Wilker on the family longtail PEDALS Trade out your cages and your clipless pedals for wide and grippy mountain bike pedals that are big enough for boots is winter Ill be riding in waterproof Bogs boots to keep me warm TIRES If youre planning on riding in icy conditions you should invest in studded tires I rode all winter when I was pregnant with my now eight year old daughter and felt safe and con dent with studded tires Some people practice riding on ice in empty parking lots As with sand or mud puddles as long as you keep pedaling you can usually stay upright HELMETS Helmets with adjustable ttings and straps are useful because they will accommodate winter hats certain companies also o er winter liners for their helmets Some people prefer downhill ski helmets ese are great for kids because they often come with visors that o er extra wind protection LIGHTS Make sure your lights are fully charged Drivers are less accustomed to seeing cyclists on winter roads snow banks make the roads narrower and the ride home from daycare will often be in the dark when the days are shorter I like to put safety vests and ashing back lights on the kids in the winter to make sure were extra visible Kathleen Wilker loves riding with her family and sharing their adventures on Families on Bikes Momentums most kid friendly blog Shed love to hear your stories too familiesonbikes@ momentumplanet com @ KATHLEENWILKER dressing for winter riding warm kids are happy kids Youre moving The kids probably arent And their little bodies can get cold quickly If youre wearing gloves give them mitts If youre wearing splash pants give them snow pants Wool sweaters long johns wool socks and warm boots are all part of our winter ride The kids wear balaclavas under their helmets and Vaseline on their cheeks to keep them warm and protect against frostbite On longer rides or when the North wind is blowing fi ercely I stop to check the kids fi ngers and make sure theyre warm enough A few times my daughter hasnt been warm enough so I invited her to hop off the bike and we walked together for a few minutes until she heated up NOV DEC 11 MOMENTUMPLANET COM 20
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