Ride IllinoisRide Illinois
July 12, 2016

Through the Ages: Family Biking

Organizers of Chicago’s Kidical Mass rides, which are volunteer led family bike parades, recently hosted their first Family Bike Fair. The goal was to provide resources and break down barriers so that families can ride safely this summer and beyond. It was hosted at Jahn Elementary School and included activities such as a bike rodeo, helmet sizing, and family-friendly route planning.

Ride Illinois staff, armed with bike safety materials and temporary tattoos, had many great conversations with other parents about options for riding with kids of all ages. For example, Gin shared how she and her husband equipped both of their bikes to use a bike seat and trailer to maximize flexibility when their son was little. She rode him to day care and left the bike seat behind for her husband to use when picking up. Tania and her husband shared stories about the various iterations their cargo bike went through over the years from toting babies to toddlers to grade school children. Our friends at the Active Transportation Alliance brought a mini fleet of balance bikes, which have become a popular alternative to tricycles for teaching kids how to bike. The wide open asphalt was a perfect setting for big and little kids alike to show off their moves.

One chunk of the playground featured a dazzling array of kid carrying options, from roomy cargo bikes to simple bike seats. It evoked the feeling of a luxury car dealership, but instead of price stickers, these rides included notes from their owners: what we love, the trips we take, and general advice. Although the cost of some of the bikes might feel high, these “vehicles” often enable families to live car-free or car-light. With over 30 family bike setups to view, there was a biking solution for every price point and family size.

Not surprisingly, we received many questions about safety, especially as children become old enough to ride on their own. When starting out, may the adult bike with them on the sidewalk? When and where is it OK for children to ride in the street with adults? Or on their own? All great questions that don’t always come with straight answers. For instance, Illinois state law allows bicycling on sidewalks, however, local ordinances may prohibit it based on age, location, or other factors. Generally, we suggest that parents use common sense and consider their child’s individual abilities when deciding the best way to apprentice them to cycling independence.

Finding safe, low-traffic routes for family biking was another hot topic. For example, we met a cargo biking mom who lives on a one way street. She needs to take three busy streets involving left turns to reach her house in a legal manner. But the conditions make her feel unsafe. We pondered various scenarios, and concluded that the best bet might be for her to turn onto her street and walk the bike–after her kids have hopped out to race the half-block home.

The event was a great example of the way sharing stories and tips about tackling barriers–big and small,  real and perceived–can embolden families to ride. We are thrilled to announce that Rebecca Resman, a lead organizer of the fair and Chicago Kidical Mass will be speaking at the Illinois Bike Summit about how to promote family biking in your town. We hope that her presentation will inspire others to organize similar events, and that Family Bike Fairs and Kidical Mass rides spread to all corners of the state! If you would like to learn more and/or get involved now, you can join the Chicago Family Biking Facebook group. Many of the tips and discussions are relevant for any community.

And while knowledge is key, swag never hurts, as evidenced by Jamie Fagerburg’s family. “We attended the Family Bike Fair a few weeks back and were the lucky winners of an awesome Yepp seat. We kind of went about things backwards and ended up getting a new bike to start our family biking adventures. Our almost 1-year old is LOVING it. Great to have met so many biking parents and looking forward to doing our first Kidical Mass soon.”

Little ones excited about the bike rodeo and their Ride Illinois tattoos.
Jamie Fagerburg was inspired to ride with her one year old after attending the Family Bike. Fair.