Family Biking Gear & Family Bike Day Save the Date

Are you already planning for the fall amidst the sand and sweat of summer? At Jax Moms Blog we are! Even though we are not even half way through with our very fun and successful Summer Park Hop series, we are looking ahead to less humid days for a Family Bike Event! We’ve had lots of feedback (thank you!) from working moms who would love to be more a part of our fun. This event will be on a Saturday so the whole family can make it out together. Save the date today on your uber-busy (iphone) calendar… October 11, 2014 will be our first Family Bike Day.

The location of the event is to be announced. The bike day will be held at a (paved) place that will allow families with kids of any age the opportunity to ride at their own pace and distance. (For families with babies that are too young to bike, our location will be a great place to enjoy some fresh air with a stroller.)

This is a bit early to announce an event, but if your family is anything like mine, the Family Bike Day might require a little practice, preparation, and purchase! It’s amazing how quickly your kids’ biking needs change as they grow. Here are some different kid bike and kid carrier options by age to consider:

Front and Rear Baby Bike Seats  (12 mo – 4 yrs)

We’ve used both the front and rear seats for our kids and I now miss the days that we could take out two bikes with kid seats for a spin around the neighborhood. Things are a bit more complicated now that my son is getting so big, yet not ready to pedal himself for longer distances. I personally prefer the rear seat, I’m an average height and I have a hard time putting my feet on the ground to stop with the front seat.

 

Bike Trailers  (12 mo – 6 yrs)

My kids love to ride in our bike trailer! It’s so easy for them, and is a good workout for me. Unfortunately my son has pretty much outgrown this as well (he’s a tall 5 year old).

Tag-a-Long Bikes & Tow Bar (~4 yrs+)

When you want to let your kids pedal but need them move at your pace, you can use a tag-a-long type bike or a tow bar that connects a kid’s bike to yours. I’ve heard that kids really love the tag-a-long bikes. We recently purchased a Trail Gator tow bar to attach our son’s bike to ours. The appeal of this product is that the kid’s bike can be detached on the fly. We haven’t used the Trail Gator much at this point. So far it seems a bit wobbly. (I’m still hoping that we can make this work with some practice prior to the big family bike day).

Starter Bikes (~3 yrs+)

Some parents like to start their kids on bikes without pedals, called balance bikes (these can start as early as 18 mo), and some go straight to the pedal bikes with training wheels. These bikes are great for kids learning to bike on their own, however they are tough for times that you want to cover more ground at an adult rate! We have both a balance bike for my daughter, and a little bike with training wheels for my son. So far I really dislike the training wheels and wish that we had started our son on a balance bike.

Car Bike Racks

Here’s something we’re all going to need for this big bike day as well… a way to get our bikes out there! I’m considering either a trunk rack, or a hitch racks. (We’re not yet sure which will best meet our needs.) You can also find roof racks which generally hold two bikes.

 

Helmets & Florida Law

If you want to bike with your kids, make sure to get helmets for them! (You will not find a helmet that’s designed to fit a baby under 12 months of age. Doctors are concerned that the constant barrage of bumps and wobbles that occur during biking could be harmful to babies’ developing brains.) Florida law states that all kids under 16 years old riding on a bike or in a trailer must wear a helmet!

Local Bike Shops

In addition to the big sporting goods and department stores, Jacksonville has a surprisingly large number of specialty and/or locally owned bike shops. I’ve called and messaged all of these shops, and they all carry some family biking equipment! If you’re looking for something specific, call ahead before you go. (A few of these shops are small enough that they can’t always keep lower volume items in stock but they will special order for you.)

Beaches

Bike & Beach – 217 3rd St

Cycle Spectrum – 1263 3rd St S

Open Road Bicycles – 1017 South Third Street

Champion Cycling – 1303 3rd St N

Trek Bicycle Store – 1313 Beach Blvd

 

Mandarin & St Johns

Champion Cycling – 11447 San Jose Blvd

Bikes Kites & More – 2758 Race Track Rd

Open Road Bicycles – 2220 County Road 210

 

Southside

Bicycle Clinic – 8727 Philips Hwy

Bicycles Etc. – 8036 Philips Hwy #8

Bikes Direct – 4624 Town Crossing Dr

Performance Bicycle – 4421 Southside Blvd

 

Central Jax

City Cycle Jacksonville – 2740 Park St

Zencog Bicycle Company – 883 Stockton St

Champion Cycling – 1025 N Arlington Rd

Open Road Bicycles – 4460 Hendricks Ave

LakeShore Bicycles – 2108 Blanding Blvd

 

Orange Park

About Bicycles – 2176 Park Ave #102

Open Road Bicycles – 1560 Business Center Dr

Open Road Bicycles – 9680 Argyle Forest Blvd #18

 

Gather your gear and Save the Date for our Family Bike Day on October 11!