Many readers have asked how to ride a bike with a baby. We started when Toby turned one, and I'd love to share what we've learned...We've had the loveliest breezy rides with Toby in the early mornings and evenings--down the Hudson River, around Central Park, across the Brooklyn Bridge. I've found it really freeing to be able to ride a bike together, instead of having to always lug around the stroller. Biking with a little one is totally invigorating!
As for the seat, Alex and I are huge fans of the front bike seat. When the seat's in front, you can keep a close eye on your baby, which feels safe and secure; plus, you can chat and sing and feed them crackers:) And what a thrill for the babies! Seriously, it must feel like a roller coaster!
So, which brand of front bike seat? We've tried two...
1. The first seat we tried was the WeeRide Kangaroo, $48 (above). Pros: Our friends Kendra and Seth had highly recommended it (here's a cute photo of Kendra riding with their daughter). It's affordable, and you can order it easily from Amazon. Cons: Because of the seat's position, you have to ride with your knees slightly out to the side. (Nerds.)Then that seat got stolen. (Curses, NYC!)
2. The second seat we got was the Bobike Mini, $140 (below). (We would have ordered the WeeRide again, but didn't want to wait for Amazon shipping.) Pros: This Dutch seat is designed beautifully and feels streamlined. You can take the seat on and off easily (so, if you're not riding with your child, you can remove it in two seconds). Cons: It's three times more expensive than the WeeRide. Also, the seat attaches to your stem (think: the handlebar rod), which can feel wobbly when you're getting on and off the bike.
Overall: I'd highly recommend either of these seats (and polka-dot Nutcase helmet!). Do you ride bikes with your kids? Would you want to try it out? Where do you live? Do you have any bike gear that you'd recommend?
P.S. Toby's first "ride." :)
(Photos by Laura Ratliff and Jamie Beck for Cup of Jo. My helmet by Bern, and Toby's helmet by Nutcase)
These are the sweetest photos I have ever seen! I can't believe how grown up Toby is getting! I remember when you announced your pregnancy :) You two are an adorable pair!
ReplyDeletePIECE OF CAKE. PEACE OF MIND.
What sweet photos, Joamma!! :)
ReplyDeleteYou've got me convince. I want one. I have never seen a front seat before. I love it!!!
ReplyDeleteWow your son really looks like your husband in the last picture.
- Sarah
http://agirlintransit.blogspot.com
So sweet! Love the front seat:)
ReplyDelete~Jennifer
horaceandmae.etsy.com
At almost five months pregnant I was just thinking about this very thing the other day - hooray for motherhood Mondays!!!
ReplyDeleteXo
Allison
I love riding bikes with kiddo's!
ReplyDeleteHere in Holland, where I live, it is totally normal to bike with the little ones every day to work/school/daycare. My friends who have kids even bike with baby's in the ergo carriers.
Since cycling is such a part of daily living, we don't use helmets as much. (uhm, I must say, not at all in our daily cycling) Only when touring or mountainbiking we use them.
I love Toby's helmet! the cuteness makes it a good excuse to wear. (of course safety is more important!)
very usefull information! Thank you... My baby is turnnig 1 in one and a half months and we probably gonna start doing this too. But I don't feel confortable having him on my bike. I guess the father will take him, it's safer :-) I'm not that great biker
ReplyDeleteWe have a front mounted seat as well. A bobike mini, at around $70 it's super affordable an comfortable for me and my son.
ReplyDeleteWe love to ride bikes. We have one front facing seat like your kangaroo one for my son, but my bike frame is too small for that so I take my daughter on a back seat. Next year she'll get one of those half bikes that attach to the adult bike.
ReplyDeleteQuick tip on the helmet - make sure Toby can see the rim of the helmet when he looks up, for safety the helmet should not be popped back...I put the helmet on my kids head and ask them to roll their eyes up, if the rim can be seen we are set - the same goes for my own helmet ;)
I think it's brilliant that you and Alex take Toby for bike rides around the city. You both look super cute in your helmets and it seems that Toby is loving every minute of it! Happy Monday, Joanna. xo
ReplyDeleteso grown up! woah!
ReplyDeletexx
Oh my gosh, he looks like such a real little boy in these pictures!
ReplyDeleteBecca
bikes aside, that green blouse you are wearing is so beautiful!
ReplyDeletei also have the wee-ride and it does stink that you have to ride so wonky, but i do love that there is that head rest for when/if your babe falls asleep, which mine happens to do every bike ride - i wonder what happens if the child falls asleep on the handlebar seat? has that happened? do they just kinda slump? does that make riding awkward?
I used a trail-a-bike when my kids got to be about 4-5 years. It is great for long rides, where they would get too tired on their own. You feel like such a team. (And, they really help a lot, especially going uphills.)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.trail-a-bike.com/
most adorable post of the day. hooray for bike-riding mommas.
ReplyDeleteI tried a few of the front seats and it was always so hard for me to ride. I would get bruises on my knees. I much prefer the back seat. The back seat also makes it easy for my daughter to take a little nap back there because she can rest her head against the back when we're on longer bike rides. She definitely couldn't do that on the front seat. But these photos are SO cute and now I'm definitely planning a bike ride this weekend!
ReplyDeleteBTW, LOVE Toby's shirt. Manuel has 3 of those (from H&M)... Love that informal, yet trendy cut!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the idea of a front seat! also Toby looks just adorable :) he's definitely changing from being a baby boy to a big boy if you know what I mean. I almost didn't recognise him in the first couple of pictures!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness too many things to say! This absolutely made my day. These are the most adorable photos EVER. It literally makes me want to have a baby so I can take them on a bike ride!
ReplyDeleteI haven't tried a bike seat, but we go on short family bike rides every week with my 17-month daughter in a bike trailer behind my bike. We all love it! Plus, we can stash the lock, bag, and drinks in there with her. We live in a college city in Utah, and people are notoriously negligent of cyclists, so we ride on the sidewalks or on quiet streets (that are a maze of culdesacs) so we don't use helmets. When my daughter starts riding her own bike, we'll have to change our helmet rule. Cute pictures!
ReplyDeleteUm hello, could you be any more adorable Joanna?!! Loving the polka dot bike helmet. Toby is so cuuute!
ReplyDeleteDo you think that putting baby in front is more safe than putting baby in back? Just curious. Or have analysts said anything about that? I personally would love and prefer having baby in the front, but it kind of makes me nervous incase of a fall or something...?
@ alex, we actually have the bobike mini, too, but it was $140! did you get yours used or on ebay? that is awesome you found one for a lower price. xo
ReplyDeleteSo sweet. You look great! My fiance builds bicycle frames and so he's really excited to tote around our little one - when that happens.
ReplyDeleteps. Giulia Doyle is right! helmets should be down on the forehead more. seeing Toby's bare forehead gave me shivers!
jen, agreed: the one negative with the front seat is that they can't nap. so we take rides when toby definitely isn't sleepy! :)
ReplyDeleteamynicole, alex did a ton of research about front vs back seats when we were first buying a seat, and the research he read said that front seats seemed to be safer. you can keep an eye on your baby, you can protect them with your arms if you fall; and with back seats, i worried that toby would fall asleep with his head to one side and that i could clip a corner....ah, it gave me hives! but i do know a lot of people who have back seats and love them, too! :)
ReplyDeleteJoanna, you two are adorable! I love this bike post. I couldn't help but notice that Toby's helmet seems to be a bit far back on the head. I won't let my little brothers ride bikes until their helmets are squarely on top so their foreheads are well-protected. This link may help: http://www.pamf.org/health/special/bikehelmets.html
ReplyDeleteGiulia and Lissa, thank you for the tip!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI'd be okay with this on weekend trail trips, but I live in Pittsburgh, where everything is hills hills hills--they even make me a little frightened sometimes. Do you have to deal with a lot of rough terrain in NYC? I would think it's pretty flat.
ReplyDeleteBut if I had a kid, and there weren't so many hills to tackle, this would totally be my thing. Super rad.
So cute! I think now that Toby is getting older, he's starting to look more like Alex. I don't know, what do you think?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteOMG!!!!! Toby and I have the same bicycle helmet! Hahaha! I really am just a big kid...
ReplyDeleteHi - i haven't read all the comments, but i hope someone already has mentioned this to you...looks like you both your helments on incorrectly - make sure Toby can see the rim of the helmet when he looks up. The same goes for your helmet. For safety the helmet should not be popped back - it means it is too loose one, and you will hit your forehead if you fall off... From what i understand having the helmet on properly is a bigger safety factor vs front/ back bike seat....
ReplyDeleteHappy riding :)
These really are such lovely photos- you two are so adorable together.
ReplyDeleteMuch love!
thanks! this is useful! we want to start doing this too with our baby!
ReplyDeleteLindsay
thanks so much for this post joanna! these are the seats i've been looking at as i definitely prefer the idea of louis being up front with me so good to hear you have one and like it... plus judging by the look on toby's face the babies quite like it too :) great pics!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe how big Toby is getting! He's such a "kid" now...beautiful golden hair!
ReplyDeletexoxo
thank you so much for posting this! i've been researching seats to finally start riding with my little one, and i also wanted a front seat to be able to see her. i'll definitely check these out!
ReplyDeleteGoodness! Toby looks like he grew overnight! Remember to pull his helmet down to protect that cute forehead. I see so many children wearing their helmets improperly.
ReplyDeletethis is so cute! great advice and with the risk of sounding like an overprotective mom, thanks for riding with a helmet! haha I see so many moms with their little babies without a helmet (both of them) and it makes me so nervous! it's not worth the risk. i had a friend that died in a bike wreck that would have been saved if he had on a helmet... glad you are preventing that!
ReplyDeleteToby looks like he's having so much fun! (And so do you!)
ReplyDeleteI almost didn't recognize Toby in these pictures! He looks so grown up now. And I completely adore the red tint in is hair. (I'm dating a red head + have two red headed sisters, so I'm kind of a fan.) Cute baby helmet, too!
ReplyDeleteSo neat! Aurora and I just got a Linus with a BoBike from Coco's Variety in Los Angeles: http://www.cocosvariety.com/2011/10/mindy-and-aurora-linus-dutchi8-with.html. We're having so much fun riding around the neighborhood together (we both have helmets, just not on in this picture)
ReplyDeleteHi Joanna, love your blog. My husband and I are big bike enthusiast. We lived in Melbourne from when my daughter was 1-2 and then Boston when she was 2-3, now we are back in Canada. I think where you live plays a bog part of what you choose. In Australia we did not have a car and I used a back carrier all the time, by Topeak. It was brilliant. There is no danger of clipping their heads. I didn't really want her to sleep in the bike seat as I don't think it is very restorative sleep, bit she did konk out a few times
ReplyDeleteAgainst yeh head rest. I have not tried the front
Models, to me they seemed harder to navigate. I was also wondering what the weight limit is for the front carriers, we got a newer version of the back carrier and it goes to 45 lbs (though o found it hard work once she got over 30 lbs!). In Boston we also purchased a chariot trailer, which is great if you roads are wider or you have access to bike
Trails. Next year we will likely pit her on a attached bike
Where she can petal too. Overall, I think no matter how you do it taking your wee ones along on the bike is the best thing ever!
Love that seat! Toby needs a helmet that fits though. When they slip back off the forehead you don't have good frontal lobe protection.
ReplyDeleteI love it! We have been riding with Milo since about 9 months and have loves every minute of it. It's become our normal way to get around! We've used the iBert front seat carrier and have never had any issues and it's easy to switch over to mine or Mike's bike depending on who is riding with Milo. Happy Riding! Xx
ReplyDeleteOMG. Toby looks like such a little kid now instead of a baby. When did that happen? Love the pictures in this post. You should also tell us where your outfits are from (especially that gorgeous green blouse) because they are all adorable.
ReplyDeleteYup, we just took our 9 month old on a bike ride for the first time. Here are some pics to share.
ReplyDeletehttp://escross.blogspot.com/2011/10/sf-family-bike-day.html
We too love the front bike seat. We have the iBert Safe-T and highly recommend it!
SO cute, and what a great way for Toby to see the city!!! it must feel so freeing for both of you, probably similar to when I was pregnant last summer and would swim laps- it was a nice break to feel weightless!
ReplyDeleteOur daughter will be one on the 27th (!!!) and I will admit over the summer we went around the block at the shore with her on the back of the bike... and I wasn't super "jazzed" about it's location. SO I'm excited to read more reviews and to see it in action! PLUS I love the idea that you can feed them crackers as you go- a great way to prolong the ride! ; )
~abigail
aka tiptoethrough.blogspot
yah for front seats! We used one when my daughter was a babe (she will be 8 in December, wow!) and people thought we were crazy. But I loved how safe and secure she felt and she got such a view of what was ahead as opposed to staring at our backs or screaming her head off in a wagon pulled behind the bike.
ReplyDeletegreat photos! thanks for sharing.
we have bike chariot that pulls behind for our 2 kiddos...they love it! I am swooning over the front baby seat!
ReplyDeleteHope this is safe. I am not sure I'd take the risk if I had a baby. What happens if you fall off the bike? Especially in a busy city like NY.
ReplyDeleteYES! My Cyclist usually pulls our Munchkin in a trailer. This is a supreme training work-out for him and The Munchkin loves it. We live in Sacramento, CA; we are blessed with a 80 mile (maybe more) bike trail completely uninterrupted of vehicle traffic.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this seat! We were just discussing getting a front riding one for easier take-off. :)
This is super cute!
ReplyDeletethanks for these cute comments! i know, toby looks so grown-up -- but he still looks like a baby in person. i still dress him in onesies! :)
ReplyDeleteI have the same helmet as Toby!
ReplyDeleteMagdalena's Madrid, thank you!! in the top pics, my jeans are emersonmade and my shirt is steven alan and my black flats are land's end canvas. in the middle photos, my jeans are emersonmade, and my shirt and shoes are from anthropologie. xoxo
ReplyDeletemindy, that is awesome!!! we're bike twins:) thanks for these lovely comments xoxo
ReplyDeleteI think I would ride a bike more if I had such an adorable companion riding with me. Those photos , that face ... wonderful !
ReplyDeleteYour son is the cutest kid ever, really :-), I don't think I ever went on a bike with my mum that early and it's a pity ! I will try with my kid when I have one.
ReplyDeleteYou have such a lovely blog ! Mine is mostly about fashion, if you liked it we could follow each other ! Many kisses and keep up the awesome work !
Fashion and Cookies
My Twitter
I have to ask what kind of shoes is Toby wearing. Such a cutie -- your boy!
ReplyDeleteoh, they're these funny leather shoes from bobuk: http://www.bobux.com/
ReplyDeleteOh wow.. look how happy he is.. perfect.
ReplyDeleteVery cute pics. :)
ReplyDeleteEye Makeup Tips
Toby's face in the last photo is the look of SHEER JOY. I love it!
ReplyDeleteThis was such a fantastic post!! Great photos too!
ReplyDeleteI'm expecting and due in February so baby biking is still a while off... but my Boyfriend and I love travelling about the city by bike so this is a great resource. Thank you Cup of Jo!
Zoe
http://waitingforkittenheart.blogspot.com
Great post! I ride my bike everyday so when I have kids I will definitely want to bring them along with me.
ReplyDeleteA note on your helmet wearing, you want the helmet to a few inches above your eyebrows. It should cover most of your forehead, this way if you fall, it will protect your face.
Love the nutcase helmets! so cute!
The cutest pics!! That white bike is sweet!
ReplyDeletegreat! post. love the front seat.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, Toby looks just like Alex! So fun to watch him grow up. Thank you for sharing these special moments of your life with us. :)
ReplyDeleteEeeps!!! This is freakin adorable!! Too cute Momma!
ReplyDeletehow have i never seen one of those seats before? my baby is 7 months and i'm counting down the months until he's one so we can get a seat asap! so awesome!
ReplyDeleteLove when the kiddos are in front! Bike trailers scare me (really other drivers scare me, but you know what I mean) Have you seen this?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.myzigo.com/
It's kind of a souped up bakfiets. I totally want one!
Wow, Toby sure is cute. I can't wait until my 7 month old Jane can go for a spin with me. Great post. I was wondering when we could take her out. Really enjoy Motherhood Mondays. Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteto the anonymous (which i deleted): toby ALWAYS wears a helmet on the bike, of course!!! you must have seen someone else; a lot of people ride with their children in the west village. i 100% put him in a helmet always. i ride really safely with him, he is my most treasured possession!
ReplyDeleteToby is a cutie!! You both look incredibly happy!
ReplyDeleteWe love biking with our kids too. The front seats are the best. We have iBert's for both of our bikes. We also use a Chariot CTS double for when one of us is taking both of them along. But love the iBert!
ReplyDeleteThis is too adorable for words.
ReplyDelete-Ly
http://www.lyzhang.com
Thank you for sharing these moments with us! Sorry some people (Anonymous) feel the need to try to steal spotlight/stir the pot/whatever they're trying to do. You're a great mom!
ReplyDeleteHope your bike in covered under renter's insurance! Do they sell bike insurance in NYC? Sounds like a lucrative market.
ReplyDeleteOn a totally unrelated note - I have those Land's End Canvas flats (and the open-toed version from Land's End) and they are SO comfy.
My mom always toted me around in a back-seat bike seat. Great memories.
deanna, i agree, those flats are like wearing padded slippers:) bike insurance is a brilliant idea, too.
ReplyDeleteI wish to ride a bike around the central park and across Brooklyn Bridge.
ReplyDeleteBut now is impossible!!!
These pictures are so beautiful, you and your baby are so sweet.
Ciao!!!
Toby looks so grown up. What a big boy he is now. So cute and looks like he loves the bike rides. :)
ReplyDeleteI think Toby looks more like both you and Alex every day! This makes me want to get back into bicycling. :)
ReplyDeleteWe have a bike trailer. We went this route because we got a double for when we'd have a second child and my husband could take both kids for a ride. We went with Baby Jogger brand because just like the strollers, there's a handle in the middle of the seat that you pull and the trailer folds in half. Great for storage in our garage. We have a big hook in the ceiling and hangs there year around.
ReplyDeleteok, a bike is definitely on my wish list after this post..i feel like we missed out on such fun..but it is never too late..right? M just turned 3 so i don't think a front seat is an option for us, it will have to be a back seat.... Thank you for this post!!! i am soooo looking forward for all of our new adventures on the future bike.... (i really love the cream colored bike)
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing these adorable pictures and tips on seats! We tried to buy a bike seat for our son over the summer, not realizing you have to wait until they're a year old for riding. Can't wait to do this next summer!
ReplyDeleteNice helmet.
ReplyDeletesuch an adorable photo!!! I am obsessed!
ReplyDeleteHappy Monday Jo!
xoxo
Molliee
You guys look adorable! I live in Virginia and ride with my nearly 2 y/o daughter. We have the iBert. Not sure if anyone else has this problem, but I have a beach cruiser, and she loves to help me steer. It's cute, but can be annoying as well.
ReplyDeleteLucky toby! You are a fun mama!
ReplyDeleteYES! so true about little dudes trying to help you steer -- also toby sometimes randomly starts dancing which definitely makes steering trickier! :)
ReplyDeleteWhen i was living in Tokyo, I constantly saw mothers riding bikes with their kids (sometimes two little ones and a mother to a bike!). However, I was always a ball of nerves watching them ride, since no one in Japan (babies included) wears helmets. They need to take a hint from that cute polka dotted number.
ReplyDeleteWhere is your floral shirt from!? I love it!
ReplyDeletekatie, thanks! steven alan xo
ReplyDeleteYes I ride with my childen everywhere. Well, I live in NL so it would be strange not to! Love it, especially when they were young and small enough to be up front. So lovely talking to them quietyly, pointing things out on the ride. In NL most riders still don't wear helmets, although the fabulous bike paths (with their own traffic light system too) do mean that you are further apart from the other road traffic.
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy to see a parent riding with a helmet, too! Too often you see people put helmets on their kids but not on themselves - not only are you setting a bad example, but how is your baby going to take care of him/herself if you have a brain injury? :(
ReplyDeleteI CANNOT wait until my daughter gets a little older and I can drive her around on my cruiser. SIGH...
ReplyDeletemore mom stories:
4scarlet.com
Those pictures are so cute! I've never heard of or seen the front bike rider, I just started using a bike trailer with my 9 mon old and love it so far, I'm just getting back into biking so I like the trailer bc if I fall I know the baby isn't going down with me.
ReplyDeletei love your lipstick joanna! what is it, if you don't mind me asking?
ReplyDeleteAwesome post. My only critique is that in the last three pictures both of your helmets have ridden up a bit. Your son's won't provide much protection if you were to fall and he were to faceplant. When the helmet is properly fitted you should be able to look up and see the edge of it over your eyebrows. (About two fingers between your eyebrows and the helmet.)
ReplyDeleteI do love that you are both wearing helmets. How do you like the Bern Helmet? Does it get heavy and hot?
Hi Joanna,
ReplyDeleteCycling safe is something we feel really strongly about. My husband was hospitalised after a collision but his helmet saved his life. Please check out our cycle safe poster for London parents. Not sure if 'bonce' translates, but I'm sure our US friends will work it out.
x
http://fanfamfun.blogspot.com/2011/10/cycle-safe.html
anonymous, thank you!! it's a red by josie maran. david, thank you!!! yes, i'm going to adjust his helmet today. thank you!! and i like the bern, it's sort of clunky, but it does the job:)
ReplyDeletehi! I have three children + we have used a trailer, a back baby seat + the weeride front baby seat.
ReplyDeletethe trailer was great because my first two were close in age - so it was our only option at the time with two little ones! the only drawback was that the fabric completely fell apart within the first year (a $100ish model from target).
we've used a back baby seat for our third child. after the straps on it rotted away, we tried the front seat - the weeride. this is my favorite as far as baby seats go!
as far as safety goes, the center of gravity is far improved when the seat is in front of you. with the backseat, any time the baby leaned to the side - the whole bike would awkwardly shift as well. this doesn't happen with the weeride. and when she would fall asleep in the backseat (this happened every ride, really!) it was so sad - her head had no place to go!!! with the weeride she gets to lay down on the pad. and I feel like the pad offers protection
as well. and I think she must enjoy the view in the front a lot more as she hardly ever falls asleep.
a tip about helmet fit: this summer we read that your helmet should fit snug enough so that when you open your mouth, your helmet should move. this really helped with my big kids. their helmets were too loose. but this is an easy way for them to figure it out for themselves.
This is my first time to comment here. I must add how much I enjoy your blog!!!
Hello! I just wanted to let you know that biking with a child in either a front seat or a back seat is very dangerous because it throws off your center of gravity, thus making falls more likely (and more serious). The safest way to ride with a toddler/child who isn't old enough to bike yet is a trailer. Also, it does appear that you both need to tilt your helmets forward. Properly-fitted, -adjusted, and -worn helmets have saved the lives of literally everyone in my family. BUT your pictures are absolutely adorable nonetheless!
ReplyDeleteIt is so fun to see the differences between the USA and the Netherlands. I'm dutch and I think every mom has a front seat on their bikes. You see bikes with a front and a backseat for children so you can bike with both your kids. I sometimes cycle with my babysit-child in front. It's always fun cause she will wave at every single person that comes by.
ReplyDeleteLove to read this!
Ugh, I can't get over the judge-y mom comments you and other bloggers receive. I guess it comes with the territory, but it must drive you nuts!
ReplyDeleteoh! I love this post Joanna!!! How cute your little mister is!
ReplyDeletelots of love from France,
Betül
balladofseasons.blogspot.com
I love these photos!!!!! I would love to go away alone and think all parents should do it! Have a great time on your vacation.
ReplyDeleteThe first time Daddy and I went away was when you and Lucy were about 17 months old. Grandpa came over to France to babysit not long after Nana had died and we went to the Loire Valley for two nights. It seemed like a week! (I hallucinated a baby crying from time to time! I was so primed to interpret sound that way!) It was a great and much needed vacation - there were no computers or cell phones or e-mail, so we were really off on our own.
ReplyDeleteI think I wrote that comment on the wrong post. I am so inept!
ReplyDeleteI love these photos; Toby looks so happy! I also love that you are both wearing helmets. It makes me upset when I see parents riding with kids and the parent is not wearing a helmet. (What kind of message does that send to your kid? And what if something happens to you while you are riding?) Setting a great example for cool moms out there. :)
ReplyDeleteI have very vivid memories of riding on the back of my mom's bike when I was little, but this front seat looks like it would be 100 times more fun.
ReplyDeleteHello Joanna! I would love to know what is the brand of the black bike you ride on the bottom photos? I know the white one is a public bike, I love those! I love your blog! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThese photos are so sweet, you look like such a stylish mom! I used to love riding on the back seat of my dad's bike when I was little, and it's a great way to show your kids how easy it is to exercise and have fun.
ReplyDeleteSo cute! How are you liking your Publics bike? I'm toying with ordering one, if I can get a relative in the states to bring it up to me...
ReplyDeleteHi again Joanna! I found the answer to the brand question. I is a Linus, right? I could not see it right in the picture but did a little research and found it. Thanks anyway!
ReplyDeleteanonymous, it's a linus, yes. it's alex's bike and we love it! meaghan, i LOVE the public, it rides really well and is super comfortable.
ReplyDeleteanonymous, thanks for your note about trailers! we've put a TON of thought/research into the decision about seats, etc., and the front seat is best for us living in manhattan (trailers can actually be tricky on the busy, windy streets downtown), and the judgment call on whether an activity is worth it -- when it comes to safety vs. enjoyment -- is something every parent needs to make a gazillion times a day (eating ice cream, riding rollercoasters, playing on a playground, rough housing with friends, riding bikes, going skiing/sledding, even leaving the house, ha!). for us, we absolutely adore bikes, we take incredible care with toby's safety, and we think it's worth it for us all to ride. xoxo
ReplyDeletethis is awesome! you two make such a cute pair! :)
ReplyDeleteWe use an Ibert bike seat, its a front seat too. I much prefer them to the back seat for not throwing off the balance of the bike so much. Plus being able to see what the child is up to and chat to them. With the ibert I like that it has leg rest areas so my daughters legs don't have to dangle and get tired. We have used it since our daughter was 18 months old and still use it now at 3.5 yrs. When she is about 4 yrs we will switch to a trail-a-bike.
ReplyDeleteHi lady! Lara here - met you at the New Amsterdam Bike Show. I'm the blogger and comm gal at Bicycle Habitat (the "I 'bike' NY" t-shirt) and just wanted to mention that your helmets should be a little further down on your forehead! Normally I wouldn't mention it but I had a little wreck this summer, and the extra padding from proper helmet location is important - if your helmet is too lose (e.g., it slips easily), or if it's not on your forehead (mid-level, so if you walked into a sign the helmet would hit first), it won't help as much. Just a few tips from someone who's been there, literally.
ReplyDeleteI know one of our managers is ultra-savvy about different bike seat options. Happy to check with her if you're still looking. :)
Either way, cheers and happy riding! I agree, Nutcase helmets are the cutest, cutest cutest!
L
Good on you for heading out with Toby on a bike. I vividly remember sitting on my dad's bike and later riding beside him. It was such a hoot! And I wish I had a jazzy helmet like Toby - I wander if they make them in adult sizes!
ReplyDeletewe got the bobike for Tallulah and have been riding with her since she was 6 months! I'm a big fan of the front baby seat soooo good!
ReplyDeletep.s; Toby is adorable! I like his helmet! We got Tallulah a ladybug one!
ohh my heart!! toby looks SO happy - i bet he is so anxious to get a bicycle of his own!
ReplyDeleteI love riding bikes with my boy too!! Over here, I have the cheaper version of baby-seat, it's made of rattan, placed in front as well. Heehee!
ReplyDeleteI read your blog everyday, but I've always just enjoyed from afar. But, these are just the cutest freakin photos ever! It goes without saying that Toby is a complete cutie pie, but there's nothing more beautiful than a happy mommy!
ReplyDeletehow cute!!! he looks like he's having a blast!!!
ReplyDeleteMy husband bikes with our two in a burley though out St. Paul/Mpls area. We are expecting our third and I think we will add a front seat. We would really love to get a bike from holland/denmark made for more kids but alas that is not in BUDGET.
ReplyDeletePS your mom comments were so cute!!!
you look so beautiful, joanna! being a mom suits you :) and that seat is so cute. toby looks like he's having the time of his life.
ReplyDeleteRiding a bike with a baby is my THING! You and Toby look seriously great:)
ReplyDeleteWe retrofitted the Madsen cargo bike and started w. Dexter in a car seat on the cargo bike, when he was 4 months old.
Mama has got to ride!
What a lovely idea! You two look really happy and relaxed...Is really nice of you to share your most wonderful and meaningful moments with people you don't know in person but always appreciate what you write and the time you put to this lovely blog. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteHis hair color is adorable! As is the rest of Toby, of course.
ReplyDeleteToby looks SO cute!!
ReplyDeleteMaria xx
www.cheekypinktulip.blogspot.com
Your pictures are so adorable I want to get a bike and a front seat right at this very moment. I love your yellow shoes. What are they?
ReplyDeleteOh man, that's too cute. I love that he's clearly having a ton of fun on these pictures!
ReplyDeleteRiding a bike with a baby is another one of those things that lots of people in America would probably find insane, while in the Netherlands it's completely ordinary. When Tob gets bigger and maybe has siblings, you could invest in a real Dutch bakfiets to lug him/them around town.
That brings back fond memories of my own. Being dutch I used to ride my bike with my little boy everywhere. These pictures are so cute!
ReplyDeleteThis Nutcase is so cute!
ReplyDeleteWhen the moment to have kids arrives to me I will absolutely ride with them!
We use ibert front toddler seats for our twins, which kind of fall right inbetween (price-wise) the 2 seats you mentioned. Love them on the front, and you're right...the bike rides witht hem are invigorating, and I love to see the smiles on peoples' faces that we pass.
ReplyDeletei love these fun comments! April, the yellow shoes are from anthropologie xo
ReplyDeletemiss sarah, that sounds awesome!!
ReplyDeleteI can't get over the cuteness of these photos! AMAZING... dying to try with my little guy :)
ReplyDeleteJust got back from Japan where I saw tons of mamas and babies on bikes. Sometimes two babies! So cute. In fact, for every one stroller I saw, I saw at least 10 babies on bikes! Great for city life.
ReplyDeleteHi Joanna,
ReplyDeleteSo cute!
Just one thing...you may want to wear your helmets tipped a bit more forward on your head, rather than back. Just think (forbid!) you & Toby should do a header off the bike, you'll be a bit better protected!
But...so happy to see you both wearing your helmets!
Danielle
No kidding, Toby is literally one of the most adorable kids I have ever seen!!!
ReplyDeleteJoanna - i know you delete some of less than nice comments on your posts, so you might decide to delete this one too... but i am hoping you will not take this in a mean-sprited way! :)
ReplyDeletebut it does seems a bit strange that you answer all questions re brand of jeans, shoes, bike etc, but with so many comments re the fact that you and toby are wearing your helmets incorrectly, you seem to ignore most of them...
you say toby's safety is at most importance to you (which i dont doubt for a second!) but perhaps wearing the helmets correctly is something like installing the carseat correctly - takes a bit of research and practice! :)
in light of that - how about you acknowledge the fact that you were doing in incorrectly, and one of these mondays have a post on wearing the helmet the correct way?
sounds like a win/win - you and toby benefit directly, and all those mamas that are interested in riding bikes with their babies can learn something too (almost as important as the brand of the shoe/ jeans you are wearing :)
how cute? :-D
ReplyDeleteWe have the same helmet! Is that a decoration over the brim or is if a light/safety device of some sort? Whatever it is, it's weirdly cute :)
ReplyDeleteHe is so CUTE!! I just love his eyebrows!!
ReplyDeleteHi Jo,
ReplyDeleteI don't know your blog very well, but I saw you and your cutie pie on a bike, I thought you where Dutch... (although the helmet gave you away...). I am from Amsterdam, currently living in Switzerland. Here everyone wears a helmet, adults and kids. In Holland not so... People are riding bikes all the time, not only for fun, kids go in the front, back, behind. Specially in Amsterdam, mothers (and daddy's) use a bike with a big carrier attached to the bike, seats about 2-4 kids. When my oldest was little and we lived in Amsterdam, I had her first on the front of my bike (then the seat and the bike where stolen....); when she was bigger and heavier (about 3 years) I had her sitting in a back seat. It's easier to steer a wheel too when they are so heavy.
People should not judge you, or your way of wearing your helmet (at least you wear one, in Holland you would attract attention). Maybe people should open their eyes a bit more and have a look what other mothers are doing in another country, every single day, rain or shine....
Anyway, just wanted to say, keep on riding your way and I look forward to reading more of your posts, all the best! Maureen
i cannot believe how much he has grown since that 'first ride' photo! unbelievable! i'd love to know what he's thinking on those bike rides...it really must feel like a rollercoaster, i've never thought of it that way!
ReplyDeleteNO FEAR!! Reading some of the comments I would like to let you know that riding a bike with your child is not dangerous and especially with a front seat it's a great experience. Being (another) Dutchie I can know. I have a 5-year old and a 7-year old and I used a Bobike mini and maxi and i was very pleased with them. You can actually attach a small lock to it so they can't take it out. My children now ride their own bikes to school but I can still transport them on my bike with a special saddle on the front of the bike. So enjoy cycling with your child: it's a lot better for them to be on a bike than in the back seat of a car!
ReplyDeleteThank you thank you thank you for wearing a helmet with your child! I see so many parents riding with their children - the kid has a helmet and the parent doesn't. I think it's such a bad example! I want to see helmets go trendy!
ReplyDeletei hope the person who stole the baby bike seat really needed it, and now a person who needs to use their bike a lot and has a baby has a safe way to transport baby.
ReplyDeletealso- major props on the helmet. so so so many people don't wear helmets riding. and i agree with kathcasey. often i see parents riding without helmets. what if something happened (god forbid) and the parent wasn't conscious to help baby?! ugh! i can't even think about it.
laura, thanks for your comment! i actually was THRILLED that people told me how to wear helmets the correct way -- i was actually just talking to my dad on the phone about that tonight and saying that i was so happy that people corrected us. we've already adjusted our helmets. if you look, you'll see my comment above the says, "Giulia and Lissa, thank you for the tip!!!!!" which is about their helmet pointers. xoxo
ReplyDeleteYou are probably sick of receiving comments on this post, but I have to say that you guys look adorable together!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.product-reviews-and-info.com/
so CUTE!!
ReplyDeleteHi Joanna - great, glad to hear you both will be safer out on the streets! :) now please do a post for all of us (with babies now or in the future) so we can get it right the first time :)
ReplyDelete(p.s. i dont think it is fair to compare NYC drivers to those in Holland or Amsterdam! the number of cars/ their size / speed make a huge difference.... plus, in any case, a fall could happen anywhere, even on an empty sidewalk. better safe, than sorry - right? :)
Laura
I want one, but can they be used on a road bike? We have hills here in Seattle and we can't really use cruisers :( Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI've been waiting for this post! Started biking with my baby a couple months ago with seat on back and love it. Sadly my bike was stolen too! I feel ur pain. But luckily I brought the seat in the house. Good to hear you like the front seat. I kind of wanted one too, but none of the bike shops in the east bay stock them... Love Toby's helmet and your bikes!
ReplyDeleteHi Jo, I LOVE your floral shirt! Where is it from? You and the bub look so fresh and sweet. Must be the toothy (Toby) smiles! x Jo
ReplyDeletewe have the same helmet! in the country where nobody wears one and women cycle with their babies in slings the second they come back from the hospital (the Netherlands)!
ReplyDeletewe are not natives, so we got one!
http://matickimoods.blogspot.com/2011/09/little-nutcase.html
I love that picture of Toby laughing! Thank you for sharing your family with us!
ReplyDeleteMy fav topic, I have the Bobike seat too but I find it challenging to get on the bike, I cannot wear jeans with back pockets. It must be my Dutch bike. Anyway,lovely pictures and happy baby biking!
ReplyDeletewhat happy photos! thank you for your awesome and inspiring blog.. i cant wait to have kids <3
ReplyDeleteThose photos are really adorable. With my kids, though, I haven't gone the bike seat route, but I'm still able to get in a good bit of transportation cycling in. Say I'm dropping them off at daycare. I can't take them there on my bike, so we go in the car, but I actually leave my car in the daycare parking lot, and then ride to work on my folding bike. It fits right in my trunk, and it's so easy to just unfold and ride. So while I'm still driving with the kids, I'm still getting in a good bit of riding, saving money and the planet, and my kids see me riding, so hopefully it's something they'll want to do too, when they're a little older.
ReplyDeleteHi Jo! I am Canadian but live just outside of Amsterdam. Bike everywhere - Have had kids in front, in back - some of the first kids in Amsterdam with mandatory helmut policy (mine). When my second was born I bought a "bakfiets" which is translated: a box bike - It has a box in front that seats 4 (and for a while a baby car seat and 2 kids) and a seat on the back for a bigger kid. So all in all - a bicycle built for 6 that I power with my own legs. I can also get a weeks worth of groceries in there! but can still take it out for a long bike ride! Love my bike!!!! Great to see you biking in NYC!
ReplyDeleteThis blog have very interesting information for us. I really appreciate your blog. Very good work
ReplyDeleteReally great photos, but I wanted to point out that the helmet on your son is being worn incorrectly and by wearing it so high on his head he is in danger of a serious head trauma if an accident occurs. Please reread the instructions on the Nutcase website for more info, but in short the helmet should come just above his brow ridge. Wearing the helmet as you have it on your son and yourself, exposes your forehead and that is actually wear you need the most protection. I applaud you for putting a helmet on your son, I see so many who don't, but the way he is wearing it in the photos is pretty much like him wearing no helmet at all.
ReplyDeleteWe live in a small New Mexican town where sidewalks are rare and stickers abound. Bikes still get pulled from our dungeon {garage}, however, and helmets still get put on. We love our Amsterdam bikes, and we use the iBert.
ReplyDeleteJoanna- I am moving back to the states from Amsterdam, and looking for a good replacement to my mamabike here. Question, in your bike search, did you find anything roomy, like they have here in Holland, that is, a long bike, with ample space for seat and you without feeling like you're very on top of baby? I'm totally unsatisfied with the search in the US! :(
ReplyDeleteFunny Cool Photos Are Very Famous Place For Fun And Enjoy
ReplyDelete