Autumn family bicycles, do you dare?

There are many reasons to do Cycle tourism with children, in fact, there are the reasons you want: physical exercise as a family, touring the natural environment with an ecological means of transport, make trips in a short time (compared to hiking), have fun, live the experience together, strengthen family ties, etc. And when I talk about cycling, I do not necessarily mean to go out for a weekend backpack on the shoulder to travel 30 kilometers to spend the night in a rural accommodation ... why go to see that lake that is so close to you or visit the town next door by bicycle , in a way it is too.

It is clear that the age of your little ones will determine your plans, but also their physical form, in fact if they are very young you will have to transport them with one of the systems that we will mention below. But in any case, doing about 10 and 20 kilometers round trip in an afternoon with children between 9 and 12 years old, is an affordable challenge. It is a plan that most children will accept one day, whether they are athletes or not, because the effort has its rewards, and the greatest of them is the feeling of 'power' that gives without motorized vehicles, and at the same time 'go so far'.

And it is precisely now that autumn is approaching (and see if the temperatures are already dropping) when we can enjoy, and for many it is more pleasant this time of year than summer, although it has always been said that 'bicycles are for summer '. In addition, Nature in the third season of the year is impressive and surprising. If you are proposing to encourage the use of bicycles in your family, you will like our ideas; If you are an expert, you will be the one who contributes to us. Cycling is really an affordable physical activity for most, and comfortable, because except for the first days (if you don't have practice) it won't cost you anything, and the benefits for health and emotional well-being are very remarkable.

Families on bike: planning.

You will need to prepare the route, or at least know where to go: it may be that you want to travel a green route that you know, you may have to resort to groups of cyclists to request information, or even design your outing with the map in hand. Today there are applications, and even specialized Travel Agencies that make this task much easier.. Other things to keep in mind:

Find trails or roads to travel that are safe.

Give preference to protected areas in which the transit of bicycles has been foreseen.

For very long journeys with or without an overnight stay, experts recommend choosing those routes that travel close to railways; so you can use the return train (bicycles are allowed on commuter trains).

If the starting point is not close to home, you will need bike racks installed in your vehicle, or someone with an equipped car will pick you up.

Calculate the departure and arrival times well, find out about the health and restaurant services that exist in the towns through which you pass; Book accommodation in advance if you are going to spend a night away from home.

Basically, with the bike you can go through Greenways, Natural Areas and Bike Lanes (cities or sections between towns). Nowadays, with Internet access, you can have information about all this, but a good map will also help you.

What to prepare

Light backpacks for everyone with water (in addition to the bike bottle) and some easy-to-eat food such as fruit or cereal bars; tissues to collect sweat from the head so that the little ones can wear under the helmet, wet wipes or handkerchiefs to wash or dry. Also spare t-shirts and socks and light raincoat (depending on the weather). Prepare caps, because when we finish and take off our helmets, we must also protect ourselves from the sun.

The adults will carry the picnic lunch and food in their backpacks, a medicine cabinet, sunscreen, charged mobile, maps, etc. Don't let anyone forget the basic repair kit: ask at your cycling establishment but it has to put cameras, patches, pump, oil and multipurpose tool (at least). In case you are going to spend more than a day, you must have spare shoes just in case and also more clothes (changes included). A weekend on 2 wheels is not much of a complication either, another thing is that you are going to spend more time, in which case you should be clear about how you can wash clothes, and where you will go buying food.

Take small children on bikes.

Basic rules:

• The front chairs go on the adapter bar and are used until approximately 24 months, and from when they are able to support the neck and head.
• To put the child behind you will have to wait until he is 2 years old, before his musculoskeletal system is not yet mature enough. Get advice in the specialized store that you frequent on the hitch systems.
• Trailers are a valid solution for up to 5 years, and although they are very comfortable for children, they are expensive. There are those who install the baby carrycot inside.

In addition to these solutions, if you have little ones who ride their small bicycle but are not yet old enough to follow a tour with their parents, There is the possibility of anchoring the child's bike to the older one using the 'follow me' or 'trailgator' systems.

Finally, we remind you that the safety of girls and boys is paramount: Don't miss the helmet!

Images - jonnyhunter