2 minute read
A Family’s Cycling Journey
Amanda McEachern
Our family cycling journey started about 10 years ago when we moved from Edmonton to Victoria. Having previously felt forced to drive daily, I was excited to make big changes to the way we got around. I started exploring the city with my two very young kids in a trailer, and within a few months of living “car light” I had saved enough to have my bike turned into a long tail cargo bike. There were very few family cargo bikes around in those days and we were a bit of a spectacle. We became family bike spokespeople and happily answered questions about our setup. I felt like a trailblazer. At that time, the cycling infrastructure in Victoria left a lot to be desired. I was confident cycling on the road with my kids safely on my bike, but I wondered how we would manage when the kids eventually transitioned to their own.
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Around 6 years ago, with three kids now on my bike, I reluctantly added a pedal assist. It was a revolutionary change and made our van almost entirely obsolete. When we first started family cycling there were not many options available for dedicated family bikes. These days there are many options for getting started with family cycling. We now see as many family bikes in a day as we used to see in a month!
Fortunately, the AAA cycling network that continues to develop in Victoria made our commutes safer and more enjoyable, and I now feel confident letting my two older kids cycle most places on their own. The day when I will no longer have kids on my bike or have them riding behind me looms on the horizon. It will be bitter-sweet when, again, I blend in with all the other cycle commuters. Cycling with my kids and helping them develop into confident commuters has been a wonderful experience. I encourage anyone considering it to give it a try.
Photo: Amanda and her family model cycling caps from Knit Chan Chan. By Christina Chan
