gearing up

These are our rides. Risa's new Norco bike, and my (also new) Dahon Mu P24 foldie. I was previously riding an 18 year old Nishiki Expedition, my trusty rusty steed that took me to work during the last 8 years. However, "fun" and "easy to handle" were not words that came to mind until I got the Dahon! What prompted me to look into folding bikes in the first place was the thought of throwing our bikes into the car to travel to parks and beaches, since Risa's zone of curiosity for places to explore is ever growing. We don't have a bike rack on the car.


The only extra accessory I needed for the new bike was the custom fit rear rack since the wheels are smaller at 20 inches. All other items, lights, bell, computer, were transfered. An old milk crate tucks in just under the seat, and an old panier rain cover fits perfectly over the milk crate to cover the groceries. The more accessories you accumulate, the more situations you can accomodate.

Anyone who has watched our recent Olympics party here in Vancouver knows that it doesn't snow in our fair city. Our winters are exactly what you saw: rain, fog, and more rain. So I have the following rain gear, which took me a few years to collect:

Helmet cover: $40
Gortex bike jacket: $180
Gortex lobster mittens: $40
Rain proof (front side) pants: $75
Shoe cover booties: $40
Pannier cover: $40

Takes a full 5 extra minutes to suit up. Hmmm, seems the minimum price for anything at Mountain Equipment Coop is $40.

urban biking, family style

Our daughter, Risa, got her first set of wheels when she was only a year and a half old, my own tricycle that I had when I was 2 or 3. This tricycle had made its way through several of my much younger cousins and somehow ended up back with me. Anyway, it wasn't until she was just past her 2nd birthday that Risa was able to pedal a full revolution and launch herself into a new world.

When she was 4 and a half, I took the training wheels off of her tiny pink princess bike and "taught" her how to ride. Really, I just let her wobble her way to finding her own balance. A year later, our girl is now on her 3rd set of wheels, a Norco 16" (still pink) bike that matches her helmet.

I entered into bike commuting only in the last 8 years of my life, when I took a permanent job just 6 km from my home. Before then, the bike was strictly a recreational thing, for sunny Sundays in the park. I realize I'm now able to introduce biking to my child in a way that my parents never did. Risa loves the freedom and mobility her bike gives her and is eager to incorporate it into our daily routine as much as possible. Given Vancouver's push to create more and more bikeways in the city, I thought I'd use Risa's motivation to explore some of these bikeways, and the new experience of urban biking with a child in tow. I'm still drawing the line at rain, though. She doesn't have fenders.