My son's first bike ride; just the beginning.

Those who know me, know what a huge deal the first bike ride with my son was. Being a bike guy and a gadget guy (so my wife says) and a Dad I knew I'd had to have the absolute best bike carrier, safety first and then function and style. But I'm not willing to make concessions in those departments either really.  My MO is that I research- I do a lot of research - find out what is the best, and then hopefully get it... don't even ask me how long it took me to decide on a coffee machine. With my son's safety on the line there could be no compromises, luckily for me, the intensive research stage was finished as I had already chosen to offer child bike carriers at Joe Mamma, so it was as simple as choosing from our in store selection.

Top Factors for me when choosing a carrier:
  1. Must be a rear mounted carrier: there's no way to fully contain a child on the front, and additional weight on front affects handling not to mention your child is a distraction.
  2. The child must be fully contained: from helmet to fingers and toes, it's essential for safety that in case of a spill your little one is the last one to get the brunt of any forces. 
  3. Comfort: a comfy seating position, adjustable straps & supports, suspension and padded seat, and room for a helmet are going to make it a more pleasant ride all around.
  4. Ease of Installation: if it's easy, theres a better chance it's done right.
  5. Washable: kids make messes & dirt happens, so washable padding and wipeable surfaces are key.

    

My Choice: Mamma Cangura Tiger Relax Child Carrier from Mamma Cangura's lineup, with comfort in mind I chose the Tiger Relax as it can recline 10 degrees for a more 'relaxed' seating position for those longer rides.  It was as simple as a quick and easy install, and getting all the belts adjusted to the correct position (my wife helped while I held the bike in place) and we were ready to roll. 

            

Just as I had hoped he loved riding. Our first ride was short but sweet he was comfortably and safely strapped in, and the brrrmmm brrmmm noises coming from my little co-pilot let me know he was having a blast. What I had underestimated - or maybe just lost sight of in the year of late nights and diaper changes was how much fun riding all together as a family. What an amazing way to spend time together; great outdoors, discovering (or rediscovering) the neighbourhood, a time to chat with out the distraction of TV, iPhones & housework. 

I plan to make family bike rides as common in our household as a sunny day. If you've got two wheels and some time, I highly recommend it.... 

  & so does Tadhg....


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