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• Bike-Friendly Cities Also Family-Friendly

  I'm something of a cyclist. It happened when I moved to a town not far outside of Boulder and I saw that bikes were pretty much standard-issue in that area. It was great: cyclists were everywhere! In the city of Boulder they seemed to be well-respected by drivers and well-taken care of by the bike lane and bike rack gods and it wasn't unusual to see Burley trailers being towed along which contained a kid or two next to the groceries. And it spoke to me about a very different way of life from the isolating car-centric society we seem to have built. Since then, I've had to move again to eastern Pennsylvania, where things aren't nearly so bike-friendly. Read More... Posted Nov 12 2007, 07:30 AM by Karen Murphy with | with 11 comment(s) Filed under: kids, cycling, families, lifestyle, cities, Boulder Colorado, Boulder, bike-friendly

• For My Kids, Summer = Tour de France

  Yeah, maybe my kids are weird. And they definitely are at the mercy of the one in the house who wields the remote, but this is our 4th year watching the 23-day bike marathon event that in my house spells summer. After all, there are quite few important family-type values expressed during the Tour de France: 1. Being good at something takes hard work. The fact that these guys ride 5-6 hours a day, sometimes up grueling mountains, and can still sprint at the end is not lost on kids. When they ask how these guys can do this, about all I can say is, "Practice." Oh, and seeing these guys get up and ride after they crash is pretty inspiring too. 2. Riding a bike is fun. I admit, I'm something of a cyclist. Or, er, a wannabe anyway. But my kids really get into the elation that's evident on the faces not just of the winners but even of the guys who just finish this thing. 3000 miles or so over 3 weeks? Riiight. That deserves elation. And it makes my kids want to ride more (even though one is having trouble making the transition away from training wheels). Read More... Posted Jul 11 2007, 02:24 PM by Karen Murphy with | with 5 comment(s) Filed under: kids, television, cycling, bikes, bike racing, Tour de France

• Pimp Your Kid's Bike!

  Kids go through bikes fast. My four year old's bike lasted one year before she started looking like a circus bear when she rode it. It's an expensive enough hobby for adults; for kids you're pretty much losing money from the very start. Decent bikes are expensive, and if you try and buy secondhand you're limiting your options to what's available--if the only 16" boy's bike you find is green, you're getting a green bike, so tough shit, kid. This Instructables article walks you through a step-by-step process of stripping and repainting a bike, with clear descriptions of each steps and photos of the procedure. The commenters weigh in below the instructions with their own experience and pictures, so be sure to read through before you begin for more ideas and inspiration--a bike remodel can mean more than just a color change. Instead of having Santa bring the latest cartoon character shilling bicycle this Christmas, why not find a solid pre-owned bike and customize it to your child's taste and interests?  Why not take the hand-me-down edge of a bike that's being passed to a younger rider by tarting it up with new paint and accessories? Posted Dec 13 2006, 10:00 AM by Patti with | with no comments Filed under: christmas, crafts, cycling, bicycle