Cargo Bikes

Cargo bikes of all shapes and size are popping up everywhere.  You may have noticed a smiling rider rolling by while dropping off your kids at school, at your local park, or outside your grocery store.  Read on to learn 5 reasons why you should ride a cargo bike with your kids.

1) Magical Mornings – Stephanie G of Somerville, Massachusetts has been a long-time biker.  Before the pandemic, Stephanie biked 32 miles round trip to work with her e-bike.  “It was my best chance to get exercise during the work week”.  Then the pandemic emptied the roads, so Stephanie finally felt confident biking her 4-year-old son to daycare even though there weren’t bike lanes the whole way.  Stephanie particularly enjoys when on their way to daycare, they recognize other daycare parents walking.  She and her son pull over and walk the bike the rest of the way on the sidewalk, having a lovely conversation in the morning. Stephanie also loves when her son sings. Stephanie reports “For whatever reason, he’s much more likely to sing on the bike than in the car. So sometimes I get to bike through the city singing with him.”

2) Be a Happier Parent – Marie K, of Boston, Massachusetts, has been toting her kids, ages 4, 6, and 7, around Boston for 5 years.  While we all love our kids, many of us do not love spending hours in the car each day shuttling kids to school, soccer, and swim lessons.  This time-consuming task often crowds out parents’ time for exercise, relaxation, and fun.   Marie recaptures this time by transporting her brood by bike.  “I can shuttle the kids around all day by cargo bike and still feel like I’ve also invested in my own well-being.  During the winter months, when we must drive, it is much harder to maintain that balance.”  Marie states her mood is much better when she travels by bike.  Recent studies have shown that “Exercise improves mental health by reducing anxiety, depression, and negative mood and by improving self-esteem and cognitive function”(1).  Marie says “Biking always puts me in a good mood.  It is a big help with any stress or anxiety that comes with parenthood, and with life in general.   I am a happier parent when my day has several bike-breaks built in.”

3) Family Biking is one of the Best Parts of Life – Nick B, of Somerville, Massachusetts, cherishes his time with his kids on their cargo bike.  Nick transports his two kids, ages 1 and 3, “pretty much everywhere within 10 miles”.  These trips add up.  The United States Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy found that over 60% of car trips are less than 6 miles2.  Nick says “Riding a pedal-assist cargo bike makes traveling fun, and stress free. My rate of travel is constant and is not dependent on traffic, I can park anywhere including right on the sidewalk. None of the stresses of driving apply and one of the least enjoyable things in life becomes one of the best!” Nick isn’t the only one who hates commuting by car.   The Huffington Post reported that “Long commutes have been linked to a number of negative health outcomes, including high stress levels, poor sleep, unhealthy weight, a shorter life, and even a higher chance of divorce.”(3)  In contrast, Nick reports “Family biking is one of the best parts of life. It’s not just for cycle nuts, or athletes. There’s no spandex and no sweating. It isn’t hard, and you don’t need to be an expert rider. My children love it and time spent commuting, which used to be spent feeling angry at drivers and traffic, is now spent mostly just conversing with my boy and exploring our town/city.”

4) Raise Future Environmentalists – Adam M, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania works hard to minimize his environmental impact on the planet, and he wants to teach his two kids, ages 4 and 7, to live the same way.   He describes himself as “an aspiring minimalist” and states that although their initial goal was to reduce the consumption and environmental impact of his family, ultimately, they found they prefer the ease of a highly simplified home.  Adam and his wife also transport their kids by cargo bike almost everywhere.  Adam says “The whole family prefers to travel by bike.   We know our neighbors and enjoy the fresh air in good weather and bad.  I often find myself discussing the different aspects of a low-impact lifestyle with my kids while we are biking.”  Adam discovered that family biking also has secondary benefits.  “We save a fortune being a one-car family!  Parking is very expensive in the city, and we also save on car insurance, taxes, gas, etc…   I’ve calculated we save over $7,000 a year by biking.  I prefer that money go to my kids’ college fund rather than to own and operate a second car.”

5) Engage with Your Neighborhood and Community – Kellyn S, of Boston, Massachusetts transports her 5-year-old daughter almost exclusively by a cargo bike. “I love getting smiles during rush hour. When your kid is on board in a cargo bike, drivers and pedestrians almost always interact with you in a positive way. It’s rare for me to take a trip without getting questions, thumbs up, or obvious smiles and cheers folks in the community.”  Riding a cargo bike also allows Kellyn and her daughter to explore their neighborhood daily.  Kellyn says “I also love how easy it is to pop into neighborhood spots. I am never concerned about parking, which makes last minute stops to our local bakery for a cookie or a nearby playground very easy. I’ve been known to pull over so my daughter can pick up some ‘beautiful treasures’ that she spots on the ground (aka half wilted flowers and nondescript pebbles). Both of us are much more engaged with our surroundings when we’re on a bike.” 

Five different perspectives, however one theme is consistent… People LOVE riding their cargo bikes.  Perhaps a cargo bike might be a terrific addition to your life.  Read this article, “Longtail vs Front-Bucket Showdown!” to learn more about the different types of cargo bikes available.   You might be the next person to Join the Bicycle Revolution!