Monday, May 4, 2009

On the Road Again!




On our bikes that is. Having finally purchased our bike trailer, we installed it and took it for a spin. G was in a super cranky mood and hated the helmet but once we were rolling he didn't mind. After our first spin I started to doubt our choice and worried that I had just paid $700 for something I didn't really like. It was after all not the trailer we had originally decided on.

March 2008, Ian an I researched and chose a bike trailer. The Chariot sidecar seemed to fit our needs perfectly so we started saving for it and planned to buy it come the summer. My dear Aunt held a party for baby G the following month and everyone contributed to the trailer and we had enough to buy it. I was so excited to get back on the bike.

In April we visited the pediatrician and learned from her that it is not recommended to put babies under one year old in a bicycle trailer. Resigning ourselves to walking for the summer we put the money in a savings account to keep it for the next biking season.

March 2009, enter fellow cycling friends and a bike mechanic who give us serious misgivings about our choice of trailer. They are not so sold on the side car as I am; since they are well seasoned cyclists who use trailers my ears are open. They recommend a pull behind trailer and vote for Burley over Chariot.



Now we own the Burley D'lite two child bike trailer (just in case we add another sidekick or need lots of groceries) and our first experience was terrible. G kept slipping down in the trailer and was not having such a good time.



Back at home Ian discovered that the bike shop had installed the harness incorrectly and given us incorrect information on using it with one child. Maybe, I just expect too much but I don't think it is ridiculous to expect expert service, at a small high end store, selling top of the line trailers. I am going to pay the shop a friendly visit to let them know so the next person won't start their biking journey with their child disappointed.

We haven't taken the trailer out since but the modifications seem like they will fix all of our complaints. Now all I need to do is stop thinking about how cool Bridget's bike seat for A is and I will be a happy, baby towing cyclist.

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