Josie Dew in the Guardian

[clarion]

The weekly cycling column this week is by Josie, about cycling with small children.   

[αdαmsκι]

Thanks for that, I'll have a read of her article.

[hatler]

Splendid piece.

[Adrian]

Luckily, along with taking delight in the painful slowness of the ascents, Molly also relishes the speed of the descents - top speed achieved so far is an eye-watering 36mph.

That takes me back about 14 years, cycling with my elder son in his backpack thing standing up on the bar bit and sticking his head out over my shoulder in the wind.

[Notsototalnewbie]

When I was little, I really, really envied the girl who got taken to school on the back of a bike. Requests that my mum do the same were met with snorts of derision...

[Jasper the surreal cyclist]

A little older I know but Huggsie (my youngest) was having some grief from bullies on the way to school. Sorted an old Raliegh Sprint for him so that he could zoom there without harassment. And if they had messed with the bike it ws a freebie anyway......built his confidence back up and got him into cycling.....

[clarion]

My parents didn't have bikes 

[Notsototalnewbie]

Mine either, hence the derision.

My dad, bless him, still marvels at the fact that I cycle all the way from South London to Central London and back each day - a whole ten miles.

[agagisgroovy]

Most parents who know mine think they are irresponisible for letting me cycle to school mainly on the road, and think they are commiting an act of child cruelty by making me cycle 100 miles (they've got it the wrong way round).

 

[tiermat]

My parents didn't have bikes 

My dad did, a HUGE Raleigh with rod brakes that I longed to be big enough to ride (he got it from my grandfather, who had bought it secondhand so god alone knows how old it was!)

As for my mum, I don't think they make bikes small enough....

[russellm]

That article is great - how refreshing to see someone proud of not wrapping their offspring in oodles of anti-bacterial cotton wool.

Just wait for the imminent letters of outrage about it though 

[Jasper the surreal cyclist]

She will of course be burnt as a witch.......

[αdαmsκι]

On my cycle to work this morning I spied two small kiddies that were being transported on bikes.  I probably see this on a daily basis, but having read the Josie Dew article I am more alert to spotting this

[clarion]

She will of course be burnt as a witch.......

A lot of wise women in history have suffered this fate...

[cc93]

And when I reach the bottom of the hill it is sometimes quite a relief to find Molly still attached to her seat and not lost to the wind a mile back up the road

 

[Cudzoziemiec]

Luckily, along with taking delight in the painful slowness of the ascents, Molly also relishes the speed of the descents - top speed achieved so far is an eye-watering 36mph.

Little Cudzo used to push me in the back when we were going up a steep hill. His way of helping! But what he like best was riding through the forest and splashing through the puddles. 

[Cunobelin]

Have a look at her site there are some wonderful piccies - the two year repairing punctures is brilliant.

We are off to see her on Tuesday at the local Library - always a good entertaining evening!