We took our first whole-family bike ride today. Our 2.5-year old rode in the Bobike Mini on my bike and our 2.5-month old rode in his car seat in the Burley trailer behind Mr. Family Ride’s bike. The photo is from after the ride–he’s smiling because he liked it, not because he’s glad it’s over.
Our first stop was Canal Street Coffee. It felt just like being in the Netherlands: sunny, but cold and windy, and sitting in a coffee shop next to a canal. The WC was even decorated with Dutch reprints. The Night Watch hung in the prime location above the toilet, natuurlijk.
We continued along the Burke-Gilman Trail to the Ballard Farmers Market for lunch–Canal Street Coffee was more about the coffee and the view than food.
Heading home, the mile-long uphill of Stone Way was incredibly hard, but we made it without stopping. Funny to think I was in better shape nine months pregnant on the fourth of July than I am now! I’ll have to do a lot more riding before I attempt Stone with both kids on my bike.
Family Ride 
I think we started carrying T around with this same method when she was about 8 months old. What inspired you to start so young (or wait so long!) to carry your infant by bicycle? I figure the Europeans must start even younger, but I simply don’t have any solid references.
We don’t have a trailer any more, and the one we can borrow doesn’t fit our current infant carseat, so we are likely going to wait to haul our new addition by bicycle until he can be helmeted in a BobikeMini-type seat.
With the first kid, I assumed everyone waited until one year in the US and nine months in Europe, per what I read on my Bobike Mini so that’s what we did. But once we were used to riding regularly I did a bit of online poking around to see if there wasn’t a way we could bike with the second baby. I found a great article online–but never been able to find it again to link to–written by a road cyclist about the carseat in trailer system so I waited until I felt the little guy had good head control (yay babywearing for encouraging strong baby muscles) and started as soon as I felt he was solid and ready. And, frankly, I didn’t feel like riding myself before 10 weeks, anyway, though I read about a lot of our peers hopping back on the bike sooner than that.
I still have our single Burley if you want to see if your carseat fits in it. It’s collapsed in the basement, not to be used again until next summer’s bike camping trip(s).
I’ve never noticed a baby on a bike while visiting the Netherlands, but Lindsay of You Ain’t Got Jack lived there for a short time and mentioned seeing babies worn on bikes as well as infant carseats carried various ways (I think she’s only on Facebook now so you’ll have to come around and sign up if you want specifics :))
That’s what I needed to hear. I may take you up on the trailer offer. TBR Junior is a stroller napper but I don’t always have time for a 5 mile walk. Thanks!