[ryankshaw]

what do people do that have kids between the "too big for cargo bike" and "too young to drive their own car" category?

I used to take my kids all the time on my e-bike with a burley bike trailer. Now I have a 13 year old and a 10 year old. I'm pretty sure the middle schooler would get made fun of if his friends saw him showing up to school or soccer practice in the cargo bucket of my bike.

For people that have hit that milestone before me, what do you guys do for your older kids?

[juancb]

Sounds like it's time for them to get their own bike to ride to school?

You can ride with them on a few practice runs on a weekend and then continue to do so on a weekdays. Once you're both comfortable with the route and their ability to navigate it safely you can cut back on how much of the route you do together or just let them run it on their own. That last bit is a call to be made based on a lot of factors including your kids desire to ride with you.

[TheTon]

Our 9 year old has an electric scooter. I didn’t really want to get it for him, because I’m an old school analog bike guy myself, but I have to admit it is convenient. It has around a 15 mile range and keeps up with a comfortable cycling pace, so my wife and I ride our commuter bikes and he cruises along next to us.

He also has a bike and he’s a pretty strong rider for a kid, but it’s still a bit much for him to keep up on longer trips, so the scooter helps there. I expect in a couple of years or so it will break or he will outgrow it, but by then he should have no trouble keeping up on his own bike.

[olau]

My children ride their own bike to school at age 6. I bought light-weight bikes (like Frogbikes or Woom, they keep a great resale value), and accepted that it takes a bit more time.

There's a certain joy in being propelled by your own muscles. But of course it depends on the distance.

[atotic]

My 11 and 13yo happily ride on the back of my cargo bike (Extracycle). Some of their braver, bike riding friends, do ask "Why don't you ride by yourself?"

I used to have a burley before the cargo. I think the cargo upright position makes it feel a bit more grown up. Plus, it is so fun.

The highschooler absolutely refuses to ride the back of the cargo, and insists on being driven by car. It takes so much longer with all the traffic, but he is willing to suffer to avoid looking uncool.

[thirdsun]

Why can't he simply ride his own bike rather than forcing you to be stuck in traffic?

Also, do you really consider 11 and 13 year olds brave for riding a bike? I'd say that is a pretty normal thing to do at that age.

[sagarm]

It sounds like you think the infrastructure is too unsafe for them to bike on their own?

My nephew (12) cycles himself to school, but the infrastructure supports him doing so.

[Rebelgecko]

When I was in middle school my friends who lived close to school used their own bikes

[soperj]

My kid is 7 and rides his own bike to school with me. (2.5km) At 13 I'm pretty sure they'd be good to go without you even.

[Fricken]

My commute in Jr. high was 7.7 km each way, I started doing that when I was 11.

[Macha]

10 is plenty old to cycle a bike themselves?