The Wilbrahams of Bath, Maine, are a family that cycles together.
Jenny, 7, pedals a mile and half to school with her mother, Sharon, 43, who continues on her 6-mile round-trip commute. Dad Derek, 52, has the longest ride to work, 19 miles each way. They ride year-round, putting spikes on their tires for better grip in snow.
Vacations are self-guided bicycle tours that began when Jenny was in the womb, and have taken them as far away as Europe.
"The more you do it, the more you make it into a routine and something you can all do together," says Sharon Wilbraham. "Bicycling gives you transportation and time together."
Families can find such togetherness on country roads, bike paths, rail trails - even ski areas offer opportunities to gear up and go.
The Wilbrahams started Jenny early, pulling her in a kid's trailer. She graduated to training wheels and now routinely rides with her father on a tandem bicycle, fully versed on the rules of the road, hand signals, and bicycle safety. The family looks for events such as the Bicycle Coalition of Maine's annual Bicycle Rally July 11-13 in Fryeburg as a way to see their home state, share tips, and turn heads when they break out the triplet, a bicycle built for three.
"We're always trying to make our weekend rides a destination by going to the beach, the coffee shop for cookies, or to the playground," says Wilbraham. "We'll bring extra clothing and snacks. Instead of riding to ride, we try to go to a special place."
Families wanting to get into the woods do so via mountain bike trails. The New England Mountain Bike Association is a nonprofit organization based in Acton with 4,600 members that promotes trail access, maintenance, and mountain bike education. The group is focusing more on children and families, according to Philip Keyes, its executive director.
Through a program called NEMBA Explorers Kids Rides, families ride together while learning basic bicycle maintenance, trail etiquette, and technical skills, from how to go over a small log to shifting correctly. Distances vary with the age of the children. Keyes says there is a huge disparity in the mileage children can achieve based on their age, and equipment matters.
"The number one mistake parents make is buying something that is too heavy, has lousy brakes, and doesn't shift well," he said. "It is worthwhile to go to a local bike dealer and get a bike that fits the need of kids. There may be sticker shock in paying a couple of hundred instead of $69.99 but the bike can be passed on to the next kid or sold."
South Shore cyclists can find Saturday morning Explorers rides leaving from Pembroke Ski Market on Route 139 at 10 a.m. bound for spots such as Duxbury Town Forest
