[mikalo]

How do you keep kids warm when cycling to school with temperatures between 20 and 40 F° / -5 and 5 C° for about half of the academic year ? (and frequent rain, rarely snow)

- in a trailer
- on the back seat of your bike

The ride would be 7 miles / 11 km long, hoping to cover the distance in half an hour due to terrain and traffic.

Do you use wool blankets ?
I was even dreaming of an USB powered electric blanket or feet warmer (?)
http://usb.brando.com.hk/prod_detail.php?prod_id=00224
http://usb.brando.com.hk/prod_detail.php?prod_id=00220

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[deraltekluge]

USB powered? Are you taking your computer along, too? Am I missing something here? Remember, even if you have some other power supply for it, if it's USB compatible, it's only a couple of watts...not much heating.

[mikalo]

USB powered? Are you taking your computer along, too?
Sorry I didn't explained well enough. The power would come from rechargeable AA batteries. See link below.
http://www.boxwave.com/products/batteryadapter/index.htm
http://www.boxwave.com/images_bw/products/thumbnails/batteryadapterpro_usb_lg.jpg
I'm interested in comments from people actually traveling with their children. The solution may not need to be technical.
Does anybody out there drives in Winter or is it just too cold and too long for children to sit in a trailer for half an hour?

[deraltekluge]

Sorry I didn't explained well enough. The power would come from rechargeable AA batteries. That gadget holds 4 AA batteries.

Four fully charged alkaline AA batteries hold about 40,000 joules of energy. http://www.allaboutbatteries.com/Energy-tables.html

That's about 10 kilocalories (kcal = the energy involved in changing the temperature of 1 kilogram of water by 1° C). http://www.unitconversion.org/energy/joules-to-kilocalories-th-conversion.html

That's about as much energy as released by a quart of water as it cools from 100° F to 80° F (slightly less than 1 kg, slightly more than 10° C).

You could use hot-water bottles and do as well or better.

[spurdy]

I'll admit first that I am in no way a cold weather person here (S FLA native). However, I think most people mistakenly believe that you must dress your children in many more layers then you do. Most kids, my 19 months old included, do well with one more layer then you're wearing if not the same. Now, of course this doesn't hold true for what you are wearing while cycling, since you are working and they are just sitting there in the wind. So think about what you'd be comfortable in just sitting in the weather with a good wind going.

It would definitely depend on their ages also. I could never put a ski mask on my 19 month old, so there is weather I just can't take her out in. Now, a 6 year old (you said they are going to school) should be able to understand they need to keep something like that on. 20-40 degrees isn't terrible, as long as you keep them dry.

I'd say dress them warmly, and see how they do. Maybe go out on a test run first, so you can ask them if they feel like they want to die. If they are nice and toasty, then go for the real thing. I think heating blankets would be overkill.

Next, I'd say plan in more time then 30 minutes. While it's not to hard to keep that pace up, kids tend to ALWAYS slow life down. Plan for stops for random reasons, and a little extra time. At least until you and they get used to the route.

As already said, USB probably wouldn't work. What about a microwaveable heating pad? You can make one with rice in an old sock. Just make sure you wet it before you micro it. You'll probably find it isn't necessary but it will probably make you feel better.

[masiman]

They probably won't be sitting in the wind if the trailer is like most of them on the market. It should have a clear plastic rain cover that will significantly reduce how much wind they feel.

In cold weather, I pack mine in sitting on a blanket, a blanket covering them and a pillow for each. Think hay or sleigh ride and you'll know what to do to keep them warm. I usually don't take them out below freezing but that's because we typically don't have anywhere to go for utility. If I could do errands with it I would not hesitate to pack them in and go in that weather.

[mikalo]

Thanks for the answers and comments. As Masiman said, two blankets, one below and one on top may be enough.

[sailor2]

Coldest we did so far in the back seat was 21F (about -6 Celcius).
Balaclava, ski goggles, double pants, thick socks, thick gloves.
Several layers of clothing - long sleeve t-shirt, polar fleece and lined outer jacket (wind/rain proof).
This picture was taken when it was above freezing but below 40F I think.
Our commute together is 5.5 miles to DS school.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d10/ssailor/IMG_5116.jpg

[PaulH]

A trailer is easy. Just provide a quilt. On a Trail-A-Bike, the level of clothing that they will need for recess will make them overdressed, if anything. We went down to 20 F a lot, with no problems. In fact, our daughter preferred the trailer to our cars.

I don't think seven miles in a half hour, in traffic, with a trailer, is a likely pace. I'd estimate 45 minutes.

Paul

[Michel Gagnon]

In the trailer, no problem. A single kid was comfortable in the 2-seater trailer down to -10 or -15 C. She needed a blanket when it was cooler than that. Two children were toasty at that temperature, and even comfortable down to -20 or -25 C. They often removed their gloves and partly unzipped their coat.

Two problems I had:

- The plastic door becomes brittle at around -15 C.

- If the kids play, make sure you don't bring in too much snow and humidity in the trailer. Dry kids stay warm, but it's a totally different story if/when they are wet.


On the trailercycle, that's a different story. I don't have too many problems when the weather is dry, but temperature control is one reason why I tend to prefer the bus in Winter. BTW, get a rear mudflap on your bike!

[Hezz]

I would think that the back seat method would be too dangerous in winter conditions. The child is strapped into the seat and has no protection in the event of a crash. If the bike goes tumbling so will they and if the bike slams down hard sideways the leveraging effect will be even worse for them since they won't be thrown from the bike. But will strike their head and shoulders hard on the ground.

With a trailer they are closer to the ground if there is a crash so they are less likely to hit the ground so hard. Also they have a plastic protective covering to protect them from road burn. Also, because the way the trailer hitch pivots it's possible for the bike rider to go down without turning over the trailer.

The protective shell of the trailer also protects them from windchill. Since they are not doing the work of exercise to keep warm this is very beneficial when it's really cold.

[mikalo]

Thank you very much to all for sharing your experience and insight. It's great to hear that Winter in a trailer is an option.

By next Winter a new bike lane will be available for half of the way, but will make a detour. The rest will be very quiet country road. Going to 9 miles instead of 7 (15 km instead of 11).

It may sound strange to you to ask this question now as Spring just started. Reason why is new school and need to purchase the relevant equipement : electric bike and trailer, and test over the Summer. I'm considering the following:

- a "long" bike perhaps a Mundo from Yubaride http://www.yubaride.com/ with one or even two children seats (for the warm days)
- and a trailer for Winter,
- plus a BionX electric kit to get enough power to go at a good pace during hill climbing and provide break assistance downhill.

This weekend did 20 miles / 30 km with one child on his bike pulled with the Trail-Gator going to the school and back, plus a loop on the country paths. Great day but my knee could not cope with that on a regular basis, hence the idea of going electric, probably with BionX.

Michel, what trailer are you using / recommanding? Any link or thread welcome on the subject will be welcomed.
Overall quality is first criteria rather than budget.
Second important point is folding capacity, preferably without tool, to make return trip from school in the back of the car (trunk / boot).
Third point but they may all be equal (?) is Winter compatibility (whatever that may mean).