Struggling former city biker, now suburban mom.

Are there any parents here who live in the burbs and still sort of ride like you did in the city before you had kids?  I’m struggling... I’m on the North Shore and although we Ride close to our house, I’m struggling so much with the timing, setup and my work and daughters schedule.   

It’s faster in most situations to drive which is super different too.   And I have yet to find great routes I like out here that take me to where we need to go on a daily/weekly basis ( the scenic/endurance riding is fantastic).  

Biking used to be my life as some of you on here know...

Would love go connect with anyone who is in a similar situation and how you overcame it or just simply figured it out.  

Signed up for the north shore century and am not sure I’ll even make the 25 miler. In 2008 or so that was my first century (and first time I met up with Chainlinkers through the site at a Ride). 

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Permalink Reply by marshmonster on September 6, 2018 at 4:20am

We moved from Logan Square to Mount Prospect a year ago, and tbh my riding options have improved immensely. My commute went from 2 miles to 22 miles each way. I try to do the whole thing once a week if schedule permits, but that means I have to leave super early. I can also ride ~ 7 miles along the DPRT to the Cumberland station and take the bike on if early enough or lock it up there. I enjoy every second with my wife and kid, but if I don't forcefully carve out a schedule for riding it won't happen. If someone else can handle dinner/bedtime one weeknight and you could get out one early weekend morning, that should help a lot. I also have some good lights, I can head out after the kid is in bed and get a good ~20+ miles in and be home at a decent hour. It has not been easy, but planning ahead and carving out time in the calendar has helped a lot. Good luck!

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on September 8, 2018 at 11:39am

Hey all, just logged in (was following the first day, then figured no one replied) and now 8 days later there are awesome responses. 

Will read them all and reply.  It feels good to still feel like I have a community even out here.... my goal is to really get back on the bike again.  I slip so much.  Also need to work on the right bike set ups (that will come in a different, kinda specific question). 

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on September 8, 2018 at 12:24pm

What I'm reading here is the fact that you have to actually "carve out" time.  AKA leave a lot earlier.  I miss the easy motivation in the city where it actually was less of a pain in the butt to bike than drive, walk or take public transit.  Now it's soooo easy to drive.  Good thing is that my sister who lives 1 block away is a 1 car family and they do a ton of walking (and some biking), so I have a good examples nearby. 

I am realizing that my next step is getting a bike that my now 3.5 year old and I can bike comfortably and take on the metra.   Will say goodbye most likely to my Taga 2.0 and transition on to something else comfortable that works for a 4 foot 9 adult.  I will also get a tag a long, but love the idea of a cargo bike for the family.  We do a decent amount of farmers market and outdoor pool trips by bike (since its less than a mile and on side streets). 

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