Poll: How to get the baby from daycare?

Picking the wee baby up from daycare in Evanston for the first time today around 6. I took the bike to work in today Uptown. He'll be attached to me via a baby Bjorn (front carrier). Do I: 

A.  Ride the bike all the way to Evanston, or park the bike at Granville and pick it up on the way back down on the L?

B. If I ride all the way to Evanston, do I take the bike w/me on the Purple Line (elevator at Davis), then to the red line and get off at Granville, or take the 22 from Howard w/the bike on the front? 

My concern is that I pretty much have had to keep him moving and bouncing the whole time when I've taken him to daycare in the carrier. So a bike would have been out of the question in the AM. Trying to minimize him freaking out on me. But then again, he might freak out on me anyway. Relevant advice/experience appreciated.  And he's too little for a helmet, so don't ask. :)

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Permalink Reply by Joe Schmoe on September 24, 2013 at 7:43am
Obviously. The question is should I take the bike with me or no? I'd be walking the bike.
Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on September 24, 2013 at 7:48am

Joe, that was not clear to me, at least, from your post.  It sounds like it might be a bit unwieldy to take the bike and manage it and the little one.

Joe Schmoe said:

Obviously. The question is should I take the bike with me or no? I'd be walking the bike.
Permalink Reply by Thunder Snow on September 24, 2013 at 8:17am

The CTA's bike ban on L trains, from 4PM-6PM, may factor into your decision.

Permalink Reply by Joe Schmoe on September 24, 2013 at 8:43am
Yeah, thanks. Sorry I wasn't clear. You're probably right. Darn!
Permalink Reply by Anika on September 24, 2013 at 9:52am
Leave the bike and pick it up on your way back through. Wee babies can be a handful if they are not happy.
Permalink Reply by Julia 3.5/7.5 mi on September 24, 2013 at 10:46am

Saw a guy riding down armitage with his little one (maybe around 8-9mo) in a soft backpack carrier yesterday. The kid looked like superman having fun, but I couldn't believe the guy would even chance that - especially riding westbound on Armitage into the sun. I'm not usually one to drop my jaw and stare, but couldn't be helped.

peter moormann said:

Please, do not ride a bike with your baby strapped to you.

I think your wife should be the one freaking out on you!

As a father of 2 boys who are avid cyclists I have seen my share of crash traumas.

Do not put yourself in that situation for your own convenience.

Permalink Reply by Anika on September 24, 2013 at 12:21pm
FWIW - this is totally legal to do albeit a terrible idea.
Permalink Reply by Alex Z on September 24, 2013 at 2:31pm

At what age is it okay for a kid to hitch a ride on his parent's bike?

Permalink Reply by Tom Dworzanski on September 24, 2013 at 3:13pm

IMO: It's never okay on a street with motorized traffic.

Maybe on an off-street trail if the kid is in a bike trailer that will keep him/her safe in case you take a spill.

Alex Z said:

At what age is it okay for a kid to hitch a ride on his parent's bike?

Permalink Reply by Rebecca on September 24, 2013 at 5:02pm

woof.....I'd not bring the bike at all. I think it would be too challenging. I walk my bike 1.5 blocks with my baby in the Ergo whilst holding my backpack and all of her daycare stuff and it is super ambitious at times. I'd go with one of these:

1. Get a beater bike that you would park at the daycare overnight.

2. Get a cargo bike for transport! (I've had mine in a bakfiets since she was 2 months old - she loves it)

3. Public trans sans bike to and from daycare

4. When it someday is available.....DIVVY from the daycare

Children add an extra intensity to the morning routine. Good luck!

Permalink Reply by Bez on September 24, 2013 at 11:46pm

Yeah, well, you know, that’s just, like, your opinion, man.

For the rest of us, conventional wisdom (also, pediatricians) says that when the baby can sit up for extended periods on their own and their head can support the weight of a baby helmet.  Normally this is around a year old.  I, personally, have rigged a car seat into a trailer using extra padding and such (for shock absorption) and started taking my youngest out at about 6 months.  We generally only go about 3 miles at a time, like to breakfast and back.  Honestly, even my oldest gets bored after a few miles so we don't do any kind of super trips.  Might try to do a long day on the Fox River trail next year though.

Tom Dworzanski said:

IMO: It's never okay on a street with motorized traffic.

Maybe on an off-street trail if the kid is in a bike trailer that will keep him/her safe in case you take a spill.

Alex Z said:

At what age is it okay for a kid to hitch a ride on his parent's bike?

Permalink Reply by Joe Schmoe on September 25, 2013 at 4:45am

Ended up leaving the bike at work. It's still here this AM! (Building has a zero bikes inside policy). Yeah, he demands a lot of moving around and such while he's in the carrier with me. It probably would not have been good.  Mom's lucky, he just sleeps on her in the carrier.

And I'm not sure how I feel about rear/front seats or trailers.  I think I'm going to say no on city streets for sure. And the LFP after like 10 AM.  

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