hello from pregnant beginner biker - advice please!!!

[ufkacbln]

hi, thanks for all the fantastic advice! It's really helped. I've actually just taken the plunge and bought a second hand Dahon Speed D7 from ebay. I'll try it and maybe in a year, when I'm more experienced, I can upgrade to a wonderful Brompton and sell it on ebay! x

Go for it.......

I think the best advice is "if you are comfortable" then fine.

I would also recommend googling Josie Dew's articles on pregnancy, children and cycling.

 

[HJ]

3. is it worth getting the bike insured, even if most of the time i'll be leaving it in my office or storing it at home?

It is worth looking at your home continence policy (if you have one) as you may well find it covers you bike anyway, I know mine does...

 

[byegad]

You will be able to ride 6 miles on a Dahon speed 7. My wife who is not a regular cyclist managed 35, fairly hilly miles on a similar machine with only 6 gears.

As to riding while pregnant, only you can decide. Some health care people are anti cycling and will automatically advise against it, but unless you experience some sort of 'problem' in your pregnancy you should be able to ride until quite late on. I'd challenge any doctor or Midwife who told me not to ride as to what consequences they see if you ignore their advice.

We own or owned a Dahon Boardwalk and Speed-Pro with 20" tyres and they are/were both great bikes. Not as easy to fold or carry as a Brompton, but a way better ride.

 

[Fnaar]

It is worth looking at your home continence policy (if you have one) as you may well find it covers you bike anyway, I know mine does...

Don't wee on the carpet

 

[arallsopp]

Well done. Good approach. As you've sorted the bike bit, I'll just chip in with my thoughts on trailers.

1. Received advice is that baby should not go in a trailer until it can support its own head.
2. Baby near always falls asleep and lolls very oddly within minutes of pulling away in trailer.
3. A good well fitted car seat avoids this problem.
4. Rigging a trailer to accept a car seat is fairly straight forward.
5. Get one that folds, and have a lock for it. Dragging trailer in and out of house / friends house / nurseries / coffee shops can be a pain.
6. It is almost always less pain than doing the same with a super trendy all terrain double buggy.
7. If relevant, get two hitches for the trailer, and have a spare seat in it.

We found the price and size differential between a single and double trailer to be negligible, and the extra space gives a lot more flexibility regards baggage, friends, picnic hampers, etc. A spare hitch means after loading it up with baby + play date, you and a friend can take turns to haul it.

We love ours.


Andy.

 

[jay clock]

I have a Speed P8 (similar to D7) and it is a superb bike. Not the lightest or smallest when folded but OK for the odd occasion I use it. I think it would be ideal for a flat 6 mile ride. I have done longer rides on mine

Keep it up!