Bikes again

[Grandpa's Spells]

Hey, you guys helped me figure out a bike selection a few years back when I got a single speed for longish flat commutes and general purpose. Things have changed a bit and I'm looking for something different. Likely an additional bike rather than a replacement, but who knows.

Commute is shorter at about 6.5 miles each way, but I currently bring one kid along on a Thule Yepp seat and next year will be two. Need gears, and will likely attach trailers or a bakfiets-type conversion now that those exist.

I think something like a Surly Cross Check with flat bars fits the bill, but I'd prefer to not pay Surly Cross Check dollars if a less prestigious brand with equivalent function exists.

Wirecutter has recommendations in the $500-600 range that may be sensible, but I'm not in a position to know. I think I'd prefer a steel frame when it comes to kid seats being attached to it.

Thoughts?

[Shapecharge]

Thoughts? On bike choices or why you're schlepping two kids around on a bike in Murder Town/Chicago in Trump's America?

[Turdacious]

Those dutch bikes are only worth riding when you have kids the right age, and then only when you're going to the farmer's market while wearing cruelty free organic cotton. Buy one used off Craigslist for cheap and then sell it when your kids outgrow it for the same price.

[Grandpa's Spells]

Thoughts? On bike choices or why you're schlepping two kids around on a bike in Murder Town/Chicago in Trump's America?

I thought about city biking with kids, but we had I think 6 bike fatalities the year I looked and 5 were riders without helmets. Chicago is arguably the most bike-friendly city in the US, my route is 80% through parks and the remainder in bike lanes. It's pretty nice, not much more time than driving.

My oldest is also a bike kid, has been riding without training wheels since before he turned 3 and does tricks. Always prefers bike to car.

Those dutch bikes are only worth riding when you have kids the right age

Yes, the dutch ones are huge and slow, and I don't have a ton of space. These are awesome and kids like riding up front, but only small kids and they're huge. I'd really only consider one of these, which converts your regular bike into a cargo one and back in about a minute. But a trailer is way less expensive and folds flat.

[Shapecharge]

I was just fuckin' with you but I didn't know that about the bike lanes and such in Chicago. That's actually pretty awesome that you can do that with the kids. Here in Dallas/Fort Worth it's actually the opposite...very behind the times on bike lanes etc. And given the average aggressive driver here is almost lethal in intent it's something I wouldn't recommend. Story time...some months back on a Sunday afternoon around 3:00 p.m. on a four lane street with a center left turn lane and me riding along as far right as possible with no one on the street a pickup truck passed me about as close as possible then abruptly stopped way way short of the stop light after pulling over in front of me. If I hadn't been paying attention I could have crashed into the back of the truck. For a brief moment I felt like going apeshit but I turned into a driveway that was right there, got on the sidewalk for a moment and turned right and got back to my happy good times thoughts. But for a moment...murder or be murdered was in my head.