By: Amir Figueroa
For the past 10 months, I’ve commuted to work by riding my bike. Prior to that, I was taking the bus and the train to work, which took as long as an hour for me. Biking cut that down to just 20 minutes. Around March 2020 when New York City initiated the shutdown I was prepared not to utilize public transportation and still make my way to work (I was listed as an essential worker, being that I am a microbiologist and was working on a COVID-19 research study). Since things have started to open back up, my wife and I have been mainly using a running stroller for taking long walks and short runs. We wanted to cover long distances with our son, Kouri, so we both now have bikes which make that possible for us. We just needed the right bike attachment that would keep Kouri safe.
When I went looking for a lightweight option that I could connect to my bike I found the Burley Honey Bee. I’m a pretty handy guy, so I figured out most of the initial setup process prior to confirming using the instructions. After assembling the trailer, my first impressions were, it was too big, it would get in the way of others, and it would be hard to maneuver. Then when I went on my first ride, I discovered that it's the perfect size, people worked around us, and it moved really well with my bike.
When I took my son out for our first ride, he loved it. There was so much room inside and he could see much more than he normally does with our stroller. There’s a waterproof cover, which I pulled back so he could enjoy the breeze.
Our first longer ride was to Randall's Island here in NYC. There is a 5-mile loop only accessible to walkers, runners and cyclists. This was a great, safe place to start. Now that we have this new addition to our home, we hope to visit Shirley Chisholm State Park in Brooklyn and Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park on Roosevelt Island.
One tip I would offer to parents is to make a plan prior to going out with their children and even go for a test ride without them in the trailer to help you get more comfortable. A test ride is great because it helped me to anticipate potential hazards and things to be mindful of. Also, there's plenty of space inside the trailer, so bring snacks and food.
If he could talk, I’m sure my son would offer a glowing review of his new ride! But right now, his reaction can be summed up in a boisterous "Wow!" He looks everywhere while we are riding, he's talkative and is so excited. His feet are always moving, which lets me know that he is having fun.
Health and fitness are very important in our home, which is why if I’m not walking or running, I am biking. My wife and I want our son to know that movement is essential and there are many options for him to achieve that. For now, he’ll be our passenger right behind us in the Honey Bee until he’s able to start riding on his own.
