New parent cargo bike family in Saint Paul, MN

[enel2000]

Hey folks,

My name is Gaby. My partner and I moved from Portland, OR to Minneapolis/Saint Paul in 2020 and currently reside in Saint Paul. We got our first cargo bike (Tern HSD P9) in 2022 and shortly followed with a used R&M Packster 40 from Perennial Cycle. We also have a few analog bikes we love - a Velo Orange I built winter of 2022-2023 and an old Gunnar.

We recently had a baby so we will be slowly figuring out how early we can get him on a bike since the car seat doesn't fit the packster 40. My partner does not drive and commutes to work when they need to be in the office. We also help on the queer history bike ride in the summer that Perennial Cycle puts on. We do bike errands all year when it's reasonable but I'm by no means hardcore about winter. I got better winter pogies for my Tern and hoping that does the trick.

Excited to be here. Thanks for the forum.

 

[luke_in_mpls]

Gaby!
Amazing to see you here.
and absolutely giddy that I made one of your highlight pics : )
I'm looking forward to meeting your baby.
Luke

 

[enel2000]

Luke! Cant wait for summer rides. Ill bring him thru sometime soon

 

[LauraGMitchell]

Welcome @enel2000 ! My wife and I helped marshal this last year's Queer History Ride, but I don't think I get to meet you then! We are so darn lucky to have @luke_in_mpls doing so much to bring us together. My wife and I are in S Mpls (about a mile from Perennial) and have a 6 and 8 year old. We didn't have a cargo bike yet when they were tiny babies (just used Burleys), but have two now (plus many other bikes). I love talking kids + bikes. Have you been on a Piecycle ride yet? https://pie.bike/

 

[enel2000]

thanks @LauraGMitchell! Luke asked us but we were out of town so we couldn't do it this year but we had done the prior two

We’re loyal social followers but thought it was families only so we figured we’d join this year when we are able to safely bike with the baby! Probably safe for us to start after May given he’s still under 3 months old.

We also were over in frogtown until recently. We’re living closer to Minneapolis in Merriam Park so joining those rides are more doable since they all start kinda far from us. Looking forward to it and will be great to meet more folks this year!

 

[LauraGMitchell]

We definitely get a lot of families with kids, but generally have at least a few adults without kids at each ride. When I was working on this article, Levi, Terri and I were talking about that issue re: location and dreamed of a world in which there are Piecycle chapters throughout the city (and state, and country) so everyone can find inclusive group rides near their home! The logistics of having to drive or take transit with bikes (esp cargo bikes) to join a ride are a major barrier - understandably so.

Regardless, congrats on the little one and excited to meet you sometime soon!