Step 1- Keep Your Kids Warm and Entertained in the Bike Trailer
Some people say kids are like little furnaces and I agree to a certain point. Kids’ bodies stay warm when you dress them up right but their extremities always seem to fluctuate. Proper gloves or boots are important, but making sure layers are not too tight are critical for winter fat biking with a kids’ trailer on skis.
Follow the three layer rule. We start with a long sleeve onesie and fleece pants and socks, then move onto a fleece sleeper and end with a down filled bunting bag, we love our Patagonia hi loft bunting bag. Then a terry cloth scarf bib and a warm hat. An adult down coat and a fleece blanket are the blankets I put over my daughter. I also put a blanket for her to sit on as the hard fabric seat can get a little cold. Be careful of zippers and Velcro near their neck and faces.
Bring some toys and comfort items with you. Same as in the summer, kids enjoy their favourite stuffy or blanket and the extra time you take to make sure you remember their comfort items can sometimes make or break a chariot ride, especially in winter.
A few little tips beyond clothing to keep kids warm:
- Fill a Nalgene bottle full of hot water and wrap it up well in a blanket or stuff it inside a down bootie, it will keep the blankets warm for a long time. Put it in the chariot on the way to the trailhead or twenty minutes before you leave your house. It will keep the chariot warm and toasty.
- Little disposable heat packs are great to share. I put them on the outside of her snow-suit by her hands and feet. I say share because unlike the hot water bottle which stays at a predictable temperature, the hot packs can get too warm for sensitive hands and feet. Therefore I check them every twenty minutes and put them into my gloves for 5 minutes or so until I suck some heat from them.
Step 2- Make sure your gear is set up before you start getting you child ready to go out
I haven’t been a dad for a super long time, but one thing I have learned the hard way is get things organized before adventures or you may end up missing your window.
The normal Thule bike attachment, the ski part of the Thule ski attachment, and a different rear axle are all you need to get out on the trails. The Robert Alex Project axle is the best rear axle for ease and ability to quickly attach your trailer to your bike. There are many sizes to fit the weird fat bike axle standards.
Go for a ride with an empty chariot, seeing how it steers a little different with skis. My wife gave me the ok to get a fat bike this year as I would be ski touring less and I said I would go cross country skiing with her. Cross country skiing is a great work out, I just don’t like it and controlling a chariot is way easier on a bike than on xc skis. It’s a great family adventure now.
Step 3- Getting Outside is Hard but Important
Remember getting outside with your kids is important for their well being as much as yours. As an elementary school teacher, I am constantly amazed at how addicted our kids are to technology and how when they go outside for recess so many of them are glued to their technology instead of enjoying the playground or the nature forest.
Kids emulate their parents, if they see you enjoying your time outside, being active and riding your bike, they will be more likely to enjoy it and want to ride too. If my daughter doesn’t want to ride her bike as much as I do, that is ok. That said, I will set her up to have the best experience by making sure I provide her with the proper gear to have a fun time. Even if you get a mile down the road and your child wants to find snow fairies and make snow angels, its way better than sitting on the couch or watching treehouse.
Additionally, if you have a fat bike, snow biking can be an adventure for the whole family. You can tow little kids in a Chariot with the Polar Stroller kit (just use the bike arm with it), or if they are big enough get them their own fat bike.
Is your chariot slightly off center behind the fat bike? I just set my Trek Farley w the Chariot up and notice its off center slightly. Seems like it will be pulled ok but obviously the arm was made for a standard bike w 26inch wheels.
Just got my son out on our fatbike while pulling our WeeHoo trailer behind. These are great tips, and I’ll certainly find them handy. Cheers
Thanks for including The Robert Axle Project in this post! We’re always stoked to see folks heading out on adventures with their kids – summer or winter.
Cheers,
Katy
The Robert Axle Project
You guys help make it possible!
Great tips on keeping warm! I was curious about attaching the Chariot to a fatbike and you answered my question. For those who don’t want to buy one more thing (stroller/bunting bag), a kids’ down sleeping bag works great too! Then you can use it year round for the few years they have it (totally worth getting the kids’ size if you backpack as it’s much smaller!). Now we just have to figure out how to transport the bike.. it won’t fit in the type of bike rack we have. Happy Trails!!
Thanks for the tips Karen. Your site has great information on getting kids outside. Love the ice river walks! As for transporting fat bikes, I feel your pain. I have a Kuat rack (great for kids bikes). I just use voile straps to strap the wheels down and the front arm keeps the tires down. Has works great so far… 😉
What a great idea Jack! Will keep following and reading.
Thanks Melanie! Say hello to your parents for us and so glad you guys are staying so active with kids- Team shred!
Awesome blog! Congrats on getting it started! I’ll be a regular reader, for sure, and I’ve sent the link to my hubby too. We have been parents for 18 months, but haven’t gotten out in the winter much more than walks with the stroller or with the kid in a carrier. I want to get back to cross-country skiing, and want to bring the kiddo with me but we don’t have a chariot yet. Do you recommend the Thule one? I see a lot of Bobs out there… Congrats again. Can’t wait for the next post! 🙂
Hi Katy. Jack has the Thule Cougar 1 and I have the Cougar 2. Essentially the same machine but the Cougar 2 fits double the kiddos. One of the only trailers that have a ski conversion kit, the Thule Cougar also shines as a stroller, bike runner, and bike trailer. The less expensive model, the Cheetah, only lacks the suspension system of Cougar. If just looking for a bike trailer, there are much cheaper options in the sub $200 range (let us know and we can recommend some).
18 months! Sounds like someone is ready for a balance bike and a bike seat!
Thanks for the advice Colin! And yes, Jack is likely ready to get going on a balance bike! I’m so excited to see him tear around on it! 🙂
Do you worry that exposing your child to fatbiking at such an early age will imprint them in a way you cannot predict or explain?
What if they eschew trail biking for fatbiking in their teens? Will you blame it on “nature”?
Trail bike, fat bike, dirt jump bike, xc bike or downhill bike- we do not discriminate, we are inclusive here at thebikedads.
I laughed at fat bikes too when I first saw them and didn’t think I would own one. Then the long winters and a new definition of time after having kids set in. Now I love getting out on my fat bike solo and with little Ms. Sierra in her chariot. Try a fat bike and you too may enjoy another type of riding.