Our Complete Biking Setup for Full-time Travel in an RV with Toddlers
You guys! We recently bought ourselves pedal assist bikes and a kids’ trailer and we can’t believe we waited so long! This was something we debated for MONTHS and that is our only regret.
My husband has always been a big mountain biker. I used to enjoy it until I had an accident in Moab and became nervous on a bike. I want to enjoy it again and I want our kids to become confident bikers, so we decided it’s time for me to face that silly ole fear. 😝
We used to drive our Ram 3500 dually and Montana High Country Fifth wheel to our campground and after setting up, we’d need to get back into the truck to either go to the playground, get groceries, get dinner, etc. We hated starting the truck back up for these short drives and knew as the weather got colder, we’d dislike it even more. We also felt so bad to strap the kids back in carseats.
The bikes…
While my husband already had a Scott Scale mountain bike, I thought I’d want something with pedal assist to keep up with him and to also regrow my confidence. After much deliberation, we ended up both getting pedal assist bikes so we could go farther, more easily, together and with the kids. We knew we wanted something that still felt like we were getting a bit of exercise. While we test rode some Class 2, rear drive e-bikes for fun, we didn’t feel like that was what we needed and we didn’t like how heavy they were at 70+ lbs.
When we were visiting Idaho Falls, ID, we stopped in at Idaho Mountain Trading. They are our favorite gear shop, ever! The staff is so knowledgeable, kind and we completely count on them to help us make our decisions on all things biking and skiing.
We were drawn to the Trek pedal assist bikes. I ended up choosing the Marlin+ and my husband chose the Powerfly as it had slightly more power and a longer battery life for towing the toddlers. The 9-speed Shimano CUES gearing is consistent and durable, the front end suspension makes our trail rides a breeze, the disc brakes handle stopping easily (even with a trailer of toddlers), and each bike weighs around 50 lbs which we think is pretty reasonable. The pedal assist has Eco, Tour+, Auto, and Turbo modes which each provide the perfect amount of support when we need it and they also come with the FLOW App, so you can track your rides and battery life. We are so pleased with our decisions!
The toddler situation…
We went around and around about how we wanted to transport our littles on the bikes. We ended up realizing that there are so many solutions - they all work and some are better suited for different phases and times. We decided on what immediately worked best for us and knew we’d pivot going forward. One of our mottos - everything is temporary.
We liked the idea of the bike seats over the rear wheel, but didn’t want to always have it on our bikes and didn’t have the space to store it anywhere. We thought a trailer cycle would be great for our big, but we didn’t feel she was quite ready for that and the distances we wanted to achieve right now. We liked the front mount bike seats, but I didn’t feel confident enough to have a toddler between my legs and we thought our daughter would be too big for it.
We could only choose one because of space when living in an RV full-time and we decided a bike trailer was best for us for the following reasons:
The kids have the ability to sit back and relax, play with toys we won’t lose along the way, and easily access their snacks and waters
We each have the ability to take both kids for an errand or activity if the other is busy
We could remove the trailer from the bikes and just enjoy biking together if we had the opportunity
The bike trailer has stroller functionality so we could sell our wagon and use this as a replacement
We can also purchase the attachments to run and cross-country ski
The trailer can be stored away neatly under our rear bunk
We decided on the Burley D’Lite X trailer! We found the quality and price to be exactly what we needed and are so pleased with our decision. These are the features we can’t live without:
Adjustable suspension which keeps our toddlers comfortable on trail rides
Weather resistant cover keeps them out of the rain or protected from wheel splash
Width of the trailer gives them both enough shoulder/wiggle room (some trailer options can get so narrow!)
Reclining and cushioned seat pads allow them to be more cozy (our toddlers have taken short naps in the trailer!)
Has the versatility of a bike, run, and ski mode
Some extras…
A few extra pieces of gear we needed to complete this setup were:
Axle: Our Trek e-bikes were able to tow a trailer, but the rear thru axle wasn’t long enough to add the bike attachment. We opted to replace the axle in both of our bikes so at any time we individually had the ability to take the kids ourselves. Be sure you work with your bike shop to ensure you select a thru axle compatible with both your bike and bike trailer (it is not a one size fits all situation).
Trailer Adapters: The trailer adapter is what attaches to your axle so the bike trailer can clip into it. This is another component we decided to put on both bikes so we didn’t need to grab tools and swap out this piece any time the other took the kids.
Biking Shorts: I don’t know about you, but my booty gets sore after I bike! Biking shorts make all the difference. I often pop mine on under my shorts or pants just before we take off. Be sure to select something with enough padding, breathability, and a comfortable waistline.
Helmet: Admittedly, we don’t always wear ours, but we absolutely should be better at modeling it for our kids. Make sure you have one, especially for tougher rides.
Bike Rack: We will be posting another blog on how we selected our bike rack which is capable of being mounted on a travel trailer/5th wheel hitch, robust enough for the weight of e-bikes, and considers all the required downrating analysis. Our solution after all this consideration was the Swagman Escapee with a hitch reducer(when we use it on the truck).
Spare Tubes: We recently popped a few tires running over prickles - it’s always wise to keep spare tubes around for this reason. The Burley D’lite X trailer requires a 20” biking tube, our Trek Powerfly requires a 29” x 2.30” biking tube, and our Trek Marlin+ requires a 27.5” x 2.40” biking tube. It’s also a great idea to have some slime bike tube sealant on-hand as it can help you save tubes that are only mildly damaged.
That concludes our recommendation for a complete biking setup when you travel full-time in an RV with toddlers! If you are questioning this decision - DON’T! Just do it. Get yourself on the trail while your babies are little. ✨
Please drop us a comment on your thoughts and any future biking setup suggestions for us!
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