Portland, Oregon, is known for its vibrant cycling culture, but Emily Finch takes it to a whole new level. Witnessing Emily navigate the city streets with her crew of six children is an inspiring spectacle, challenging preconceived notions about family transportation and what’s truly possible on two wheels. For anyone pondering the reality of Bike Kids and family cycling, Emily’s story is a compelling testament.
Image: Emily Finch expertly maneuvers her family cargo bike, a testament to family biking with kids in Portland.
Emily, a 34-year-old dynamo, resides in southeast Portland and has turned heads and dropped jaws with her impressive bakfiets cargo bike setup. Imagine a scene: four kids nestled securely in the front cargo box, another perched in a child seat behind her, and yet another confidently pedaling a tag-along bike attached to the rear rack. This isn’t just biking with kids; it’s a masterclass in pedal-powered parenting.
Image: Portrait of Emily Finch, the Portland mom who embraces bike kids lifestyle.
Intrigued by this extraordinary family biking phenomenon, I cycled over to Emily’s home in the charming Ladd’s Addition neighborhood to join her and her children on a typical outing – a trip to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI). As I arrived, I was greeted by a flurry of activity: five children (and a doll!) already buckled into the bakfiets, with three more youngsters bustling around. A quick count revealed eight! It turned out Emily had generously invited some neighborhood kids to join their two-wheeled adventure.
Before embarking on our journey, I had the pleasure of meeting the Finch kids: Nathan, 11; Mary, 9; Lucy, 7; Ben, 5; Olivia, 4; and Maya, 2. This vibrant bunch represents the heart of Emily’s commitment to bike kids and a car-free lifestyle.
Image: A close-up capturing the Finch kids enjoying their ride in the front cargo box of their bakfiets, showcasing the joy of bike kids.
Image: Emily Finch ensuring the safety of her kids as they prepare for a bike ride, highlighting responsible bike kids practices.
Image: A wider view of the Finch family and their unique bike setup, perfectly designed for transporting bike kids.
Emily’s typical configuration includes three children in the front, one in the rear child seat, Mary powering the tag-along bike, and Nathan cycling independently. As we set off towards OMSI, I witnessed the Finch-mobile in its full glory. It was a sight to behold – a large, moving spectacle brimming with life. Heads bobbed, arms waved, and music streamed from the bike’s onboard sound system, creating a joyful and energetic atmosphere.
Emily, dressed in a dress, leather vest, Bern helmet, and open-toed shoes, appeared effortlessly in control. Her petite stature only amplified the impressiveness of her command over this substantial vehicle. She shared a candid moment of initial doubt: “I thought I’d made the biggest, stupidest, most expensive mistake in my whole life. I thought I couldn’t ride it. It was seriously exhausting.” This initial struggle underscores the commitment required to embrace the bike kids lifestyle fully.
Confronted with the task of pedaling hundreds of pounds of children and gear (she once estimated a load of 550 pounds!), Emily has developed a powerful pedaling technique. Simply sitting and pedaling isn’t enough. When extra power is needed, she rises from the saddle, grips the handlebars like a weightlifter, and powerfully pumps the pedals, maintaining a steady biking pace amidst city traffic. The tag-along bike plays a crucial role in propulsion. “I rotate kids into pumping position to keep them fresh,” Emily explained, highlighting the collaborative effort involved in family biking.
As we navigated a slight incline, Emily called out to her rear, “Pump Mary, pump!” This teamwork is a hallmark of their bike kids adventures.
It’s surprising to learn that Emily hadn’t been a regular cyclist in her adult life until a few years prior. Her journey to becoming the captain of this human-powered minivan is a story worth exploring.
Growing up in a conservative Catholic family in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Emily’s life took a transformative turn when she reconnected with her father in her late 20s. His “left-wing” perspectives and concerns about “peak oil” sparked a shift in her thinking. “I started looking at my life… I was living in a giant house and had a nine-person Suburban. I remember thinking, there’s no reason I can’t walk or bike around town.”
Williamsport, with its walkable and bikeable grid layout, presented an untapped opportunity. Initially, Emily opted for a triple jogging stroller, believing that biking with her kids was “not possible.” However, her search for a car alternative led her to Google “family bike,” and the image of a bakfiets appeared.
That evening, she shared her discovery with her husband, Mitch, a neurologist. “I told him I’ve found something that is going to change my life.” Emily contacted Clever Cycles in Portland that very night, ordered a bakfiets, and had it shipped to Pennsylvania. This impulsive decision marked the beginning of their family’s immersion into the world of bike kids.
For Emily, the bakfiets was a catalyst for change. “I was at a time in my life when something had to change,” she reflected. “When I saw that bike, I knew it. I said, ‘This is it. This is going to change my life.’”
And it undeniably did.
Image: Emily Finch confidently riding her bakfiets through Portland streets, showcasing the ease of bike kids transportation.
Image: A joyful moment of Emily and her kids riding together, capturing the essence of bike kids family bonding.
The arrival of the bakfiets at her Williamsport home was quite an event. “I was already the town freak,” Emily chuckled, recalling reactions to her home births and now this unusual bike. “People thought I’d had a DUI or something! They asked, ‘Is that a boat on wheels? Are you going to carry your kids in that!?’”
At the time, Emily was pregnant with her sixth child, Maya, and eager to test out her new family biking machine. Her first ride, a short trip to Mitch’s office, quickly turned into a humbling experience. “I thought I’d made the biggest, stupidest, most expensive mistake in my whole life.” The sheer weight of the bike and her children made pedaling incredibly difficult. “It killed me,” she admitted. “I thought I couldn’t ride it. It was seriously exhausting.”
Despite the initial struggle, Emily was determined. “I just kept biking… I got used to it and I’m one with the bike now.” This perseverance is key for any parent venturing into the world of bike kids.
The bakfiets brought about profound changes in Emily’s life. “I was really depressed before,” she confessed. “But I was so happy after I got the bike. I just loved it.” This newfound joy extended beyond personal well-being; it sparked a desire for a different environment. By spring 2010, Emily knew she wanted to move. Portland, with its bike-friendly culture, became her dream destination.
“And the biking is accepted here, and it’s easy. There’s such a difference,” Emily noted, comparing Portland to her previous home. Soon, the Suburban was sold (hence her Twitter handle @1lessgmsuburban), and the Finch family relocated to Portland. While they own a sedan driven by Mitch for his commute, Emily remains car-free, fully embracing the bike kids lifestyle.
“I haven’t driven once in Portland… [Not having a car] has pushed us to do a lot more than I would ever do if I had a vehicle sitting there in the driveway, especially when it’s pouring down rain and everyone’s angry.”
Portland’s infamous rain doesn’t deter Emily. She dresses in wool, the kids don boots and jackets, and they all huddle under the bakfiets’ rain cover. When asked if her children miss car rides, Emily replied, “They’ve lost that sense of driving. My kids have forgotten what it’s like to even be in a car.” This adaptation highlights the remarkable resilience and adaptability of bike kids.
The supportive community in Portland further eases their car-free life. “Coming from Pennsylvania, It’s mind-boggling to me that kids come over and they’ll already have a helmet and be all set for biking… If we bump into someone, we can switch kids and be on our way.”
However, Emily is quick to dispel any notion that her life is effortless. “It’s hard,” she acknowledges.
“The Suburban had thick walls and tinted windows, and you could turn the radio up so that when everyone’s screaming no one could hear and nobody knows all the drama that’s going on in that bubble. But on the bike, it’s all out there, for everyone to see.”
Navigating tantrums and meltdowns in public is a reality of bike kids parenting. Emily recounts using bungee cords as a “savior” during particularly challenging moments.
“I have literally bungee-corded my 5-year-old to the back of the bike. He wouldn’t get on. He was screaming and everyone was staring, so I stuck him on the seat and bungee-corded him in and just started pedaling really hard… He screamed all the way home.”
These anecdotes, while humorous in retrospect, illustrate the real-life challenges and resourceful solutions that come with raising bike kids. Time management is another hurdle. Emily estimates it takes at least an hour to get everyone ready and out the door. “It’s total chaos… We can’t find somebody’s helmet, someone’s missing a shoe… Then by the time we get that sorted out, the kids in the front of the bike are killing each other.” Longer distances can also test everyone’s patience, with 20 miles being their daily limit before “everyone is tired and grouchy.”
Despite these challenges, the benefits of their bike kids lifestyle are undeniable. Bungee cords, beyond tantrum management, also prove useful for hauling cargo. Emily shared a photo of a recent grocery run: five chickens, a duck, bacon, strawberry preserves, coconut oil, and hot dogs – all transported by bike.
Financially, the bakfiets is a bargain compared to car ownership. Emily estimates spending only $135 on bike maintenance in three years. “It’s funny how many people ask me how much it costs,” she remarks about the bakfiets’ price. “If someone’s driving around with a $40,000 car, no one asks, ‘Oh, how much does that cost?’ Really, it’s such a bargain in the long run. It’s amazing.” Furthermore, she saves on gym memberships, having lost 25 pounds since adopting her bike kids lifestyle. Her reason for forgoing an electric-assist system? “Because I like chocolate!”
While biking has brought happiness and sanity, Emily acknowledges a trade-off. “I sometimes feel like I’m not giving the kids enough. I can’t just pile them in the car and go to the coast. We just don’t do stuff like that.” However, this is a conscious choice aligned with their values.
Emily’s motivation isn’t rooted in environmentalism alone. “I cancel out my bike riding every day with all the other terrible things I do,” she jokes, admitting her shortcomings in composting and gardening. Ultimately, Emily bikes “for a simple and somewhat corny reason. It makes her happy.” This joy, coupled with the “sweet chaos of children and family,” is the driving force behind her inspiring bike kids journey. “I love my bike,” she reiterated. “I really do. Because it’s changed my life. I can’t really explain it. In the end, my bike just brings me happiness.”
Follow Emily’s adventures on Twitter @1lessgmsuburban.
— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @BikePortland on Twitter and [email protected]
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