“Bell Cocoon” child bike seat
I recently spent one of my daddy-afternoons driving around to various bike shops & sports shops checking out the different selection of child bike seats that are available. I don’t have a fancy bike, and didn’t want to spend a lot of money on something that would likely only last a few months, if that. So, after 3 different stores, I settled on this Bell “Cocoon” child carrier seat, which was only $50:
I got it home, and put it together, which was fairly straightforward, but took a couple hours. Like many kid-products, there seems to be a bigger emphasis on cost than on ease of assembly. It took me a while to get the whole contraption mounted to the rear of my bike, and I had several times where I was about to give up and junk the thing, and go buy the $200 version.
But, with enough wrangling, I actually got it mounted and secure, and have taken a few rides with Mr. Busy Bear. He seems to really like it, and has a big grin on his face while we’re riding. I was surprised by how different it is to ride with a 25 pound toddler on your rear. It significantly changes the way the bike handles, and getting on and off with him in it can be harrowing the first couple of times! So, if you get one of these, be careful!
We mostly just rode on Stevens Creek Trail, up to Whisman Park. I was hoping that we could make it all the way to Shoreline Park, but we ran out of steam before getting there. Maybe next time!
I’m on daddy duty 2 or 3 afternoons a week (4pm and on) so with the long summer nights, I’ve got a fair bit of time to spend with Mr. Busy Bear, which is really nice, and I’ve been trying to find more and more things to do other than just hang out at Mercy-Bush park!
