Weehoo iGo pedal trailer perfect for parent and child cycling
Guest post by Roshell Bissett
Being a single mom raising a five-year-old in downtown Ottawa, I have always benefitted from using my bicycle as my main source of transportation in the summer time.
With the Rideau Canal bike paths and various child-friendly festivals that run throughout the summer, there is no better way to stay active and avoid the stress of parking a car!
When my daughter was six months old I plunked her in a bike seat right behind me so she could share the exhilarating feeling of the wind blowing through our hair as we zipped back and forth to day care and all our play dates.
I was certain that my daughter, who loved riding my bike as much as I did, would be anxious to jump on a bike of her own as soon as she was able to stand.
Weehoo iGo Pedal Trailer
Product: Pedal trailer
Manufacturer: Weehoo
Price range: About $375
More info: Roshell purchased her Weehoo at Ottawa’s Foster’s Sports Centre, but the company ships free to Canada from the Weehoo website for $399.
Alas, that wasn’t to be. Nadya, who is almost six, can’t stand riding her own bike. A normally confident and rambunctious child, she is timid and fearful when she wobbles around on her two-wheeler with training wheels.
After suffering through a couple of summers with no means to bike around together, I got on the phone and started calling the local bike stores to see what options I had.
Last summer I tried a trail-a-bike take-off that Nadya loved, but I didn’t like at all. It was heavy, awkward, and impossible to put on and take off my bike. And it wobbled back and forth which made it unsafe to ride on the side of the road (which is necessary from time to time).
So when I discovered the Weehoo iGo pedal trailer, I felt we had hit gold.
The Weehoo is a recumbent bicycle trailer that, unlike the other trail-a-bike designs, has a chair with a three-point harness and is low to the ground. It’s designed so the child pedals while sitting comfortably. With the lower center of gravity there is little or no sway. The child’s feet are strapped in and there are handles for them to grip while they push forward with their feet.
It also has two saddle bags (where I like to store my bike lock) and mesh drink/ snack holders which the children can easily access during the ride. The best feature is how easy it is to snap on and off my bike without needing any help.
When I brought the Weehoo home during an early thaw in March, Nadya instantly wanted to try it out. It was an instant hit. We zoomed through the melting snow and ice along the Rideau Canal and she laughed along the way while she yelled, “WEEE-HOOO!”
Nadya and I love our Weehoo. We use it to get around the city. Once the summer officially arrives, we plan to use it for longer trips to Mooney’s Bay or up to Gatineau Park.
The beautiful thing is that after helping Mommy get to our destination by peddling, on the way home Nadya can safely fall asleep.
