Taking kids bikes on a 6 week trip

Bindiis may be a problem, we saw some people take their kids bikes off their camper, & all four tyres were punctured inside 3 minutes!
They also went straight through my wifes Crocs!

Depends on how long you plan top stay in one spot, and what kind of camping you're doing. Sorry but I'm inclined to agree with hubby. My kids never got bored. Sometimes you just have to work at it. As for exercise, they'll get enough trotting around with you guys as you sightsee.

Ask the kids. My 10 yo always wants his bike with him, the 13 yo doesn't.

We took 4 bikes to the Flinders some years ago and cycled through Brachina Gorge. It was great but carting and storing the bikes was a PITA. These days, 16 yr old daughter wants to take makeup and a wakeboard, & 12 yr old sone takes a footy and a skateboard. When I was a kid I took a compass and a map. How times change.

Best bet would be to ask the kids and see what they want. After all, its their holiday too.

Whatever the outcome, enjoy it while you can.

If base camping regually Yes. If moving camp daily then No. Bikes are cumbersome to carry, bulky and require additional helmets etc. Plenty to do on a 6 week trip without the need for bikes. Trails to attractions are mostly for walking so the opportunity to use them could be minimal.
Cheers Craig.............

Absolutely take the bikes.... AND take yours too!!! It's just the best way to explore. Set them up so you can get to them easily. If you don't now.... you will be saying to yourself "we should have taken the bikes"....

The kids will have so much more fun! I can't imagine how it would have been without the bikes on our trips around oz.

Make sure you have puncture repair kits and spare tubes.

If you are 'always on the move'.... sad. You actually won't see as much as if you stop for a day here and there and explore.

Bikes don't weigh much. Mount them on the outside. Stop at your camping ground. Then use the bike to ride into town to get the milk and papers, or along the river bed. Do the ride from Alice Springs to Simpson's Gap. Ride around Darwin. You'll love it!

Cheers Royce

I would have to agree with Hubby too. If you were to stay at a caravan park for an extended time then it may be good. But to travel around, always on the move they are a pain.

Besides if they get a puncture (numerous punctures every day if on dirt) who would be fixing them? Hubby? He will be busy enough keeping the car up to scratch.

It's good for the kids to learn other ways to entertain themselves.

Barnesy

take them -- when they get annoying you can tell them to go for a ride away for you .....works for me... 7 - 9 yr olds

remember kids have a 2 min attention span - what you think would be entertaining for them may not be ......




Boc

How are you planning to carry them? Will they have to be removed before setting up the camper each time? We decided not to take them on our 3mth jaunt and the kids didn't miss them, plus we weren't worried about someone reversing their van over them (the kids!). The kids didn't use half the stuff we took for them, they were to busy doing 'local' stuff. So for a 6 week trip 'on the move' I'd vote with 'hubby'

Cheers, Nige

We've always thought that when the kids get big enough then we would take them.....it will keep them occupied while setting up and it gives them a bit of "them " time...and a bit of exercise...eventough they will be walking lots if your going to NT.

Ask them and if so then do....plus if you are taking the trak shak surelly you have plenty of room??!! Have you got that boat rack? Thats a good place to tie them on...

or if you have a tow ball....get one of those bike rack thingys....

Laura

doing a 3 month qld-nt-wa trip ourselves next year and had considered taking bikes for the same reasons - keeping them occupied while setting up camp etc.

but then thought that for longer rides i would need to take an adult's bike so a parent could go along, then one parent would be left behind so take 2 adult bikes. all of a sudden up to 4 bikes and alot of weight and bulk for what would quite possibly be very little use

the vibrations and security and maintenance and everything else was just too much

taking a football, cricket bat and frisbee and just make do

Hi Jodie
Well that failed miserably didn't it? You expected a resounding victory for one side of the other but no such luck.
At the age your kids are they should be helping to set up camp and then helping with packing up. Likewise they should be helping out around camp with the various things that need doing eg helping whoever does the cooking, fetching beers for Dad etc.
Then if you bush camp there should be plenty of exploration to keep them happy.
Bikes are a PITA on a trip where you are regularly on the move. If you were going to stop for extended periods in the one place then maybe. But in this case here's another vote on hubby's side.

Jodie,

We did NT in 2004 with 3 kids 7,9,12 and didn't take the bikes and we were glad we didn't. Every day was a new adventure seeing and doing different things and the time we got back to camp the kids were exhausted. We were away for 5 weeks. Recommend the DVD with 2 screens on the headrest for the travelling between places.

Good luck on settling your disagreement,

cheers,

Lance