Downtown parents looking for a speedier way to get their kids to school have a new option—customized pedicabs that they can pedal around.
Hub Station bike shop in the West Village has created a tailored “child carrier” tricycle that seats an adult in front and up to three kids in the seat-belted area in back.
“I found that in Lower Manhattan there is a need for women and men to take their kids to school where they are not stuck in a taxi,” Hub Station owner George Bliss said.
"These alpha moms want to take their kids to school and they don’t want to be stuck in traffic."
The mommycabs are so hot right now that Bliss claims he's making inroads into the celebirity mom market.
“Kate Winslet bought one for her and the kids but I don’t think she uses it too much because of the paparazzi,” Bliss said.
Kelly Craig, mother of 6-year-old Jordyn and 4-year-old Devin, spent $2,100 on a child carrier for her girls nearly a year ago.
Craig was blowing through cab fares up to four times a day as she ferried her daughters between their West Village home and Downtown school.
“I have easily made that money back and it is a great way to spend time with your family," said Craig.
Jordyn says she loves riding around in the back. She and her sister have even given the suped-up tricyle a name.
“We call her ‘Rosie the taxi bike’ because she is painted like a rose and has black sides like a taxi,” Jordyn said.
Bliss said he hopes encouraging parents to take to the streets on bike will help change the image of New York City cycling enthusiasts.
“The renegade, tattooed, anarchist bike messenger who has a rage against society... that’s an unfortunate image,” Bliss said.
”We have to bring in a new much more sophisticated, much more inviting, much more feminist bike culture.”
Bliss built his first mommycab three years ago using a bike, metal and wood. Since then, he’s fine-tuned the safety features to include two roll bars to protect the child seating area, an aluminum non-slip floor, and harnesses instead of seat belts. A removable plastic top protects from the cold and the rain.
“The floor is diamond plate and we really worked on the subfloor which is stiffer. We also install harnesses instead of seatbelts so the child is held by five points,” Bliss said.
He’s sold 14 of the decked-out pedicabs ranging in price from $1,800 to $2,300. The pedicabs are also available for rent from Hubstation’s storefront at 73 Morton St. between Hudson and Greenwich.
Bliss’ clients rave about his handiwork.
For more information about the pedicabs, contact Hub Station at 212-965-9334.
