Owen Tudor, a young boy, rides his yellow Strider bike

Unstoppable Toddler Logs More Miles on a Bike Than Most Adults

250 miles. That’s how far two-year-old Owen Tudor rode his Strider Bike over the course of nine months in 2021.

Owen and his family live in the small community of Sioux Center, Iowa. Owen’s dad, Eric, and his wife have been happily married for eight years, and it was then that they decided to sell their second car and committed to living a car-independent lifestyle. Being avid bikers, commuting around town on their bicycles was something they loved doing.

During the first year of Owen’s life, he traveled to daycare, the grocery store, church, and parks inside the bike trailer pulled by his parents. It was his primary vehicle. When Owen turned one, his family decided it was time to buy a Strider 2-in-1 Rocking Bike and within days he was “riding”. Over the winter months, Owen’s family detached the bike from the base, and Owen practiced “riding skinnies” on wooden planks in the basement. Once the weather began to warm up, he began riding outdoors.

By spring, Owen was a Striding pro and the family decided to celebrate by having him ride his little 12” Strider Sport to daycare just a week before he turned two. The .75-mile ride took nearly 20 minutes, but Eric was impressed that Owen was able to navigate the route himself and stopped for traffic at the lone intersection.

Owen Tudor sits on a dirt pile on a farm with his yellow Strider bike in the foreground.

From March 1st to December 1st, Owen commuted to and from daycare with his dad on either his Strider Bike or the Mac Ride, a child bike seat that fits on almost any adult bike. Over this same time period, he logged over 1,000 miles on a bike, which is more than most adults. The coldest wind chill they rode in was 16 degrees and the warmest heat index they faced was 114 degrees. The duo missed a total of 3.5 days of commuting because of thunderstorms or rain. There wasn’t a single day that Owen was resistant.

By commuting to daycare on his bike, Owen’s parents have taught him that it’s not necessarily about reaching the destination – but more so about enjoying the journey. Some days, they’ll attach a bike bag and go rock collecting, splash in a puddle, or search for bugs in the prairie. As they ride, they’ll cut through a college campus on the way to daycare, and Owen will wish the students a good day. Learning to appreciate the small things can turn something mundane (like commuting) into something purposeful and memorable.

The Tudor family chose Strider because they appreciated the good work being done in the small town of Rapid City, South Dakota. They also love Strider’s commitment to hosting community events and have purchased Strider Bikes before for family members and friends. Eric and his wife determined that owning a Strider Bike would help their children become more active, experience a greater amount of freedom, and expose them to adverse weather conditions.

Today, at two years old, Owen has no issue traveling the .75 miles to daycare in ten minutes – which is most likely less than what most people spend on their daily drive to work. Eric says, “Sure, we could do it quicker and more comfortably in a vehicle, but I think the trade-off is worth it.” Owen’s coordination is outstanding. He’s grown in confidence, independence, strength, awareness, and navigation by riding his Strider.

Not only has this adventure renewed a sense of youth for Owen’s parents, but it’s also taught the Tudor family that joy can be found even in the dullest moments. Plus, if anyone ever says, “Toddlers can’t commute to preschool on a bike every day,” this tiny two-year-old can prove them wrong.